One of my all-time least favorite squads...

The Jets have dumped 3 of their last four since my last post. They were completely exposed in New England, flat an uninspired against Miami and lost a shoot out to The Bears. They squeaked out a win in the Big Ketchup Bottle last week, but that was due to the on going heroics of Brad Smith.

In the Miami loss the defense actually looked pretty good but the offense was non-existent. In the Bears game Jay Cutler sliced our defense to pieces but the offense showed some life. In the past few weeks we have also suffered "Trip-gate" and "Foot-gate". If you add all this up you have a circus act and not a football team... certainly not a championship football team.

We may win next week and end up 11-5. We have clinched a playoff birth and will most likely face the Chiefs. KC is not a bad football team, but we are much more talented. So, we could feasibly make it to the divisional round. It really makes no difference. The two teams that will be in the AFC Championship game will be the Steelers and Pats. They are two organizations that demand a professional approach to the game and everyone on those teams understands this is a business.

For some reasons the Jets and Giants both have squads that seem to think they are a part of some summer camp for big spoiled children. They don't punch their time cards and go to work on Sunday. Instead they use the pre game warm ups to practice their celebrations and pouty faces. They must think all the cameras are around because they are shooting a sports themed sit-com... or in the cases of these two teams, a sad melancholy drama.

These rich brats need to start playing with some intensity. When I watched the 2008 Jets give up on Mangini I blamed him. Looking back Mike Tannenbaum built one hell of a team that year and they missed the playoffs. The 2010 Jets are even better and they nearly missed the tournament as well. I have been critical over the years of Mr. T but I just realized that this guy has done everything possible to field a dominate team. The problem is we lack leadership and accountability. I am not an expert on the Giants, but I would suspect it's probably the same story there as well.

Is it NYC that causes these distractions. Too many exotic women, exotic clubs/restaurants and exotic drugs? Too much media exposure? What gives???

All I know is that the Jets are the most talented team in the league. They have underachieved to say the least, and they know that if they turn it on at the end of games they can usually steal a win. They approach the game with very little fire and put in just enough effort to keep it close. Players like Shonn Greene and Darrell Revis know how talented they are and they show up when they feel like it. These are two of our most promising young players and they should be our leaders. After everything #24 put his team and the fans through this offseason he should have showed up with something to prove. He and his fat coach brag every week about how he is the best defender in the league... how about backing that up MEvis?

The harsh reality is... that with this level of talent all a team like the jets really needs is a ticket to the dance, which the Redskins handed us Sunday afternoon. They can win the Superbowl if they turn it on during the next few weeks. The big question is if I will be rooting for them.

This 2010 squad is one of my all time least favorites and Rex has worn out his welcome as far as I am concerned. I'd rather have a high character group like the 2004 Jets whos roster included guys you could root for... Pennington, Martin, Chrebet, Vilma, Mawae, and Jason Ferguson. Those guys punched their time cards and they didn't sit around pouting on the sidelines when times got tough. They were leaders. They may have only made it to the divisional round but I doubt this "new and improved" 2010 version can make it any further.

Even though Sanchez takes most of the heat because he is the QB I feel he has done some good things this season. If we do have football in 2011 he may very well start to look like a top 5 pick. I still have faith in this guy!

Random thoughts...

The pressure on Monday night is not on the Jets. We are the underdog, we have the young QB and the Pats have Jesus Christ behind center (apparently), they are the home team, we have already beat them once this season. If we get off to a quick start by forcing a turnover, and or scoring the first TD, it will be very obvious which team has their back against the wall.

Is Peyton Manning declining, or is the team just too banged up? His two biggest games in the past 12 months ended in HORRIBLE interceptions. The Superbowl last year and the Pats game two weeks ago were inexplicable. There weren't any tipped balls or sneaky coverages. Both of those ill-advised, game losing plays weren't on 4th down either. It wasn't like.. throw it up and take one final shot. He was driving down the field in both situations with a chance to win, and he tossed two Favre-esc head scratchers. Weird.

I am disgusted @ what a long leash the Commissioner has given the Steelers. They have publicly attacked him and the league rules flagrantly and without any filter week after week. That organization certainly gets special treatment. If the Jets were taking shots like this the league would be handing down some serious fines. And we would be portrayed as low life cry babies.

I am utterly shocked at the performance of Sam Bradford in his first season, as a part of a horrible team. It is remarkable. I felt that there was zero chance he could have success there. Boy, was I wrong. Matt Ryan, Sanchez Bradford, and Flacco are looking like the next generation of great QB's. The league has been waiting for a solid class of QB's for a while. It's really a sin how injury prone Stafford has turned out to be, because he would also be on that list.

Matt Cassel is ranked in the top 5 in every passing category except total yards. 22 Td's and 4INT's so far. He's sneaky good. His team is trying to prove it is the real deal... and they are still alive with 5 games left.

On the other hand, Kyle Orton is looking like the next John Elway in Mile High, and the team keeps losing games. Denver is certainly taking certain aspects of building a winning team for granted. Guys who can play at a high level at the QB position are HARD to find... to say the least. They dumped rare talents like Marshall and Cutler and replaced them with another signal caller who is capable of leading the league in yards and is top 10 in every other category.

I know McDaniels is not popular right now, but firing him would be a huge mistake. At least give the guy 3 seasons and try to encourage a little continuity. Hiring him to replace a legend... allowing him to alienate and dismantle your team... and dumping him 24 months into the experiment is just plain stupid.

Thomas Jones actually has more rushing attempts than Jamaal Charles... and JC is in second place for total rushing yards in the whole league. I have been singing this guys praises for two years, now he is starting to open everyones eyes.

The Cardinals are in the worst division in the history of the NFL, and they are in last place. Wish you were here Kerry Rhodes... we will send you a post card from the Superbowl!!!!

The Giants have a realistic chance to be the top seed in the lack luster NFC this season, and their fans are ready to fire Coughlin (which happens annually) and trade Eli. There are a huge number of Giants fans who are also Yankee fans. Sorry guys, you can't BUY a championship in the NFL. Stop crying and support your damn team!

The Bengals are 2-9 and their headcoach, who has been there for 8 years, has never won a playoff game. And... no one is calling for his head. Minnesota fans, Dallas fans and Denver fans have been calling for their coaches heads. Two towns have been successful in getting their owners to give in, and Pat Bowlen may be next. I guess in Cincinnati they just expect to lose. Thats just sad.

Finally the Raiders had a taste of success for a minute this season, and they continue to flip QB's. Obviously the person pulling the strings in Oakland has lost it. Thats an understatement, but it's beyond embarrassing at this point. Just like how in South Florida the Dolphins decide to pull the plug on Henne. Only to have their plan B go down in less than 1 minute of game time with a season ending injury and are now forced to play the guy they had given up on. There is no way these organizations put any time into big picture planning. They will keep chasing their tails and watching the playoffs from home.

Preview to the biggest game of the year...

I am gong to look into my crystal ball....

The first thing I see is a blinding yellow glow... it's as bright as an innocent rendering of the sun, drawn by a child with a Crayola crayon. Wait... is that..... it's one hundred penalty flags thrown by the officiating crew in Gillette Stadium Monday night!!!!

Unlike that child's simple utopian world he has created on construction paper, where all of the houses have triangle tops, the grass is Jets green and the sun is round with a few rays cascading down on everything, the NFL has become political, dirty and the games are fixed.

I see a large number of calls and non-calls that will all fall in the favor of the NFL's golden boy Tom Brady. I will break this down for you... here is Belichicks coaching career in a few short sentences.

He was a defensive coordinator for Bill Parcells and won a SB with the Giants. He was simply Parcells piss boy, much like his relationship with Mangini a decade later.

