And then came the Jets!

WOW.....7-5 with 4 games left against a soft schedule. I never could have imagined this team would be here at this point in the season. I must admit, like many would as well, that I had lowered expectations coming into this season. Being 7-9 or 6-10, or maybe worse, was something I was going to have to ingest, like it or not. The excitement of having a competitive team in the playoff race in recent years was something I was going to have to let go of. Maybe for a season, maybe even longer. I rationalized that I could be happy to see the development of young talent. If we weren’t going to be competitive, then watching players grow was going to generate my interest.
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I was worried about the QB situation. But then came Chad Pennington. With his incredible heart and resolve to be the best QB he could be. He would not be denied. He delivered, beyond my imagination, and with the exception of a few bad moments, I think better and smarter than he's ever been.

I was worried about a running game, and it didn't look too good early on. But then came a three headed serviceable running back, which got better each week. We were introduced to the explosive and powerful Leon Washington. He of potential feature back fame, that would get me excited every time I saw him take the ball in his hands.

I was worried about the receiving corp. There weren’t enough talented players there. No one who would distinguish themselves as a prototypical wide receiver. No one who would excite that much. But then came Jericho Cotchery with his incredible talent for making huge plays. Showing he had the ability, and finally taking control of his own destiny by being the best receiver he could be.

I was worried about the defense, especially the NT and LB’s. We had no one who could put pressure on the QB. It didn’t look good early on, when we never got into the backfield, and couldn’t stop any runner from gaining over 100 yds. But then came Bryan Thomas, with his new found production. Playing in position and up to potential, and finally proving he was worthy of a first round pick. Then came Dwayne Robertson, who took a tremendous dose of fair criticism early on, but has since proven he can play the position, and play it well.

I was worried about the play calling. I knew nothing about this new offensive co-coordinator, and really thought it was a poor selection. I was thinking how absurd it would be to wish we at least had Paul Hackett to work with some young players. This kid was not going to cut it, and was definitely in over his head. But then came Brian Shottenheimer with his creativity and gutsy play calling. He’s kept defenses off balance all season, and opposing teams actually don’t enjoy playing the Jets now because of their unpredictability. Isn’t that some twist??

I was worried about the head coach. I never liked Herm much as a coach, but I couldn’t argue that he wasn’t a decent motivator. Despite the moronic moments, he did get us into the playoffs, and that’s really all you would hope for. This new “kid” was hailed as the next “Bill” All the hoopla about his pedigree, and background was a recipe for disaster. It didn’t look too good early on, as the players became antsy and weary of his dictator methods and nuances. There was even talk that he was losing his team in camp. That he was over-working his players, and was an imposter, and someone who “thought” he could do what he was trying to do, without having the benefit of a resume. But then came Eric Mangini, who held everyone accountable. Who instilled a culture that transcends the organization as a whole. A method to the madness which has proven to be a recipe for success not only now, but hopefully deep into the future. A coach who players respect for his commitment to winning and not settling.

I wasn’t expecting much, but then came the Jets…..