this morning ESPN had the JETS ranked at 26, which we already figure we are being expected by many to be. The interestng thing was one of the experts (and I forget the guys name) was pretty adamant that the JETS had a real chance of being positioned in the top 10 to 15 of the league. He said if Chad or Ramsey really step up to thier potential that we woud be a real contender this season...... yes you heard it right this season. What do you guys think?
I disagree. By the time our line gels, our QB's and recievers get comfortable with the timing of the new offense and our D creates an identity we will already be about 4-5 games in the whole. Hey anything can happen - it's just not likely
One of our QBs (whether it be ramsey, chad, or clemens, will break out and start successfully. We will be contenders, really good ones at that
You guys are in very good shape, but not this season. Your offensive line is going to get better and your QB whoever it will be in the future is who your going to depend on. Next year the Jets have to pick a player for a major position.
JMO -- something really has to break our way for us to crack the top 15. More than QB play. The whole team has to "get it", and "feel it". Both the Dolphins and the Patsies are going to be tough tough teams this year. That's already four games I think will be tough to win. It is definitely possible, and I think it could happen, but everything has to fall superbly. There are several factors that I think will have to play into such a scenario. #1 -- Running game. Duh - We need one. Someone needs to step up and be the #1. Likely it'll be several players -- which makes it more unlikely to happen. Washington, Houston, Blaylock, Martin - have to have an impactful seasons. Each in their on niche - Whether as a starter or as a role player. This is essential, as is the OL's synthesis into a greater whole, both essential. Both more essential than: #2 -- QB play. Why? Kellen Clemens is the future. But not the present. If he has to play this year, so be it. He'll do fine. But any QB in any system will perform better with a functioning running attack. It keeps a defense off-balance and guessing. That is when QB's like Pannington and Clemens are really dangerous. Whoever plays QB however will need to get the job done. This is also dependent on the wrs, which makes the QB's job doubly hard, because we don't really have any game-breakers outside of LC, if he can even be considered as such.... #3 -- Defense on the whole. I don't care how we do it. Whether teams can't pass on us, or can't run on us, or we're just damn stingy in the bend but don't break mold like two years ago. It really doesn't matter that much to me. I don't care who is playing LB, or DT or SS. I don't care id BT and Dewayne and Eric Coleman are all riding pine from day one. We just need to stop teams before they get more first downs. End. Of. Story. Do that, and we will give the offense a decent shot at good field position, which usually affects games more than we know. It is all about real-estate, this game. #4 -- Special Teams, especially Mr. Nuge the Stooge, who better start winning some football games for us with his puny little hoof. And that is all that needs to be said about that. Also, Kickoff coverage needs to improve over last year. Again, real estate is prime. #5 -- +/- ratio. The greatest handicap out there. You convert these big boys {+'s} and you win games. Period. You give up {-'s} and you're begging to lose. Nothing affects momentum more than an INT or fumble, unless you're talking about a blowout. Play careful, play efficient, and force TO's. That is the recipe for success folks. It gets more in depth, but considering that I believe the AFCE will once again be a highly competitive division, at least at the top, many things outside of what the JETS do will have to fall right in order for us to be in that top 1/2 of the league. Namely, the four games between us and NE and MIAMI will determine our season.
#3 nails it for me. How many times on third and long has the other team converted? Far too many! I would imagine that the JETS are one of the worst when it comes to this. A stingy defense will automatically make our offense better.
The only way to be contenders this year is if most of the IFs come to fruition. gnamnito blackbird made some great points. The point has been made before that just two seasons ago we were just a kick away from the AFCC game. What makes this year any different, right? Well, a lot actually. Yes, Herm turned out to be a schmuck. However, by that point, he had brought some stability to the team, plus he still had the faith of the guys. Will Mangini be able to bring that to the table from day one? Maybe, maybe not. This is going to be an important factor in the overall picture. The WRs are a big ? Obviously, Coles is a great performer. However, will JMac be a legit #2, or is he just going to glide through the rest of his contract? Will Cotch step up? Will our TEs be able to make an impact? The running game is a mess. Will CMart be able to play at the level he did in '04? Will any of the kids step up? Our D is going to be perhaps the biggest thing to watch. More than even the QB spot. A new scheme being installed. The loss of a Pro-Bowl talent pass rusher. Vilma in a defense that isn't highlighting his talent to go side to side. Half a dozen CBs fighting for a starting spot. There are a lot of big ?s there. And of course, the QB situation. Can Chad lead this team to the promised land? Will Clemmens step up and grab the mantle? Will Ramsey be forced in and collapse? Will Bolly play at all, and if so, will he be effective? There are just too many questions. While I hate to admit it, Miami is much stronger coming off their end of last season. The Pats are still the Pats. Plus, for as much as people still seem to think we have an easy schedule, we don't. I'm not getting my hopes up. This is a rebuild year, and I am approaching it as such. If things fall together, and we string together some wins, great. If not, at least I won't have my hopes dashed like so many years before. 2008 is our year. That's where I stand right now. This year will acclimate the team to the new systems. Next year will be Clemmens chance to log some fair time. Then in '08, we can come charging out of the gate.
