Why Am I A Jets Fan?: A Farewell

Farewell old friend. I suffered through many battles with you, and you've come up short every time.

Today the Jets faced a team that they should have beat, and could have beat, if they had simply wanted the win more. The stakes were high. Win and you are in the post season, lose and you get the "close but no cigar'" trophy for the umpteenth time in your team's history.

The whole idea of supporting a team in pro sports is that they give you memories that you can be proud of. Yes, teams like the Raiders, 49ers and Cowboys have had some dark, dark days. The last 10 years haven't been kind to any of these franchises. However, there are tons of HOF'ers, huge playoff wins and their combined Super Bowl wins go into the teens. Every team has ups' and downs, but their are great players and great moments you hang your hat on that get you through the rough times.

I was born 6 and 1/2 years after the great Joe Namath won SB III. I never saw him play. I only know what history has told me about him and the greatness of that squad. I started following the NFL in 84' and became a full blown fan of the league in 85'. I thought the Chicago Bears were bigger than life, but I was never a fan of them. Instead I chose the Jets, for two reasons. First, I hate the red, white and blue color scheme in general. Giants, Bills, Pats, Texans.... yuck. I also love the underdog. In the mid 80's the Giants were the toast of the town after winning the big game, especially in Northern NJ where I grew up.

I hate being part of the pack. Even as a prepubescent, little punk kid. I decided I'd be in the minority and wear green and white. I also liked the blue collar feel of our roster in those days. Klecko and Gastineau were beasts, and O'Brien, Walker, Toon, and McNiel were exciting. Joe Walton was the poor mans Parcells, but he was our guy. That group made the playoffs a few times, but there was nothing to write home about. No defining moment, no Hall of Fame caliber players.

Then there was a run in the 90's culminating in a 1-15 season. I was 20 years old and the Jets hit their all-time low. As I was entering adulthood I seriously contemplated saying 'fuck this team' and moving on. But then the Jets did something smart, they hired Parcells, Belichick, Weiss, Crennel and Groh. I was floored by this coaching staff. I wasn't as impressed by the roster, but I knew this nucleus of coaches would build a culture of winning. Leon Hess truly broke the bank on this staff.

I remember telling everyone I knew that the biggest part of this new leadership was the defensive coach Belichick. I knew Big Bill would only coach a few years, and the plans were in place for Little Bill to take over when the time was right. I foresaw 10 to 20 years of stability and winning with Belichick in charge.

Instead he ended up with the Pats, it was one huge embarrassment and he's dominated ever since. Two decades of my life as a Jets fan in the toilet. Those Jets failures really know how to stick it in and break it off. Always a day late and dollar short. Always left holding your dick in your hand and saying "well, there's always next year".

• I watched our team choke in Denever in 98',
• then Vinny goes on IR five minutes into the 99' season when we were the odds on favorite to win the Super Bowl.
• Then the Belichick debacle,
• then the Edwards era that yielded ONE playoff win and one of the most gut wrenching losses even in Pittsburgh in 04' (Doug Brien anyone?).
• Then the forgettable Mangini years, including the great Favre having his worst INT season of his long career. I remember telling everyone before the season began what a huge mistake it was just cutting Pennington. The Dolphins were on their way to a 3 or 4 win season before we served them a legitimate starting QB on a silver platter. They go on to win the division and end our season. More hype with no substance.
• Then the Ryan years began, as did this blog. 2 sloppy, undisciplined years were we stumbled into the post season and made a run. Both times we get buried in the AFCCG.
• Heading into 2011 we are, again, a big favorite to make it to the big game. And of coarse the wheels come off. Our young highly drafted QB disintegrates, our loud mouth coach proves he is all hot air,
•  Next we hire a totally unqualified GM who misses on all 12 .... YES 12... of his draft picks in 2014.
• And then there's 2015. All new coaches, front office, scouting department... and some new aces on offense.

We have ups and downs, but our offense is top 10, our defense is top 10, we are the number one team in the league in redzone offense AND defense, Ivory gets his first 1,000 yard season, Marshall breaks team records as well as some league records, Decker is outstanding, Revis is everything he is advertised as.... We have to beat our former coach, who has unquestionably performed below expectation with his new team (according to the Bills owner). Their playoff hopes are over, we are power ranked by all the top sports media outlets as #5 or #6 in the entire league because of our 5 game winning streak.

All the stars were aligned, not to just make the playoffs, but we were a serious contender to make a run. A run like I've never experienced in 30 years as a loyal, diehard fan. 5 of our top 6 players are well over 30, so the time is now. Our momentum is powerful, and nobody wants to see us in the playoffs. This is our shot.

