Let's take a step away from the doom and gloom, Rex is a lame duck, tank for Teddy, people assuming we aren't even a .500 team this year. This team has some potential to be good and every team has a 0-0 record today. The defense is going to be good. We already know that. Having Rex pretty much guarantees that. The addition of Richardson to the d-line rotation has the potential to put the defense on another level. He has the ability to provide an interior pass rush Rex hasn't had since Kris Jenkins played a handful of games in 2009. And that was when the defense was it's most dominant. I know Revis blah blah. No we don't have Revis, but Cromartie is no slouch and we have some decent d-backs. Pressure up front makes every DB better. Our offense, even with it's obvious lack of talent has actually been pretty productive this preseason. It's clear watching preseason action that Morningwood is the best offensive coordinator this team has had in over a decade. Imagine if he can manage to make lemonade out of lemons the way Rex seems to be able to do on defense and we can continue having even an average offense in the regular season? That would give us a good defense (at worst) and an average offense. Last I checked the NFL isn't exactly loaded with powerhouse teams anymore. There's a few, but most teams aren't far from average one way or another. If the Jets can field a good defense and an average offense I believe that gives them a good shot at a plus .500 record AND a shot at the playoffs. Best case scenario we could have a very good defense and a good offense. That would make us a tough team to beat. It's not an unreasonable scenario. If you'd like me to share some kool-aid please send 500 vDollars via PM.
Still on the Tank for Teddy Wagon. Team has a chance to be elite for 10 years. Wouldn't trade that for anything. Screw mediocrity.
Good post. If this team gets anything, and i literally mean anything, out of the QB position, they can win 9 games and contend for the 6th playoff spot. The schedule is not that hard, and the defense should be good. I think even with bad qb play, this team is winning 5 games, at worst. Anything at qb, and we win 9.
If the team is good Rex is anything but a lame duck..in fact he will get an extension as the whole world picks the Jets to be at the bottom of the entire NFL.
Good post. It is time to step away from the doom and gloom manufacturing media. This team is very inexperienced and raw, but each fucking win we get will be all the more sweet. It's to the point that 8 wins, while normally a mediocre season, will be a huge moral victory and giant finger up the ass of the media 'braintrust'.
I really hope they use that Media hate as "Tacklin' Fuel!" I would dance a freakin' jig if the Jets made the playoffs...I would go to each and every sports site I can think of to rub it in. I would rub hard too!!!!
I'm shocked by how the Jets are #30 - #32 in almost all top power rankings. It makes me think that I'm just a biased optimistic Jets fan, but most these rankings do not provide any reason for the fall besides Rex is soon a goner or that they were terrible in the preseason (?). I'm inclined to believe the Jets are the 2013 team that people look at as a reason for not putting any stock in any preseason power rankings. 8 wins would be a nice middle finger to the league, in a rebuilding year with young growing players. I'll call 9-7.
You better hope he wins a national championship this year then, cuz if he doesn't, he will be returning for his Senior year.
The last time we were written off like this in preseason was 2006 and we wound up making the playoffs. Outside of a few teams(Peyton colts/Broncos, pats, ravens, packers) the playoff teams tend to change every year or 2 so you never know. Teams get good and bad in a hurry.
The last time was actually 2009, the year we were 30 min from the Superbowl. I remember it was either Pace or Woody (Damien) being quoted as saying the Jets took the criticism as motivation and posted the news articles/power rankings around the locker room.
Very good post. I have the same hope. We will have a good defense and if offense just turns out to be average, we will be playoff bound.
In my mind the Jet D is a question mark, just not nearly as big a one as the offense. Gabbert carved them up in the no huddle like Thanksgiving turkey. Something like 175 yrds in the first qtr. Blaine fucking Gabbert!! Imagine what an established QB could do if we play like that again against the NH... That 84 yrd touchdown run by Wilson was just some bad D. Guys get manhandled trying to get off their blocks. It also exposed our lack of speed on the outside at LB Hopefully that was an abberation....
Remember though, the defense that we were showing, was very vanilla and basic.. We weren't blitzing or anything that much that game like we will be during the regular season.. I will tell you this though... If we can't stop that outside run, it is all over for this defense.
we weren't supposed to be a playoff team but we weren't supposed to be awful either. People expected we'd be competitive. here was our ranking heading into 2006: http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2006/week/1 #31 2009: http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2009/week/1 #23
I agree that the OLB position could be an Achilles heel on defense this year. That's probably my biggest concern outside of the QB position.
Great post! Great post by the OP too. My kind of thread! I agree with you guys. I think low expectations is actually going to benefit Rex. There is no pressure when you have already been told you are done. He now has the opportunity to prove everyone wrong. Well, the whole team does. I think they will too. Playoffs are not out of the question either. I think when you look at the AFC, you have the Broncos getting in. Nothing else seems safe to me. A win next week over the Patriots and who knows what the Jets can do.
