Week 8 Jets vs. Dolphins preview...

Here are my concerns 48 hours before kickoff. Can we build on last weeks pass rushing success? Will we be able to be more effective against the wildcat we know about, and will we be able to compensate for any new wrinkles that will pop up? With a more healthy WR corps. will Sanchez be able to air it out a little more effectively? Will the rookie Greene be able to handle the bigger role he will be playing?

I think Mark could have his first 300 yard game. But on the other hand, if he turns it over early... 50,000 plus are going to turn on him. Jets fans expect a nice serving of ice cold revenge this Sunday at the meadowlands. I feel that the Dolphins stole one back in south florida 3 weeks ago. We had the chance to effectively end their season in that game, and we let them off the hook. Three weeks later they are still in the basement of the division, and we get a second crack at ending their post season hopes.

Everyone knows about the Dolphins dynamic backfield, but I am also worried about two weapons in their passing game. Greg Camarillo and Anthony Fasano are players to keep an eye on. Camarillo is a talented young WR who made a little noise last year. He has had a slow start, but he is primed for a breakout game. As for Fasano, he can be a wicked part of the wildcat. If Ronnie Brown starts throwing the ball, he will look for Fasano early and often. Since Kerry Rhodes seems to think he is an elite DB, I think we should put him on Fasano all day and see if he can put up or shut up.

Ronnie Brown said the "The toughest 11 guys on the field will win". Rex has taken that statement and run with it. He is challenging his defense (finally) and isn't making any promises. He is telling them to prove it on the field and not in the press or on twitter. We can not get swept by Miami and expect to be taken seriously during the second half of the season.

Being 5-3 is all that matters, but a big game from our LB's and WR's could really make a statement to the entire league. In the end, this team can only go as far as our QB can take us. He has made a lot of mistakes, but he is still playing to win, and not to just look good. We need a complete game this week.

Justin Miller is a Jet again. He is not as good as Neon Leon, but he can make an impact. I don't think Westhoff would have wanted Miller back if he didn't have faith in him, or if he had anyone else on the roster who he thought could get the job done. Make no mistake, the Washington injury could become a much bigger issue if Jones is to go down. A backfield made up of Greene and Woodhead would be a scary thought.

Mark Sanchez's midseason report card...

It's hard to give him a complete grade until we see how he responds in this weeks must win game. So far I would give him a C. Yes, even with a 61 rating and 6TD's with 10 Picks and only 1100 yards after 7 games. We have to hope that he can improve in the second half of the season. If he can limit the turnovers and his receiving corps. gets healthy maybe he can fix that TD/INT ratio. Thats whats driving down his rating.

Brady put up an 86 rating with 2800 yards and 18TD's and 12INT's. He wasn't a rookie fresh out of college, he was a second year player with an amazing defense to lean on. Mark will continue to have "rookie moments", he needs avoid anymore of those "rookie games". When he makes mistakes, he needs to recover... no more sulking on the bench. And when he does turn it over, the defense needs to get it back.

If we win this week we have real hope for the second half of the season. Thats a big "IF". I don't care about injuries or any other excuses we can point to. This defense needs to be nothing short of dominate in the second half. We have shown some signs of being elite defense. Now it's time for this group to step up or shut up.

The story line for the remainder of 2009 is going to be about the defense, not the rookie.

Around the league...

Here's a few random observations as we approach the mid way point of the season...

Larry Johnson is obviously trying to get released by the Chiefs. Dick Vermeil handed Herm Edwards a solid team with an aging offensive line and one of the most impactful young RB's in the league. Edwards proceeded to drop the property value of the team as effectively as a talabinian family of crack addicts moving into your neighborhood. Johnson has been in career hell for a while, and I think all of the drama he has created this week is a last ditch effort to get out of dodge.

The Redskins and Raiders are really dueling for the title of the most mismanaged franchise in all of pro sports. Snyder and Davis are the toxic twins of the NFL, and I would feel sorry for players who are part of these dysfunctional families if it wasn't for their inflated salaries. Maybe those poor guys can use some of that extra money for therapy and anti-depression medication.

The Bengals are blowing my mind this year. I listed one of my top 10 worst moves of the offseason as Cincinnati keeping Marvin Lewis as their headcoach (which technically is a non-move). Ocho Cinco looked washed up last year, and their saviour at RB was one of the most notable draft busts in recent history. I watched the 'Hard Knocks' series on HBO and felt this team had a real shot at the worst record in football in 2009. Boy was I wrong. They made the right move assembling talented players and coaches. Mike Zimmer's stock is rising quickly due to the rebirth of the Bengals defense. Can I get a WHO DEY?

Who are the Houston Texans? Their season has been a roller coaster ride. Schaub has looked like a dominate signal caller who can take a game over and pick a defense apart. He has also looked like a statue in the pocket and a sitting duck. They have a very highly paid and drafted young defense that just hasn't lived up to their collective potential. Overall they are just a big disappointment.

I think Detroit has been so bad, for so long, that it isn't even a story anymore. The media is focused on the Rams, Raiders, Browns and Chiefs. They are playing horrible football and their new coaches are already on the hot seat. In Motown Jim Schwartz has been signed to a 20 year extension because he has scored one win, which is more than Rod Marinelli could muster after 16 games last season. They have become the definition of 'The Worst'.

