Since the board is split on favorite players, needs, trading up vs holding picks etc, every FO decision is going to be both lauded and criticized. I loves me some Rex Ryan, and I think his motivation and coaching style squeezes every ounce of effort from the players, and he has given the team a personality which I love. I also love the change in philosophy that Idzik has brought with him: character guys, long term sustainability vs. flash etc etc etc. Everyone is saying last year Rex took a 4-12 team and made them 8-8. At some point we have to be able to say "We had a 12-4 team and did what we were supposed to do". Idzik now has a full year under his belt. Rex has been here for 5 years. At what point do we as fans get to say "OK Rex & Izzy, you have your guys in place, you have had time to get them up to speed - now let's go win this thing?". Is it now? Is it next year? Does Idzik get another pass so his first real year of draft picks get time to get their feet under them? What do we expect this year? I don't know. I'm going back and forth between "OK, we've addressed our needs, now lets give Geno and the rookies another year and let's kill it in 2015" and "OK, we've addressed our needs, our D should be killer, our O is vastly improved, and whether it's Vick or Geno behind center - we better take this ^%$# Division." I don't honestly know what we would have to do to want to keep this FO together another year after this. There are 32 professional teams out there - each with their stars and cap spaces and draft picks and coaches - and quite a few with above average established QB which give them a significant leg up on the QB "have nots" like the Jets. Is it unreasonable to say Division title or bust? Probably. Pats have a HOF QB and coach combo, as much as I want to puke when I say it. Is it playoffs or bust? Tough to say. If we're fighting for a WC spot, there are again a number of teams that have solid QBs in place that we are basically chasing with the 'Great D and don't turn the ball over' formula that can work, but has to click every week, and get some lucky bounces. I have to think about it a bit, but would like to get some thoughts from the group. I'm weak minded and easily swayed by a good argument. =)
Unfortunately it's almost foolish to say "take the division"...... But a playoff spot can never be out of the question.
No of course not, ee were close last year with much less talent. I'm wondering what your expectations are. If we don't make the playoffs will you want them to blow up the FO again or fire Rex? If we complete each week and are in the mix at the end but go 8-8 again? I don't know where I'm at yet.
With each year the Jets get more experience and younger the more Brady gets a little older and easier to take down. Now it just a matter of time.
As far as patience goes ... please take the Cowher approach here. Concerning the QB situation we just weren't lucky enough to get a good one here. Maybe Schottenheimer and Sparano weren't the best of mentors but don't blame Rex for that. I think it's a good thing that he's not trying to take too much control over the offense anymore. Even if we play a 6-10 season this year ... show me a coach that turn defensive prospects into pure gold like Rex does. Way better to have a Rex than a so-so guy that's not really a genius on either side of the ball. I very much enjoy the fact, that Rex (Idzik bought into that as well I think) gave our team an identity and that's worth more than what a win-loss record can express.
Unless there is a significant downturn next season Rex and Idzek will both be here. 8-8 or above will secure that. However the 2015 season will be a hot seat for one or both I think.
While I think our roster has improved, I think we lose more games because of a tougher schedule, youth and better improvements made by other teams.
Ok I think we are getting tired of the inability of the offense. Any mediocre offense would have secured us the POs in 2 of the last 3 years. If there was a possibility to get that part going without changing the rest I would prefer that to a big name like Cowher/Chucky whatever coaching change any day of the week.
2015 is the year I'd expect the Jets to go in as heavy favorites to make the playoffs and make a run. This year I'm guessing they're going to be a dark horse candidate to take the AFC East and maybe make a run. QB, QB, QB. If one of the guys is ready to go we could win 11 games this year. If Geno and Vick aren't quite up to the task for various reasons we'll probably win 8 again.
Pretty much this. We could have the best players in the NFL at every position and if we don't have a top 10 QB....which I still don't believe we have...there will be no championship. We have to see how the Vick/Geno story plays out before we can make any assumption. If Geno steps up and starts playing to his potential, then we will be in very good shape. The jets have had a championship caliber defense since Rex arrived. We need offense but it all starts with the QB.
How far the Jets go this year will likely depend on whether Vick is the starter and, if so, can he remain healthy. If the answer to both is yes, and Pryor helps the secondary, then a wildcard is a reasonable prospect. But the schedule and any loosening of the foregoing could also mean a 6-10 season.
Everybody in our division improved more than we did in FA so really everything is going to be determined on how good this draft was. We really could end up last in the division or we could take 2nd again. A lot will depend on QB and the draft.
It sounds like most are resigned to a mediocre season... and are OK with that. I'm a bit surprised. I expected a shorter leash.
If Geno Smith improves by 10% the Jets are going to go 8-8 without sweating. They could also go 10-6 in that situation. People need to look at why the Jets went 8-8 last year with the talent base they did. There was a lot of luck involved but there were at least two games, against the Bucs at the beginning and against the Fins at the end, where Geno was a driving force in the win. If that Geno shows up for a whole season the Jets are a much better team overall even if he's not a tier 1 player in the process.
I think our season will depend on what we can get out of this new crop of rookies and who of our IR squad we can keep on the field every week. I think this may be Rex's last year if he doesn't make a good PO run.
I don't think those two games showed you much other than that the opponents played poorly. TB clearly was not prepared for the season, eventually cut their starting Qb, fired their HC and GM. The fish were tanking after all the Martin controversy, and the week before had scored zero points against Buffalo. For the Jets there was also the great emotion of playing for Rex's job. It was an outlier game that basically tells you very little about their talent and direction. Specifically about Smith his ypa average went down toward the end of the season. Marty had him playing more conservatively in order to cut down on turnovers. I didn't see much to be impressed about. In any event if Vick is healthy and given the chance he will start.
It takes a few years and a few great drafts to get a team ready to make a push. When the team is ready to peak you hope the QB is also there and ready for the push. If that QB does not succeed then all the building and moves that were made are Mute. This is where we are at with Geno, Is he the one who can take us to the next level and compete. This is a HUGE year for Jet Fans and Geno.
If Geno just throws a couple of incomplete passes at the end against TB the Jets lose the game and probably go 5-11 last year. Instead he completes a 25 yard pass on 2nd and 10 and then scrambles for 10 more with a TB defender hitting him on the way out of bounds and giving the Jets FG range. You look at this as the Bucs were ready to fold, well it could just as easily have been the Jets folding given the prevailing memes in play. Instead the rookie didn't know what he didn't know and kept driving and the Jets caught a big break. The Jets got the ball back with 34 seconds on the clock on their own 20 down by 2 and they won the game. That doesn't happen by accident. The Miami game at the end the Fins were fighting for the playoffs and Geno led two long 2nd quarter drives that put the Fins on the defensive and then a long scoring drive in the 4th to put them away. I disagree with you on what the key factor in the QB battle is this summer. If Geno is not ready Vick will start but I don't think there's much else that will get Vick on the field at the start of the season. Vick's capabilities are not in question here, Geno's are and that's the only thing that needs to be determined between now and opening day. Vick is the replacement QB if Geno is not ready to go.
Except for getting a veteran QB to push Geno, all the other needs I thought we had have been filled with some questions marks. How some of these get answered will determine our fate. 1. #1 WR Can Decker excel in this role? 2. #2 WR Will someone emerge out of a group of veterans and late round draft picks? 3. Center fielding safety to prevent all the big plays we kept giving up Can Pryor be that or is he more of an in the box safety? 4. Boundary CB opposite Milliner. Same as item 2.
