1. Follow Turn On The Jets on Facebook, Twitter (TurnOnTheJets) and now also find our writing featured at www.profootballnyc.com. The site has just started up and we will have a radio program going by mid-August, beyond that I should be doing some appearances on the New York Sports Exchange, so you will have the opportunity to hear plenty of my voice during the 2010 season.
2. I am huge fan of Antonio Cromartie going by “Alcrotraz” opposite Revis Island. Check out this well-made “Shutter Island” parody poster created by Gary Grund on Twitter.
3. New Turn On The Jets TV is coming this Monday and I can already promise that it will be your favorite episode yet.
Weekend Video Clips And Skepticism About Brunell
Before I get into the weekend video clips, just a few words about the imminent signing of Mark Brunell and release of Kellen Clemens. How could you feel more comfortable with Brunell stepping in for an injured Mark Sanchez in 2010 instead of Clemens? Mark Brunell didn’t throw a single pass in 2007 or 2008 and only threw 30 passes for the Saints last year. He completed 15 of them and threw an interception with no touchdowns. The guy is 39 years old and has never played in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense. I know Kellen Clemens could barely get out of his own way against Tampa Bay last season but at least he started a bunch of games in 2007 and started a meaningful game in 2009. He is younger and more athletic than Brunell and above all knows Schottenheimer’s offense inside and out. Why not keep Clemens as the #2 and let Brunell be the #3, where he is basically a player/coach for Sanchez? After watching him last pre-season, I think I may even feel better about Erik Ainge stepping in for an injured Sanchez over Brunell. It could be a disaster of Rick Mirer proportions if Sanchez misses any extended time in 2010.
1. After a few reports came out yesterday about the Jets bringing back defensive end Marques Douglas by the week’s end, it now sounds like the Jets are content with their youth movement on the defensive line and won’t pursue him. This is a statement of confidence in players like Mike DeVito, Matt Kroul, and Ropati Pitoitua to give the Jets quality reps in their defensive line rotation. DeVito is going to be the starter, after putting together a pretty strong season in 2009. Kroul and Pitoitua are untested and of course there still is that Vernon Gholston fellow, looking for his first career NFL sack.
2. Follow Turn On The Jets on Facebook and Twitter (TurnOnTheJets).
3. The Jets are expected to sign quarterback Mark Brunell tomorrow, with a release of Kellen Clemens following shortly after.
Five Questions About The Jets Special Teams
As training camp rapidly approaches, here are five questions about the Jets special teams that still need to be sorted out -
1. What The Folk?
- The Jets parted ways with Jay Feely this off-season, who was not only a reliable kicker but a good tackler and a political pundit. They replaced him with Dallas Cowboys castoff, Nick Folk, who despite being an All-Pro kicker in 2007 and hero of my fantasy football team that season, struggled heavily in 2009. The best way to describe Folk’s play for Dallas last year is absolutely brutal. He made 64.3 percent of his field goal attempts, spearheaded by him going 5/12 from the 40-49 yard range. He was cut after shanking a 24 yard field goal in a crucial late season game against the Saints. The Jets are confident that special teams guru Mike Westhoff can get him back on track but the reality is the Jets are taking a major risk by relying on Folk to be their kicker. In OTAs and mini-camp, Folk would have days where he missed four straight field goals and then follow up by going 7 for 7 the next day. The consistency clearly isn’t there yet and for a team built on defense and running the football, it is scary to have a kicker who isn’t reliable.
2. How much Antonio Cromartie will we see on kick and punt returns?
- The Jets were giving Cromartie reps at both kick and punt return during their off-season workouts. He is an explosive player in the open field with the ball in his hands, displayed by his four career return touchdowns. However, none of those were on kick or punt returns. They were from taking a missed field goal back, along with a few interceptions. Cromartie did have a 91 yard kick return in 2006. The Jets kick return job is open since Leon Washington is no longer on the roster and regardless of who the primary return guy is, Cromartie still could get put back there once or twice a game.
3. Can Kyle Wilson handle full time punt return duties?
- After the Jets drafted Wilson, Rex Ryan claimed he would be the team’s starting nickel back and primary punt returner. It is a big task for a rookie to be pressed into the punt return job, where any small mistake or misjudgement can swing an entire game. Do you remember when the Titans had a rookie back there last year against the Jets? From all reports in OTAs and mini-camp, Wilson looked terrific fielding punts. However, it is different when you are under the bright lights of Monday Night Football week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jerricho Cotchery or Jim Leonhard still put back deep in certain situations, especially if a team is punting into the Jets endzone. Regardless, Wilson should provide the Jets some explosiveness in the punt return game they were lacking last year.