Are the Saints walking an injury tightrope? They have stayed healthy despite a roster riddled with exciting playmakers who miss as many games as they play. Players like Bush and Shockey can make a huge impact when healthy and an equally huge impact when out of the line up. New Orleans currently has the best overall team in the entire NFL. Can they stay healthy all the way through to the big game in February?

Josh McDaniels looks like a genius and Jay Cutler looks like a brat who is getting punished. I think Denver's charmed season will start to lose it's luster before long, and if Chicago's defense could actually start showing up on Sundays, Mr. Cutler may get the last laugh.

Brett Favre showed very clearly how little passion he has for winning this week as he gave up two touchdowns in Pittsburgh. He could have at least made an effort to stop either of the two defenders who scored on Vikings turnovers, especially on the play that sealed the deal. #4 will play his heart out this week in Green Bay, and win or lose, I think he will have nothing left to prove after this game. He'll have one thing on his mind after this weeks game... fishing in Mississippi.

Ask and ye shall receive. The NY Jets vs. the Oakland Raiders

I refer to teams like the Raiders, the Rams and the Chiefs as 'Can't get right' teams. I don't mean they can't get right, it's more like "if you can't get right by playing them... pack it up for the season". Well, we got it right. We dominated in all three phases, just like I had wished for in my last post. We had sacks, picks, forced fumbles, and another 300+ yard rushing performance.

I love how people are saying how we only beat the Raiders, and it was basically an exhibition. Tell that to Leon Washington. He's out for the season and his future with the Ny Jets is in doubt. We lost an important part of our offense and the center piece of our special teams. That being said, he didn't have a score on special teams in 7 games, and he didn't look like a game changer on the offensive side of the ball.

The player who has been the dominate, elusive, explosive game changer is no other than #20, Thomas Jones. He has put up some gaudy stats the past few weeks, but for me it's not about numbers. It's all about his quick first step, amazing vision, and the ferocity with which he has been hitting the hole. I have no idea where this new found energy has come from, but there is no doubt, Mr. Jones is reborn. For all those jumping on the Shonn Greene bandwagon, let him at least put up two 100+ yard games before you crown him the next C-Mart. The rookie does show some potential.

Our secondary looked good, except for Kerry Rhodes. I can not understand why Rex keeps referring to this guy as an elite safety. I don't get why the press hasn't called this guy out. His sloppy arm tackles are so frustrating to watch. He was my favorite player once upon a time. Now he's just a loud mouthed wanna-be.

The LB corps. was impactful, and finally Calvin Pace is starting to look like his old self. I was disgusted by the block head play of Sean Ellis. The longest tenured Jet is just simply not very bright. On Pace's second forced fumble of the game #70 Mike Devito tries to fall on the ball and complete the takeaway. Ellis steps in an pulls the ball out from under #70 and tries to run with it. WTF was he thinking about?

David Clowney has started 3 games in a row for us. He has led the team in receiving in two of them. Unfortunately he was targeted even once in the other game, so it would have been kinda' hard for him to make an impact. He plays with passion and isn't afraid to make the big play. If we ever get Cotchery, Edwards, Clowney and Keller all healthy at the same time, Sanchez might have a chance at a real breakout game.

The westcoast trip is history, now for some payback. Miami is next, and I can't stress how important this game is. We can put ourselves in a very good position at the mid way point of the season, and effectively burry the Dolphins season.

Oakland preview....

I won't spend a lot of time breaking down this weeks game vs. the Raiders. They suck, it's that simple. There defense is a little underrated, but there offense is a nightmare. There is no reason why we shouldn't dominate this team in all three phases. That being said, I will focus on our defense, specifically our front 7.

Big Jenks is history, this offseason the D-line will have to be our #1 priority. I am a huge fan of Rogers from Cleveland. But, lets not get ahead of ourselves. We still have ten games to get through this season. I think we have all the personnel to run an elite 4-3 scheme. We have had some success with 4-3 looks this season, and I would make use of this defense more often. Losing #77 is one reason to make the change now. But our underachieving overall performance from our over hyped defense is the main reason to go back to the drawing board.

I think a D-line consisting of Ellis at LE, Pohua and Douglas in the middle at DT, and Vernon Gholston at RE, would create some real mismatches and pressure. I would start Pace at LOLB, Harris at MLB, and Scott at ROLB. I would rotate players like Thomas in at LB and DE, Westerman at LB, and Douglas at DT and DE. Our secondary has played well, especially Dwight Lowery, who is really showing his true value.

Our defense needs some change. It's stagnant and ineffective. Put Gholston back where he belongs, and lets see what happens. I feel 100% confident that if Vernon doesn't turn it around soon he will be history next year. 2010 will be an uncapped year and teams will be dumping their dead weight and trimming the fat. I would like to know what we have in this guy. Even if he doesn't fit our system long term, if we showcase him this year and he starts to excel, he might develop some trade value.

I know it's early to be talking about offseason trades, but in the NFL you need to be thinking a few steps ahead of the game.

As for this week, I expect to see at least one score from our defense, 2 or 3 turnovers, and maybe... just maybe a sack or two. If we struggle this week Rex is going to have to reevaluate this entire squad. If we lose this game... he better enter the witness relocation program. Not because of the fans, but to avoid the NY press.

