Historically the Ryan family has talked a big game. You can't take anything he says as anything more than white noise until he does something about it. As far as Clemens goes I think his lack of production in camp as well as accuracy are beyond troubling. In all honesty, the Jets are in a building year and they might as well go all out and start Sanchez.
Teams are always building/rebuilding, that term is basically redundant in today's game. But the Jets already have a core group in place, minus the ever-loving answer at QB, and an obviously solid wideout to line up opposite Jerricho. Solid O-line, elite running game, possibly even an elite defense if things are actually shaping up the way they appear. The Jets are 'rebuilding' far less than many if not most teams in the NFL. Rushing a rookie QB into the lineup could actually have a detrimental effect in the long run. I do have a lot of concerns about Clemens from what I am hearing, but people seem to just want to throw the entire season away to get Sanchez in there. Either that, or they have some delusional fantasy that Sanchez is going to repeat the instant success that Ryan and Flacco had.
Really? 4 years and you guys are still surprised that KC is garbage? He's just not good enough for the NFL.
Nah, Rex was just toeing the company line. Woody is trying to sell PSL's, and that's tough to do if the head coach is honest and admits growing pains due to a lack of depth, rookie QB, etc. Besides, it's not an out and out lie, they COULD be decent. Who the hell knows?
I think that when you have a rookie HC and rookie/1st time starting journeymen (and that's what Clemens appears to be) you have a rebuilding year on your hands. The term "rebuilding year" isn't as loaded as it used to be, but I think it is applicable to a lesser extent. When I use it here I mean that the Jets are not primed to make a run for the playoffs. Favre, despite being the driving force behind the late-season collapse last year, also did lead this team to a very strong record prior to getting hurt. The QB position this year should not fall apart down the stretch and lead to a string of games being lost to inferior teams, but it also won't guarantee building up a strong amount of equity wins early in the year. Ryan will be a better coach than Mangini, I don't doubt this at all. But keep in mind that he is a first year HC, and a rookie at that. His system will take some time to implement, as is the case with every HC, and there may also be some growing pains as he adjusts to being in charge of both sides of the ball. I think the Jets will be a VERY strong contender in 2010, but I don't think that is the case this year. My rationale is to put Sanchez in there to let him take his lumps along with Ryan and the rest of the team. If you start Clemens this year and then start Sanchez in 2010 you simply elongate the "rebuilding" phase as you now have to deal with Sanchez growing pains a year later. If you are implying that starting Clemens this year makes the Jets more competitive, I agree. If you are implying that the Jets can make a playoff run with Clemens at QB, I disagree strongly.
Ryan is really only implementing a new defense, almost the entire existing staff outside the defensive coaches remain the same. Yes, a new HC's philosophy will change the way teams have meetings, the way practice sessions are run, a number of different things, but that doesn't mean that they are rebuilding. Ryan's defense looks like it will take about 2 years less time to be implemented than Mangini's - mostly because he knows how to utilize existing personnel. He gameplans with who he has, not who he may want to have 2 seasons from now. It's not a rigid defensive scheme like the Mangini-Pats 3-4. This is how Ryan plans to win now. He will have his rookie mistakes as HC, but he's not overhauling the team, so I don't agree with your reasoning that a new HC means instant rebuild. It doesn't always work that way. This team's success in 2009 is critically dependent on performance at the QB position. Letting a QB 'take his lumps' can be letting windows of opportunity close for a lot of the current roster. What do you think some of the greybeards are going to be thinking if they make a rash decision to put Sanchez in there and he's obviously not ready to go? 'Well there goes this year out the window.' Ryan is not just talking to the fans who are buying PSL's when he says he wants to win a Super Bowl every season he is HC. He is also talking to his team. And if he does something like this and pretty much writes off the season so his 50 Million Dollar Man can 'take his lumps, what is that communicating to the players that bought in? It could be a stroke of genius to get Sanchez in there early, but I don't see it. I just don't see how he is going to be ready.
Some would consider that giving him a chance to learn by experience. He doesn't have a great amount of game experience. Keeping him off the field just keeps him from getting familiar with the team he's supposed to be leading. Probably Clemens is going to start the season. And after 2 or 3 multiple interception games he's going to be benched.
I'm not saying new HC means instant rebuild. The issue with our communication is that we seem to be using rebuild in the classic sense (the way you are referring to it-redoing a team from top to bottom, or a reasonable facsimile thereof) while I am referring to it in a more modern sense (when I say rebuilding I essentially want 2 ingredients, one being new leadership, the other being a high probability of not making the playoffs). I do NOT mean that this team needs to be viewed as a team that is retooling everything from QB to waterboy. But let's be honest, the playoffs this year are pretty doubtful and a Super Bowl berth is damn near impossible. And do not assume that I am saying put Sanchez in their regardless of if he sucks or not. If Sanchez is obviously struggling and his head is spinning, it doesn't make much sense to leave him in their to get his ass kicked. Eli had this happen to him against Philly his rookie year and even now he still gets "flinchy" against Philly moreso than any other NFC East rival. What I am saying is that if there is any doubt, Sanchez should be starting because it makes sense. Most QBs struggle in their first year as a starter regardless of how much experience they have on the bench. I don't like the idea of putting up with Clemens' growing pains by making him starter for a season one year, and then doing exactly the same with Sanchez next season. The only way I would be on board for such a plan is if their play in TC demanded this course of action. Also, don't think starting Sanchez sends the message that Ryan has given up on the season. If the 2 QBs play close to the same, I would think that starting the guy with upside would inspire the vets.