4. Will Steve Weatherford last the season as the Jets punter?
- The Jets went through about 27 punters last season before finally settling on Weatherford, who was pretty good in 2009. The best part about Weatherford may be that he averaged a whopping 26 yards per carry last season and he took the time to compliment Turn On The Jets on Facebook, which of course puts him alongside David Clowney and Donovan Warren with first team all TOJ status. In all seriousness, it will be interesting to see if Weatherford can make it through another full season as the Jets punter or if the team has a quick trigger finger like they did before the 2009 season kicked off.
5. Who will return kicks for the Jets in 2010?
- There are a ton of candidates on the roster to take over the primary kick return duties. Brad Smith did a good filling in for Leon Washington last season and is the favorite to take the majority of kicks back for the Jets this season. However, Joe McKnight, Kyle Wilson, Aundrae Allison, David Clowney, and Danny Woodhead are also all in the mix. As previously mentioned, Antontio Cromartie should also get a few chances back there. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a committee approach to the kick return job this season, unless Brad Smith can do more of this on a consistent basis:
1. Follow Turn On The Jets on Facebook and Twitter (TurnOnTheJets).
2. I was surprised how many people on Facebook and Twitter responded to the TOJ Question of the Day “Who do you think will lead the team in receptions this season” with Santonio Holmes. The guy is only playing in 12 games, I doubt he can catch Cotchery or Edwards after their four game head start. I agree Holmes is probably the best overall receiver of the three but in this offense, this season…I will stay with Cotchery having the most receptions.
Ranking The Jets Defensive Starters
Since I ranked the Jets offensive starters on Friday, I had to finish the job by heading over to the other side of the ball.
1. Darrelle Revis – The best corner in football and the number one headline going into training camp because of his contract dispute.
2. David Harris – A top five inside linebacker in the NFL, who deserves a new contract and will hopefully get it soon for staying quiet about an extension similar to D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
3. Kris Jenkins – When Jenkins is healthy, he has the ability to take over football games and be a premier defensive lineman in the NFL. In 2010, he will be benefited from having Sione Pouha able to spell him and keep him fresh the entire season.
4. Antonio Cromartie – On pure talent and potential, I am placing him above Bart Scott and Calvin Pace, who are coming off better seasons. Cromartie has shown the ability to be a top flight corner in the NFL. Hopefully the move to New York will rejuvenate his career.
5. Calvin Pace – There were plenty of questions about the Jets giving Pace a monster contract two years ago but he has given them two very productive seasons. I expect him to have over 10 sacks this season.
6. Bart Scott – The loudest player on the field and an emotional leader on the team. Scott had a very good first season in New York and will look to build on it in 2010.
7. Shaun Ellis – The longest tenured Jet, remains one of the better all-around 3-4 defensive ends in the NFL.
8. Jim Leonhard – Consistent player who knows the ins and outs of Rex Ryan’s defense.
9. Bryan Thomas – His numbers from last year won’t blow anybody away but Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine swear by his value to the defensive unit as an all-around solid player who does all the little things well.
10. Brodney Pool – I am excited to see what this guy can do in Ryan’s defense. Kerry who?
11. Mike DeVito – The UDFA from the University of Maine has come a long way. The Jets like his ability to stop the run.
I recently saw Mike Reiss of ESPN rank the entire New England Patriots roster 1 – 82. Let’s try that on a smaller scale with the Jets starting with their offensive starters today.
1. Nick Mangold – The best player in the NFL at his respective position. Hopefully, the Jets will be locking him down to a long term deal in the coming weeks.
2. D’Brickashaw Ferguson – One of the best tackles in the NFL, who the Jets just gave a massive extension to.
3. Brandon Moore – Three offensive lineman in a row? Yes, Brandon Moore is in the top tier of guards in the NFL, despite flying under the radar.
4. Braylon Edwards – The most physically talented player on the Jets roster. However, he still lacks consistency.
5. Jerricho Cotchery – The most reliable receiver the Jets have. I believe he is a borderline #1 guy, but the Jets have the luxury of letting him be a #2/#3 when Santonio Holmes returns from suspension.