He was hired as coach of the Browns and did nothing but lose games, alienate his players and the fans, and was promptly fired.

Parcells took him back and he went back to the role of piss boy. He later accepted the headcoach job here when Parcells stepped down and proceeded to stab Bill, our owner and every Jets fan in the back by changing his mind and running up to New England the next day. This has never happened in the pros and it was obviously against the rules for Robert Kraft to make an offer to a coach under contract... thats why the Pats were forced to turn their #1 draft pick in 2000 over to us.

In his first year in NE Belichick looked like the average coach that he is. In 2001 our country was attacked and the NFL decided to help the Patriots make a playoff run and win the Superbowl. It was very therapeutic for our nation to see the red white and blue 'Patriots" holding up the Lombardi. There were many ridiculous calls during that season including the 'tuck rule' play that is infamous. Belichick won that Superbowl and 2 others by secretly videotaping other teams defensive calls and practices.

It's not hard to win when you know what the other team is going to do before they do it. Even Josh McDaniels, one of Belichicks most beloved piss boys, made it very clear just this past week that they were taught to cheat and coach players to play dirty (after he was caught video taping an opponents practice this season in London).

The reason the NFL defends this low life coach and his QB is because they have built up Brady as a hero and he is ultra-marketable. They need him in the playoffs every year for ratings... so they will make sure he is there. They also destroyed any evidence from "Spy Gate" because it would have made those 3 Superbowls invalid and would damage the NFL and the biggest sporting event in the world immensely. The NFL survives because of the post season. The NFL playoff system and the Superbowl are the biggest things in sports. To admit that they let this go on for so long would even open them up to legal troubles one can only imagine.

That being said, it should be clear that the Jets will not be allowed to win this game. My crystal ball is glowing yellow and I see the Patriots are handing the game ball to.... the officials after the game. Belichick is kissing the head zebra on the lips and the players are chanting "12th man!!!!" over and over again in the locker room.

I also see at least one major injury to one of our key players early in the game... can't make out exactly who, but if I had to guess I would say it is either Holmes, Sanchez, Mangold or Revis. Funny how the Pats knocked out Ward early in the Pittsburgh game and what a major impact it had on their offense. What luck!

Weak minded players like Bart Scott will be baited into "unsportsman like" penalties even if the Patriot players spit, punch, taunt, and eye gouge. Any retaliation will be flagged and only held against the Jets. The only way to combat this kind of play is to fight fire with fire. However, I can't be a fan of a team that would try to hurt other players and cheat like this. It's a real Catch 22.

I wish I could be spending this time breaking down the match ups and what would be a perfect plan for attack. But, the NFL is no longer a simple game where the winners are determined by who makes plays when they count, and who hits the hardest. Now it's all about which owners have the most pull with the commissioner and who they feel will draw the most ratings in the post season.

The Pats are the worst 9-2 team in NFL history, and they will probably win it all. Thats why they refuse to pay veteran players.... they don't have to.

Enjoy the game ya'll!!!!

Week 12: Jets vs. Bengals... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Thank God for Brad Smith!

I must be honest, I didn't watch this whole game. The Jets looked impotent in the 1st half and the ridiculous unnecessary roughness call on Drew Coleman that set up the Bengals only TD was the last straw for me. Winning is all that matters at the end of the day, and I have been preaching that for weeks. That being said, the Bengals are one of the most mismanaged franchises in al of sports and they are having an especially poor season in 2010. If the Jets wanted to be taken seriously they needed to destroy this team.

The defense and special teams played well, but the offense was horrible. After 11 games Greene still looks like he just isn't capable of stepping up to this once in a lifetime opportunity. I have a hard time believing this team has enough discipline to make a real playoff run. They are confident, talented and hungry. They are also one of the sloppiest teams in the NFL.

I am also disgusted by how players like Scott run their mouths after games. Multiple Jets defenders told the press that they considered the Thanksgiving Night game to be 'Easy". Why degrade your opponents and drag the whole franchise down? We traded away a high character guy like Vilma only to bring in an underachieving loudmouth like #57.

But, most of all I am disgusted by the officiating in the NFL and how there always seems to be a ridiculous call at a key moment that puts the Jets in an impossible situation. The aforementioned call against Coleman for unnecessary roughness was the straw that broke the camels back. Coleman did absolutely nothing wrong on that play... he didn't lead with his helmet.. didn't launch himself... he didn't even knock the receiver off his feet. He simply touched him with his shoulder.

That was a 3rd down play and gave the Bengals a 1st and goal on the 5 yard line instead of forcing a field goal attempt. The zebras are controlling the outcomes of games with these ridiculous calls. The NFL is truly becoming unwatchable. That call has seriously diminished my interest in this game.

One final note. After yet another inexcusable missed field goal and an extra point that bounced in off the upright the Jets have publicly started to work out kickers. I can say this much... If we make the playoffs we are not going to be a dominating team. This team plays down to it's competition. We will most certainly require at least one game winning field goal in the post season to stay alive and Folk is not capable of that. He is emotionally ill-equipped to handle the pressure of kicking at this level. Case closed.

Favre gets his second Head Coach fired in 3 years...

The washed up attention whore... and future HOF'er know simply as #4 has been playing like #2 all season. Brad Childress made a deal with the devil last year because he, his GM and owner thought they were smarter than the NY Jets brain-trust that let Favre walk after only one lack luster season in 2008. We also dumped our gum chewing head coach and moved on to bigger and better things. The Vikings ate our leftovers and now they have a bit of a tummy ache.

Was it fair that Childress was fired? Yes. Was it smart? No. The 2010 season has been one big abortion for the Vikings and now this offseason they have to rebuild all over again. Brad knows how this league works and his firing is proof positive. You are only as good as your last game. Thats why he went for Favre and Moss... and it almost worked. He will get another shot and probably do very well.

The Vikings need to find a head coach and QB... the two hardest and most important positions to fill. Luckily they do have some real talent on that team, so if they can land the right guy to steer their ship maybe they can make it to the conference championship game next year with a rookie QB and be 8-2 @ this time in 2012 heading back to the playoffs. That sounds pretty far fetched, except for the fact that the Jets have done exactly that. There is life after Favre.

What I would do now is bench Brett and focus on Tarvaris Jackson. If Jackson can finish the season strong the HC position in Minnesota could lure back some of the elite coaches who have stepped away from the game. Even a guy like Parcells would probably bite for the right price. But, you need a QB in place. No big name is going to want to develop some rookie. If Jackson bombs out then the Vikings do whatever is necessary to land Vick. Just like when Cunningham resurrected his career in the Dome, Vick would be the missing piece to the puzzle up there. Either way, you need to know what you have in Tarvaris, and you need to know now.

The Jets have ended the seasons of few teams recently including the Broncos, Lions, Browns and Texans. The coaches of the first 3 teams will probably survive and get another shot in 2011 (even Mangini). But I would have to think that the Texans are ready to move on and let Gary Kubiak go back to being a coordinator and stop masquerading as a head coach.

I like a lot of things about the Texans and most importantly they have a legitimate QB. I think Schaub is a C+ or B- QB, but he is the real deal none the less. Again, this makes the position of HC very attractive for an established name. I think the ownership in Houston needs to clean house and make a dramatic move. The move I am going to suggest will be astronomically expensive, but I think it's a lock to win a Superbowl (or at least a playoff birth which this franchise still hasn't accomplished).

The combination of Marty Schottenheimer as GM and Bill Cowher as HC would be extremely effective. They could not only change the culture down there and tweak the roster, they could build a coaching staff that would help lead the team for years to come. I can't begin to imagine how much these two legends would cost... but they could get the job done... any other candidates are a roll of the dice. This dynamic duo is cash money.... literally.

Week 11: Jets vs. Texans You don't have to be perfect all the time...