One final note... it's nice to see Neon Leon getting more touches, but can we throw this guy a few simple screens. He's an amazing kick returner, it kinda' makes sense to get him the ball in space and let him make something happen. And for heavens sake... please give Clowney a few looks!

Go Jets!

Our remaining schedule...

On April 15th when the NFL schedule was released I gave my predictions, without even knowing who our QB would be.... even before we drafted Dirty Sanchez. ( My schedule breakdown and predictions )

I have been a little off so far. I expected us to be 4-2 right now, and we are 3-3. However, I do expect us to split the season series with our AFC East opponents. I thought we would lose to the Pats early and get them back later in the season... I also thought we would beat the Bills and Dolphins early and they would get us back later. If you swap those predictions and we still end up 3-3 in our division our overall record works out the same. 8-8 at best and no playoffs.

The next two games are:

@ Oakland

vs. Miami

I see win and win.... God willing. If we drop one of these games especially against the Raiders, the press is going to burry Rex and Mark.

After that we have:

Bye

vs. Jacksonville

@ New England

vs. Carolina

@ Buffalo (Canada)

I see us as being 3-1 during this 4 game stretch with a loss to the Pats. 8-4 after 12 would be a blessing. The Buffalo game will be in Canada and I see it as a dangerous one. But I just can't see the Bills sweeping us.

The final four games are almost as challenging as our opening four:

@Tampa

vs. Atlanta

@ Indy

vs. Cincinnati

The Tampa game will be a big deal for us. That team could be 0-12 at that point, they are 0-6 right now. Thats a dangerous situation because NFL players have a lot of pride. If we somehow drop this one I think we could go 0-4 down the stretch. Atlanta and Indy are excellent well rounded teams, and the Bengals will be fighting for their playoff lives.

If we were to pull out Tampa and Cincinnati we could end up somewhere around 9-7 or even 10-6. It's very important that if we are aiming for a wildcard that we beat the Bills and Dolphins next time around.

To be perfectly honest, if we don't win the next two it could send us into a downward spiral and we might end up below .500. My best prediction remains the same as April 15th.... 8-8 and no playoffs.

We lose three in a row and one BIG player...

Three straight losses is going to equal disaster for any pro sports team, especially in a league like the NFL, where the regular season consists of only 16 match-ups. I had a really clear strategy regarding who should be our starting QB this year.

All things being equal (which they were this preseason) I would have gone with Kellen Clemens. Why? First of all, he is four years deep in our current offensive system. Secondly, he is expendable. I would have given him six to eight games. If we were below .500 by the bye week we could make the move to bring up the rookie. If Kellen was getting the job done, Sanchez would remain a quality back up and major trade bait in the future.

I expressed my view on August 26th after our pre-season game vs. the Ravens ( My post about Sanchez being named the starter )

Schottenheimer knows how this works because he went through a very similar situation in San Diego with Brees and Rivers. By starting Sanchez, if things start to fall apart you have no plan B. We have little choice but to stick with a struggling rookie. It is very possible that his confidence could be destroyed by a few more disastrous performances, especially in the spotlight that is NYC pro sports.

Even Eli Manning, with his pedigree and #1 overall draft position, didn't start from day one. I stand by what I have said since free agency started back in March. If we would have pursued Jeff Garcia and he was our signal caller we could be easily 4-2 or 5-1 right now. And again, if things didn't work out we would have always been able to ease Sanchez in after the bye and get him some playing time.

I predicted our record to be 4-2 after 6 games with losses to the Pats and Saints. We are 3-3 and dropped two games to division rivals. I feel confident that we will split the season series with all of our AFC East mates. The next two games will give us a clear indicator of what we can expect for the rest of the season. Oakland is one of the worst teams in the NFL. Playing in their house is never an easy task, but we should be very hungry and we certainly have a lot to prove.

A big win over the Raiders and a nice vengeful beat down of the Dolphins should calm the Jets Nation. If we are 5-3 heading into the bye week, and Sanchez doesn't drop anther 10 picks over the next two weeks, there will be some hope in Florham Park. On the other hand, if we drop even one of the next two I expect chaos and panic.

We are a good quality team that has a lot of talented players. Or coaching staff is also high quality. However, when your top coach and top player on the field are rookies, you will lose a few games you should win. Our backs are against the wall. I believe that Rex and Mark are high character guys and they will step up. We will know shortly if we have a championship nucleus that can handle the bright lights of the big city, or if Rex and is rookie are in over their heads.

Our defense continues to be my concern. They are a cocky group with a bunch of high profile players. Revis is probably the best CB in the league right now. Harris and Scott should be the best pair of ILB's anywhere, and of coarse #25 is a legend... in his own mind. This talented group needs to understand that if we are going to make it work with a rookie QB they need to be absolutely dominate every week.

Three things need to happen consistently. Number one...Our defense needs to hold teams to under 17 points, which they have shown they are capable of. Number two, they need to respond after a turnover by our offense. If #6 throws a pick, we can't let the other team march down the field and score a touchdown. The drive from the other team will mess with Sanchez's head more that the actual turnover. If our offense cough's it up, the defense needs to get the ball back.