6. Dustin Keller – He had a promising rookie season and then finished his second season on fire in the playoffs. He has pro-bowl level talent but I don’t know if he can get enough looks in this offense to reach that level.
7. Damien Woody – He has been rock solid since the Jets signed him, starting every game at right tackle and playing at a consistently high level.
8. Tony Richardson – Still one of the better fullbacks in the game. Yet, I wonder if he will see a dip in reps this season after Holmes returns in week 5.
9. Mark Sanchez – He had a roller coaster rookie season but finished strong in the playoffs. There is no doubt he has the potential to be a franchise quarterback but he has to be more consistent.
10. Shonn Greene – Similar to Sanchez, came on strong in the playoffs. Greene has the tools to be a number one back but has to stay healthy and protect the football.
11. Vladimir Ducasse – The newcomer to the offensive line. He will have a major jump from I-AA to the NFL.
Argue, away…
Cheer Up Knicks Fans…At least we don’t live in Cleveland:
First a few updates (and yes another comment on the comments)
1. A friendly reminder that comments from people who never had a comment go through before the past week are locked in pending. The ones you see going through are from people who had posted before that. Until the Fanball technical crew fixes this, I will transcribe your comments myself under my name but with a POST FROM ___ above, as you can see in our recent articles. Keep the comments coming and keep the conversation going, and for god’s sake follow Turn On The Jets on Facebook and Twitter (TurnOnTheJets).
How To Spot Bandwagon Jets Fans
Who would have thought the New York Jets…the ugly stepchild of New York football would ever have bandwagon fans? Well it is starting to happen, as the Jets have climbed into relevancy thanks to a run to the AFC Championship Game, a collection of flashy trades/free agent signings/ draft picks, the most entertaining coach in professional sports, and now a spot on HBO’s Hard Knocks. How can you separate these fans who just decided to come along for the party now, without paying their dues of suffering and misery. TOJ has the guide:
- They are wearing either a Brett Favre or LaDainian Tomlinson jersey – First off, if you expected Favre to be on the Jets for more than one year, you were out of your mind and wasted your money on a jersey. Second, anybody wearing the Favre jersey likely hopped on in 2008 because “I’ve always loved Favre man” or because they thought he would carry the Jets to a Super Bowl…guess again, he flamed out in December. This is the Jets we are talking about and again this is Brett Favre we are talking about, who has now made a career of melting down in big spots. Tomlinson jerseys? Really? You really think he is going to be on the team for more than 1 season? A smarter investment would have been any other of the Jets new acquisitions or maybe their starting running back who is entering his second season in the NFL. Hey, at least you didn’t get a tattoo of “LT” on your calf or anything.
- They think Mark Sanchez is awesome – Look, I am as excited about Sanchez’s potential as the next fan and loved the way he played in the playoffs but you can’t be walking around going “bro, Sanchez is awesome.” I am sorry but if you watched the Jets last year, you know Sanchez threw 8 more interceptions than TDs and still has to prove himself as a franchise quarterback or anything near “awesome.” If you are talking about the caliber of women Sanchez dates…then yes he is “awesome.”
- They don’t know who Sione Pouha, Mike DeVito, or Brandon Moore are – If you start talking about any of these guys and a “Jets fan” tells you they don’t know who you are talking about, then you have spotted one. Or, if you are watching a game and one of the three does something or gets mentioned, and you get a “who the hell is that, anyway?” you found one. Sione Pouha started every game after week 6 last season and was terrific at nose tackle. Mike DeVito is going to be a starter this year and played a ton last season. Brandon Moore is one of the best guards in the NFL. He was better than Alan Faneca last season.
- They cheer against the Jets on a particular play because somebody on their fantasy roster made a big play – Sorry guy, I don’t care how much you paid to get into your fantasy league, you don’t cheer when Maurice Jones-Drew rumbles in for a touchdown against the Jets defense. You don’t cheer when anybody scores or makes a big play against the Jets defense. You don’t cheer when Sanchez throws an interception. You don’t cheer when Nick Folk shanks a 28 yard field goal because the kid you are playing is starting him at kicker.