...only when it counts. We could easily be below .500 right now if not for the last second heroics of #6 and #10.

For the past 3 weeks they have been stealing victory from the plates of our opponents. And, if you count the big play at the end of the Broncos game... Sanchez and Holmes have been making it happen when the game is on the line ever since Santonio has returned from suspension.

Mark was absolutely perfect on that final game winning drive. He was 4 for 4 as he scrambled around in the pocket buying time and making the right decisions. For those of us who have stuck with this young man ever since he was named starter last season this most recent game winning drive was the most rewarding.

He is learning a lot playing with a guy like Holmes. He is developing that look in his eyes. The precision of the long pass to Edwards along the sideline that set up the game winning pass to Holmes was breath taking. So was the lack of hesitation. He saw the opening and took it, he and his receivers took the win. Thats how you win games in this league.

Mark is playing conservative smart football at the right times, and he has learned how to let it fly when the time is right. That is so hard for young signal callers to learn. I think it is safe to say that when the pressure is on, the game is starting to slow down for him... and thats how the great ones play. Mark has a lot of growing to do, but even the most negative and cynical Jets fans have to be excited.

Does our passing game look good? Coming off another 300 yard 3 TD game with over 200 yards combined from #10 and #17??? Ummmm yes. Are there still concerns? Yes. Dustin Keller has been invisible for weeks and Shonn Greene is starting to look like he was a one hit wonder last year. I am not overly concerned about Keller (except for the fact he is killing my fantasy team) but Greene is a problem.

If you can't run behind this line.... you are not the real deal. After 10 games I was not expecting 2 starts, 1 TD 3 fumbles and a 4.1 yard average. Our coaches have scaled back LT's role a bit in an effort to jump start Greene. So far there are little signs of life. McNight is about as raw a rookie as I have ever seen, and I don't expect him to be touching the ball very much. We have rolled the dice on Greene. LT is doing a great job, but if he goes down our highly ranked rushing attack is history.

On the defensive side of the ball there is also good news and bad news. The combo of Revis and Cromartie is starting to become very effective accept for the fact that they generate no turnovers. They both can lock down receivers and are physical freaks, but teams have been making runs on us late in games because they aren't scared of these guys. They frustrate QB's but don't make them hesitate to take shots. That being said, I'll take em'.

Our D-line is pretty solid especially considering the loss of Jenkins. I think the real problem is with our LB's. Guys like Scott, Taylor and Thomas are old and slow. They can be effective rushing the passer, but they are being asked to cover way too much. Because of the overall weakness of our other CB's Rex is forced to be more conservative with his blitz packages. If Pool and Wilson could step up and start making plays our DC could unleash the hounds.

These aren't things that can't be fixed. The good thing about the regular season is that you can develop players and tweak weaknesses that other teams expose. If you keep progressing and recognizing where you can better, ideally you peak as you head into the playoffs. The trick is to pull out the close ones so that there are still games to play in January.

Brodney Pool, Kyle Wilson and Shonn Greene... your team needs you to start to make impact plays that force the other team to adjust. Things will open up for the players around you if you start showing up to play and not just watch the game. I still have some faith that we can pull it together... and if we start to hit on all cylinders... as Rex once said to the entire NFL: "I think it's going to be more than you can handle."

Week 10: Jets vs. Browns... When the game is on the line....

... you throw the ball to this guy (please see above photo).

Two weeks in a row the Jets pull off an exciting overtime win, on the road, thanks to a clutch play from Sanchez and Holmes. No team in the history of the league has ever won back to back road overtime games. Another exciting note from this game was the solid play of our offense. The running game looked solid, Mark had 299 yards and 2 TD's and we ran 97 offensive plays (WOW!).

I will not waste anytime addressing our HORRIBLE field goal kicker because I have been clear week after week that he is definitely our achilles heel. I am sure he will cost us games... I just hope it's not in the playoffs. He simply can't take the pressure on the NFL. But, I digress.

We have looked out of sync since the game in Denver. We were sloppy in 2 road games and also in the debacle against the Packers in our house where we were shut out. Luckily we went 3-1 over that stretch, and have the best record in the NFL... including 5-0 on the road and 3-0 in our division. This is the formula for how you assure your team a spot in the playoffs.

If the post season were to start today the Jets would be the top seed in the AFC because we own the tie breaker with the Pats. This week we played well... and if playing perfect in the regular season was the true formula for winning it all Tom Brady wouldn't still be having nightmares containing the numbers "eighteen" and "one". The 2010 NY Jets don't quit, and our upcoming opponents are taking note... trust me.

Our running game is ranked 3rd overall averaging over 150 yards per game and the one two punch of Tomlinson and Greene is finally starting to click. Mark has 2,000 yards with 12 TD's and 6 INTs. The defense has been a bit inconsistent, but the loss of Jenkins and Revis for the first half of the season has had a lot to do with that. Now that Revis and Pace are back to 100% I think all of the pieces will fall into place as we head into December. Some fans are disappointed with the sloppy play and penalties from the first 9 games, but I see it from a different perspective. If we were able to go 7-2 with out some key players and playing sub-par football, we have a real chance of making a Superbowl run if we play up to our potential.

Rex and Schotty have also been under some fire because of questionable coaching calls. I believe that our OC has been a bit too aggressive with the passing game, but if Mark should finish with 3,500+ yards and 20 TD's with only 10 INTs in his second year... that would be pretty amazing. I think Schotty is trying to make a name for himself by calling fancy personnel packages and passing too much. This doesn't serve the teams or Marks best interests.

But, on his resume he helped to develop Brees in San Diego, coached Pennington to the CBPOY award with the Jets, worked with Favre for an entire season, and has now developed Sanchez into a functional NFL QB. If we win the big game this year Schotty will be pursued by a lot of teams as a QB guru. I have no problem with him leaving and Calahan taking over as OC. He and Rex will ground and pound Greene to the rushing title in 2011.

Rex has made some in game decisions that can be looked at as ill-advised. He got blamed for the fake punt against the Packers (which he had nothing to do with) and he also came under fire this past week in Cleveland. With 35 seconds on the clock and 2 timeouts he decided to let the clock run out and go to overtime. We had good field position and if we would have lost that game this call would have been a bigger story... a huge one actually.

This is a winning business and we have the best record in football. Rex is more than an entertainer in press conferences and a motivator in the locker room. He is also one of the top 3 defensive minds in the NFL. Anyone that understands defense that well also has offensive expertise by default. I don't know if any team has better combo of motivator and strategist as head coach. He needs to work on some of his in game calls, but he is also only a season and a half into his head coaching career... as is our QB. I think they are both doing pretty damn well if you grade their performance by wins and losses.

Santonio Homes and Jericho Cotchery are players who have proven over the years that they have a competitive fire that only increases when the game is on the line. #89's 1st down catch in overtime is one I will never forget as a jets fan. On 3rd down Cotchery lined up in the slot and ran a route that was cut short because he injured his groin muscle half way through the play. He was in major pain and stated hoping on one foot.

Meanwhile our QB was scrambling trying to avoid the Browns pass rush. Mark could see that J-co was hobbled but he was also the only viable target. He pointed to him and then delivered an off target laser. Most receivers with two healthy legs wouldn't have been able to stretch their bodies out and grab the ball in mid air while falling to the ground. And, I can't think of any other that would have even attempted it moments after suffering an injury.... especially one that painful. Cotchery caught that ball because thats the way he is wired. he cares about his team and winning as much as he does about his own well being.

Holmes comes up big in big moments just like Cotchery, but with different motivation. Holmes believes he is the best player on the field at any given time. He expects the ball to be in his hands when the game is on the line and doesn't even consider anything but making the play. The final drive of Superbowl XLIII will be remembered for all time. Holmes simply plays on another level in those situations.

