FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots receiver Deion Branch was asked following the game if he was embarrassed by the loss. His answer: "I'm not embarrassed, I'm just frustrated. The embarrassing part came from a few classless guys [on the Jets] after the game. There were a lot of classless things that went on after the game ended.''
When asked what he was referring to, Branch answered, "Didn't you see it? You've got to go back and watch it. Pretty classless stuff.''
Some of New England's players left the field when time ran out rather than shake hands with the Jets players. When asked if he was one of them Branch said, "I'm a champion. I'm always going to congratulate guys. They beat us today. The ones with class, I shook their hands. And the ones that didn't, I didn't [shake their hands]. You can tell they're not used to being in this position.''
In the week leading up to the game, several Jets players took exception to Tom Brady's exuberance during the Patriots' 45-3 win over New York on Dec. 6, notably Antonio Cromartie, who called Brady an "ass----."
Jackie MacMullan, who has spent nearly 20 years as a beat writer and columnist in Boston, is a columnist for ESPNBoston.com.