- They agree with anything Mike Francesa or Mike Florio says about the Jets - Two chronic Jets haters who always go out of their way to find a negative angle about the team and take a shot at Rex Ryan (Francesa) or Mike Tannenbaum (Florio). Francesa is just bitter and likes to bother people because it is entertaining radio and I think Florio was beaten up for his lunch money by Jets fans when he was a kid.
- They don’t think Jerricho Cotchery is a good receiver – If you have actually watched every Jets game since 2006, you would never say something like “thank god, they got Holmes, Cotchery can’t handle being a starting receiver.” Actually, yes he can and he was handling being a number one receiver just fine before the Braylon trade last year. I admit he is a better fit as a #2 but anybody who thinks he isn’t a more than capable starter just hasn’t watched him play.
- They own a Giants jersey – Should I have to say anything? You can get jerseys from other teams, if you were younger and just wanted to get all the best players at the position you played but those other teams can’t include the Giants, Dolphins, Patriots, or Bills. I remember back in 8th grade, I had a sweet Issac Bruce Rams jersey because I was a monster on those recreation football fields at receiver. Of course, I also had a Chrebet and Keyshawn Johnson jersey but there was nothing wrong with wearing the ‘Ike back in the day. However, once you are over 16 you should be committing money to only your favorite team. I remember my one friend had a Kevin Johnson Browns jersey in high school. Yes, it was cool and rare at the time but where is that jersey now?
1. I’d like to make it clear to everybody again that we are having a WordPress issue, which is leaving every comment left on the site in pending and thus not on the site. The comments haven’t been lost or deleted. I literally post every single thing somebody takes the time to leave, regardless of what they say. Please keep the comments on articles coming, because this problem should be resolved soon. For now, I will be personally copying and pasting the most intriguing comments from the last week under my name and then responding to them (as you can now see in the recent comments section on the right side of the site). I am sorry about this problem but our Network has recently moved our server to a different locaction, which has led to some technical problems.
2. I think the Bulls, Cavs, and Knicks all have an equal chance of landing LeBron tomorrow. It is amazing h0w one person could take the Knicks from the number five team in the New York sports market, to arguably the number one.
3. Today was actually a big day of Jets news and of all things…it was good contract news. The Jets locked in left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson to a monster extension, adding 6 years and 60 million dollars to his original deal and giving him 34.8 million guaranteed dollars, which is a record for an offensive lineman. The Jets also locked down 2nd round pick, guard Vladimir Ducasse to a four year deal for 3.25 million dollars. In a matter of hours, the Jets solidified the left side of their offensive line for the foreseeable future. We can only hope the Ferguson deal will help get the ball rolling on new contracts for the rest of the Jets core four, Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, and David Harris. Why do I have feeling Harris will be taken care of next? The Jets could be rewarding the players who kept the quietest about their contract negotiations first.
4. Follow Turn On The Jets on Facebook and Twitter (TurnOnTheJets)…if you do, I will convince LeBron to join the Knicks.
Antonio Cromartie: Boom Or Bust
Considering I just wrote an article today about how strong the Jets secondary is heading into the 2010 season, I thought a closer look at the biggest question mark in that position group was in order.
I was as skeptical as anybody about the Jets decision to trade for Antonio Cromartie this off-season but I have gradually began to talk myself into the move, especially hearing about the work he has done this off-season and watching him at mini-camp practice. However, you can’t get past how much of a wild-card he is heading into this year. The guy didn’t play good football the past two years with the San Diego Chargers, period. Even if he was hampered by a hip injury, there was still questions about his lack effort. Every Jets fan saw Cromartie’s aversion to tackling in the playoffs last year and his immaturity when he threw a late elbow into Shonn Greene’s back.
You can’t ignore the red flags of only 5 interceptions the past two years and 19 passes defensed, when he had 10 interceptions in 18 passes defensed in 2007. You can’t ignore his old organization questioning his effort on the field. You can’t ignore that he only had 33 tackles in 16 games last season.
However, you also can’t ignore the type of season Cromartie had in 2007 or the freak athleticism he has displayed on certain plays during his NFL career. There is a valid argument about Cromartie being a better man to man corner than a zone corner and the Jets system of defense playing to his strengths. He is going to see a ton of balls coming his way this season because of Revis Island being located on the other side of the field, meaning he will have plenty of chances to get his hands on the football and make big plays. Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine raved about the Cromartie acquisition this off-season to Manish Mehta of the Daily News
“I think he’s an upgrade over Lito – a clear upgrade over Lito. He fits our style of football. When you have your wide receiver line up outside the numbers, we’re going to eliminate him. That’s the one thing this kid can do…They played him off a lot (in San Diego), That’s a style thing. They’re more of a zone team. A lot of times, they roll their corners up and get them involved in run support. We don’t do that nearly as much. For what we do schematically – we play so much man coverage or zone coverages that turn into man down the field as anyone – (Cromartie) fits.”
