Biggest game for us in 4 years...

In late 2011 the Jets played the Giants in the regular season. Something that happens only once every four years. Sanchez and Rex vs Manning and Coughlin. The Jets had been on a roll for 2 seasons and the Giants had been irrelevant since their Super Bowl win in 2007. Both teams were fighting for their playoff lives. The Jets played a dumb game, Sanchez was an anti-leader, the Giants wanted it more and we lost.

This started an amazing spiral. First off the Giants went on to win a 2nd Super Bowl with Tom and Eli, and the Jets began one of the worst runs in team history. During this run we fired countless coaches, 2 GM's and the entire scouting department. Sadly we have the same owner, but nothing can be done about that.

Since then we haven't even sniffed at a playoff birth.

Fast forward to the day after Christmas 2015. We are 9-5 with 2 division games left. There is a scenario where we finish with 11 wins and miss the playoffs, but we can't worry about that. All that matters is winning this week. It's Jets vs. Pats in late December. AND, it's in our house. Normally we play these late season games against the Patriots in Foxboro surrounded by snow and slush. This year it's here and it will be 70 degrees at kickoff. I can't decide if the weather or the fact that the Jets are playing a meaningful game this time of year are weirder.

I was recently watching a documentary about the turning point when the 49ers became the dominate teams of the 80's taking over for the best team in the NFC of the 70's, the Cowboys. The Niners had fought hard against the Cowboys for a long time, but the Cowboys always won in the end. Well, in the late 70's the 49er's hired the best assistant coach in the league and he changed the culture in SF.

I think Todd Bowles will become a great HC in this league, and he is the best move we have made in over a decade here in Jet Land. He has been 100% consistent in his message. It's all about accountability and ZERO excuses. At 9-5 the Jets have overachieved mightily. Bowles message: "we haven't accomplished anything yet". And he's right.

The Jets have captured lightning in a bottle with Fitzpatrick, Marshall, Revis, Harris, and Mangold. 5 of our top 6 players (Wilkerson being the other) are over 30 years of age. All of them will see a decline in their abilities next year. Fitz is injury prone and 3 of these 5 players have missed games this year. My point is this, next year we are facing a major O-line rebuild, our 2 best corners are old by NFL standards, and our 2 top WR's have never been speedsters, and they will only be slower next year.

This is our chance to make a run. We have a stable of very young, very talented, and very lethargic players, mostly on defense. I have some hope that Bowles can salvage some of them and continue to build an elite program with Maccagnan. I hope they know who to get rid of and who to keep. But the offense is due for a major reboot. I hope this team understands that this is a brief, small window to try and do something. Just like the Giants, who were a mess for years leading into that show down with us in 2011, we need to get hot late in the season and make a run.

No excuses.