Finally, the third and most important thing that we need from our defense is scores. Yes, this defense needs to score TD's if we are going to win with a rookie coach and QB. I would like to see Rex come out and challenge his defense publicly regarding this. His Ravens defense provided endless turnovers and scores. It's time for his new squad to live up to these very high standards.

I know the loss of Big Jenks is going to damage our struggling defense in more than one way. We lose the best overall DT in football on the field, but his presence off the field and in the locker room will be missed just as much. This guy is a real leader.

As he was writhing on the field with a torn ACL Sunday, he was still talking to his teammates. He was telling them to stay focused and not to let the game slip away. How many players would be concerned about anything but their own well being if they were laid out with a potentially career ending injury?

I hope he will make it back next year. As a fan I will always welcome a guy like #77 back with open arms. He's a rare man in many ways. There isn't much talent available on the free agent market right now, so the guys we have now need to step up. Sione Pouha has been on our roster for years. He is also injury prone, but when healthy he can be a force. Ryan also mentioned Mike Devito as a possible contributor at DT. I'm not very encouraged if our hope as fans needs to be placed on the shoulders of these two players.

I harped on our lack of talent and depth in regards to our D-line all offseason. I pointed out many times that Jenkins has a long history of injuries and we need to have a back up plan. Now we have no answers and the NFL season waits for no one. It's all about Murphy's Law with our beloved NY Jets. What a time for #77 to go down, less tan 48 hours before the trade deadline.

With all of these issues facing the green and white, I hope to hear about only one thing from our coaches and players. The Oakland Raiders and the task at hand. A pair of wins over the next couple of weeks will help to right the ship. Like Rex said in his press conference this week: "We only need to win one game a week, that isn't too much to ask. We will take it one week at a time and add them up at the end."

Thats a winning formula! Keep the faith Jets fans!

Wow... just wow. NY Jets Vs. the Buffalo Bills

Some might think Mark Sanchez's horrible and very embarrassing performance might be the story of the Jets latest loss. And for the record, I am writing this as the game is still in progress. Lee Evans just caught what is probably the game wining reception on the four yard line. Sanchez not only tossed 5 ridiculous picks, his completions were the most gutless attempts at impersonating a QB I have seen from a Jet in a long time. I'd have to go back to Brooks Bollinger in 05' to make a comparison.

That being said... he is a ROOKIE. For all of you band-wagoners who were so excited to have a rookie starting QB, suck it up and accept the fact that adjusting to the NFL is a long process. There is no substitute for experience... and Mark has very little. He threw 10 completions to Jet players and 5 to Bills players. Ugly.

Just for the record the Bills just hit a long field goal to win the game... obviously I am not surprised.

So, as I was saying, Marks performance was not the story of the game. The REAL story was how our "ELITE" defense struggled against a back up QB and a daisy fresh offensive line. The Bills have a C- starting QB, so obviously their back-up, Ryan Fitzpatrick, is no superstar. I guess it doesn't matter if you are Henne starting only your second NFL game, or a journeyman, career back up, Fitzpatrick, you can light up our defense.

I won't go into the nasty details of this game... to make it simple, we played with no heart and let a very poor NFL team hang around long enough to squeak out a win. I will ask a few questions... and my questions about this team are starting to pile up.

• Is there a point where Rex has to pull Sanchez? Two of the last three games have been horror shows. This is why it s such a bad idea to give a kid 50 million and throw him to the lions. He could very well be shell shocked by seasons end... and worthless.

• If Thomas Jones is averaging over 10 yards a carry and Neon Leon is at almost 7 yards per touch.... why in Gods name is Shonn Greene on the field???? I like #23 as a prospect, but that was no the time to bring him in.

• What happened to Dustin Keller? The guy was a young phenom, and his amazing toe tapping touchdown week two helped seal the victory against the Pats. Since then he looks about as impressive a first round pick as Vernon Gholston. I point the finger at him as one of the key players that literally and figuratively dropped the ball for us this week.

• When will Rex start setting some real goals for this defense? Instead of trash talking and twittering, how about calling them out. Let them know that they need to score if we are going to win. We have a monstrous pay roll, and a large chunk of it goes to the defense. Our "playmakers" need to start forcing turnovers and taking to the house.

• How bad is Jenkins Hurt??? If he misses any significant time, kiss our run defense and pass rush goodbye. I know we haven't had very much of either to brag about, but things can get worse.

• Why was the ball not thrown to Clowney? Not one target all day. Not even a reverse or a screen.

• What was the deal with that holding call at the end of regulation? Jones runs hard up the middle and sets up what would be about a 25 yard field goal. A call is made by the back judge, who is about 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage. It cost us the game, no doubt. I am so disgusted with the calls and non-calls that have have cost the Jets countless games. Woody Johnson needs to throw his weight around a little and level the playing field.

• Why didn't we attack when we got the gift right before half time? Our special teams caused a turnover with one minute left in the first half. There is no question in my mind that we had no intention of trying to get into the endzone. The Jets called 3 ulta-conservative plays and Feely misses the field goal that would have ultimately won the game. When you coach with no balls in the NFL you rarely win.

