http://www.jetsdaily.com/2009/08/5-most-indispensable-jets.html The Jets are a very hard team to figure out this year. Casual observers see a rookie quarterback and a group of receivers they have never heard of and immediately write the team off for 2009. Others (typically optimistic Jets fans) see an experienced and productive offensive line, a defense as talented as any in football, and enough offensive weapons, particularly at runningback, to have a decent year. One thing is for sure. If the Jets want to have a winning season, these five players need to stay healthy and play well. If one of those two things don't happen for any of these guys, it could be a long year. 1. Kris Jenkins To me, there's no question who is number one. All anyone needs to do is look at the defense last year. For years, the Jets struggled stopping the run. Kris Jenkins comes in, plays a dominant first half of football, one in which he could easily have been the best defensive player in football. Then in the last five games, he wore down due to a myriad of injuries, and the defense went down with him. He makes a ton of plays on his own by pushing the center into the backfield or by tackling quarterbacks and runningbacks for losses, but his primary value comes in his mere presence. Opposing teams know how good Jenkins is, and they would be stupid not to double team him. This frees up the rest of the defense to have more space to make plays on their own, and guys like David Harris and Bart Scott will certainly benefit. The key will be keeping the big guy healthy. He returned to practice yesterday after missing several weeks with a nagging calf injury. Barring an unforeseen setback, he will be ready to go Saturday against the Giants and certainly week one against Houston. Still, the Jets need to give him more time off in games early on to keep him strong late. Sione Pouha struggled last year when plugged in the middle, so former Seahawk Howard Green was brought in to provide depth. He's shown flashes in camp and preseason that he can be Jenkins's backup, but he might not have the stamina to be a full-time starter if Jenkins got hurt for an extended period of time. Then again, a series injury to Jenkins, and the Jets can kiss any playoff plans good bye. 2. Darrelle Revis Funny that the top two guys on this list have already been hurt and missed a chunk of camp. Like Jenkins, Revis also returned to practice on Wednesday after suffering from a hamstring ailment. The third-year man is already among the elite NFL cornerbacks. He is as close to a shutdown corner as their is in the NFL, and losing him would negate the signing of Lito Sheppard, likely making the pass defense even worse than it was last year. Judging by the play of Dwight Lowery in preseason, losing Revis for an extended period of time would expose the pass defense. Sheppard and Dwight Lowery are both solid in their roles as the #2 and #3 cornerbacks, but asking more from them is asking for trouble. The lack of a pure pass rusher would come even more into play if they had to start. Revis and Sheppard could be an elite tandem. Sheppard and Lowery is not. And losing Revis for any period of time could be a death blow to the Jets. 3. Dustin Keller Entering his second season in the NFL, Keller is poised to become one of the top receiving tight ends in the NFL. With the receiving corps as inexperienced as it is, Keller will be heavily relied upon by Mark Sanchez both between the twenties and in the red zone. In fact there's a good chance he leads the team in receiving when all is said and done. But what makes Keller even more indispensable is the complete lack of depth behind him. Jack Simmons, Kareem Brown, and Kevin Brock are not starting material in 2009. They're barely good enough to be second stringers. If they had to start, there could be a black hole at tight end, and given how much the team will rely on Keller this year, there's no way they can make up his production. 4. Leon Washington Washington may not deserve the $6 million a year he and his agent crave, but he might be that important to the Jets. Some might wonder why I put the backup runningback on the list, especially considering the presences of Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene, but neither back can provide the instant offense that Washington can. In fact nobody on the entire offense can do that. He is a home run threat every time he touches the ball, scoring six touchdowns in just 76 carries. He added two receiving touchdowns and one return touchdown as well, bringing the total to 9. In 2009 if the Jets expect to move the ball at all, he better get more touches. Rex Ryan promises Washington will get the ball more this year. Of course, he's entering his fourth season, and it seems the front office and coaching staff have echoed that sentiment every year. Nevertheless, if the Jets really are going to pay him $5 million a year or more, that would show how valuable they think he is to the football team. Thomas Jones will likely end up with more rushing yards, but Washington led the NFL in combined yards last year (2332), and he should be near the league lead again this year. He's being taken off punt returns, but that's his worst area, and it should lead to him getting the ball more on offense. 5. Mark Sanchez What would a blog post be without mentioning Mark Sanchez? The rookie has dominated all Jets news this offseason, and now that he is officially the starting quarterback, we can start to put expectations on him. For year one I for one am not expecting all that much, but if he can cut down on turnovers and manage the game, much like Joe Flacco did down the stretch last year, then the Jets could contend for a playoff birth. If he struggles like most rookie quarterbacks, the team won't go very far, but given how lackluster Kellen Clemens has looked throughout his career, Sanchez needs to be the guy both right now and in the future. He is getting $28 million dollars guaranteed for a reason. It's completely unfair to expect a Matt Ryan-like season, but behind a good offensive line, he needs to at least be competent for this team to win. Quick Hits *Shonn Greene will likely miss the rest of the preseason due to cartilage damage to his ribs. Former Stanford runningback Anthony Kimble was signed as insurance. *David Clowney is working with the first team in practice and could start against the Giants. *Someone who will definitely start against the Giants is LB Vernon Gholston, who the Jets want to get up to speed for week one. *QB Chris Pizzotti will start the 2nd half against the Giants. Rex Ryan wants to keep his promise to "Harvard" that he would get him into a game. With the quarterback battle settled, it's a good time to do it.