lol i think we were slighted by the 31st ranking but top 15 is even too generous. WAY too many question marks heading into the season for anything of that nature. we havent seen what kind of a team mangini fields nor the looks in our new schemes i mean preseason hasnt even started. not even camp!
This could really be Gruden thing all over again. I am by no means saying "we're going to the SB", but I really thing Gini could be the "come out of nowhere coach of the year". I love what he brings to the table, and I really like the general attitude twards him through out the TFA's. The team seems to really be liking the adjustments he's making, and they seem to be responding well. I agree that we have the potential. Ramsey could really be our savior this year. He was a very good QB, but they really never gave him a second look because of how their HC feels about the "veteran" situation. In the few games he played last year, he looked solid, especially with the win over Dallas. He's got great potential, and an arm that we've been looking for. We have a shaky OL, but keep in mind we're not talking about scrubs either. Our schedule this year can really help out situation. It's not the easiest in the league, but it could really help. I think top 15 could happen, personally, I see us in the middle of the pack, JUST below 500 (maybe a 7-9 slightly possibly a 8-8, at worse 6-10, at worst) IMO.
We went 4 and 12 we don't have a proven QB and we lost arguably our best player. We deserve to be where we are on the list. The league is basically full of a lot of mediocre teams. If a couple of people step up based on our schedule we could actually compete. In the NFL if you can compete you can win your share of games. A good chunk of not so great teams make the playoffs every year. We could surprise but no we will not be fielding a very good to great team that can really do big damage. I'm hopeful we will have one of the 18 to 20 best teams in talent and one of the top 12 in record. Very wishfull off season thinking.
top 15 in the league is probably like 10th best in the afc. that isnt that far off 6 teams, teams possibly worse than us in the afc=raiders, bills, titans, texans, cleveland, (ravens or miami)
Well, our offense going 3 and out so many times wears out our defense. Improve the running game and it will benefit our defense keeping them fresh and let them figure out what the opposition is trying to do on the sidelines. Then and only then will we see a vast improvement in our D.
I agree, and I think that the Jets biggest concern next season is actually going to be our secondary. We were always able to cover up our bad personnel back there and succeed (like with Donnie Abraham and David Barrett for example) because we had such a good pass rush so the QB was never really comfortable enough to take advantage of us. But we no longer have Abraham, nor do we have Law (our best CB from last season.) It could be bad. I feel like #31 is too low for us but we shouldn't expect to be regarded as a top 15 team in the league. We're probably 20-25 IMO. But in reality this whole argument is moot anyway. We have to prove it on the field.
Come on people. Why would we deserve a spot higher? Just a few months ago, a lot of guys around here were rooting for the Jets to lose one more game. Why? To have a shot at the first draft pick. Good teams, and those who wind up in the early to mid twenties in ESPN's rankings, don't pick in the top 5 of the draft. We scraped together 4 wins last year. Yes, we had a ton of injuries, yes Herm turned out to be a schmuck, yes our running game was more walking than running. The fact is, in the place of season-ending injuries to our stars, we have glaring holes from them leaving. Ty Law, gone. Kevin Mawae, gone. JAbe, gone. CMart a year older. Penny a big fat question mark, hell the whole QB corps is a question mark. No clear #2 WR. Half a dozen CBs fighting to play. A revamped D that, if implemented fully, doesn't capitalize on it's best player's abilities. A new coaching staff, who are appear more concerned with rebuilding than winning this year. That's a lot of holes. Not to mention, people are stuck on this "easy schedule" myth. We play Indy, the Pats, a better Miami team, Chicago who loves to beat opposing QBs into submission, a better Cleveland team, Jacksonville, an arguably better Houston, a Harringtonless Detroit, a December game against Favre, etc. The only games I see as winnable at this point are maybe Tennessee, but you never know. Minny, Buffalo twice, and Oakland. That's 5 wins, at best. Even taking an "any given Sunday" extra win is still only 6 wins. We are looking at a top 5 draft pick again guys. I'm a die-hard fan, and always will be, but we have to be realistic once in a while too. If we win 6, I'll not only be surprised, but very happy and excited for the prospects of 2007.