• Why did Rex waste a time out on an ill-advised challenge that meant the difference of 6 yards? Rookie head coach... rookie QB... looked good on paper didn't it?

• And finally... WHAT IN GODS NAME was Rex thinking calling that fake field goal in O.T.? That was just pathetic.

Well Rex, you seem to have a love affair with the NY press. The Honeymoon is over big boy, now you are going to see why head coaches get paid so much in NYC!

The underachieving Bills come to town...

The Bickering Bills are 1-4 and in the basement of the AFC East, where the belong. They are fighting for their coaches job, and if we are to embarrass them it could easily mean the end of their season and the Bills as we know them. If we are to drop this game and fall to 3-3 after starting the season 3-0 all hell will break loose in the Big Apple.

I think this game will come down to our respective ground attacks. We both have talented defensive lines, and the defense that steps up ad shuts down the other teams running game will win. Fred Jackson, a former practice squad stand out, stepped up during the suspension of his teammate Marshawn Lynch. Jackson has over 500 all purpose yards in his first five games. He is a threat catching the ball.

What I need to see from the Jets this week is discipline and aggression. We need to control the tempo in all three phases of the game. And, if any squad needs to bounce back and make a statement, it's out secondary. I also need #97 Calvin Pace to lead the way by not just playing a 'scarecrow-like' role on the field like most of his teammates on the defense, but by registering an actual sack.

A win is always the ultimate goal, but after two straight loses we need to look like a complete team again. The Pats game is ancient history, and we have to officially show we can dominate a talented but inferior opponent. I am excited to see David Clowney get his first official start and I feel very confident Dustin Keller will bounce back and have a big impact this week.

One final note. Gaines Adams, the former 2007 1st round pick of the Tampa Bay Bucs, was traded to the Bears today. Tampa was fed up with his "underachieving" performance. He had only racked up 13 1/2 sacks in his first two years in the league. Wouldn't it be sweet if Gholston had even scored one sack after his first 1.25 seasons?

13 1/2 sacks by the start of next season from Gholston would not only keep #50 off the trading block, but it might make Woody Johnson do a back flip. I defended Vernon relentlessly last season. I expected a totally different player this year. He has had a few moments where he looked semi-competent, and that the best I can say. If the light bulb doesn't go off at some point this year, I don't know how the Jets will justify this guys salary in 2010.

"Absolut Bullshit"... more non-calls, and the 'defenseless' receiver...

This weeks edition of Absolut Bullshit will focus on a familiar subject... Robert Kraft and the way he has the NFL's officials in his back pocket. Not only can Tom Brady signal a back judge and demand he throw a flag on a phantom roughing call, but now when an official throws a flag against the Pats the call can simply be changed after a short huddle by the refs. With 5 and half minutes left in the 4th quarter of this weeks Broncos/Pats game a very interesting thing happened.

Pats saftey Brandon Meriweather (#31) laid a flagrant helmet to helmet hit on WR Eddie Royal. Before I even saw the replay I knew it was helmet to helmet from the way it sounded. As the replays started to roll across the screen two things stood out. First, it was very obvious that Meriweather led with his helmet. The second thing that stood out was how immediately after the play, before the players even got back to their feet, the ref reached for his flag and threw it.

When the call was announced it was for taunting. Meriweather did pump his fist when he stood up and technically you could call that. But obviously the ref on the spot was calling the helmet to helmet foul. The Patriots are coached to take cheap shots. This safety must be Belichicks new prized pupil. He was playing dirty all day including another non-call earlier in the game. He tackled Brandon Marshall out of bounds and proceeded to slam him on to his shoulder. This can cause a significant injury and of coarse.... no flag. Sickening.

I know football is a contact sport, and in an effort to not sound like I am going soft, I have to address this new 'defenseless receiver' rule. Eric Smith almost kills Boldin last year and the next thing you know, its illegal to punish a receiver for going over the middle. This league is getting out of control with these ridiculous rule changes. I would love to have some former players like Lynn Swann and Michael Irvin chime in on this one. They made there bones by not being afraid to take the big hit that comes when you make the hard catch. QB's use to be taught to throw the ball low to protect their wideouts. It really sucks to be a defensive player in this league these days.

What we THINK we know about the NFL after 5 weeks...

Apparently The Giants, Vikings and Colts are unstoppable forces, and the Rams, Browns and Raiders are all complete disasters. We are not even at the half way point of the season and experts everywhere feel pressure to make concrete determinations. In the NFL all it takes is one or two major injuries to send a franchise into a tailspin. It also only takes a two or three game winning streak to resurrect a team that has been left for dead.

The Giants have put up a undefeated record beating some pretty questionable teams. So have the Vikings and Colts. The next six weeks of the Giants schedule will show us exactly who they are. The teams who are on top right now all have questions that need to be answered. The teams at the bottom are trying to evaluate their rosters and see what is working and what is not.

I agree with the Raiders leaving Jamarcus Russell as their starter. They owe him a bunch of money and they might as well see if the light bulb has any chance of going off this year. If not, they can move on with out any questions.

On the other hand I am still disgusted with Jeff Fishers relentless campaign to try and bury Vince Young's career. I know Fisher did not want to draft Young, and he is much happier with his decrepit excuse for a QB, Kerry Collins. At 0-5 their season is simply over. Why not let Young take over and play? Let's see if he is someone the Titans want to hold on to or let go when the season is over. I am sure he is worried that Young will start winning games and he will be stuck with this QB forever.

