The main interpersonal subplot involves the strange coincidence of Mike Holmgren coaching his last home game with Seattle against the quarterback he once won a Super Bowl with, Brett Favre. Holmgren is taking what he calls a "sabbatical" from coaching after this season. And then there are the Jones brothers, as for the third time in their NFL careers, the Jets' Thomas Jones and Seattle's Julius Jones will have their teams face each other.

"I can honestly say that I would not be here today if it were not for Mike Holmgren," said Favre, who played for Holmgren with Green Bay from 1992-98. "The things that he taught me really hit me a little bit later, how much of a perfectionist that he was and how hard he was on me. That's the way that I study and prepare today. To him, everything had to be perfect in order to win. He put me in a position to succeed. ... [Without Holmgren], I probably would've been written off a long time ago."

"That's very nice of him to say that," Holmgren said when told of Favre's comments. "He's had a lot to do with my success in this business as well. It's kind of a mutual admiration society. I'm most happy about Brett as a dad and as a husband, and how he handles and conducts himself off the field. To see guys grow up and do a good job that way, I feel good about that."

Holmgren added that Favre "has meant a lot to me over the years and seeing him always puts a smile on my face. Here he is again. ... Having this be my last home game here and Brett being on the team that comes in, the irony is just unbelievable. It'll be good to see him. He's having a great year and making a big difference, I think, with the Football team."

Favre and Holmgren still talk to each other, and in fact, Holmgren said they spoke about 10 days after Favre announced his retirement in March.

"I think in some ways he's let down his guard a little bit with me," Favre said. "There's an openness that there wasn't when I played for Mike."

Of course, Thomas and Julius, two of seven Jones siblings, always have been close. Thomas, 30, is two years older than Julius, who came into the NFL in 2004. The Jones family has gathered in Seattle to watch the two.

"Every time I get to play against him it's like a dream come true," Thomas said. "We dreamed of being running backs in the NFL as kids and we have a chance to play against each other. It's very unique."

Thomas has had a bounce-back year, leading the AFC with 1,222 yards rushing and being named team MVP. Julius, who left Dallas after last season for Seattle via free agency, mostly has been riding the bench lately since losing a fumble against Dallas on Thanksgiving.

But he's happy for his big brother.

"I'm proud of him," Julius said. "I can't say enough about him. He's been through a lot of [stuff] in his career, teams drafting guys [to replace him]. ... He's finally in a position to prove he is the back we all thought he was."

In the previous two meetings, Julius' teams have beaten Thomas' clubs. The Jets need that to change.

"I love my brother more than I love Football," Thomas said. "I want him to be healthy and have a great game, but I want to win."

Jets (9-5) vs. Seahawks (3-11)

Qwest Field

Today, 4:05

TV: Ch. 2

Radio: ESPN-AM 1050, WABC-AM 770

Line: Jets by 4

What's at stake?

Jets: This is their chance to continue to control their playoff destiny. All the Jets need to do is win their last two games of the regular season and they will be AFC East champions. However, if they stumble here, they could find themselves out of first place for the first time since October if the Patriots and/or Dolphins win today. And then they might need help to get into the playoffs, even if they beat Miami next week.

Seahawks: For the second straight week, the Jets face a team with not much other than pride on the line, although Seattle could draw some inspiration from the fact that this will be coach Mike Holmgren's final home game before he takes what he has called a sabbatical from the NFL. He intends to go around the perimeter of the field, thanking fans after the game. The Jets hope it isn't a victory lap.

Key matchups

Jets CB Darrelle Revis vs. Seahawks WR Deion Branch

Branch has recovered from a heel injury and has been quite effective in the last three games with 14 receptions for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Although he is only 2-4 as a starter, backup QB Seneca Wallace has good numbers, with eight TD passes and only one interception. The Seahawks certainly will test a Jets' pass defense that is ranked 29th in the NFL.

Jets WR Laveranues Coles vs. Seahawks CB Marcus Trufant

Coles, who had been limited to three catches in the previous two games, had five receptions for 82 yards against Buffalo, although he had a costly drop that turned into an interception. Trufant has only one interception this season, but he had seven picks last year. And don't forget, Brett Favre leads the NFL with 17 interceptions this season.

How they'll win

Jets: Favre plays well in the snowy conditions that are forecast, much the way he did for Green Bay in its rout over the Seahawks in the playoffs last season. The Jets grab an early lead and take the often-loud Seattle crowd out of the game, minimizing the risk of false-start penalties. The run defense gets back to form as NT Kris Jenkins plays the way he did earlier in the season.

Seahawks: Wallace makes plays with his arm and with his feet, as the Jets once again aren't able to cover receivers well or generate a consistent pass rush. Thomas Jones' younger brother, Julius, runs effectively and so does Maurice Morris. The defense takes away the slants and screens that the Jets like to use, forcing Favre to take more chances downfield than he wants to.

- J.P. Pelzman