The Patriots live by a series of core beliefs: Don’t believe the hype. Stay hungry and stay humble. Do your job. Well done is better than well said.

With this week’s Patriots-Jets divisional playoff showdown looming, it’s the last one — a phrase coined by Benjamin Franklin — that’s worth remembering. Saturday’s wild card game between New York and Indianapolis was barely over before the Jets started talking about how this weekend’s divisional playoff was going to be different than the 45-3 butt-whuppin’ the Patriots laid on them in December.

“I remember what happened, but at the end of the day we know we’re better than them,” said wide receiver Braylon Edwards.

“What happened in the last game definitely is not going to happen again,” added defensive back Dwight Lowery.

“The defense doesn’t [typically] give up 45 points. I don’t care if it is Tom Brady. They just don’t. So I definitely think it’s going to be different this time around,” said tight end Dustin Keller.

On Monday, Jets coach Rex Ryan joined in, saying this game was personal between him and Patriots coach Bill Belichick, and adding that the reason New York lost in December was because of bad coaching. He also said Patriots quarterback Tom Brady “took a shot at me by his antics on the field.”

“Just Brady being Brady,” Ryan added when pressed. “I don’t like seeing that; nobody does. No Jet fan likes to see that. And I know he can’t wait to do it. He’s not going to say anything publicly, but he does it. It’s what it is. It’s my job to get him out of the end zone.”

Meanwhile, there was radio silence coming from the Patriots. Other than some innocuous comments from Belichick on Sunday and Monday conference calls, he’s done little to stoke the fire. On Monday, Belichick tweaked Ryan slightly, suggesting that a matchup between the two coaches wasn’t necessarily something people were interested in seeing.

“I might have a little quickness on him, he’s probably got a little strength and power on me,” Belichick said, his tongue firmly in his cheek. “I don’t think either one of us is making any blocks or tackles or runs or throws or catches. At least, you won’t see me doing that. That’s probably a good thing for our team.”

But then again, the Patriots have never been ones to try and fan the flames. Sure, they’ve taken an occasional shot at a bystander (hello, Charley Casserly), but they’ve steered clear of offering any bulletin-board material. Instead, they’ve usually stood back with bemused looks while opponents have covered themselves in steak sauce and marched into the lion’s mouth. Really? Are you sure you want to do that? OK…. Remember Marcus Pollard? Mike Vanderjagt? Freddie Mitchell? Anthony Smith? Plaxico Burress?

Actually, maybe that last one didn’t work out so well. But the point remains the same: When the media gets its first chance to head into the locker room on Tuesday morning, the Patriots will be in lockdown mode when it comes to communication. Since Belichick took over in New England, the incidents of pre-game trash talking can be counted on one hand.

There was Lawyer Milloy riling things up before the 2001 AFC Championship Game, and Rodney Harrison taking a mild jab at Vanderjagt in early 2005, calling him “Vanderjerk.”

However, the best came in 2001 when Bryan Cox unloaded on Peyton Manning, saying he wasn’t afraid of the Indianapolis quarterback.

“They can be beat. They put their pants on just like we put our pants on. We can compete. We can play. We can win. I’m looking to knock Peyton [Manning’s] head off. That’s point-blank football. You can make them out to be Supermen. You can give them credit — they’ve put up a lot of points this season. But I’m not built like that.” (Later, Cox told reporters who asked why he said it, “I’m not the kind of man to [expletive] another man’s [expletive.]”)

With Milloy playing for the Seahawks, Harrison a TV analyst and Cox a defensive line coach for the Browns, don’t expect any rejoinders from New England, at least not this week. The scorched-earth style is one that’s preferred by Ryan and the Jets. Look for the Patriots and Belichick to opt for Franklin’s approach.

“I just try to coach my team,” Belichick explained Monday. “I’m not really worried about how everybody else coaches theirs. Everybody’s got their own style, and a lot of coaches do a great job. Rex does a great job with his team. I’m just trying to coach mine. I’m not really worried about what anybody else is doing.”