FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — They are 675 pounds of men in the middle, two massive human detour signs that force running backs in another direction.

Nose tackles Kris Jenkins of the New York Jets and Vince Wilfork of the New England Patriots are there to make sure much smaller players get stopped soon after they take a handoff.

Two huge men — the relatively svelte Wilfork is about 25 pounds lighter — with a big job.

With rain expected for most of the night, both teams go into Thursday's matchup tied for the AFC East lead at 6-3 after winning their last game with outstanding rushing performances.

Thomas Jones led a 206-yard ground attack with 149 yards and three touchdowns in the Jets' 47-3 rout of the St. Louis Rams. BenJarvus Green-Ellis picked up 105 of the Patriots' 144 yards rushing in their 20-10 win over the Buffalo Bills.

Wilfork made a speedy transition from a hard-rushing tackle in college at Miami to a 3-4 defense, where he had to hold his ground as a rookie after the Patriots drafted him in the first round in 2004.

Jenkins was traded to the Jets last February after seven seasons with Carolina, where he played in a 4-3 alignment every year.

"Being a nose tackle, I study a lot of guys that play that position," Wilfork said, "and, right now, he's one of the best, it being his first year playing there. He's up there."