Don Banks from SI...here you go. PERCEPTION: With last-place talent at his disposal -- and a mess at the quarterback position -- it will take Jets rookie head coach Eric Mangini a while to get New York looking competitive in the tough AFC East. REALITY: It took until the start of the regular season. The Jets are 2-2, have already won twice on the road and have made both the Patriots and the Colts sweat out close victories at the Meadowlands. New York's 24 points per game leads the way in the division, and that rag-arm quarterback we all tried to finish off in the offseason -- including the Jets to some degree -- is doing pretty well so far, if Chad Pennington does say so himself. Even without Curtis Martin to hand the ball off to, Pennington is playing superbly, with a 67.2 completion percentage, six touchdowns passes, two interceptions and a 102.3 passer rating. His twice-repaired right shoulder hasn't kept him from making the throws he has to make. The Jets have won at Buffalo, and I know which team I'd favor if they had to play the Dolphins about now. That makes them the second-best team in the division behind New England in my book, and that will pass for competitive any day. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/don_banks/10/03/perception.realities/2.html
4 games done... 12 to go.... Still alot of season left. I love what's going on here but I still remember Al Groh's 6-1 start turning into a POS by season's end.. Respect has finally arrived at the Meadowlands after 4 games. Lets hope it will still be there after 16....
I agree with Cman. The time between September and December seems like a lifetime in the NFL. Besides, we still haven't won a game at home. BTW, "Blacklick" is a funny name for a town. Kinda reminds me of Bushkill, PA. Whatever. Heh.
Sorry but Manini isnt Al Groh. Groh looked like he was lost all the time. Mangini looks like he knows exactly whats going to happen, and id say 80% of the time hes right. We have an extreamly talented coach in mangini. Lets see what he can do against teams like the phins and lions, will he allow let up in the players?
The misconception is we have last place talent. Coming into this year no one expected Chad to be 2002 Chad and he's been that which means we have a top QB and everyone complained we have no playmakers yet every week cols, Cotch, Leon and Brad Smith are making plays for us. our talent is vastly underrated, we don't have SB talent but we aren't in the bottom 3rd of the league either.
The "last place talent" comes from a writer's view preseason. If you breakdwon the roster going into the season, the talent level really didn't look all that great. Guys like Cotchery, Rhodes and Brad Smith were virtual unknowns as NFL players. Offense: QB: Pennington was a huge question mark coming off two surgeries RB: "starter" Blaylock was coming off an injury, Washington/Houston were unknowns and Barlow was a SF cast-off WR: Coles was coming off an injury and down season (due to QBs), Cotchery was an unknown and JMac was a disappointment TE: Baker is/was not viewed as anything more than an average starter, did any other team even make him an offer in FA? OL: Rookies, LG coming off an injury, pre-season injury, RT unsettled. Defense: The talent level should be viewed in relation to the new scheme not just on an individual basis NT: Robertson ill-suited for the 3-4 DE: Ellis and an old guy (Kimo) LB: Vilma is a star, Hobson is solid but unspectacular, Barton coming back from injury and Thomas making the transition. CB: Decent crew, but Barrett and Dyson are solid #2-types and Miller is just a 2nd year player S: Coleman regressed last season and Rhodes played well for a rookie, but who knew how much he would progress in one off-season. In addition the team really isn't that deep with the exception of LB and maybe CB.
I totally agree. It's not that we "Lacked" talent. It's that the Old regime failed to use the talent we had. i.e.Cotchery, Jordan, Moss, Askew, the Defensive game plan. They were constantly mis-utilizing the talent on the team. Square pegs, round Holes. The Offense has taken a step forward but Unfortunately right now the state of the JETS Defense is the same... Because we have 4-3 talent in a 3-4 defense
Nor does Mangini has Groh's credentials as a Head Coach be it collegiate or professional. Mangini's learning curve will be as steep or as shallow as his ability to learn from his mistakes. Mangini has talent, but he is still gaining experience. That takes time.
I don't think we have 4-3 talent OR 3-4 talent. Our D line is pretty awful in either scheme. If we went 4-3, who is the slant nose tackle? Same problem. Even as a 3T, I think most if us realize that Robertson is a bust. The loss of Pouha was much greater than most people think IMO. He was the only guy on the roster who had any potential in either scheme. I think the FO's bigest mistake was not getting that guy who signed with Jax...um maybe it was Carolina.... funky pacific Island name that I won't attempt to spell.
Lets all remember who Al Groh got the team FROM.....Tuna Tits. He got a team that was well put together, had talent, and was in a position to do some things. Far from what Eric the Mighty got from Herm and Co.