What happened? Predictably we come out flat, make incomprehensible mistakes, give the other team every opportunity to beat us, and they do just that. And in the blink of an eye it's over. It's not just a loss, but to the guy who drove this team into the ground over the past six years, created countless embarrassing moments, and who simply quit trying 4 games into last season and wasted a whole year for loyal fans.

Remember what I mentioned about sticking it in and breaking it off? Being a fan should yield some joy... some pride... some return on your loyalty. In my 30 year journey as a Jets fan I've weathered:

• 12 seasons below .500,
• 10 head coaches (all losing records accept the Tuna),
• 2 owners,
• 20 plus years as "renters" in "Giants Stadium" followed by a promised and failed Westside Stadium in NYC
• Countless busts in the draft, combined with legendary 'passes' or 'misses' like Marino, Junior Seau, Emmit Smith... ect.
• And finally 7 playoff births over the last 25 years. All ending in disappointment.

That's nearly 40% of the time with a losing record and less than 30% of the time seeing the post season. WTF?????

So considering the heart wrenching nature of today's season ending loss, the fact it completes 30 years as a fan, we are now 5 years removed from a post season birth, it's 3 days into a new year and the most important fact that this team needs some major rebuilding despite their progress this season... The key players are simply too old to think we can make a run like this next year. It's back to the drawing board for the good old Jets. But it will be without this fan. The time has come to move on.

I won't leave with many good memories. I will always admire certain players. Chrebet, Pennington, Klecko, Toon, Martin, Mangold, Cotchery, Revis and Mawae are my favorites. I'm grateful to them for the brief flashes of greatness, and the pride they played with. I just wish this franchise had a little more pride as a whole.

This blog is officially closed, after 276 posts and 7 years. Walking away from this team can best be described as the way it feels after taking a big shit. I feel about 10lbs lighter!!!

Onward and Upward!!!!!

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.  

Everything that is wrong with the New York Jets

This organization is a disaster. I have been saying since the beginning of September that I believe we are a 6 or 7 win team. We started out 4-1 and my prediction looked very shaky. Well, we are 1-3 since then and we have slipped to 3rd place in our own division. The Wildcard spot is slipping away each game we play.

We played some teams with real issues during the first quarter of the season. We snuck away with 4 wins in 5 games. We were 4-1 and the media was raving about the Jets. This was the real turning point of the season.

We played New England in their house, and overall we played hard. Brandon Marshall, who has been outstanding for us so far this season, truly shit the bed in that big game. #15 brings an awful lot to the table as a true #1 receiver. Without him we are 3-6 at best right now. So by trading a 5th round draft pick it has bought us 2 extra wins during the first half of the season. That's nothing to sneeze at. BUT, the one thing he lacks is big game experience. And it showed in Chowderville.

Since then this team has simply mailed it in. A disastrous game vs. our #1 non-division threat for a wildcard spot in Oakland. Our coach said our defense was "loafing". He was 100% accurate. Then we face Jacksonville, consistently the worst team in the league for a decade. We struggled and barely squeaked out a win. Next was the show down with Rex Ryan and The Bills.

Again, sloppy uninspired football. Dropped passes, horrendous play calling, and our seriously underachieving D-line still applying little pressure on the QB and giving up big runs at the worst times. Lets not forget we have four 1st round picks on this D-line.

So why were they playing hard to start the season and have checked out for the last 3? The answer is simple. Our players, especially the thirty four Rex Ryan leftovers, were satisfied being 4-1. And they were fine being 4-2 after a hard fought game vs. our arch enemies from Cheatersburgh, MA. This is a team with too many players who are simply happy being 7-9, or 8-8 and coasting through the season.

They play hard when they feel like it, and they sit back and put their feet up when the going gets tough. Rex Ryan cultivated this environment, most especially during his last year here. He and his staff decided early on that they didn't have enough talent and they quit about 3 weeks in. He also cultivated a culture of ZERO accountability and very little discipline.

Big time, highly paid players like Wilkerson and Richardson. These two players can play like top 5 defensive linemen in this league... when they want to. If they gave 100% every down and demanded 100% from their teammates they could easily be viewed as the best defensive one two punch in the NFL. But, instead they talk a big game and give you about 10-15 full speed plays per game.

It's not just these two who are the problem, but they are the kingpins. When we drafted Williams #6 overall one of these two clowns needed to be traded. We could have ended up with an early 2nd or even a late 1st for one of them. We are not going to resign them both anyway with Williams as new cornerstone of the team our GM is trying to build. So why just sit on them and let Wilkerson walk in free agency and get nothing in return?

Especially considering the gaping holes we have at OLB, TE and most importantly QB.

It all boils down to the mismanagement of our roster for many years. In the late 90's Parcells built an outstanding roster via free agency (bringing Mawae in and a bunch of his former players as well), the draft (landing a group of outstanding defensive picks) and trades (Martin is maybe the 2nd best Jet of all time).