He is not a top 10 receiver in this league, but with the game on the line he may be #1. The way he out-willed the Detroit defenders two weeks ago setting up a chip shot game winning field goal was one of the best plays of the season... until it was completely eclipsed by his heroics in Cleveland one week later. He snatched the ball out of the air and split 3 defenders effortlessly on his way to the endzone. It was a sight to see.

Next week we will get a very clear look at where our defense is. Are they a championship defense, or just a bunch of big talkers. The Texans have struggled this season when it comes to winning. They have been the exact opposite of the Jets... losing games in the final seconds instead of pulling them out. However, they have not struggled moving the ball. They have an excellent passing game and a solid running game.

I don't think we can outscore them in a shoot out, and frankly our team is not designed that way. We shouldn't have to play their game. We should simply pound the rock and eat up the clock. We will need a few sacks and at least one turnover to insure a W this week. It's time for #24 to start to earn his big pay raise he cried about all summer. Shutting down Johnson is no small task, but if he is the best CB in the league I would like to see him register his first INT of the season... in week 11.

Another interesting story line will revolve around Brad Smith. He is a good special teams player and is lethal in the Wildcat. But, with Cotchery out for a couple of weeks Smith will now step into the slot receiver spot. Actually I would expect to see him and Edwards out wide and Holmes in the slot in 3 WR sets, but the question is can he make an impact? There is some simple math to consider for the NY Jets in 2011.

They will have some big salaries already on the books... guys like Revis, Sanchez, Pace, Mangold and Ferguson soak up a lot of dollars. We will also be trying to resign Harris, and LT will probably also hang around one more year. We will simply not be able to afford Edwards, Cotchery and Holmes together. Cotchery is already a substantial cap hit, and Holmes won't sign a hometown discount. Even Edwards is going to need to be paid based on his performance so far this season. He has been explosive on the field and is catching everything thrown his way.

Everyone is assuming that Edwards and or Holmes will be gone in 2011. But, I am 100% sure Mr. T and our coaches will be paying close attention to the way our offense looks and operates with #17, #10 and #16 on the field together. I love #89, and he may be my favorite current Jet, but he may also be the odd man out next year.. as crazy as that may sound right now.

Week 9: Jets vs. Lions All's well that ends well

Our receivers need to do a better job catching the ball... our OC needs to call more fluid plays... and our defense needs to start getting to the QB, creating turnovers and scoring. If we plan on making the playoffs and making a run at the big game the next 8 games need to look different than the first 8. That being said, we are 6-2 and in first place.

I want to take a quick look at the 2nd half of the season, but lets give this past weeks game a little attention first. I think the two guys who need to shine moving forward are Kyle Wilson and Shonn Greene. We spent a first round pick on Wilson this year and traded up to score Greene last year. He essentially cost us two draft picks just like Revis and Harris. He needs to step up like they have.

#31 and #24 shut down both sides of the field. It is remarkable how Calvin Johnson, who has been having a big year, was a complete non-factor... another prisoner on Revis Island. If our 2 top corners can become the shut down book ends Tannenbaum envisioned back when he traded for Cromartie during the offseason, we will be very hard to game-plan against. Unless, of coarse, we can't establish a solid nickel back.

The Lions simply attacked Coleman all day and Burleson racked up over 100 yards. Rex made excuses for his secondary again, calling Burleson an excellent reciever. There is no excuse for letting a C- slot receiver look like Wes Welker. I know Rex is loyal to his guys, but he needs to start calling them out. If Wilson can't step up in nickel packages, fans must start to ask if this guy is a waste of a 1st round pick.

As for the offensive side of the ball our OC finally gave some touches to Greene. He averaged 4.6 yards per touch and LT made the game tying play, turning a check down pass into a big gain. We need to see if Greene can be the man or not. He needs at least 15 carries and LT should have about 10 carries, as well as at least 5 targets in the passing games. Holmes, Keller and Edwards showed their big play ability. Cotchery has played horribly for the past few games and is starting to look like the odd man out.

We have 3 very winnable games ahead of us. We face a terrible football team that is coming off two mind boggling wins. Cleveland stomped a mud hole in the Saints and Patriots asses. Some may be surprised, but I have predicted both of these teams missing the playoffs... maybe the Browns are just exposing how overrated they are. This team is full of our rejects, not the least of which is their headcoach. We should dominate this team in all three phases.

We then have two games at home, and the weather will start to become an advantage... even if our home crowd isn't. The Texans and Bengals are garbage. If we struggle against these teams... at this point in the season... any dreams of the Superbowl will start to look foolish. The next 3 games after that will define our whole season. We will face New England in their house, the Dolphins in our house and Pittsburgh in the "big catsup bottle".

The Pats have Pittsburgh, Indy and Detroit over the next 3 weeks leading into the showdown with us week 13. If we are 9-2 and they are 7-4 we have to go for the kill shot. I have been on record about how I don't feel the Pats are an elite team anymore, but the games still need to be played. If we are relatively healthy we should have at least 10 wins by week 14.

The AFC East has a sick schedule in 2010, and there are 3 very competitive teams within the division. This is a tough mountain to climb, but the rocky journey may be what prepares us to make a championship run in January. The next 3 weeks will show if we can be disciplined and start to dominate, or if the past 8 weeks have been all hype. I would like to see Rex stop making excuses for his players and coaches and start to demand better results.

Week 8: Jets vs. Packers The sky is falling!!!!!!!

1) The sky is falling.

2) Bradford, Freeman and every other young QB all look better than Sanchez.

3) "Playoff?!?!!? Playoffs?!?!?! I just hope we can win a game:"-J.Mora

4) Our WR's are garbage and we should try and claim Randy Moss.

5) The Patriots are the best team in the league.

I would like to start out addressing #1, and thoroughly cover each one of these totally non-hysterical concepts.

1) Bullshit!

2) Bullshit!

3) Bullshit!

4) Bullshit!

5) Bullshit!

We have an excellent team including our coaching staff. That was simply a bad game vs. one of the leagues top 5 teams. When two top five teams face off the game usually comes down to inches and few miscues. Obviously the defense did it's job. The fake punt thing was not a disaster because we held them to 3.

Sanchez struggled in the first half but pulled it together and was making good decisions in the second half. That is an important quality to have as an NFL QB. Many times I have watched Tom Brady throw a INT or have a few bad drives just to come back and start lighting up the opposing defense. It's cliche, but a short memory is vital in this business. .

The game came down to dropped passes and a really weak home crowd. I feel there is an excellent chance that both the Packers and jets will continue to improve as the season progresses. Neither team has the best record in their respective conferences, but I still believe they will face off in the Superbowl. If we get another crack at the Pack I think there will be a much different outcome.

Steve Weatherford made a bonehead decision, but he has been having an outstanding season so he gets a pass. You must admit that took so real balls. As long as he understands that he has to check with the sideline before doing that again this shouldn't be a problem moving forward.

Sanchez has been struggling for the past few games because Shotty wants to run a high flying offense and turn Mark into the next big, elite QB. This process takes time, but our OC has his next job in mind instead of focusing on what is best for the NY Jets. If our offense moves up to the top 5 and Mark starts to be regarded as a success story from the draft it could equal huge dollars for Scotty this offseason.

There will be some amazing coaching vacancies in 2011 and I am sure he wants to be on the top of every owners list. We know how to win with this offense. Running the ball is not sexy but it is necessary to open up the passing game. Mark was playing very well and looking like he had our system mastered from week 2 to week 5. We faced two good division rivals during that stretch who already have a ton of film on Sanchez. The reason he sliced them up was because we were running the ball 1st and passing when wee needed to.