That's the one big issue I see with a 3-4 D... a good 3-4 NT is very rare, and usually no one has much depth behind their main guy, so if that guy goes down you're in trouble. Its easier to plug 4-3 DTs than find a good 3-4 NT. Fortunately Ryan has a flexible defensive scheme were we can go to 4-3 fronts if need be. I don't think losing Jenkins THIS year is going to be as detrimental as it was last year... but obviously losing him would suck either way.
Thats why Baltimore puts two on the line, Gregg and Ngata, when Gregg went down last year Ngata shifted over. Thats what we need to look for next year I agree with their picks, but I also think Mangold is on par with the other 5
My list would be Jenkins, Revis, Scott, Mangold, Brick. Reasoning is same as yours for Jenkins & Revis. There is no depth at IL, so I put Scott on the list but Scott/Harris would be together. The offense will be run heavy and the OL is key with little back-up, so Mangold & Brick. Clemens would do fine as fill-in for Sanchez. I left Keller off because the focus will be on the run anyway.
Alright so our "bruiser" has hurt ribs? This is the guy that's going to knock the crap out of people late in the 4th? I hope this is a one time deal or you know....BUST
I agree with the picks Mack, but i'd like to handcuff Mangold to Sanchez as the other 5th most important guy.
1. Kris Jenkins 2. Nick Mangold 3. Darrelle Revis 4. Kerry Rhodes 5. Leon Washington Sanchez? Really? Haha.
I hope you were kidding. You obviously never hurt your ribs. I injured my rib cartilage playing hockey in college and it was one of the most painful things I have ever endured. It hurts if you do almost anything - you can't laugh, cough, sneeze, lift anything etc let alone play a contact sport. I had trouble getting out of be in the morning it hurt so much. What happens is the cartilage separates from the bone. It amazes me how "internet football players" criticize professional athletes for not playing injured and then stay home from their desk jobs with the sniffles.
1. Jenkins. 2. Mangold. 3. Ferguson. 4. Ellis. 5. Harris. Nothing is going to matter much anywhere else on the field of one of those 5 guys goes down. After Sanchez gets his feet on the ground he probably slides onto the list. Outside of the trenches nothing else matters. If you have the trenches well manned then you can start looking at key players who don't dwell in them.
5 most indispensible Jets: 1. Ferguson 2. Jenkins 3. Mangold 4. Pace 5. Scott/Harris Skill players are worth nothing without the guys in the trenches. Sanchez doesn't belong on this list now. Frankly, he and Clemens and Ainge are about a wash, but Sanchez has the job because he has the most upside. The Jets will perform about the same this year no matter which of the three is the QB. Reevis is great, but a CB is almost useless without a pass rush. Same goes for Rhodes. A RB is the easiest player on the field to replace, especially if the OL is good. If you can't block , stop the run, and rush the passer, you lose games.
I agree with your logic, but Ellis is easily replaced. He is an average DE on his best day now and I would be surprised if he is Jet next year if there is a cap.
I won't be angry at all. If he earns his keep, I'd be happy. You have to lighten up on this thing you think I have against Ellis. I just don't think he has come anywhere close to living up to his contract. I have gone to games when I didn't even know he was on the field. Look, he was a solid player from 02-04, but he took 05 off and was in decline until last year, when he had a pretty good year. He is paid like an elite end, but he is just not a playmaker and he disappears too much, even for a 3-4 end. Everybody has opinions on players. I'm entitled to mine. Just be thankful I didn't give him a nickname and put in every thread like half the board did with Pennington for 4 years.
I banged tin for over 10 years, so I've spilled more blood and wrapped it with a napkin and duct tape and worked the rest of the day in a 120 degree attic than you can image. I've had a compression fracture in my back, in a car wreck in the middle of the night...in a small canal and I had to go walk to get help. I've been hit with 120V, I've had burns, torn ligaments in my thumb. Foot ran over by a scissor lift and it rolled up on it sideways and just of stalled there for a moment. sweetness. I started snowboarding at 36...that shit hurts dude. Hell I got knocked out for a second or two on the hill and then rode the rest of the day...with a helment on albeit, but still... I own the nickname "crash" for a reason. I'm a fookin retard apparently. I'm not saying this because I'm a tough guy or anything, because I do sit at a desk now. What I am saying is, yes a rib injury is a bitch and a half. I'm not going to look up your typical healing time because I'm sure any cartilage injury takes a while to heal and hurts like hell, not to mention it's in the core. Also, I'm saying I hope this dude ain't fragile, because he's supposed to be a wrecking crew.
