" Jets must rise above their own history to take next step in '10 " ~ ~ ~

By Nate Davis, USA TODAY
Building on success is not a hallmark of the New York Jets.
Joe Namath never won another playoff game after famously leading the Jets to their historic upset of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, still the franchise's only championship.

The Jets reached the 1982 AFC Championship Game during the bull market days of the New York Sack Exchange, but Richard Todd's five-interception day doomed New York, and he went on to prove in a 7-9 1983 season that he was not Namath's heir apparent at quarterback.


THE HUDDLE: Rex Ryan's advice to Jets: 'Punch somebody in the nose'

Perhaps most vexing to Jets fans was the 1999 team. After falling to a stout Denver Broncos squad in the 1998 AFC title game, New York's path to the Super Bowl looked smooth — the Jets were in Year 3 of Bill Parcells' program and Broncos quarterback John Elway had ridden into retirement after winning MVP honors in Super Bowl XXXIII.

But the Achilles tendon of Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who was coming off what would be the best season of his 21-year career, snapped in the first half of the 1999 opener, and New York never recovered, limping to an 8-8 record.

Current coach Rex Ryan doesn't believe the turbulence of years past will ground what seems to be an up-and-coming Jets squad in 2010, even though he knows his team can't rest on its laurels.

"Next year, when we come back, we can't make the assumption that we are going to get back to where we were," Ryan said Monday, a day after his team's 30-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts left the Jets one win shy of a Super Bowl landing.

"My challenge to myself and to all our players and all our coaches is to find a way to get better. I don't know what it is, but, however, find a way that everybody gets a little bit better. When that happens, maybe that will put us over the top."

That the Jets even approached the NFL's summit in 2009 seemed unlikely two months ago when they were languishing with a 4-6 record, enduring the tribulations of rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and playing without injured Pro Bowl nose tackle Kris Jenkins and all-pro kick returner and versatile running back Leon Washington. Even Ryan thought his team was toast after a last-minute 10-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 20 left New York with a 7-7 record and sitting outside the AFC playoff picture.

But the Jets danced into the playoffs after upsetting the Colts and Cincinnati Bengals— both accused by many of lying down for New York, given they had little at stake other than their health — then went on the road and shot down the Bengals before ending the San Diego Chargers' 11-game win streak on their way to the rematch with the Colts.

After throwing 20 interceptions in the regular season, Sanchez seemed to settle into his role despite the pressure of the postseason. He threw four touchdowns (against two interceptions) and had a 92.7 passer rating in three playoff games. After lofting an 80-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Edwards and firing a 9-yard strike to tight end Dustin Keller in the second quarter of the AFC Championship Game, Sanchez and the offense were outshining New York's vaunted defense in building a 17-13 halftime lead vs. Indianapolis.

"I think we saw our future," Ryan said. "You just saw him growing by leaps and bounds. I think our team believes in him."

And Sanchez believes in himself, even though he fell two quarters short of becoming the first rookie to lead his team to a Super Bowl.

"I've started becoming the quarterback that this team needs," said Sanchez, who will have more playoff wins than any quarterback in team history if he gets one more. "I've still got a long way to go, a long way to go. I haven't arrived, I haven't figured it out, and I haven't made it. None of that can happen without the great players we have on this team."

The roster does seem to be stocked with plenty of talent.

Three members of the offensive line — center Nick Mangold, left guard Alan Faneca and left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson — all reached the Pro Bowl while clearing the way for the league's No. 1 running game. Starting tailback Thomas Jones, 31, continued to defy Father Time, rushing for a career-best 1,402 yards and a franchise-record 14 touchdowns. Behind him, rookie Shonn Greene leads all players with 304 rushing yards in the playoffs and looks like he'll have no problem filling Jones' shoes one day. The rushing attack becomes even more dynamic if Washington can rebound from his broken leg.

The passing game seemed to mature along with Sanchez, who found a rhythm with Keller, a second-year player, in the playoffs. They hooked up for a touchdown in each game. Ryan says the team will bring Edwards back to play alongside dependable receiver Jerricho Cotchery.

"We have a great young quarterback, our offensive line is going to be together for a while, and there's a lot of young players on this team mixed in with some veterans that have a lot of years left in their tanks," Cotchery said. "We do have some great things to look forward to."

But the offense is unlikely to be the team's focal point as long as brash Ryan is in charge and fielding his ever-aggressive and confident defense, which allowed the fewest points and yards in the league.

With rising stars in cornerback Darrelle Revis and linebacker David Harris — players Ryan has charged with becoming team leaders — steady mainstays in defensive end Shaun Ellis, safety Jim Leonhard and linebacker Bart Scott and Jenkins' expected return from a knee injury, the unit should be formidable again.

"We wanted to create a mentality," Ryan said. "We want to have a tough football team that's a blue-collar team that can run the football and play defense."

Ryan has watched that template mostly succeed this season and last when he was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, led by then-rookie quarterback Joe Flacco in 2008.

"We're close," Ryan said, his confidence hardly shaken despite watching Peyton Manning dismantle his defense as the AFC title game wore on. "There is no question. Really, we accomplished a heck of a lot this first year. We thought we could win it all, we really did."

Despite the franchise's historic inability to maintain prosperity, Ryan's players almost universally echo his optimism and swagger.

"I learned the history and how the fans seem like they are waiting for disappointment," Leonhard said. "It's changing. I think that was the first thing Rex tried to get out there to the fans that this will not be the same old Jets. I think we laid that foundation. … We're moving forward, and we're going to be a contender year-in and year-out. That's our goal. Hopefully, the fans realize that, because the players in this organization realize that things are changing."

Ryan wanted the team to jell into a force that nobody wanted to play.

Keller thinks they succeeded.

"A lot of teams aren't going to want to play us," Keller said. "We're definitely going to be a team to watch out for next year."

And the fans, right up to owner Woody Johnson, will be watching with sky-high expectations.

"I'm extremely proud," Johnson said after losing to the Colts. "We're just hoping next year to be able to go a little bit further; one game further and then win the next one."

A lofty goal, and one the team hasn't met now in 41 years. But Ryan doesn't expect history to repeat itself much longer.

"This isn't the same old Jets, and any negative connotation that way is crazy," the coach said.

"That's the way we feel because our football team is tough. We are resilient, and I think we are going to get back. We'll see."

how hard is it to post the article?

 

I feel like this article has been written a million times...

 

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That is a very scary, sad fact. One playoff win and Sanchez is our all time leader in playoff victoires.

We have a very bright future. Can't wait till the draft rolls around.

 

I think if the Jets do better next year, it will be a good thing.

I should write an article on that.

 

I think we finally have a GM, Coach and a Quaterback that can take us to the playoffs for a number of seasons in a row. Tanny should be able to address some roster issues and give Rex the players he needs for a return to the playoffs. As long as we are able to add to our roster and surround Mark with quality players; he has the ability to take us deep into the playoffs and hopefully a Super Bowl win.

 

Has anyone clicked on this yet?

 

Exactly, well said.

 

:rofl::rofl::rofl: