So, in years past, I've been labelled a darksider (most significantly for calling out the early warning flags on Mangini's 3-4 rigidness resembling Herm's cover-2 idiocy, and for calling out that winning with Herm was impossible). The question for this thread is are the darksiders simply realists and are the guys who were, once upon a time, pro-Herm, pro-Chad, pro-Mangini, simply off their rockers? Personally, I believe most dark-side activity of recent years was warranted. In hindsight, I am sticking to my guns that I was a realist, not a pessimist, and that the darksiders are, on the most part, simply realists. And because I'm not seeing much recent darksider activity, then the dark-side does not really exist, as every jet fan knows that there is plenty that could go wrong) As for this team, I am simply giddy - not because we're 2-0, but because fundamentally, this team has a rock-solid foundation that can only get better. Yes, Sanchez will look like a rookie sometimes (though if not against Belichek, then when), and yes we will give up touchdowns (but how many) - and when Sanchez looks his age or an offense figures out our offense it will be all good. Because, at the end of the day who doesn't believe that this team will come out fighting every week, prepared with the best schemes matching our personnel to the opponent? I believe we will. Everything that made me say that we'd never win with Herm or Mangini, makes me giddy about Rex's Jets! We may not win a SB, but gosh darnit, Rex will give our resources the best odds of competing for it. Checklist: Solid OL, check (but 2/5 spots are aging w/o depth) Young franchise QB, check Young all-pro, dynamic RB, check (and another supposed jewel on the bench, not to mention the leagues leading rusher, Mr "Only what the defense gives him" TJ Young all-pro WR, not really, which makes that QB all the more impressive (plus 89 is obviously one of the leagues most underrated WRs) Young all-pro caliber TE (check) Young all-pro caliber secondary (check, with a top tier shutdown, the most important part of a blitzing philosophy) Young LB (Harris, with the rest older or no good) YOung all-pro DL (our only area of long-term risk is the age here - and for this year, keeping 77 healthy is the critical factor - anyone doubt that Tanny won't fix this over time?) So, coming from a "darksider" - I think things are looking up. Not saying we're going to the SB, but saying that this team, unlike any team coached by Herm or Mangini, is structured to compete in any game, in any city, at any time.
^^^^^Great post. I think another aspect of this team, which wasn't talked about and has been missing for a decade is the ability to adapt at halftime and change schemes if necessary. We now have extremely compitent coaches from top to bottom.
You're forgetting we have the best ST coach in the league. Who knew Feely would turn out to be clutch after he was signed early last year to fill in for Nuge after he got hurt. What a great comeback for Feely. I hope he continues his streak.
Some darksiders may have been realists but there are those searching for dark clouds all the time. I remember screaming "Joe must go!" at the television for years, but calling for players to fail or worse is just not useful.
I agree with pretty much all of the OP. And like David said, you just can't count out most of our coaching. Westhoff is easily (at least in my mind) the best STs coach in the NFL. We have a former SB head coach tutoring our O-line, very solid assistants, and Schotty may be on his way to proving to me that Mangini was a micro-managing detriment to the offensive play-calling. But for me the jury is still out on Schotty. It seems like he's bringing Sanchez along very well, but sometimes I think he gets full of himself and, in the process, outsmarts himself. We still lack the type of depth that helps teams compete far into the postseason, and hopefully that will be addressed in the 2010 FA period and NFL draft. I have a bad feeling about the situation with the CBA, though. It's definitely the Jets darksider in me waiting for a lockout in 2011 to totally screw up the momentum we have going into the prime of Rex's coaching career, when he should be ready to field a truly elite Jets team.
One factor you left out that's different this year and was critical in beating the Pats was the punting. Weatherford contributed greatly by kicking out of the danger zone without shanking or allowing much of a return and thereby giving our defense some breathing room. This guy joins the team at the last minute and has been nothing but rock solid. Hopefully he can keep up the good work.
very true. we never think about the punter until he shanks one out of bounds giving the opposing team the ball at our own 30. hopefully he can keep up the solid if unspectacular performance.
