The doldrums of the NFL lockout cannot stifle the lingering bitterness from New York Jets LB Bart Scott toward the archrival New England Patriots.

Scott -- who gleefully mocked the Patriots after the Jets' upset playoff win in Foxborough three months ago -- continued to bash the team last week.

In an interview with the New York Metro, Scott said the normally-stoic Patriots are coming loose in an attempt to mimic the Jets' bold-talking ways.

He told the paper that bold words from Patriots QB Tom Brady (who hasn't backed down from comments last summer that he hates the Jets) and WR Wes Welker (who appeared to mock Jets coach Rex Ryan in a news conference days before the playoff game) illustrate that the Jets have gotten into the Patriots' head.

Said Scott:

"That's doesn't sound right, that kind of talk. That's when you know they're buying into us, when they start sounding like we talk. Wes Welker start trying to be us, sounding like we do. That's how you know they want to be us."

The Jets have reached the playoffs as a wild card in Ryan's first two seasons as head coach and advanced to the AFC title game each year. The Patriots have won the AFC East both of those years but have been bounced from the playoffs in their first game each time.

Ryan has consistently said he considers Patriots coach Bill Belichick -- a three-time Super Bowl winner -- a better coach whom he only wants to be better than on game day.