All I know is that if Cromartie gets back to playing anywhere near his 2007 level, it is going to be nearly impossible to throw the football on the Jets. He is going to rack up a bunch of interceptions and probably a touchdown or two. On the other hand, if he can’t stay healthy or plays like he did the pat two years, Kyle Wilson is going to get thrown into the fire right away and we are going to see way more Dwight Lowery than any of us can stomach.
1. We are still working out the kinks on the issue we are having on getting comments to go through. Please keep them coming in and by the end of the week, they should all be posted up on the site and responded to.
2. Follow TurnOnTheJets on Facebook, Twitter (TurnOnTheJets), and YouTube.
New TOJ TV “What To Watch”
Enjoy our new episode of TOJ TV, where we go through what to watch for when the Jets start up again:
1. Follow Turn On The Jets on Facebook and Twitter (TurnOnTheJets) and now also follow us on YouTube.
2. The big story of the day is that the Jets have an interest in JaMarcus Russell. I said this on the Facebook page and I will say it again here, I would love to have Russell as a backup…to Kris Jenkins. Maybe, even bring him in to compete with Vladimir Ducasse and Matt Slauson at the left guard spot. Wherever he is playing, he better not be throwing any footballs in green and white next season.
3. Speaking of Ducasse, the Jets are apparently near signing him to his rookie deal. How about some positive contract news for the Jets?
4. Let me throw out some final guesses on where the major free agents end up: I am going with LeBron and Bosh to Chicago, Carlos Boozer to Miami, Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemaire to the Knicks, Rudy Gay and David Lee to the Nets, and that’s all I got for right now.
Jets Area of Strength – Wide Receiver
Here at TOJ, we have been going through the various areas of concern and strength for the Jets heading into the 2010 season. So far the areas of concern have been quarterback and running back, while the area of strength has been linebacker. Today we add another area of strength with the Jets group of wide receivers:
Links to previous “Areas of Concern” and “Areas of Strength” articles
The Jets have come a long way from Chansi Stuckey battling David Clowney and Brad Smith for a starting spot opposite of Jerricho Cotchery last summer. There may not be a team in football with a better top three receivers than the Jets this season. Yes, they will be without Santonio Holmes for the first four games because of a suspension but for the 3/4 of the season they are at full strength, their top three options are going to give defensive coordinators nightmares.
Here is the production of Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, and Santonio Holmes last year:
Edwards – 45 receptions, 680 yards, 4 touchdowns
Cotchery – 57 receptions, 821 yards, 4 touchdowns
Holmes – 79 receptions, 1248 yards, 5 touchdowns
Initially, those numbers are nothing to go crazy over especially since Holmes is coming off his best season ever and can’t possibly match those numbers in only 12 games this season (except the touchdowns). Yet, keep in mind Edwards spent 4 games with a quarterback disaster in Cleveland and arrived just in time for the rough patch of Mark Sanchez’s season. Cotchery missed two and half games with an injury and was a likely 1,000 yard guy without that missed time. He produced at a high level, even with a rookie quarterback. As I said before, 2009 was Holmes best season. Here is the stat lines from Edwards and Cotchery’s best season:
Cotchery (2007) 82 receptions, 1130 yards, 2 touchdowns (or you could argue for 2006 when he had 82 receptions, 961 yards and 6 touchdowns).
All three of these guys are capable of being 1,000 yard receivers. Edwards is the most physically gifted of the three and seems poised for a big year after a great off-season and the expected improvement of Mark Sanchez. Holmes is just entering his prime as a legitimate number one receiver, and is the best overall receiver of the group. Cotchery will get looked over by people but he was doing just fine as the Jets number one receiver before the Edwards trade last year and is going to kill teams out of the slot this season. He has the best hands out of the group, is the most precise route runner, and has the best chemistry with Sanchez. If you had to bet which of these three guys will have the most receptions, I would go with Cotchery.