I am pretty happy with the state of the NY Jets these days. We have been presented with a pretty clear picture of who we are. I stand by my top 10 ranking from a few weeks ago( Top 10 after 3 weeks )

Denver and Cincinnati are currently a bit overrated and teams like the Steelers and Packers are very underrated. I look at week 10 as the time when you can really make a quality evaluation. So don't get too high on your team or too low. It will only take one or two loses for Giants fans to start calling for their coaches head on a platter. LOL

Braylon and our offense...

60 yards and a TD is not a stat line that will show up in the record books. However, it was how #17 put up those numbers. He showed great hands, and the reception where he went up in double coverage and caught the ball, spun 360 degrees in the air, and tapped both feet on the one yard line was amazing. He also drew a pass interference call that set up another score from the one yard line. That doesn't show up in the stats, but it was worth 49 yards.

Another play that won't show up statistics wise was when Mark threw a horrible pass on a simple comeback route. The corner read it the whole way and jumped the pass. Edwards made an amazing play pulling the DB's arms away and preventing a costly turnover. Great debut from the former Wolverine.

Cotchery was injured and it showed on the field. He may very well sit out next weeks game, but when #17, #89 and #81 are all healthy we should be a pretty explosive offense... even with a rookie QB. I also like the contributions of Brad Smith and Mr. August, David Clowney, who led the team in reception yards for the first time in his career. He had a beautiful catch on a long bomb from Sanchez that had me chanting "You can't cover the Clown!!" from my couch. All five of Mark's top targets present mismatch problems for defenses across the NFL.

I was excited to finally see Neon Leon and Thomas Jones making an impact. Jones actually looked quick and elusive. I thought those days were over. One question I have to ask is about the use of the rookie Greene when we were backed up against our own endzone. Jones and Washington were looking sharp. Why use the rookie in such a dangerous situation? Can't figure that one out.

The Saints loss was simply because of a rookie QB playing like a rookie QB, which has happened one out of five games. I like what I have seen from this young signal caller. He has had some success changing plays at the line. He plays with a short memory. When he makes a mistake he doesn't dwell on it, and is also not afraid to point the finger at himself. He throws a very accurate long ball, he has a much bigger arm than I previously thought, and he rarely misses the open man.

The only problem I have with him is the amount of interceptions he SHOULD have right now. He currently has a 74 QB rating, a little over 900 yards (183 yards a game), with 5 picks and 5 fumbles. Realistically he should have 9 or 10 picks. There have been a lot of questionable passes early in this players career. Hopefully he will continue to grown... there is no substitute for experience.

The Miami game was simply a shoot out that produced 35 points in the 4th quarter and 6 lead changes. I predicted us to be 3-2 at this point of the season and I am also confident we will split the season series with Miami. I see the next 3 games as wins which will leave us 3-1 during the 2nd quarter of the season and 6-2 overall. Things could be a lot worse.

Another Epic MNF Battle: The NY Jets vs. the Miami Dolphins

Listen, we are not going to win every game this season, I was sure we would split our season series with Miami this year. They are not a horrible team, but we are better. They used every play and every trick up their collective sleeves, and they squeaked out a win in the final seconds. I feel 100% confident that we will beat them in the meadowlands in a few weeks. We will get them back.

I feel a little better today than I did last night. I was outraged by the defensive play calling and that something I never thought I would say with Rex as our coach. Why we didn't blitz Miami's inexperienced QB I just can't understand for the life of me. A few defensive players did stand out. Bryan Thomas has officially decided to put in some effort this year and he is showing his talent. Kris Jenkins also looked like a beast as he terrorized The Dolphins center all night.

Kerry Rhodes, Sean Ellis, and Dwight Lowery were no where to be found. I have become so disgusted with Rhodes blown coverages and half-ass arm tackles. I am really starting to believe he consciously avoids contact in some cases. He had an OK game in N'orlins last week, and I had some hope he was on his way to an impact season. Guess not.

I was also shocked by the way Miami just ran the ball at will. I was disappointed by Calvin Pace's conditioning. He was sucking wind even in the first quarter and I have to question how he handled he handled his time off.

The non-call on the intentional grounding on the next to last play made my blood boil. That final play should have been run from the 11 yard line, which would have resulted in a field goal.

You can't win em' all. I was as frustrated with yesterdays game as anyone else, but we need to make sure not to blow things out of proportion. All I ask is that this ridiculous talk about the Jets being the 'best" defense in the league come to an end. We are a talented squad, but we are never going to be the top D with slackers like Rhodes and Ellis.

Normally I hate Dolphins...

What do I need to see in this Jets Dolphins match up on MNF to feel comfortable and confident as a fan? All you can ever demand as a fan is a win. Pretty or ugly, if we win, I'm satisfied. That being said, what would I like to see in order to feel we are real contenders?

