Missing your all-pro center and his backup for arguably the most difficult stretch of the schedule sure doesn't help.
Some persepctive.... We used to be one of the worst organizations in all Sports.... Now, we just SUCK. YAY.
You have to stay the course. I thought this year was a little bit of rebuilding on the fly. Next year is probably just filling in pieces The Jets culture has changed. In previous years, this type of season, where they take a step back, would result in a losing record. Maybe even the dreaded 4-12. This year, they're still alive and still relevant. Losing to the Giants was bad, but I believe this regime will not take this loss and this season sitting down. They seem to be very committed to winning the Super Bowl, not just competing. And they surely aren't deferential to the Giants. That's a good step one. Right now, who would you rather be: the Jets, who know they have work to do, but are under the control of GM & HC who've taken them farther than any time since '68; or the Giants, who won a gift game that in the long run may do nothing but extend the Coughlin regime another two years (exactly what the Giants don't need) Keep the faith re: your father. Its nice you have that to share. My dad & uncles were Giant fans whose constant ribbing drove me to the Jets
Been through many regimes as well, and while I'm not panicking, or pissed, what will really annoy me going forward will be a pattern of being sold one thing, and being delivered another. Much like the stadium. I didn't think Rex's talk leading into the Giants game was anything big. He wants to be confident all the time and wants the team to feel that way. I get that and can live with it. Now let's see how he responds to fixing things and getting the players he needs to make his system work. It was an unpleasant surprise to take a step backwards this season, and it happened in a relatively light injury year. We lost Mangold for two games and the season's doomed. We didn't suffer a significant "lost for the season" type of injury that most teams do so in that regard we blew an opportunity in 2011. Let's admit Joe Willie was right. Pumping the players up is one thing, but you can go overboard. These guys underachieved this season.
Actually, there were significant injuries this season: Rob Turner, Bryan Thomas, Cumberland Poole & Leonard all hurt depth and made an impact (imagine if Jets could've replaced Mangold w/Turner or Hunter w/Turner, especially early in the season). TE Cumberland was poised to have a good season, and in fact his season-ending achillies tear caused him to drop a TD pass, IIRC. Smith was on the field too much as first Poole then Leonard went down. BTW, this was the second season where Jets needed Hunter & Smith to play big roles and it looks like they went to the well once too often with these career back-ups.
Which still has two all pro caliber guys and a serviceable young guard. Moore may or may not be done, his replacement needs to be found but may not be needed next year. A decent right tackle and the health of Moore's hip brings the line back from weakness to strength.
Barry, Agreed although for me the Parcells years changed everything. I started rooting for the Jets in 1981 and after the Dolphins flooded the OB field, there was nothing than false heroes and empty promises wearing green in NY. Parcells came along and changed everything. He changed the culture and the perception of the team nationally and at least for me I expect the team to be competitive and put up winning seasons each year, and even more so now that Rex is the coach. So four years of winning seasons is great, but going 9-7 and beating the Pats and whatever other moral victories we can point to isn't enough for me. It was in 1997. Rex has raised my expectations. If we miss the playoffs I want to see someone 's head to roll and for Tanny to aggressively make changes, just like the Steelers or another premier franchise would in the wake of a disappointing season.
I'm all good with having high expectations and all that jazz but you lose me at the end. The steelers have been the model of consistency by making sound decisions and sticking by them even in the face of some adversity NOT by making wholesale changes after a disappointing year. Firing schotty is an acceptable change but other than that I think the best course of action is to keep most other aspects the same while looking for the key upgrades through the draft and smart free agency moves.
That's pretty much it, outside of firing Schotty I don't see anybody else on the coaching staff outside of maybe Cavanaugh who is Schotty's right hand man go and even that may be stretching it. We don't need to burn the failing restaurant down for an insurance check and rebuild it under a new brand. We have good players in certain areas but we need to upgrade in others. The one thing this team severely lacks and needs to somehow find is a playmaker. Revis is the best at what he does but if he was the best DL or LB in the game it would be different, he plays a position that makes it hard to be a playmaker because it's one of the very few positions that people can avoid. Somehow someway we need to find a passrusher, it's not easy but in order for this team to excel they need an elite QB killer.
Good call on Kerley. Im still not totally sold on Maybin though. I will agree..compared to the speed at linebacker that we have and the rush from the front 3...he stood out for sure. McKnight needs to make one more big jump. Hopefully that will happen next year.
Don't forget Bryan Thomas, Jim, and also Kerley and LT both missed the same couple games. Not a devastating amount of injuries, but enough to say they could have been factor. Does NOT excuse the team for not being ready for a worst case scenario.