The depth behind the Edwards, Cotchery, and Holmes is solid. Brad Smith is more of a do everything guy than a receiver, but as a #4/5 option is about as solid as you will get in the NFL. David Clowney flashed at times last season and is capable of being the number three receiver while Holmes serves his suspension. Aundrae Allison is a burner who could push for a roster spot because of his kick return and deep threat ability. Also keep an eye on Britt Davis who has good size and impressed the coaches last training camp, along with Larry Taylor who looked like a good slot receiver in the making at mini-camp.
Overall, the production of players like Edwards, Cotchery, and Holmes will depend on Sanchez’s progression in year two. However, if he takes the expected steps forward, all three will have plenty of opportunities to make plays. I don’t know if there will be a 1,000 yard receiver out of this group because of the division of looks between them, Dustin Keller, and the running backs but Edwards and Cotchery should get close. Holmes should still put up a big chunk of receiving yards because of his big play capability and will hopefully find the end-zone 4-6 times.
1. Follow Turn On The Jets on Facebook, Twitter (TurnOnTheJets), and YouTube.
2. I have already resigned to talking myself into Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemaire, if the Knicks can even land the two of them. If LeBron truly only cares about winning, he is going to the Bulls and taking Chris Bosh with him. A starting five of LeBron, Bosh, Deng, Noah, and Rose is winning 65-70 games in the Eastern Conference next season, maybe more.
Jets Area Of Concern – Quarterback
Contrary to the belief of some fans, the Jets roster isn’t perfect. Like any team in the NFL, they have multiple areas of concern throughout their roster heading into the 2010 season. Today is second look at one of these areas, the quarterback position:
Here are the links the previous articles in the “Area of Concern” and Area of Strength” Series:
Out of the Jets eleven starters on offense, there are only three question marks or potential areas of concern in my mind: running back, quarterback, and left guard. Obviously, the quarterback is the most important position on the field so the Jets biggest concern heading into this season is Mark Sanchez.
The great off-season Braylon Edwards is having. The addition of Santonio Holmes. The potential of Jerricho Cotchery in the slot. The continued growth of Dustin Keller. The addition of LaDainian Tomlinson. Drafting Joe McKnight. The Jets stacked offensive line. It could all go to waste on offense if Mark Sanchez isn’t up to the task in 2010. Because in football if your quarterback isn’t playing well, your offense isn’t playing well.
Let’s look back through Sanchez’s rookie season briefly. In the regular season, Sanchez was either very good (for a rookie), awful, or a successful game manager in near perfect balance.
If the Jets are going to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender, they need Sanchez to be somewhere in-between the game manager and very good level. Nobody is saying the guy has to be a Pro-Bowl quarterback for the Jets to win 12 games, but if he could protect the football and hit big plays down the field when the opportunity presents itself the Jets are going to be very difficult to stop. If he can duplicate his performance from games like week 8 against Miami, then Jets are going to have one of the NFL’s best offenses to match the NFL’s best defense.
The most encouraging thing moving forward into the 2010 season is how Sanchez stepped up his play when it mattered the most last season, in the playoffs. Everybody was picking the Jets to lose to Cincinnati in the first round because there was no way Sanchez could go on the road in tough weather conditions and pull out a victory. He responded with 12/15, 182 yards, and a touchdown. Also, anybody who watched that game and saw a picture perfect 50 yard touchdown pass drop through Braylon Edwards hands knows what Sanchez’s numbers actually should have looked like.
Sanchez got off to a sluggish start in the second round against the Chargers but hit the switch in the fourth quarter and made arguably the biggest play of the Jets season, by buying time with his athleticism and finding Dustin Keller in the back of the end-zone with a rocket on third down to put the Jets ahead. The real Sanchez “arrival” moment was in the AFC Championship Game on the road against the Indianapolis Colts. His stat line is impressive (17/30, 257 yards, 2 TDs) but it doesn’t tell the whole story. When Sanchez stood in the pocket and took a monster hit to the face while delivering a perfect strike to Keller on third down for a touchdown that put the Jets up 14-6, it was a moment that all the Jets fans should have said to themselves “this guy has what it takes to be our franchise quarterback.”
Even though he has what it takes, doesn’t mean it is going to equal a consistent, productive performance. Those games against Buffalo, in New England, and New Orleans happened last year but it seems hard to believe that Sanchez won’t learn from his mistakes in year two. By all accounts, he has put in enormous amounts of work this off-season and has the exact attitude you want from your young quarterback.
