After a tough loss on our second consecutive trip, and loss in the AFC Championship game, it's is difficult to reflect on the season, but my early thoughts: 1. Two major, big time demons were exorsised. Beating the Patriots in NE and beating Manning on the road. Ryan finally learned that one size does not fit all. He masterfully game planned agaiinst these two teams rather than stubbornly trying to force his will with his blitzing attack tendencies. That fact alone make these two wins meaningful. Beating these two teams is like finally kicking the bully's ass once and for all. No need to fear it anymore. 2. Now, Ryan must also learn to be more flexable on offense, as he learned to be on defense this year. He uses Sanchez's age and relative inexperience as a crutch, and still tries to impose his will, his ground and pound on ALL opponents. A foolish mistake against a team like Pittsburgh, with the best rush defense in the entire NFL without attacking their weakest point, their CB's. 3. The defense has been exposed. It lacks a play maker in the front seven. Ryan must stop over rating his defense. Not deferring the coin flip would be a good place to start. Show some confidence in the offense. Either Sanchez is or isn't a Super Bowl QB. He's either ready or he isn't. Ryan won't trust him fully in a game yet. That has to stop. 4. Let's not go too caught up in the moment. Ryan is easilly the most successful coach in the history of the franchise after two years. It's not even close. He is still learning. If he can get less stubborn on offense, as he did on defense this year, and break his coaching habits and tendencies, he will only get better. On defense he has learned how to attack with a variety of game plans designed against each specific opponent. Now, he has to learn to do that on offense as well. One size does not fit all, and blindly trying to impose your will on every opponent does not work. 5. Sanchez shows every sign of being a franchise QB, and a guy who has what a QB needs to someday hoist the Lombardi trophy. Now, he just needs a HC and OC to trust him to bring them there. 6. With the premise there will be a season in 2011, and FA's will be available, Ryan's rep with players around the league is great. Players want to play for Ryan and also know this team can contend for a SB win. Big advantage in the open market there. It surely sucks to get so close two times after waiting 40 years just to have the carrot pulled away, but there is reason for confident optomism, realistic optomism for next year and beyond. A lack of draft picks is the biggest negative I really see in terms of the future. We have some FA's we could lose, so that is another negative, but I think our FA's would all like to come back. The last negative is Schottenhiemer. The problem is, would Callahan be any better? Will Rex let an OC use Sanchez to his potential? It's easy to get down, feel cheated and get bitter right now, but when has this franchise ever been this good for two years in a row? The next step is win the division, get a bye and make another run, all very real possibilities. What happens in free agency and Ryan's learning curve, especially on offense are the key variables. Sanchez is ready. We need a playmaker at OLB. We need a good draft, and our first round pick has to be a hit, a player that can start. Ducasse has to be ready. Wilson has to step up. We need to keep either Holmes or Edwards, referably both, and then Cro or Aso. Getting Jenks back would help. Lots of questions, but lots of reasons to be optomistic. Sorry if the post is too long.
Nice post, but I didn't see a "we need to keep Harris" comment in there. Probably goes without saying.
Yes, Harris is a player we need to keep, but I also think he is replacable. He is a good ILB in a 3-4, but he has holes in his game as well. He is pretty freakin slow and really can't cover very well. He really doesn't have sideline to sideline speed. Neither does Scott. Having said that, I don't know if we could actually find someone to replace him, contradicting my earlier comment. I don't think we have a pro bowl linebacker in the whole group. Harris and Scott are solid, but not much more than that. You can live with them if the OLB positions get an upgrade.
A good analysis. I think the Jets are going to be a force for years to come. 4. While I don't llike a lot of things that Rex says, he is definitely a good coach who's players are hard nosed keep fighting. 5. Agreed that Sanchez has the tools to delevope into a very good QB. I just hope that people let him now develope and stop trying to make him the next Joe N. 6. True. Not sure exactly where the Jets are with the Cap. I think the first thing the Jets need to do is resign those major free agents.
Never apologize for quality thoughts, regardless of the length !! Excellent commentary and I heartily agree.
the lack of a CBA is good and bad...some players will want to sign asap and get some upfront bonus money so they may sign for less. Trying to get a free agent isn't happening until a deal is done so the teams will stay as is until some sort of deal is reached. While they are waiting they have an opportunity to take care of priorities.