Our team floundered after Parcells left and Terry Bradway took over as GM. He hit on a few draft picks like Vilma, but there were far more busts in the draft. And his trades and free agent moves were a disaster. Justin McCariens anyone?

But in 2006 our cap guru Mike Tannenbaum took over as GM, Bradway went back to scouting and we hired a bright young coach named Mangini. Mr T signed a few key free agents, executed a few solid trades and put together maybe our best back to back drafts in team history landing D'Brick, Mangold, Revis and Harris in 06' & 07'. Not to mention a few solid role players in later rounds.

Mangini was simply not ready for a head coaching position, and Tannenbaum started to like seeing his name in the headlines which led to an ill-advised trade for Favre. 2008 was a wasted season but we had an outstading roster. Rex came in like a hurricane and we added a top 5 drafted QB as more of a final piece to the puzzle, instead of the first piece like many other teams have done. I liked the approach, and we made it to 2 AFCCG's.

Sadly Rex's coaching short comings started to become apparent. The team lacked discipline and the head coach had zero involvement with the offense... an entire HALF of the team neglected. Mid way through 2011 the wheels came off and they have never been put back on.

We have had a bunch of trades, free agent signings and terrible draft picks since. 4 plus years of terrible mismanagement can't be fixed in 1 season. The free agent miscues are easy enough to move on from when the contracts are structured properly. Idzik only did one thing well during his short tenure, he didn't lock up long term money on anyone. But Tannenbaums last few drafts, both of Idziks drafts and our new GM's first draft are all heavily flawed.

I know you might say "drafting is not an exact science, every teams drafts are flawed". That's true, but successful teams know what they are looking for in the draft. Sure, every team has busts, but they also have late round hits that balance out. It's about a lot more than just physical tools.

Woody has obviously steered our front office and scouting department away from guys with off the field issues. We have had the bare minimum of trouble makers. But focusing on what motivates these guys seems to be overlooked. Maybe we have taken TOO MANY choir boys. Maybe a Dez Bryant here or there is a key ingredient?

Lets start with the 2015 draft. Williams has .5 sacks through 9 games. Not 5... point 5. A half sack from the #6 overall pick, whose playing on a front 7 with a bunch of other 1st round picks, as well as impactful players like Harrison, Harris, Davis, and Douzable. Combine that with a top 3 secondary and one of the most respected defensive coaches in the NFL today. And he delivers 1/2 of a sack in 9 games. Not saying he's a bust, but that's sad. Mauldin has shown a few flashes and our 2nd round pick, a top 40 draft pick, has done NOTHING. Now I do like our 5th round pick yielding Marshall, but this draft doesn't look good so far. Just like how the Texans draft history was poor during Mac's time there running their scouting department. But, it's way to early to pass final judgment, so I will move on.

2014 was the worst draft in Jets history and that is like picking the worst public relations moment of Mike Tysons career. It's saying a lot. 12 picks, and all we got is a HUGE maybe that Pryor may develop in Bowles defense. Nonetheless, he has already proven he was drafted too high, but we still have hope he can at least become a contributor. Just a horrific draft. Sets us back years.

But lets not forget 2013. We had three top 50 draft picks including 2 in the top 15. We land a CB who is undersized, and has a long history of injury problems, and struggled mightily his rookie year. Next was a player who some call the steal of the draft. But the last 6 months has certainly taken the bloom off the rose with #91. He obviously has major judgment and attitude issues. And those are hard to fix. Finally we land the one and only Geno Smith. Gross.

2012 gave us Coples and Hill with our first two picks. Both were looked at as great values considering where they had slipped in the draft combined with their physical tools. Both were drafted WAY too high. Hill should have been a late rounder and Coples a 3rd. I'd actually compare these picks to our 2014 first 2 picks. Amaro is a late rounder and Pryor is a 3rd. Again and again we reach and roll the dice thinking we are getting a steal.

2009 & 2010 were horrible drafts for a variety of reasons, but mainly because this is when Mr T started trading away draft picks like tic-tacs. Five plus years later and we are still feeling the affects of these dumpster fire draft classes.

So the only draft I skipped was 2011. We landed a blue-chip defensive end in Wilkerson, we traded away our 2nd rounder as part of bringing in Cromartie the previous year, and we take Ellis, Powell and Kerley in the following rounds. When 3 of your top 4 draft picks are still on the team 4 years later that's not bad.

Sadly Wilkerson has shown he has elite talent but very little consistent fire when compared to guys like Watt, Chancelor, Von Miller, and other elite defenders of his generation. And Kerly has basically shut it down since getting his big extension. It shows that we aren't looking for guys that have the proper motivation.