Remember the Jets found their way to 9 wins last year with a quarterback having a horrific statistical season. Think about how far they could go, if Sanchez could throw 15 touchdowns, 12 INTs, with a 57 completion percentage.
Beyond Sanchez, the Jets depth is questionable. The expected plan is to go into the year with Sanchez, Mark Brunell, and either Erik Ainge or Kevin O’Connell. With a line-up like that, I might feel better with Brad Smith coming in at quarterback if Sanchez got hurt.
AFC Championship Highlights (Turn Off at 2 Minute Mark)
1. Follow Turn On The Jets on Facebook and Twitter (TurnOnTheJets) and now on YouTube.
2. If I had to guess where LeBron James will end up next year as of today, I would say 30% chance of Cleveland, 30% chance of Chicago, 20% percent chance of Miami, and 10% percent each for New York and New Jersey. I hope I’m wrong.
3. There is nothing that makes me happier then when Dolphins fans post on this site, please keep the comments coming. I thoroughly enjoy your misguided efforts to insult me as you spend part of your day on my web site.
4. You know it is going to be a rough season for Buffalo, when their running back is interviewed by the media and all he can talk about is how excited he is about how good the Jets are going to be this year.
5. New England re-signed linebacker Gary Guyton yesterday, further solidifying their mediocrity at the position.
Revisiting My Opinions Of Jason Taylor, LaDainian Tomlison, & Antonio Cromartie
It’s Friday. It’s a nice day out. I might as well enjoy my self-deprecating sense of humor by looking back on some things I have written in the past on new Jets Jason Taylor, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Antonio Cromartie before I get out on the lake for some floating:
Jason Taylor
November 5th, 2009 article “The Jets Will Win 10 Games”
Jason Taylor talking about how Giants Stadium is a “hellhole” and that unlike Giants fans, Jets fans are “asses.” We all know that Taylor has had a lifelong hatred of the Jets organization and fans and will always take a shot whenever he can. What can you say? Taylor is a probable hall of fame player but a guy who will never win a championship and a guy who has never been past the second round of the playoffs. He got there a couple of times but lost 62-7 to Jacksonville and was blown out by the Raiders another time. He left Miami last year because Bill Parcells didn’t want him because he was too worried about his Hollywood career, stunk it up in DC and then got out of his contract by refusing to participate in off-season workouts. While he was gone, Miami had their best season in years and won the division, so Jason came back this year just in time to be a part of another 6-10 Dolphins team this season. Taylor is right about one thing, he hates Jets fans and we hate him. He can enjoy another January at home this season watching the NFL playoffs, like he has done every year since 2001.
February 4th, 2010 article “Turn On The Jets 2009/2010 Season Awards: Moments”
(Worst Moments of the Year)…5. Anybody But Him – Rookie running back Shonn Greene fumbles behind the line of scrimmage and the ball bounces directly to Jason Taylor who runs it back for a 48 yard touchdown, promptly forcing Jets fans everywhere to throw up.
Antonio Cromartie/LaDainian Tomlinson
January 18th, 2010 article “Grading Out The Jets Win Against The Cheap-Shot Chargers”
Why the cheap-shot Chargers? Look at dirtbag Antonio Cromartie throw an elbow into Shonn Greene’s back after he rips off his 53 yard touchdown run in the game highlights at the bottom of this article…unbelievble (by the way, I think they are still scraping Eric Weddle off the turf back in San Diego).
March 3rd, 2010 article “What Should The Jets Expect From Leon Washington in 2010?”
Not much on the update front today, especially for the Wednesday before free agency. There has been some talk about the Jets interest in Chargers corner Antonio Cromartie, who is on the trading block. I think this is more of a result of everybody knowing the Jets need a corner and automatically linking them with anybody who could potentially be available. I haven’t read anything (and I spend way too much time reading every single thing on the Internet Jets related) that makes me believe the Jets will pursue Cromartie and even have an interest in a guy like Dunta Robinson. Beyond that, Cromartie’s play has declined in recent years, he is a soft player known for his lack of effort, and has off the field baggage in the form of five paternity suits.
January 13th, 2010 article “Jets vs. Chargers Position By Position Comparison”
Tomlinson is a shell of his former self and only averages 3.3 yards per carry.