It sparks the O-line and forces the defense to start to pull players from coverage and put them in the box. I think LT and Greene can become the best one/ two punch in the NFL if Schotty would just pound and ground. I am confident that Rex will step in and we will get back on track. If Schotty can't accept the harsh reality of what the formula is for us to win consistently I have no problem with dumping him and letting Bill Calahan take over as OC. He is an O-line guy and will have no problem running the ball 30+ times every Sunday. That being said, we lost a game that produced zero TD's for either team. It sucks, but this happens in the NFL. Suck it up and focus on beating the Lions.

The best way to deal with a loss like this is by keeping an eye on the big picture. We are 5-2, 3-0 in the division... the defense is starting to really take shape and we are pretty healthy. I feel just as confident that we will bounce back from this loss as I was about week one vs. The Ravens.

My only long term concerns are Nick Folk, who I have been very clear about regarding how useless he is, and our home-field advantage or lack there of. If our stadium was only 70% filled this week I have major concerns going forward. Rex has tried to make it as clear as possible that we need to establish the New Meadowlands as one of the worst places to play in the whole league. So far we seem to be the only team who has been struggling there.

For the record, if you line up any QB drafted in the past 5 years the only guy I would want leading our team is Mark Sanchez. This kid is smart, accurate, loyal, a natural leader and he cares about winning. He puts football first in his life and loves being a NY Jet. He's my guy!

After 6 weeks I can say definitively..

...that these are the top 10 teams of 2010. I ranked my top 10 teams heading into training camp in this post back in June.

I ranked the teams by talent, but I also followed that post with a playoff bracket. Remember, this was back in June when nobody else had the balls to even name a Superbowl pick. Some of the top 10 teams, notably the Saints, aren't on my playoff bracket. It's hard to do a complete evaluation before the season has begun. 6 weeks in it's a little more clear.

Here I will combine my top teams and playoff bracket all in one. How about top 12 teams? All will see the post season IMHO. Before I even list them, the Giants, Saints, Bears, Chiefs and Patriots will not be on this list. Chill.

#1) The Pittsburgh Steelers: They beat Atlanta and Tennessee with out a QB. Wow. With Polamalu healthy they are a force to be reckoned with. I give them a slight advantage over the Jets because their QB and coach both have SB rings. But, the past doesn't help you win next weeks game, it just gets you a little more respect.

#2) The Mighty New York Jets: Complete team all around with an excellent coaching staff. We live and die with our offensive coordinator. When he is in rhythm he has unlimited weapons. When he is trying to be a superstar play caller he can cost us games. We NEED Shonn Greene to come alive and balance our ground game. Fear Revis and Croamrtie when healthy at the same time.

#3) The Indianapolis Colts: They have struggled a great deal so far in 2010. Peyton Manning is their QB. Do I need to say more? They are probably about equal talent wise to the Packers and Ravens, but #18 is what always has and always will set them apart. The Jets and Steelers are only ahead of them because they have far superior defenses.

#4) The Green Bay Packers: They may be the most well rounded team, but you have to win games to be at the top of this list. 3-3 doesn't cut it. The Ryan Grant injury has been downplayed. Not too many people paid any attention to it. If they can find a solid RB, I stand by my pick of them representing the NFC in the SB. Wow, one NFC team in the top 5.

#5) The Baltimore Ravens: Finally Flacco and Rice are starting to produce (my fantasy team thanks you). This is a squad that is simply built to win playoff games. Once Ed reed is back... watch out. I expect a different outcome the next time they meet the Steelers.

#6) The Minnesota Vikings: Moss, Peterson, Favre, Harvin, Shiancoe and soon Rice???? Sorry, but they are in the playoffs... if Favre still has a heartbeat. Not sure why the defense has been so lackluster, but they should figure it out.

#7) The Atlanta Falcons: They have one of my favorite coaches and a legitimate QB. Their backfield is solid, but Ryan needs one more solid target other than White and Gonzalez. My SB picks are Green Bay and the Jets, but if I had a sleeper it may be....

#8) The Tennessee Titans: CJ2K, Young and Britt are starting to gel. They also have the best back up QB in football the best defense no one is talking about. The Texans and Jags are pretenders, Jeff Fishers group are contenders. Run the ball and play great defense... anyone seeing a pattern here?

#9) The Dallas Cowboys: Yeah, I said it! If this seems like a long shot, wait until you see #12. I am sticking to my original assessment. They are a top 5 team talent wise, I think they will somehow make a run and sneak their way in. They are just so much more talented than the other NFC teams they will be fighting against. Come on Wade, this is your last chance to live up to big Daddy... go for it! And for God's sake, give Felix Jones some more touches.

#10) The San Diego Chargers: Simply by default. The Chiefs and Raiders are garbage. Oakland actually released in the press that their 'entire roster was on the block' as the trade deadline approached and passed. The Broncos are just too beat up. They were ravaged in the offseason and now they are even worse. So, AJ Smith and his dysfunctional family limp into the playoffs. Anyone remember that dude who use to play RB there? And that other DB who made the probowl a few years back. Smith dumped both of them... are they still in the NFL?

#11) The Washington Redskins: I picked them to make the playoffs in June and I am sticking with this one too. I like what I have seen so far. Shanahan gives them an identity. The only question here is McNabb's health. If he keeps ticking, they make the post season. Sorry G-men and Philly. I think the Giants will implode and that whole QB situation is very tricky in the city of brotherly love. The old saying goes "if you have 2 starting QB's then you don't have 1". The Skins have 1.

#12) The San Francisco 49ers: I just love Singletary, Gore and their defense. Smith kinda' sucks, but with weapons like Crabtree and Davis hopefully they can start winning and beat out the other 3 horrible teams in their division. Again, I guess I am being stubborn, but I just can't see any of those other NFC West teams in the post season. They have only played 1 division game thus far, so a turn around is very possible.

So, to recap...

The Steelers, Jets, Colts and Chargers win their divisions. The Ravens and Titans beat out the Patriots for the wildcard.

The Cowboys, Packers, 49ers and Falcons win their divisions. The Vikings and Redskins beat out the Giants and Saints for the wildcard.

I see The Jets vs. the Steelers/Colts in the AFCCG.

I see The Packers vs. The Vikings/Falcons in the NFCCG

And of coarse, Jets vs. Packers in the big game, with my beloved Jets as the Champions!

My entire playoff bracket on the NFC side has stayed the same since June, even considering the slow start of the Cowboys and 49ers. On the AFC side I have replaced the Patriots and Bengals with The Steelers and Titans.

I never thought the Steelers would get off to such a good start with out their QB, so I counted them out... considering how competitive the AFC is. As for the Titans, I thought that Young was going to be suspended like Big Ben, so I also counted them out as well. Things have changed since the early summer.

Week 6: Jets vs. Broncos.. We get some love from the zebra's... FINALLY!!!

I still can't believe that on 4th and 6 we called such a bad play, and it got such amazing results. With the game on the line Schotty was calling some very questionable plays. On 4th down I would expect a simple slant to Holmes to gain 8 or 9 and regroup. Either the receiver was covered on the quick release, or Sanchez panicked.

Mark scrambled around and proceeded to hurl the ball 50 yards down the field on what we will politely call a 'prayer'. For some reason Denver's DB decided to mug #10, by first crashing into him, and then reaching out and grabbing his facemask and dragging him to the ground as the ball approached. Thank you sir, may I have another? We never get calls like that in those situations, but the officiating Gods were smiling upon us in the mile high city. =)

Mark had his first bad game of the season. I don't really count week one because Rex and Brian had our young QB on a very short leash. #6 threw 3 horrific passes to the opposing team, 2 of which were intercepted. Is it frustrating to watch the maturation of a young signal caller in the NFL? Yes. Is it an important part of building a championship team? Yes. Patience is the another key ingredient.