At this point I think Clemens = dead man walking......and I have been a staunch Clemens supporter. He just keeps throwing more nails in his own coffin with poor decisions and bad throws. Sure, he knows the offense better, but he doesn't execute it better, so how much does that matter? Unless something radically changes, right now and in a BIG way, seems pretty likely that Clemens is toast. Sanchez will start because Clemens is making that decision for them.
The playoffs are always a long shot for any rookie HC - and yet there have been 6 rookie HCs in the playoffs in the past 3 seasons. I would consider our schedule to be more of a detriment to our playoff chances than I would our rookie HC. As far as the Super Bowl... while I would like to buy into Rex's enthusiasm, that's a pipe dream. I just want the team to play like they know they can get to the SB. Because I've seen too many Jets teams collapse out of frustration. I have no problem with putting Sanchez in if Clemens is doing so terribly bad that a rookie who only knows a quarter of the playbook is outplaying him against our first team defense and against other 1st teamers in pre-season. Or even if it looks like they are playing at the same level. I just don't see it happening. People are acting like Clemens is playing like utter shit in camp, but I look through these tweets from the beat writers (who would love nothing more than to have a 1st round rookie starting week 1) and I see plenty of mentions of excellent passes... in those cases, those mentions are attributed to the receiver and not Clemens. People will see what they want to see in those comments. They want to believe that we will have an elite defense this year but they will also bash the shit out of Clemens for throwing INTs to one of the best CBs in the league - while he has a pass-rush to help him. Revis was one of the best WITHOUT a pass rush. I'm reserving judgment until I actually see this guy suck... I'm not going to base it on an interception count in TC and I'm not going to base it on fucking Twitter - and I'm definitely not going to base it on articles written by beat writers that want the big-story 1st round pretty boy QB instead of the farm boy Oregon 2nd round pick that got shelled in his first outing in 2007 and hasn't been given a legit shot to prove himself since then.
You've seen KC play; does he look good to you? What could have changed from last year to this year that would give you confidence in him? From a mechanics standpoint alone, he doesn't even look good. He looks like a kid lost in the supermarket out there, so the 4 year thing isn't sitting well with me. OK you say give him 8 or 9 games, but at the same time you say Rex shouldn't give his guys the idea that he's giving up on the season. If the guy should be replaced at any point in the season, that's the epitome of giving up. Again, yes KC is playing against the first team, but so has Sanchez and the INT tally is ridiculously offset. Perhaps that's KC's problem: he's throwing it into spots he shouldn't be. That used to make me F'in nuts with Pennington, he'd never throw the ball away. Maybe KC needs to do that as well. If he can't learn where not to throw it to guys he's been playing with for a year or two, or more, then how in the world is he going to make the right decision against guys he may only see twice a year? It just doesn't add up.
You are basing your judgments on how he looked 2 seasons ago, without an effective offensive line and with a half-developed running game. I haven't seen him play since 2007. I doubt you have either. From the short clips I have seen on NFLN and the official site, I have to say that his mechanics look like they have improved, and I still love his release (although I haven't gotten a decent look at his footwork) but I think I'll take a look at him in a full drive during pre-season games instead of basing my opinion on how bad he looked in his second year with a turnstile for a left tackle. As far as the 8 or 9 games thing, I'm just playing the odds, not really basing it on anything more than that. I don't have a feeling for either of these guys because I really haven't seen much from either one and have to base my opinions on the same limited info that you are basing yours off of. Unless of course you have some sort of access to training camp where you have watched both of these guys and know how each one is performing? Pray tell? Basing that much of your opinion off a TC interception tally? Come one, man. I know you're not that narrow-minded. Training camp is where you get to make the costly mistakes. That was the problem with Chad. He played it safe in TC to keep his job and then made the costly mistakes during the regular and post-season.
What I'm really saying, I guess, is let the better option play. I can assure you, I'm in NE, I get absolutely no extra information except that the Pats are going to destroy the Jets haha (tools). I get all the media hype surrounding this kid, but I can't remember a single year of Kellen's career where he even threatened to get the starting job. All the clips I've watched of him leave me cold. I can't say Sanchez is going to be Joe Montana, Joe Namath or even Joe's Garage, but the foot work is light years ahead, and his presence seems light years ahead as well. Hell, we know we're going to have a run heavy offense, so it's not like we need anything beyond either one of these guys. With that said, let's find out what we have sooner, rather than having yet another rookie QB year, next year or the year after. But, you're right; let the live action determine who is who.
Finally, someone agrees with me. ----------------------------------------------------------------- You know what, though? With all the limitations, I still think Clemens should start this season. And NO. I don't mean Sanchez should replace Clemens by week 11 or whatsoever. This season has to go to Clemens. That's how Montana learned about bad QB plays - by watching Steve DeBerg getting killed play after play after play. Bill Walsh was a very, VERY cruel man in that regard. Do I care? No. I'd try to emulate him if that helps the team in any way possible. The only way I'd endorse Sanchez playing this season would be... a sub in 4th quarter, where the game is already won. (Not in losing games though. Losses grow on the players. You don't want Ls growing on your future franchise QB.)
That's all I want to do here. Honestly, in the QB competition, I am rooting for Sanchez to do what I think is impossible and pick up that playbook well enough and adjust to defensive coverages and NFL speed and get enough chemistry with the offense to start right away. But I don't want it to limit the offense, either. I don't have a lot of patience to wait for the 'future' anymore. I want wins and I want them now. If Clemens truly can't beat out the rookie in camp, if he looks like shit, I'm not going to be one of those guys that hangs onto him and hopes he can get back into the lineup. I won't trash Sanchez while he works through his growing pains. I just want the best guy right now under center, regardless of draft position or size of contract.
