Jets, Giants fans fired up for NFL Week 8 showdown at MetLife Stadium
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Bragging rights and a whole lot more will be on the line Sunday when the New York Jets (3-3) and New York Giants (2-5) face off at MetLife Stadium.
Steve Barbarulo, a life-long Jets fan, serves up world-class pizza and talks football at his pizzeria Patsy's Tavern in Paterson, New Jersey.
"Friendly wager, maybe a pizza or beers on the game. It makes it exciting," said Barbarulo.
On Friday, Jets coach Robert Saleh stopped by to pick up a pie.
"He came in, enjoyed the pizza. He returned and said he loved the pizza. Nice guy," said Barbarulo.
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Still, fans at the pizzeria are divided.
"A lot of our customers, half are Giant fans, half are Jet fans," said Barbarulo.
There's plenty of trash talk, especially when the Jets and Giants meet.
"The fans are raunchy on both sides," said Donna Hughes, a Jets fan.
"Giants and Jets, Yankees and Mets. It's good competition in New York. It's wonderful," said Gary Nahass, a Giants fan.
Ready, Set, Jets
The Jets and Giants don't have a typical crosstown rivalry.
"They share the same stadium. They're both in New Jersey. But you know, talking to some of the players, they don't really view this as that big of a deal as far as rivalries go. I think to them it's more about the teams that they see twice a year in your own division. So for the Jets, it's the Miami's, the Buffalo's, the New England's. Giants, it's probably more Dallas, Philly, Washington. This is more just a bragging rights type of game I think for the fans," said ESPN New York's Dan Graca.
Watch the Jets and Giants play Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS2 and Paramount+.