This is what sets championship organizations apart from perennial losers. Just like the Browns, Jags, Dolphins, Texans, and a few other teams that are always stumbling through free agency, bad trades and lack luster drafts, we are always underachieving.

And, in my opinion, it all boils down to the ownership. Woody Johnson is the one constant through this whole debacle. Hess was even worse, but I'm not going back to a different millennium. The top owners in this league wouldn't have touched Favre with a ten foot pole at that stage of his career. They would demand a certain standard regarding the quality of individual they draft. I know Woody isn't scouting players or attending the combine. But it starts with him.

You need a Pete Carroll, Ozzie Newsome, Bill Parcells type of culture changer to step in and get this organization back on track. A guy with a rare vision. I love Bowles as a head coach, but he needs a real game changer at GM, and I just don't think Mac is that guy.

I give Maccagnan credit for making a decision and saying "whatever it takes I'm signing Revis". It was a good PR move, it has had a big impact on the defense, and it took balls. He's not afraid to make a decision. But I really don't like the way he has structured contracts, handing out way too much guaranteed cash.

I also don't like his first draft. If Williams becomes an elite game changer and a 10 year starter... and Petty becomes a solid starter it's a homerun. But I simply would have picked different players with every pick except for Petty. Williams was a luxury we simply couldn't afford at #6. 4 DE's in the first round over 5 consecutive years is asinine. Devon Smith was a HUGE reach. Trading down in the third round was a mistake, a few key players came off the board and Mauldin was a reach as well.

What we need to do, we can't do in todays NFL. A message needs to be sent to this roster. Guys with bad attitudes and inconsistent effort need to go. Parcells did it in 84' after suffering through a disastrous 1st year as head coach. He dumped the big name players with little fire in their bellies and found 'his' guys to fill their roles.

Jimmy Johnson did it in Dallas. When he arrived as the new head coach his former college player Michael Irvin came to his office with a list of the guys in the locker room who were simply coming to work for a pay check. These lazy vets would criticize the young Irvin after big losses for being so upset. They would tell him to calm down, he was getting paid either way. Johnson turned over almost the entire roster and landed hungry players who NEEDED to win.

Unfortunately in 2015, in the NFL's biggest media market we are handcuffed. 16 bad games and your ass can be fired. There are no more 3 or 4 year rebuilds in this league anymore (outside of Jacksonville LOL).

2 preseason games in the bag... and how to find a franchise QB

A lot has happened since my last post about Geno Smith. I have been saying for a while now that he is an Anti-Leader. Well, he proved it by doing something very un-QB-like and getting into a squabble with a guy in our locker room who obviously hits much harder than he does. Geno's jaw is broken and I couldn't be happier. I hope some other QB takes the reigns and he never gets his job back.

But I've wasted more than enough energy talking about this piece of garbage. On to the players who are actually on the field.

We have completed a few weeks of training camp and 2 preseason games.

The first preseason game was a disaster. Our defense looked lost and our offense looked like they had never played football before in their lives. Fitzpatrick is a simple dink & dunk, old, journeymen QB who is way past his prime. He was underwhelming in both games.

However, Bryce Petty, the guy I ranked as the 2nd best QB in this years draft actually showed some signs of life in game 2. He was shell shocked in the first game, and he openly admitted not being prepared mentally to play. He said that he was not nervous the week heading into the game, but when he ran out on the field for the first snap he panicked. Recognizing what had happened he prepared himself differently this week and promised he's be more poised. He certainly was.

I must say I was impressed. I felt 100% confident after watching him week 1 that he absolutely needed to sit his rookie season and learn. But after his performance week 2 vs. the Falcons I truly wonder if he can contribute this season. I have no issue with replicating what the Giants did in 04' with Eli. Let him sit and start the veteran the first 6 to 8 games of the season. If it looks like the playoffs are out of reach then throw Petty in there and lets see what he can do.

The only problem with this plan is Geno Smith. If Fitz is lackluster, which we can almost bank on, by the beginning of October Geno will be in there. And God forbid he actually show some signs of life. Then next year we will have a comp between Smith and Petty. We may also use a high draft pick on a QB. All of this is so illogical. There needs to be a systematic approach to evaluating QB's with the intent of establishing a franchise guy like Luck, Wilson, Rivers, Rodgers and so on.

This is how we should handle the QB situation for 2015. Fitz is told he starts the first 4 games no matter what. There needs to be a little stability for any starter. Give him 4 full games and see what he has left in the tank. If we are winning obviously we keep riding the beard for as long as we can. Most likely he will be unimpressive. So the next move is giving Geno 4 games. No matter what, let the guy show what he can do with these new weapons. I'm sure he will also struggle. He will have so much rust coming off a 6-8 week layoff. He's not prepared when he is actively playing, I can't imagine the train wreck he will be jumping in after 4 or 5 games. By mid-season, if we are below .500, we HAVE TO get Petty out on the field. If he shows the "magic" that is required to win in this league then we can dump Geno in the offseason and not waste a draft pick on a QB. Maybe instead we can get Petty a RT, HB and or WR with our 1st rounder.

