New England is hoping to lock up home-field advantage.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – These New England Patriots seem to be playing the same way they did two years ago – when they won the Super Bowl.

“It looks that way right now,” New York Jets safety Sam Garnes said.

With a franchise-record 10-game winning streak and a chance to lock up home-field advantage for the playoffs, New England (12-2) visits the Jets (6-8) on Saturday.

Two wins to close out the season, and the Patriots would stay in Foxboro for the postseason.

“There’s a lot on the line for us in these last two games,” Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said. “New York is going to try to prove something against us this week. But we realize how important this game is, no matter what our record is or what their record is.”

The Patriots have won this season despite fielding a different starting lineup in each game. Through 14 games, they have used 42 different starters. Five opening day starters are on injured reserve.

That makes what they have done this season even more impressive. They started 2-2 before going on their long winning streak, and have won six games by seven points or less – including two in overtime.

In 2001, the Patriots started 1-3 before reaching the Super Bowl. That year, they ended the regular season on a six-game winning streak. And they won seven games by seven points or less – including all three in the postseason.

“I have taken that year and kind of just shelved it,” Bruschi said. “I don’t really try and compare any year to that because it was so special. This year the ending conclusions have yet to be played in front of us, so we will wait until the season is over to start the comparisons.”

If the Patriots do win the Super Bowl again, they would be the best team in franchise history. They already have a record 12 regular-season wins, besting the previous mark of 11 set in – you guessed it, 2001.

Winning close games is the mark of a great team. The Jets should know: they have lost five games this season by seven points or less.

“They have a unique ability for someone to step up and make a play, and that’s the difference in a winning team and a losing team,” Jets quarterback Chad Pennington said. “It’s not always been Tom Brady, it’s not always been the offense, it’s not always been the defense. To me, they’ve won 12 games as a team.”

That’s for sure. In a 19-13 overtime win over Miami earlier this year, Brady threw an 82-yard touchdown pass to Troy Brown to win the game. They needed three field goals from Adam Vinatieri to beat Cleveland 9-3.

Brady threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to David Givens with 30 seconds remaining to beat the Broncos 30-26. Willie McGinest and the defense held Indianapolis on a goal-line stand to preserve a 34-30 win. And Bruschi had an interception return for a touchdown against the Dolphins three weeks ago to win 12-0.

“They have great chemistry,” Jets coach Herman Edwards said. “They always believe they can win. They’re the kind of team that, they don’t get the publicity of other players in the league. They just find ways to win. That’s a great thing to have when you have a team like that.”

When asked whether this team reminded him of 2001, Edwards said, “They’re playing the same way. Same kinds of formula.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick knows his team has a great ability to work together, which translates into success.

“Chemistry is not something that you can really dictate,” he said. “It is just something that happens, and I think that our players try and help each other out, play unselfishly and get along together.”

The Patriots are going for their first season sweep of the Jets since 1996, after having won the first meeting this season 23-16. But the Jets hope to show they are better than their record in another national televised game.

Earlier this month, they beat the Titans 24-17 on Monday night, their only victory over a winning team.

AP-ES-12-19-03 1558EST