Hotels for New York Jets v. New England Patriots

An AFC East rivalry that has run for decades, with the two sides meeting twice every season regardless of form. A late-December date usually means the finer margins of playoff seeding are at stake, sometimes with one side already out of contention and looking to spoil the other's run. Cold-weather football in late December has its own character, with the wind off the Meadowlands often as big a factor as either roster. Divisional games like this one tend to be tighter and scrappier than the scoreline suggests, decided by special teams or a single turnover.

Home to both the Giants and the Jets, MetLife Stadium anchors the Meadowlands sports complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, hosting NFL football and the very biggest stadium concerts. The setting is a purpose-built sports and entertainment zone rather than a walkable district, with Manhattan across the river.

Matchday trains run from New York's Penn Station directly to the Meadowlands. Booking a room in Manhattan or nearby New Jersey lets you ride the train in and avoid the notorious car-park exodus after a sell-out.