On the other hand if Petty also looks horrid with 6 to 8 games to prove himself then we know that when the 2016 offseason starts we have one objective: Find a high quality starting QB via trade or the draft. The whole idea of evaluation is to have a clear picture of who you have at any given position. You must see players in REAL games to really know if they are a keeper. At any position besides QB it's pretty easy to rotate guys and see them in different scenarios. Our problem has been giving way too much time to guys like Sanchez and Smith who show that they can only be quality back ups. You have to keep churning through guys until a Russell Wilson type player emerges. Guys like Brady, Wilson, Favre, Montana and Romo were not 1st round draft picks. But, once they got a chance to start it was readily apparent that they had "it". WE NEED TO FIND A GUY WITH "IT". And there is no clear place to look, only a clear method.

Enough about QB, there were some other interesting stand out's during our first couple of preseason games. First I will mention Ivory, Powell and Stacy. PERFECT 3 headed monster. I see no way that Ridley makes this squad. I think Richardson goes back to the practice squad as insurance and we ride these 3 backs all season. Ivory is a grinder, Powell is explosive and doesn't need a lot of touches to get hot. he comes right off the bench and is ready. Stacy has outstanding vision and can drop his shoulder to get the extra 2 or 3 yards at the end of a run. Love these 3.

I am deeply disappointed by Jeremy Kerly. I have championed this guy since his rookie season and was thrilled he got a 4 year extension. Sadly he has turned into a guy who has lost his fire. He got paid and he doesn't want to compete anymore. He's been openly crying to the press because he is in a competition for the slot WR spot. He feels "he has already earned" that position. Another guy Rex ruined, just like Richardson. We have an exciting group of WR's in camp including a true #1, maybe the best #2 in the business, at least 3 high quality candidates for the slot and a early 2nd round pick who will be excellent at stretching the field  if he ever gets on it. Kerly better wake up and smell the coffee.

Our 3rd round pick Mauldin  looks a bit shaky. He is a high motor guy with size and strength, but his instincts are lacking. He over pursues on every play and usually ends up missing the tackle. Same for last years 1st round pick Calvin Pryor. This guy is almost too aggressive. I like Jarrett way more to start alongside Gilchrest. But it's hard to bench a 1st round pick in year 2 of their career.

Milliner is injured yet again. I think it's time to move on with him. Sadly our top 4 draft picks of the last 2 years could easily not be contributing when the regular season starts. We know that Sheldon. Dee and Geno are out, and Pryor could get benched. Very, very sad.

Something that is not sad is the play of Leonard Williams. My God, this kid is the real deal. If only he could throw the ball LOL

2015 is a new year. Patience is required. We understand that we are at least a year or two from being a contender. I just hope that Bowles and Mac last long enough to see their work through.

Geno Smith: it's starting to look like another year wasted

So I hate Geno Smith's guts with a deep seeded passion in my soul. And that's the nicest way I could put it. He's everything you don't want in a QB. Lazy, undedicated, (which both equal) inconsistent, and lacking the proper cognitive speed to perform at the NFL level. The game simply moves too fast for him.

However, as each summer day passes, and training camp also continues to grind away, it seems more and more like it's going to be another wasted year with this loser as "our guy". A guy who doesn't show up to a meeting the night before a game, a guy who flips off his own fans in his home stadium after he plays horrible and they boo him (how dare they), a guy with 30 starts under his belt as well as a losing record and a terrible TD to INT ratio and a career completion percentage in he mid 50's.

I can't figure out why the new regime would stick with a guy who would cost us very little to cut. Maybe they just couldn't make a move to improve this position. Maybe they did fight for Foles, maybe they did try to pry Rivers away from northern CA, maybe they did try to trade up for Winston. Or maybe not. Either way, Fitz looks like he's washed up so far in camp, and Petty is nowhere near ready to be a starter.

So since #7 is the best of what's around, why not focus on the few positives he brings to the table.

First and foremost he has a delusional view of himself. That's actually a pro when talking about a QB. Any guy who's going to step behind the center in this league and attempt to lead his team to victory has to believe he is the best player on the field. Even if Manning or Brady is on the other sideline that week, he has to see himself as the man. Geno has this.

He has made some boneheaded PR mistakes in his first couple of years, but when he speaks to the press after games  he sounds like a relatively smart professional athlete. He says all the right things in those hard to navigate post game pressers. If you think that's so easy look at guys like RG III who cant get their foot out of their mouth.

