Some things in life never change. The sky is blue, the grass is green, and the Jets find ways to make children (and sometimes grown men) cry. Well it seems that one of those three things is changing as you read. Only time will tell whether this is for real or if it’s a façade like an Indian Summer.
There is no doubt that the Jets culture is changing in a way the fans have not seen in quite a while. This transition will be put to the test as the Jets are at a turning point in their season. After a strong 3 – 0 start they have dropped two games in a row, most recently to the Miami Dolphins. Was last week a Same Old Jets loss or was it a classic Dolphins vs. Jets rivalry matchup where anything is possible?
One thing is certain, the next three weeks of the season will help determine whether this team are your fathers Same Old Jets or the transformed team all fans want to believe they are. The next three games see the Jets take on Buffalo, Oakland, and Miami. For some franchises with equal talent these would be lock down wins and a 2 – 1 or 3 – 0 record. However, the Jets are like no other franchise in the NFL. There always seems to be an unexpected play call, turnover, or unexplainable performance, all while the Jets contribute to the opposition looking much better then they are. When referring to Chad Henne after following last week's loss Rex Ryan said, “Yeah we made him look like Dan Marino, a future Hall of Famer.”
Jets fans will find out in the coming weeks just how far along the Jets are in their cultural shift. While the fast start has infused optimism in the Jets fan base, the team still has a lot to prove and the time is now.
All the pieces seem to be in place, but they have been in this position before. The Jets are looking to make sure they don’t mirror past years. While the Jets can’t rewrite the books they can certainly take care of the present. If the Jets come out and win the next three games, this franchise will be one step closer to admonishing the ghost of Jets past.
Even the most pessimistic of fans can agree there is something different about this team. There is a swagger, confidence, and belief in the their ability to win, which frankly has not been seen in years. It’s up to the Jets to provide results of this belief, and add their own page to the books of history. Will they add a new page or photocopy what is already there? Only time will tell.
E-mail the author at Brandon.gorkey@gmail.com