Overall Mark has done very well through the first 6 weeks. To be honest, he has far exceeded my expectations. That being said, you have to ask the question... what was he looking at when he made those very poor decisions? They weren't tipped passes or even balls that 'got away'. He was simply missing defenders, not even seeing them. The other disappointing thing about his performance was that he was facing mostly second and third stringers from the Broncos. Their defense, which is not very formidable when healthy, has been hit by the injury bug.

We should have simply run the ball on them... play, after play, after play. I think that because of their weakened secondary Schotty decided to take a chance at showing off his offense that has gone from a Honda to a Porche in the past 12 months. Unfortunately Jeff Gordan is not at the wheel here. The overly aggressive play calling by our O.C. almost cost us the game.

Kyle Orton and the Denver receiving corps. is underrated, and our defense did a decent job of holding them in check. Revis looked a bit rusty in the first half, but in the second half he started to look like his old self. If he can get back to form he and Cromartie can do some real damage in this league. And another big shout out to Dwight Lowery making the game winning play two weeks in a row. He recovered a fumble by hustling and always finding a way to be where the ball is. He was all but forgotten about in my book, and suddenly he is making some noise.

On that subject, I have been very impressed with our role players on defense, especially in the secondary. Lowery 26, Cole 34, Smith 33 and Coleman 30 have all been contributing on defense and special teams. Cole and Smith have been with our team since 2006 when Mangini took over as coach. They have grown as players under Rex and are really starting to show what they can do. It's nice to see a great defensive mind like Rex come to town and revitalize these individual players as well as the fans.

Rex is really starting to look like a great find. Other teams sniffed around Ryan when he was a coordinator. His brash attitude scared away other NFL execs', but Mike Tannenbaum was sent on a mission by Woody Johnson. I think our owner was even more disgusted by that fat gum chewing waste of a man Eric Mangini than the fans were.

Imagine building a team as talented as the 2008 Jets, with Favre as the QB and not even making the playoffs. And, as the season was falling apart, this loser looked uninvolved... on the sideline and in press conferences. I think Woody put Mr. T on notice. Tannenbaum handpicked Man-gi-nah and he fought for Favre. Woody signed the checks and sat home watching other teams fight in the playoffs. I think he told Mike to go out and find the exact opposite of Mangini. He needed to be a motivator and he also needed to be able to jump start our underachieving, overpaid defense. Mission Accomplished!!!

A good headcoach in this league needs to be able to do a few things. He needs to be an outstanding "X's and O's" guy. He may not call the plays, but certain decisions need to be made when the game is on the line, and Rex is one of the leagues foremost experts on defense. Guys like Herm Edwards and Mike Singletary can rally the troops, but are useless when it comes to game-planning and in game adjustments.

They are glorified cheerleaders. That being said, a good headcoach must also be able to get the players to play for him. He needs to work them up so that they would run through a wall for him. Rex also gets a gold star in this category. The brilliant game-planners of our generation have struggled as headcoaches when they have zero personality to go with it. We saw how Belichicks first run went in Cleveland before he had Tom terrific as his QB. Mike Martz and Norv Turner have also flopped as headcoaches for the same reason.

Another very important talent is the ability to recruit talent (as funny as that may sound). Players like LT, Leonhard, Scott and Price signed here exclusively because our coach. Mr. T and Woody are nice guys, but when Mangini was our coach the only way to sign free agents was to wave more money than the next team. Money is always a big part of the overall equation, no matter who your coach is, but Ryan persuaded guys like LT and Jason Taylor to sign very reasonable contracts. Even our hometown heros like Mangold and D'Brick re-upped because of the big man. He did the unthinkable by melting the ice around Revis and got him back in uniform.

Finally, in todays NFL an elite headcoach has to know how to spin things and work the media. Rex is a complete natural at this. He has stumbled a few times because he is just too honest. He uses the media brilliantly to set high goals for his team. He goes out and announces that he expects to compete for a championship, and his players don't want to leave him hanging. They are loyal to him because he is unwaveringly loyal to them. Thats true leadership.

Rex Ryan is starting to live up to the hype... and thats no small accomplishment considering the mountain of hype he brought with him. We are in the winning business, and for the NY Jets business is good!

Week 5: Jets vs. Vikings... You are what your record says you are

The Vikings and Jets have had the same overall team building strategy for the past few years.

Both teams have done anything possible and spent a kings ransom on payroll. Both teams even rolled the dice on #4 Bret Favre. We were smart enough to cut ties after the debacle in 2008. The Vikings have allowed this douche to hold their team hostage for the entire offseason and asked their star players to crawl on their knees to Hattiesburg Mississippi and beg him to come back. He has looked rusty, disillusioned, disinterested and OLD.

On the other hand the NYJ's drafted a young man with a ton of upside and have put him in the best possible position to win. It will be a long time before Sanchez can be compared to the future HOF'er Favre, but when it comes to the basic fundamentals of what it means to be a leader and good teammate #6 has surpassed #4.

Favre did nothing but alienate his teammates during his brief 6 month run as a member of our team, and I will always be in debt, as a fan, to Thomas Jones for having the guts to call Bret out at the end of the disappointing 2008 champaign. He said publicly that if Bret wasn't going to attend every offseason work out, and dedicate himself 100% he didn't belong on our roster. IMHO that is the main reason #4 asked to be released.

It takes a low character franchise led by a guy like Brad Childress to allow anyone to use them like a doormat the way Favre has. All of the other players on the Vikings roster worked their asses off all offseason to try and help their team dominate and make a run for a Superbowl. But, because #4 would rather sit home and watch Gilligans Island during the summer his team is now 1-3. Thats a rough record after the first 25% of the season, but when you have teams like Green Bay and Chicago in your division... well, that may be an insurmountable deficit to overcome.

Enough about that washed up attention whore... let's talk J-E-T-S!

Frustrating play calling again on offense. I liked the overall execution by our O-line and the decision making by #6. LT and Greene are starting to become a formidable duo. It was scary to see #10, #17, #89 and #81 on the field at the same time. I was really disappointed by the dropped passes, but in all fairness it was very wet out there.

I can see that Schotty is a rhythm play caller and the dropped passes threw him out of sync. Our drives kept getting shut down on 3rd down and we had to settle for 5 field goals, even after Brad Smith returned the ball 80 yards on a kickoff. I am a big believer in momentum and how it affects NFL games. Smith answering Favre and Moss's TD hook up was the game winning play for me. It deflated the Vikings sideline and electrified the stadium. I really wish Mark and Schotty could have got the ball in the endzone after that. D'brick also looked like a number four overall draft pick... for the first time ever. Jarred Allen is the most dynamic pass rusher in football and he was a complete non-factor last night. Great job big boy!

Our defense is looking like the #1 squad in the league, even though we are not statistically. Some are calling our secondary the best in the league but I don't feel that way. They are good, but Kyle Wilson is looking like a daisy fresh rookie. He blows more coverages than he gets right. Revis was probably at about 75% last night. By the time the playoffs start we may be the best secondary, but as of today we still have more work to do. We also need to get healthy.

Our Team MVP's after 5 games are obvious... but I will point them out anyway. Cromartie is not just a physical freak but he is playing with a fire and passion. Rex's style of defense fits him very well. Sean Ellis is also playing mad. He looks intimidating out there and continues to get to the QB constantly. David Harris is another player who always seems to be wherever the ball is. He is not and never will be a superstar, but he is a very important reason why we are 4-1. I hope we find a way to pay him and keep him here.

On the offensive side of the ball Sanchez, Keller and LT have been outstanding. However, as the season progresses I think Cotchery and Brad Smith will join them in the spotlight. I am a die hard fan of #89 and I think he will start seeing a lot more touches in the coming weeks. If you put your 3rd best corner or a LB on him he will light them up all day.