He has a strong arm. Not top 5 in the league, but pretty damn strong. His accuracy and consistency is putrid, but he can toss the ball when he needs to.

His teammates seem to like him. Haven't heard a bad word that I can remember where anyone threw him under the bus. I would assume he's a decent locker room guy, and I doubt he struggles commanding the huddle.

He's durable. Couple of minor bumps and bruises, but nothing major. And I have seen him take some HUGE hits. He is built solid.

There's very little about his on the field game I can compliment, however there is one thing he does very well, and has done very well since his first start. He really knows when to tuck the ball and run and when to stand in the pocket and throw. I very rarely have seen him elect to become a runner on a play and not have it yield at least 5 or 6 yards. Most times its a first down. He also knows when the journey is over and gets out of bounds or slides most times. He's won us a few games because of this. It's very instinctive with him and should be developed (especially in the red zone). He's sneaky mobile, but he obvious sees himself as a passer first. That's perfect in the NFL.

Finally, his passer rating, completion percentage and TD to INT ratio all improved in year 2. Not much, but nonetheless they got better. A glimmer of hope? Not for this grizzly old Jets fan, but maybe you youngsters aren't totally jaded and can still dream.

Geno has an outstanding Offensive Coordinator, a Head Coach who will not make excuses for him or tolerate a lackadaisical approach, a GM who surrounded him with all the talent he could ask for,  including the benefit of what will be a pretty formidable defense. A dominate D can help rescue a turnover prone QB from the abyss from time to time.

You are in a perfect situation Geno. The bright lights of the NFL's biggest media market are on you. Will you step up? Suck as much air as possible into those gigantic gaping nostrils and feed your brain with oxygen... Maybe then the light bulb will go off and you will not let the opportunity of a lifetime slip away.

Parity in the NFL

I've always loved the NFL over any other sport and even college football because of how it's structured. Everything is about creating a level playing field. Look at last years final four. The media markets represented are very telling. Boston is an A- media market, Seattle is a B-, Indianapolis is a C and Green Bay????? They aren't rank-able. But all four had equal resources and cap money to spend. One of those 4 teams obviously had one unique advantage, but that's for another thread LOL

I've always believed that the talent gap between the team that wins the super bowl and the team with the worst record is very slight. Success or failure has a lot to do with how healthy your team was able to stay, how much chemistry they have and the quality of coaching. Another great part of the NFL's structure is the teams with the worst records get the top picks in the following draft. So we routinely see teams who are down and out back in the playoffs with a 1 or 2 year turn around.

That being said, this season looks like a true phenomenon. Usually by this time of year its easy to identify at least 4 or 5 teams that have no realistic chance of doing anything. Sadly many times in my 30 years as a Jets fan we have been one of those teams. But this year it's hard to find a team that I would bet my house on not making the playoffs. Lets break it down.

First we have elite teams. They have a franchise QB, a well rounded team and veteran, respected coaches. They are always in the playoff hunt.

• Patriots
• Broncos
• Packers
• Ravens
• Seattle

Next are solid contenders. They have a franchise QB and are building around him. As well as a solid established coach.

• Cardinals
• Colts
• Lions
• Steelers
• Cowboys
• Giants
• Chargers
• Bengals
• Chiefs

So far that's nearly half the league. Next we have teams that have a young starter and are moving forward with him. They aren't in rebuild mode, they have just completed that and are ready to make a playoff run.

• Eagles
• Panthers
• Rams
• Raiders
• 49ers
• Jaguars
• Dolphins
• Vikings
• Bucs
• Titans

Next we have teams that don't have a franchise QB, and are definitely in rebuild mode. Playoffs don't look likely.

• Jets
• Bills
• Browns
• Texans
• Redskins
• Bears

That leaves us with 2 teams that don't fit any category... and frankly could make a run only because they do have franchise QB's... unfortunately the rest of the players around them are terrible. This is rare, but with a genuine high quality QB they have a chance.

• Falcons
• Saints

So if you truly examine this list we have only 6 teams out of 32 who don't have either an established franchise QB or a young highly drafted player poised to take that spot. And 2 of those 6 teams (Bears and Redskins) have guys who have had success in the past and could regain their previous form, making them immediate contenders.

I have only 6 teams who I would be comfortable betting on missing the post season. And any of those six could win the super bowl if only a QB were to emerge this season. The Jets and Bills especially are stacked roster wise at every position but QB. But lets not focus on the bottom of the list. The top 16 teams on this list all have a solid spot at playing in the big game this year. That's crazy.

Less than 1 week until training camp...