Good post. You missed Pace though. Although he's out two more games, he's not coming back from injury and he's a really good player in his prime so he should come out firing. Best player on the D last year.
Haha I agree, I have no problem with pessemistic Jet fans, as we all are sometimes, but if the FO keeps adding depth (DL, O-line, WR ) and Sanchez does turn out to be a QB that rarely makes mistakes, theres no reason why we can't develop a playoff run during this decade, I think a superbowl is more in sight more then ever, I was really never sold on Mangini's way anyway
Great Post!! I do disagree about the Oline though. Faneca is 32 and Woody 31, but barring any serious injury that is one position that can be played at a high level for years to come. I believe by the time they can't perform at their expected level a replacement will be ready to go. That should be at least 4 years from now.
I agree with the main post but don't agree with this. As I said in another thread, the punter has been substandard. True, no real shanks but most punts 38-43, nothing long and short-field punts go into the endzone.
I think the key to depth is to play it really conservative in the draft. So far, while I like the majority of draft picks selected while Tanny has been running the show, he has also been ultra-aggressive in drafting, trading up in every draft since 2006. And while he has yielded strong results in the trade-ups, our roster seems pretty thin as a result. I'd love to see him trade down at least twice in the 2010 draft.
The Darkside is exactly the things you can't see until they come into the light. They can't come into the light until things play out a bit. 82 maybe the greatest performance in a playoff game by a Jets player as Freeman destoys the Bengals followed by Todd being God in Oakland only to be drowned by the fish. 99 was our year to go to the SB great team ready to go and bang Vinny goes down week 1. 02 we had our young QB of the future who was dynamic and magically and he goes down in the pre-season of 03 and has his shoulder crushed in 04. 04 our Cheerleader of a HC takes his foot of the throat of the Steelers and settles for moving back a couple of yards to kick a tough field goal in tough conditions with a shaky kicker. 86 we have a 9 game winning streak look ever bit as good as this team has through 2 games and go on a lossing streak to end the season and go down in a heep in Cleveland in a game we had won. 2008 Thursday night beat the Pats and set up a stretch that gives us a first round bye a home second playoff game and a clear path to the SB with a HOF QB only to imploud against the dregs of the league. The Darkside isn't about reality that the sun comes up and it's going to be a beautiful day. The darkside is knowing that monsters not only exist, their under the bed waiting for you.
Good write-up by the OP. I agree with you though on this potential mess with the CBA. They really need to get that ironed out this year.
I doubt it happens until at least 2011. I've listened to numerous interviews with Goodell and, from his language, he seems pretty dead set on going capless in 2010. And from De Smith's language in interviews, I don't think Goodell is even entertaining a sit-down to iron things out in the near future. If the owners want a capless season in 2010, their boy Goodell will come through for them.
Yep. I would describe my "Darksiderism" as a Defense mechanism for what seems like the inevitable Jets collapse that will tear my heart out. Although I see a lot of reasons to be truly excited about this year's team, I also see a lot of parallels with past disappointments. I don't need to go through them all, Long Time Jet fans can recite all of them off the top of their heads. After last year's implosion, I promised myself that I will never, never be sucked into dreaming of Super Bowl glory until that day when we actually reach the Super Bowl. I take absolutely nothing for granted with this team.....ever.
It's been so nice to see the ball reach the endzone on kickoffs. I had forgotten what that looked like.
I agree and while most of our o-line is in it's prime, one injury (knock on wood) and were in trouble I would just like to see Tanny dedicate this draft to adding pass-rushers a DT, as for offense help out the right side as well as add some more on the left, and defintely get an explosive WR, we've seen how good the Pats are on depth, we want the Jets to win SBs but a good combination of young talent and veterans will get us to the top, the coaching is there now it's time to add more and more football players, this season i'm liking our start but I want the Jets to have a reign of supremecy and for that to happen we need to inject more young talent, Tanny knows what hes doing, i'm viewing this Jets squad short and long term