I am interested to see how the defense compensates for the trio of Edwards, Keller and Cotchery. Cotch-diesel may not play, so we might have to wait to find out. I want to see our struggling ground attack make a statement against one of the leagues stingiest run D's. I would love to see no turn overs from our young signal caller. I want to see our aggressive defense actually record some sacks. Pressure is great, lets make Henne eat dirt! The lowly Buffalo Bills recorded six sacks, I want to see double digits from us. I would be thrilled if Edwards doesn't drop any passes.

Finally, the Calvin Pace suspension is over and I want to see him cause havoc from the first snap. Like Rex has said, we want to see him use four games of saved up energy all this week. I think Thomas #99, Scott #57, Harris #52 and Pace #97 can be the best LB squad in the NFL this league. With guys like Gholston and Westerman providing depth, we should be very solid at that position.

At the end of the day, a win with no major injuries is always a gift! Go Jets!

Our offense is an interesting collection...

...of players from the premiere college football programs from around the nation. Sanchez is from USC, D'Brick= Virginia Tech, Mangold= Ohio State, Edwards= Michigan, Washington= Florida State, and Keller is from Purdue. All of these players are former 1st round picks except for Neon Leon. 7 of our 11 starters on offense are first rounders.

The details have emerged regarding the Edwards trade. We gave up a third and a fifth, along with Stuckey. I think thats a more than acceptable value considering Edwards upside. I was prepared to give up a 1st for him this past spring. His value dropped and we got a good deal.

I am not concerned about Braylon on the field. He seems motivated and excited about a new start. He was asked about the problems he has had with dropping the ball. I was very impressed when he admitted that it was probably related to focus because he was very unhappy in Cleveland. I honestly feel he has more pro-bowl years ahead of him and that 2007 was no fluke.

Here's the big questions:

How will Edwards pending suspension effect the Jets? If he is to get suspended, we need it to happen sooner rather than later. We need him available after or week 9 bye.

How long until #17 starts to have an impact? I think our home game vs. Miami may be the targeted spot.

Who will be our slot receiver? Keller is a TE but I assume he and Cotchery will join Edwards as a three headed attack.

And now for the final big question: Do I consider the NYJ's to be a Superbowl contender? I guess they are as much a contender as any other team that is over .500 at this point of the season.

The real test for this team will be our final 3 games. Atlanta, Indy, and the season finale at home vs. Cincinnati. The playoffs will start for us on December 20th vs. the Falcons. We may actually be better off as a wilcard. Teams like the Steelers and Giants made championship runs by gaining momentum at the end of the season and running the table in the post season, including the wilcard round.

One thing to look out for is #6's stamina as the season progresses. A college QB is use to the season ending in late November. Fatigue ad the overall grind of the season could be an issue with our signal caller.

Braylon Edwards is a NY Jet...

As a football team the NY Jets have never had a premiere WR. Even when we picked Keyshawn Johnson as the #1 overall pick in the draft, he never really panned out as an elite wideout. We have had some great players at the WR position... guys like Maynard, Walker, Toon Chrebet, Coles and Cotchery were/are all great contributors. They have all helped the Jets win games. None of the afore mentioned players are elite receivers.

Today the Jets have traded for a true elite receiver, Braylon Edwards. So, if he's so amazing, why was he available via trade? His production has dropped, he has had a few off the field issues, and he was one of many players that are unhappy with the new coach of the Cleveland Browns. We gave up a player who was an amazing value. Chansi Stuckey has a very bright future in the NFL. He was a 7th round pick who has shown he is capable of playing at a high level. That being said, there is no question that Edwards is a far superior WR.

With a guy like Stuckey you know exactly what he brings to the table. He's very professional in his preparation, and has conducted him self off the field equally as professional. He is a B- receiver and won't ever be more than a 1,000 yard 5-7 TD a year guy. Edwards has the potential to be an A+++ wideout. Over the next few years, as he enters his prime and he and Sanchez develop chemistry, he could be a 1300+ yard and 15+ TD WR. There's still a lot of question marks about this player, but the basic philosophy regarding risk and reward dictates the benefits of taking a chance and the reality that there are no guarantees in life as well as football.

On March 5th 2009 I explored the possibility of trading for Edwards (The veteran wideout carousel). Even before the blockbuster draft day trade in April, I identified the relationship between Mangini and Tannenbaum and how it was not damaged when Eric was fired earlier this year. I knew their was the potential for some swapping of players and draft picks. I love Braylon's upside. His recent slump that followed a fantastic 2007 season (1,289 yards 16TD's) is due in large part to the lack of stability at the QB position for the Browns.

I was interested in Edwards because I am a believer in the idea of buying low. We gave up Stuckey and a useless special teams player. There was also something mentioned that always sends chills up my spine, especially when your GM is Mr T... "undisclosed draft pick(s)". It is impossible to know if this trade has the potential to be a good value for the NY Jets until we know exactly what we gave up.

I am not thrilled about losing a guy like Stuckey, and the only way the timing of this move makes sense is if we gave up a couple of mid-round picks to go with Stuckey. If there is a first round pick involved with this trade I have to ask one question: Why didn't we do this during the offseason so Mark and Braylon could have had time to work together? Realistically I don't see much of an impact from Edwards until week 7 or 8.

Welcome to the green and white #17! Edwards, Cotchery, Keller, Washinton and Sanchez could really make some waves in the NFL in the coming decade.