Harris is a very good player but he can be exposed in the passing game if he's covering someone in space. I think we get one more year of Bart/Harris and then they cut Bart and try to upgrade the speed at linebacker. The front 7 of this team is the only area that needs to be kind of gutted.
Its time to let Sanchez do some thinking on his own. Let the kid call the plays in a hurry up offense. Let the kid call some of the plays <PERIOD> That said, the New York Jets are on the right track. This sucked, but the future is bright. We are close.
You really think the Jets will re-up expensive players before they know what the financial lanscape if for next year? Also, I doubt they're gonna want to shell out up front money on a season that isn't guaranteed to happen.
I agree with this. No impact player in that group except, arguably Harris. Wouldn't mind seeing a big-play Safety added as well.
i personally thought 2010 NYJ overachieved,,,,,shoulda LOST to browns/lions/texans....played much LOWER to the talent we had on team....and to have gotten to AFCC was a great thing compared to how the team actually played
How is that overachieving? They were the favorite to win the division before the season, and in the top 5 of teams likely to make it to the SB. The close wins against lesser competition showed alot of grit and the ability to never give up, but also could be called playing down to the opposition rather than overachieving.
I'm okay at safety with Pool, Leonhard and Smith with Diggs as the 4th. Pool and Smith were pretty damn good in the playoffs. I would cut Lowery, I've seen enough, he sucks at both corner and safety. But the front 7 will look drastically different in 2011 and 2012. In 2011 I think most of these guys will be gone: Bryan Thomas Shaun Ellis Pryce Taylor Jenkins In 2012: Bart Pace It's the only area of this team that really is old and needs to be rebuilt.
the Jets went to the AFC Championship two years in a row with significant shortcomings on both offense and defense -- that is a testament to how good Rex Ryan is. at very few points this season did we really play like a Championship caliber team despite the fact that we were winning; in fact, the two playoff wins are probably the only two times we did. our play in the first half yesterday was reflective of how we played through significant stretches during the regular season, so while we showed brief flashes of being as great as we looked against NE, ultimately our major shortcomings cam back to haunt us. and those shortcomings are the offense's inability to dictate the game, and our inability to dominate along the D line. once those two areas get rectified, this team can be something special.
One think I noticed is that despite the pats blowout in foxboro, for the most part we had a chance to win every single game. Week 1 we lost by one and had schotty let Nacho throw who knows. Even the Green Bay game that we were shut out in, we still held their offense to 3 field goals and that was it.
great point - we had a very good chance at winning every game, except the Pats blowout. I am very proud of the season they produced for us, even though we came up short in the end. I felt myself become a better, stronger and more loyal fan, if that makes sense.
I agree about the safeties, while an upgrade would be nice, not really needed if we keep Cromartie or even manage to get Aso instead. Jenkins might stick around another year if he recovers, and maybe moving Pouha to DE could work. Ellis may walk as I don't see them offering more than a one year deal. We could live with Pace if they can find an impact OLB to replace Thomas. If Ducasse can live up to his lofty potential, being considered a project at the draft but perhaps the best RT available in last year's draft long term, that would really help. The O line should be good again. I think Mangold was bothered a lot with that shoulder this year. Hopefully either rest or a minor scoping will fix him back up. With no CBA, I don't now if any players can be signed. Wasn't that why they didn't get to Harris' contract this year? The uncertainty of next year and some of the rules imposed on how much a player's contract can be increased? Some owners don't want a cap, others insist on it. Until the owners can actually agree on what they want themselves, there isn't any hope of a new CBA. Remember when Godell went on his locker room tour and couldn't even tell the players what the owners wanted? I think no cap would be good for the Jets and some other teams, but very bad for the NFL... anyway, it's hard to guess at player movement until it's resolved, if it does get resolved.
Another terrible end of a promising season but all hope is not lost. We are so close, An with Sanchez becoming better as time goes on, We will get to that fucking game.
If Harris expects to get premier linebacker money this offseason, he better start running some sprints or find another team, because there is no way I give such a one-dimensional linebacker Patrick Willis money.