The New York Jets 2015 training camp kicks off in just a few days. This year, for the first time ever, camp will be held here in NJ. Hofstra and Cortland universities were the previous camp sites going back many years. These locations were just not a reality for me as a fan to attend. I have always visited Florham park and watched practices there. But they were few and far between. This year I will have a chance to see a lot more.

This is the time of year where we can take a long hard look at the roster and a picture of what our Jets will look like starts to come into focus. I will break down the strengths and weaknesses of this squad, but I will start with this disclaimer: I do not feel this roster is finished yet. I think there could still be a big move on the horizon over the next 2-3 weeks for Mac and Bowles. I am shocked they are going into camp with Geno Smith as the #1 QB. But I'll get deeper into that later.

I think our GM and brand spankin' new front office did a solid job this offseason. I would have done many things differently, but they were obviously focused on making this team as competitive as possible today. There doesn't seem to be much thought put into the years to come, but in 2015 we have a well rounded roster.

I personally disliked Mac's approach when it came to disregarding what Mr. T and Idzik did before him. He seemed to forget that we have guys like Milliner, McDougle, Coples, Richardson... Via free agency and the draft he spent big bucks and a very high draft pick addressing areas where we have young talent that we have drafted and want to develop.

With Cro, Meeeevis, and Busta Ryhmes its hard to see where our other young CB's fit in. With three 1st round DE's chosen in the previous 4 seasons I don't like the idea of taking Williams and then doing nothing with the others. I understand what a value Leonard was with the #6 overall pick, but we have serious needs in other positions. If you want the big man with that pick, off Wilkerson or Coples to pick up some more picks or maybe a veteran O-linemen, or even a pass rushing OLB (Coples never was and never will be a linebacker... he's a hand-in-the-dirt linemen).

But in the end Mac and Co. have a lot more insight than I do, so my faith is in them. Mainly because as fans we have no choice. Enough about the draft, lets examine who we have heading into camp.

I want to start with O-line. This is one area that Mac didn't seem to make a big priority. He signed the 6'5" 320+LB guard from Seattle James Carpenter. He's a B- veteran who has size but poor technique. However, he is a solid upgrade from Willie Colon (who is still on the roster for depth). We also have 2 other young guards in Brian Winters and Oday Aboushi. They both have started games and look like they could become solid starters. Between the four previously mentioned players I think we should be able to establish two B-/B+ level guards this season. I also doubt Colon makes the roster unless we take some major injuries on the O-line during camp.

That leaves us with D'Brick and Manbeast at LT and Center respectively, and a big, gaping hole at RT. Breno Giacomini is not a starting quality tackle in this league. I have no issues with him providing depth, but if he is our starter week one, our offense will struggle. That position is simply too important to the flow of the machine. Addressing this glaring need could be the "big move" I mentioned earlier that may be on the horizon. At least I hope so. As it stand today this O-line is not solid enough to make us competitive. I grade it as a C+, and I think you need a least a solid B+ to compete in the NFL.

Next I will look at the TE position. Gresham just signed with the Cards. And I cant, for the life of me, figure out why we passed on him as a free agent. Right now we have Amaro and Cumberland as our top 2 prospects with Kellen Davis as our #3. Davis has 50 receptions in his 8 year career, so obviously he's a blocking TE. In todays NFL you need 2 solid pass catchers at the TE position. We do not have that. Amaro is unproven and Cumberland is proven... sadly. We know what we have in him, and it's not much. Our hope here is that Jace starts to look like a 2nd round pick. O-line and TE are the 2 areas where Mac seemed to want to build on young talent that was in house. That's why I started there. Nick O'Leary was available to us in the draft and would have been an excellent compliment to Amaro. I am disappointed we passed on him multiple times. I grade these guys as a group as a B-, only because not many teams have great TE tandems.

Next I will jump into the CB spot. Lots of attention on this squad in 2014 when we were starting guys off the street each week, and even more attention during the offseason as we spent a boat load of guaranteed money on this position. I don't see how we move on from a guy like Milliner this quickly. With the moves Mac made it seems like he is doing just that. A top 10 pick, with the highest ceiling of any CB to come out in the draft in a decade, a guy Saban said has more upside than Patrick Peterson, and a guy who actually played well in Rex's very challenging 3-4 scheme at the end of his rookie year... is not a guy I think we dump, trade away for pennies on the dollar or bury on the depth chart. I never liked is fragile body, and didn't want him in the draft for that reason, but he's ours. I'll be damned if we trade him for a 4th or 5th rounder and watch him go to multiple pro bowls some where else. The Guy from the 2013 draft we should be moving on from plays QB for us, not CB. I really wanted to see what we have in McDougle, Walls and Dee... and I am not thrilled with the long term money that we gave to two CB's in their 30's, but in 2015 our secondary should be pretty damn solid. Unquestionably an A+ squad!