I don't think we are the best team in the league at this moment, but if we win the next game and head into the bye 5-1 I may be prepared to crown Rex and the gang. The real question now is will we play down to our competition this week, or maintain our high standards? Can we stay up and motivated, on the road, against a team we are suppose to beat?

Week 4: Jets vs. Bills...... Ellis, Taylor and Thomas continue to dominate

Not to toot my own horn, but in my post back in July entitled "Six players we live and die with" I focused on 'The Big Kat', Mr. Sean Ellis. Please take a moment and see how I predicted his impactful play and why I saw him as a much more important part of our defense than Darelle Revis. In four games Ellis has been disruptive to say the least and has already racked up 3 sacks including a forced fumble.

I also had an interesting post about a month ago right before the season opener simply entitled "Leadership". I am not LT's biggest fan, and I wasn't thrilled when we signed him. But as training camp and the preseason progressed I changed my tune...

"My only hope is that somehow LT starts the season the way that C-Mart did back in 2004. Most people had started to write Martin off and he came out of the gates on fire. If Tomlinson helps us win those first few games his voice will start to resonate in the locker room. It's a long season and the Jets are an unpolished group heading into the season opener. Sometimes soldiers have to be in a real battle to learn how to fight........... LT has really shown burst and ferocity on the field and looks and sounds like a hungry player off of it. He not only gives off the impression that he is focused and prepared for a big 2010 campaign, but he also seems to be having a lot of fun. I hope he can bring all of that to the huddle on gameday"

Who predicted his resurgence and how it would affect the Jets? This guy =)

I also tried to calm the Jets nation after our lackluster season opener assuring everyone that bleeds green that Sanchez and Schotty would figure it out. #6 now has a QB rating of over 100 with 8TD's zero INT's and is starting to look like the leader REAL Jets fans believed he was all along. Going back to the 2009 post season Sanchez has thrown only 2 INT's in 7 total games... and one was a tipped ball. He doesn't need 40 TD's and he doesn't need 4,000 yards. He just needs to make plays on third down and throw it to the open man. With the return of Holmes there should always be someone open.

The most interesting thing about the addition of Santonio is that all of our WR's can now play their ideal roles. Holmes is a #1 wideout, combining his speed, elite route tree, amazing hands and innate ability to make the big play. Braylon Edwards is the perfect #2 guy. He has things that you can't teach like height raw speed. He has been a #1 his entire career and now he will most likely start seeing the #2 CB and single coverage from opposing defenses. Thats a scary thought. Jericho Cotchery is the perfect slot receiver now he can do what he does best. I am sure Dwight Freeny could do well as an OLB, but he is a future HOF'er because the RE position in a tampa 2 is the ideal spot for him. Thats my point.

As far as I am concerned the main X-factor facing the long term success of our offense in 2010 is Greene. #23 finally made an appearance this week with 117 yards. It's exciting that LT is playing like it's 2006 again... but he can't touch the ball 20+ times a week and be fresh for the post season. We will need him in the post season if we plan on making a run. Greene needs to start carrying the load with his young legs if our running attack is going to remain as the best in the league (technically we are #2 but I am sure we will end up as #1 just like last season).

We dominated the worst team in football and I don't take that for granted. Week after week I have noticed steady improvement in our run blocking, pass blocking, and overall precision on offense. The defense has been very impactful, led by the aforementioned Ellis as well as Thomas who had a FF this week, and Taylor who recovered the fumble. These three players have been simply amazing and the thought of Revis and Pace being added to the mix this week is exciting.

Now we have to face a one of the most talented teams in the league, who is underachieving, and a bit desperate. Favre disrespected our entire team by faking a retirement, asking us to release him and then running off to Minnesota. He made it clear that he felt that his new team is far superior to the Jets. He also threw our GM and former coach under the bus by telling the media that we forced him to conceal an injury (in an attempt to make an excuse for his horrible performance at the end of 2009 when he ran out of gas).

Rex is playing it very politically correct, praising Favre for being such a legend, but trust me... our defense has a score to settle and I hope #4 gets the beating he deserves.

Brady and the Pats steal another win...

The Pats and Dolphins just faced off on MNF in what should have been a shoot out to decide 2nd place in the hotly contested AFC East. The Pats won by almost 30 points and the game was simply unwatchable.

Let me start off by saying that I am a life long Jets fan and obviously a Patriot hater. But, there is no team in the entire league I hate more than the Dolphins. I am going to point out a few, very significant plays where the referees changed the momentum and coarse of this game. I will be defending the Dolphins (who got robbed) and if anyone thinks that I am being unfair because Tom Brady is a douche, just remember who's side I am taking here.

The game was just starting the second quarter and the Dolphins are leading 7-3. Ricky Williams breaks off a huge run and after his 3rd juke he had a clear shot to the endzone. That would have made the score 14-3 and the Dolphins would have complete control of the game. Instead the final Patriot defender, who missed the tackle badly, sticks out his right leg and BLATANTLY trips Williams. No flag and not a word from the studio commentators even after the second replay. He tripped the guy in the open field and prevented the TD. Another play is forced and immediately Henne throws his 2nd INT. That (ill-advised) pass should have never been necessary.

Now it's 7-6 and the 2nd half kickoff is in the air. #19 Tate takes the ball from the endzone and starts heading up the field. He follows a lane along the sideline. #39 of the returning team BLATANTLY and very obviously blocks a Miami player in the back and springs Tate for a 103 yd TD. The kick return was replayed 3 times. The first time showed the return after the illegal block, the second was cut off right before the block happened and the last replay actually edited out the illegal move by showing the beginning and end of the play, conveniently omitting the middle. This TD should have been called back but instead it completely changed the game.

Later in the 3rd quarter Cameron Wake, the young CFL transplant who has been making some serious waves as the newest elite pass rusher in the AFC, bullrushed the patriots LT. His whole existence is about protecting Brady's blindside. Wake got an amazing first step and the savvy tackle knew he had no choice but to grab him and hold on for dear life. It was another BLATANT penalty, and it was the right choice by the linemen. It is more important to protect your franchise than to worry about getting called. The ref threw the flag and after a conference the head referee decided to make him pick it up and announced "there was no holding on the last play". The replay showed exactly what the original ref called... unmistakable HOLDING. Again, not a word from the guys in the booth.

That last play may seem insignificant, but it is a microcosm for what is wrong with the NFL and it's select few superstars. Players like Tom Brady are not allowed to lose in key games and the outcome is controlled by a few, very significant calls and non-calls by the officials. Tom Brady needs to be in the post season as far as the NFL is concerned. If anyone thinks that they would have let the Pats slip to 3rd place in the AFC East, and let their golden child start to become an after thought, you are fucking nuts.

The 2010 Patriots are simply garbage. They stole the game against the Bills and another against the Dolphins. Their secondary is inexperienced and weak, as is their backfield and defensive line. Teams that are built like them win 3 games all year, and somehow they are 3-1 after four. It must be the genius of Mr. Belichick.

Shockers and Hype...

After 3 weeks some teams are overachieving and making waves, while others are really stinking up the league. Who is legitimate... and who are the impostors?

The overachievers would be the Chiefs, Bears, Texans, Eagles, Buccaneers, and Seahawks.

The Chiefs are a flash in the pan. They are at least 2 years from being a significant contender. Their young exciting players make for good entertainment, but this circus act will be crash landing very shortly.

The Bears are also a joke. Cutler has thrown at least 10 to 12 passes that should have been intercepted. His luck will run out because he is simply not a leader. As soon as the Bears lose a few games he and Peppers will start sulking. Enjoy these first few weeks Bears fans.

The Texans are supremely talented, but do they have an uncontrollable inferno inside to win or is it simply a flickering tea light? Week 1 was a big step for them, but I will be a believer when they clinch a playoff spot.