Our first loss. Week 4: NY Jets vs. The New Orleans Saints

The Jets dropped a frustrating game in N'Orlins' but we did get to learn some important things about our team. Obviously #6 struggled and looked very much like a rookie today, but the big story to me was our defense. They are the real deal, and they are making their reputation without Sheppard, Strickland and Pace. The good news is that by next week our two injured CB's will probably be back and Pace will also rejoin his teammates. For the first time I am really believing we may end up as the #1 defense in this league when all is said and done.

I am not disappointed by Sanchez. The first pick was a result of our non-existent running game. As a young QB Mark needs to play situational football a little better. If you are trailing early in the game by 3 points and it's 2nd and 8, there is no need to force a pass. Again, if he had an effective running game that he could count on I don't think he would have been so rambunctious.

Mark should have been a little more aware on the fumble play, but #60 D'Brickashaw Ferguson is to blame for that one. He was badly beat by the DE and as a veteran he should know that he needs to grab that defender and take him down. Considering what's at stake, a holding call doesn't really cost us much compared to allowing a defender to attack you QB's blind side untouched. We should have been running the ball in that scenario, a rookie QB needs to be protected.

I have been calling the Saints the most balanced and complete team in football since before the preseason (my analysis of the Saints on June 1st), and I predicted this game as a loss in April. If they stay healthy, the Black and Gold are the team to beat.

When I referred to this game as a frustrating loss it was not because of Sanchez. The unexplainable non-calls from the refs today made my blood boil. First their was a 3rd down play early in the game where Keller was tackled short of the 1st. The defender pushed Keller to the ground as he was trying to get to his feet. Thats know as un-sportsman like conduct and should have resulted in a first down. No Call.

Next was a screen play to Thomas that almost yielded a TD if not for the amazing effort of Harris (#52 has been simply amazing so far this season!). On the play Brees was under pressure and escaped from the pocket to deliver the ball to the RB. Marques Douglas had great penetration and would have sacked the QB if not for a blatant hold from the Saints offensive linemen. It was as clear as day, and again... No Call!

At the start of the second half Sanchez was the victim of a obvious face mask as Charles Grant sacked him. Again, no call and not a word from the CBS broadcasting team. They replayed the sack 5 times, and they didn't have the courage to call out the refs for missing it. Two plays later Shonn Greene runs the ball up the middle and is brought down by a flagrant horse collar. The refs, who were very consistent today, again kept the flags in their pockets.

I didn't watch the Patriots game today, but on the NBC recap of the game they pointed out how each of their scores were set up by questionable roughing the passer calls. They showed a post game press conference where the Baltimore coach was obviously upset about favorable ball spots. If NBC is calling out the refs for handing the game to New England it must have been pretty bad.

The Jets and Patriots have the same record (3-1), but they are not tied for 1st place. We are undefeated in our division and the Pats are 1-1, and we beat the Pats head to head. So we are in first place according to league rules. So every time you hear or read an ignorant report that the Jets are tied for first place, know that is incorrect.

The first 4 games are history and the next 4 are winnable. We will see the Dolphins twice, as well as the Bills and Raiders. I can easily see us 3-1 after this next quarter of the season is complete. I think we will drop one game to Miami. My feeling is that we win next week in Miami, but when they come to our house on November 1st they will squeak out a close one. 6-2 at the halfway point would be a beautiful thing.

This next 4 game stretch is the least demanding of our entire schedule. We need to establish a consistent running attack. We need to find a way to get players like Neon Leon more touches and involve Clowney and Greene. We have only scratched the surface of what our offense is capable of.

We are 3-1 after four very tough games and we have no major injuries. Losing today was disappointing, but Jets fans everywhere should be feeling pretty darn good.

"Absolut Bullshit"... Jim Zorn on the hot seat

Jim Zorn has done a quality job as a headcoach. He went 8-8 during his rookie season in the toughest division in football, the NFC East. He was 6-2 at the halfway point and the team struggled a bit during the second half of 08'. After a promising rookie season what did the Redskins do?

They explored replacing their headcoach and starting QB throughout the entire offseason. As I have said in the past, Washington's owner simply wants players and coaches with big name recognition. Synder has no idea what he is doing. On the first day of free agency the Redskins gave Albert Hanesworth an absurd contract. I expressed my feelings about how mismanaged the Redskins organization is in my previous post.

Zorn and the entire Redskins organization suffered a black eye last week by losing to the Detroit Lions. Thats a tough one, no question. That being said, Zorn and Co. have earned the right to try and make it work. It's not the coaches fault that the owner, who's trying to imitate a GM like a 13 year old playing the Madden video game, doesn't understand that teams don't develop chemistry by just throwing together random FA's.

Obviously you can't fire the owner. The fans need to demand that Synder hire an experienced GM to help this team get back on track and stop hemorrhaging money because of absurd contracts. Just because you are a fan with a lot of cash that doesn't qualify you to run an NFL team. Snyder will allow Zorn to continue as a lame duck coach, and unless he wins the Superbowl he will be out on his ear and Snyder will give one of the elite unemployed coaches on the market a RIDICULOUS deal.

I hope he fires Zorn and no coach will want to touch that job. If the fans want to have an impact, just stay home. An empty stadium sends a much larger message than crying and complaining on talk radio.