Next up is Safety. Wow, Gilchrest, Allen, Jarett and Pryor. None of them are A+ players, but as a whole, and combined with our corners, I love this squad. We can weather a few major injuries to our secondary and still field maybe the best group in the NFL. Wish we would have had all of these guys last year when we were playing Manning, Brady and Rodgers all in a row. Big question: does Pryor evolve into what we all hoped he would be? With Bowles as your HC, these safety's couldn't ask for much more. It's make or break time. I think our safety's are a B+ group that could become an A by seasons end because of Bowles and the benefit of playing with a great group of corners.

Lets dive into the LB position next. VERY interesting group. We lack a game changing outside pass rusher, but we do have a well rounded group of vets and young guys. Harris and Davis in the middle are a rock solid pair, especially now that Davis will become the every down ILB. At the OLB spots we have 3 interesting vets in Pace, Babin and Henderson. I think they are all past their primes and are just situational guys now, but Henderson could catch on if he can stay healthy. He had a couple of good years in Minnesota. I'll be keeping my eye on him. We also have Coples who is very one dimensional at LB and the rookie Lorenzo Mauldin. He has a great back story and is an inspirational kid, I just don't see him as a future starter. By far Mac's biggest reach of the draft. Our LB's as a whole grade out to a C+ IMHO.

Our D-line is stacked, but with the loss of Richardson we are one or two injuries away from a crisis up front... believe it or not. The Richardson suspension is interesting when you look at the draft. Is there a chance the Jets were tipped off regarding Sheldon's drug habit and saw this coming? I am NOT a fan of Richardson. I don't like is attitude. I will never root for this guy. But he is a rare specimen. This four game suspension may have saved the Jets millions of dollars when his contract is up. I hope so. As for Wilkerson's contract, I can care less. He's a solid DE, but he's not a megastar. He, however, does have a wining attitude and is a choir boy off the field. So I would invest some cash in him, but not 70 million. Big Snacks is my favorite D-linemen, and I hope he continues to grow at his position. This squad gets an A- because of the loss of Richardson for the first quarter of the season.

Ivory, Stacy, Ridley, Richardson, Powell and Bohanon.. Now that's a backfield. That's also the order in which I see their talent. I am a huge fan of Richardson and Stacy and I think either can be a 500+ yard back up, Ivory and Ridley are proven vets and Powell is the best back that nobody has ever heard of. 5 RB's and a FB is not realistic heading into week 1 of the regular season. I think Richardson heads back to our practice squad and Powell and Stacy fight it out for a roster spot. Outstanding depth here. If Ivory were to go down with a major injury one of these guys could become a 1,000 yard rusher in 2015 and a real fantasy football sleeper. A- backfield because there is no real megastar, but in todays NFL this is a great way to structure this squad.

That leaves QB and WR. Our 2015 WR corps is pretty damn intimidating. The Marshall trade was brilliant. If we get just one 1,200 yard 8 to 10 TD season from him its well worth the 5th round price. But the sum of it's parts is what's exciting about this group:

• A true, big, game changing, clutch, savvy #1 WR,
• combined with the best true #2 in the business,
• add in a fearless, prototype slot WR known as Mr. 3rd down,
• and a lightning fast 2nd round draft pick

...and you have a defensive coordinator's nightmare. The problem with ensemble groups like this is when guys are asked to be something they are not. Like Decker playing #1 last year. Or moving a guy like Antonio Allen to outside CB. This is when things start to crumble. This WR group is very nicely settled into their roles. We also have young guys who are developmental like Hakim, Evans and Enunwa.... but sadly most of the 12 WR's we are bringing in camp will probably be cut by week 1. I think there is some real talent there, but we can only carry so many guys. This group gets an A from me.

As for the QB's, my opinion on Smith is well documented. I think he is lazy and has a bad attitude. He has the skills to be a wining QB, and he's probably bright enough, but 30 games is enough for me to know that he will never lead us anywhere but to mediocrity. I like the veteran trade for Fitz and the 4th round pick of Petty. Bryce has MAJOR upside, but in 2015 we simply don't have the guy. And sadly that's the whole ball game in todays league. QB group gets a D, and I am being kind.

That's why I am so critical of how Mac spent the money this offseason. We are at least 2 tears away from Petty developing into a high level QB. By then Revis and Cro will be sucking our cap dry and will be a shell of their former selves, not to mention Decker and Marshall will be all but done. I grade this team as a C- collectively mainly because of the QB situation. It's our worst group and the most important. If we had made a move for a guy like Foles I think we have an A- team which is easily top 8 in the league. But with Geno its 6-10 or 7-9 and back to the drawing board once again for Woody Johnson.