Who predicted that Mike Vick would eventually step in this season??? This guy, thats who. I predicted a Wildcard playoff game between the Falcons and Eagles... in Atlanta... with Vick behind center. I also predicted the Falcons would win their division over the Saints. 4 weeks ago this whole scenario seemed like a pipe dream... now what?

The Bucs and Seahawks are also 99% hype and 1% substance. Their 'player coaches' are not geniuses, they have just been lucky. In 3 weeks these teams will be non-subjects again.

The underachievers are the Giants, Cowboys, Vikings, 49ers, and dare I say the Lions? Is it possible for Detroit to fall below expectations when there usually are none?

Lets start with the NY Va-Giants. Their collective pussy and ego are sore and it's time to pull yourself up by your boot straps Big Blue. They are a top 10 team talent wise. They have a legitimate QB, some exciting young wide outs, a solid O-line and what should be a perfect one two punch in the backfield. I love Kenny Phillips on the other side of the ball and they have some elite pass rushers and a very solid group of LB's. Rolle and Jacobs have become cancers and are dragging their team down. I hope someone steps up in this locker room and takes control before it's too late. I am sick of watching Coughlin take the blame every week in the post game presser.

The Cowboys will pull it together. Their running game will eventually get back on track and they will win the NFC East. I am not as confident in their chances in the post season, but they will earn a ticket to the dance. No reason to panic.

The Vikings deserve to lose. I also think they will get back on track and make the post season as a wildcard behind the Packers. Watching Favre suffer is pure entertainment. In some ways I hate this guy and in some ways I respect him. If he can weather this storm and make it to the playoffs I may see him as a little less of a douche. On second thought...

The 49ers are imploding and what should have been a breakout year for Singletary as a coach and Smith as a QB is quickly becoming a season to forget. This is the only team that I may have to change my preseason prediction on. One or two more losses and the Singletary era may come to an abrupt end in the S.F. No worries Mike, Al Davis will be waiting with open arms.

Week 3: Jets vs. Dolphins "We are not waiting on a mistake.."

"We are not waiting on a mistake, we are waiting on a play"- Rex Ryan

From time to time one simple sentence can sum up an entire teams philosophy. I love this quote from our head coach. You can tell that this is what he has been saying to Mark Sanchez for the past two weeks, and it's a huge departure from the week 1 debacle vs. the Ravens. Schotty has finally taken the leash off of his #1 draft pick and Mark is looking impressive. It's never a good idea to get too excited or too upset from week to week in the NFL. But, if you look at Marks last few games of the 2009 season including the playoffs and you add in the Pats and Dolphins games this year you are seeing a QB who is growing by leaps and bounds.

Marks accuracy has been outstanding and he is on a roll throwing 6 TD's and zero picks in the past 8 quarters. However, I have been most impressed with the passes he hasn't made. In the fourth quarter of the game in Miami we were winning by 1 point and the ball was at midfield. This was the drive where Mark ran the ball in for a TD and it was called back on a bullshit holding penalty. Earlier in the drive mark took the snap and Keller was streaking down the field. Mark locked in on him and was tempted to throw the ball into triple coverage.

Guys like Jay Cutler and Brett Favre would have launched a "laser rocket ball" (as Mike Holmgren would call it) right into the hands of an opportunistic defender. QB's always have to fight the urge to 'hear the music' (as I would call it.) When the game is on the line they always feel that they can make any pass. But, their better angels need to shout down their demons (as Toby Zeigler would call it) and check down to the RB and extend the drive. It's called being smart and selfless. Thats exactly what #6 did. He pumped the ball and pulled it back, eventually dumping it to LT for a 5 yard gain. That one play could have cost us the entire game. Sometimes less is more.

Bryan Thomas and Sean Ellis continue their dominate play. We have not missed Calvin Pace due to the contribution of Jason Taylor. Pouha and Devito are back in 2009 form and even Bart Scott is making plays. I have been impressed with Cromartie and Wilson. I can't help but dream of Revis Cromartie and Wilson all healthy on defense and Edwards, Holmes and Cotchery on the field at the same time on offense. If we don't have anymore catastrophic injuries the second half of the season is looking very very good for Jets fans.

My biggest surprises from the Jets so far revolve around Steve Weatherford, Cotchery and Greene. Weatherford has been playing very well and I have always felt a consistent punter is worth their weight in gold. On the other hand Greene has been non-existent and J-Co has been very quiet as well. I would love to see Brad Smith get more touches, but with so many mouths to feed that may be impossible.

Braylon and ME-vis... I'm breaking out the F-Bomb

I try not to use foul language in my little blog posts too often, but after the last few weeks....

Braylon Edwards is simply an asshole. When I first heard what happened and the inexplicable timing of his latest bonehead move my first reaction was that he should be cut. My feeling is that a message needs to be sent to these players. There isn't a better situation to be in right now then to be on the NY Jets roster. We have the newest training facilities, the newest stadium, the most player friendly, motivational coach in the league... and OH, BTW, this is the biggest media market on the planet.

Would you like to end up in career prison like Kerry Rhodes stuck out in the desert wasting away? Rhodes has 'tweeted' non-stop about how much disdain he has for his former team... coaches, players, and owner. I can't wait to check his twitter page on the night we win the Superbowl and see what how he feels about being on a team that will probably win 6 games this year.

Back to the subject at hand. Jets fans everywhere have been asking one question: how long will Edwards be out? This subject is much bigger than football. Drunk driving is a major problem in our society and for those who have lost family and friends I think the last question should be about how this will effect the Jets chances this week against Miami.

WHY would a millionaire, who has access to private transportation and an endless number of taxis, drive around Manhattan with illegally tinted windows.... drunk? This guy is putting innocent peoples lives in danger. Does anyone care that he could have killed someone? Fuck the Dolphins, release this guy before we have to suffer the ultimate humiliation as a fan base when one of our players kills someone. That would be the end of the road for me as a Jets fan.

For some reason the media is reporting that the Jets can not suspend Edwards because it would be a violation of the CBA. Why would any organization in any field not be able to suspend an employee for conduct detrimental to their image, especially one that is dependent on the media? He is negatively effecting his teammates by causing a distraction. Didn't the Eagles suspend T.O. because they didn't like something he said in an interview? I am lost on this one.

I did like the apology from #17, and he really seems sincere. He is just plain stupid. He released a statement saying that he wants to retire a Jet. The Jets purposely leaked a statement from an unknown source that they have decided not to re-sign him in 2011. Seriously? Is this how you save face. If he has a huge year and come through in the post season they will back the money truck up to his front door... so shut up Tannenbaum!

As for Darelle Revis, if I didn't hate his guts already he had a quote yesterday that sent me over the edge. Last year L.T. had some bullshit minor injury and said to the press that he would not consider playing again until he was 100%. My Post on September 25th of last year explains the whole scenario. Well, the most selfish player in the history of the Jets has decided that he not only will not play this week, but he was crystal clear when he said the he "will not even step on the practice field until he is 100%". Wow, I can see that Tomlinson is wearing off on our stars very quickly.

Who the fuck are you to make statements like this, and why was our coach humiliated in the Monday press conference? The media asked Rex if it was true that MEvis will be out 1-2 weeks. He responded that he wasn't sure yet and asked who they had heard that from. They responded in unison "From Him!". Why is he releasing that info to the press???? What if we wanted to keep it under wraps until later in the week to try and make the Dolphins game planning more difficult.

For the record I am a fan of 99% of our players and all of our coaches. Also, I feel very confident that we can win this week... and we can do it without #17. If we can't then we are not a real contender anyway. Things are really starting to get out of control on this team and it's getting harder and harder to remain an NFL fan.