Nice replies, interesting thread guys. In my many years rooting for this team, I cherish the very special moments and can't deny Herm being at the helm for several of them. The miracle win against GB to get into the playoffs, the subsequent humiliation of the Colts (Both home game gifts to us STH'ers) and even the SD playoff win. I realize that Herm F'd us in Pittsburgh the next week, but that season had it's great moments. That said, I had my fill of Herm by the time he left and was not sad seeing him go. I was very happy the organization didn't hold on to him and could make a change. To me Herm's legacy was a defense that didn't know how to tackle - they'd just launch into guys. And of course, Dick Curl. The person, not the affliction. "Play to Win the game" and that time he stated he would not attend a Jets parade should they win a Super Bowl that year. What was that all about? Herm was wacky. The best point made over and over here is the fact that we kept switching defenses, right when we had the pieces in place. Combine that with poor cap management and some draft misses (Scott Frost anyone?) and we got what we got. It's funny to see mini-Herm, the beer cooler coach, and think "he was our head coach"
That's what really gets me about the whole thing. I Just imagine what Rex, or even Mangini could have done with Ellis, Abraham, Glenn, Coleman, Lewis, Jones, Ferguson, and Green......Nevermind that O-line and C-Mart and LaMont in Ground and Pound mode.
As I recall that game, the Jets spread the defense out going 4 or 5 wide. Vinny picked them apart for two quarters. Then when they thought they scored enough, they tried to run and ball control the rest of the game. That put Baltimore back into their base D and they kicked our butts.
No. The Jets went up 14-0 early. Then on the next Jets drive in the first quarter at midfield, Testaverde fumbled a snap and turned the ball over. Baltimore turned that into a TD. Then, VT became the gift that kept on giving, throwing pick sixes and turning Jets points into turnovers. Throw in 2 Jermaine Lewis punt return TDs and the Jets wasted 500 yards of offense against one of the supposed best defenses of all time with a complete choke jog because of an inability to avoid turnovers and tackle on punt returns. This was one of the worst Jets losses of all time and was really the end for Testaverde. In 2001 he became a game manager under Edwards and then, after a horrible start to 2002, mercifully was injured against Jacksonville and replaced by Pennington. A couple of other points. The Jets poor seasons in 2003, 05, and 07 were directly caused by Pennington's injuries. A healthy Pennington led the Jets to the playoffs in 02, 04 and 06 and then the Dolphins in 08. His back up in 03 was VT. I think Fielder was the back up in 05 and he got hurt in the same game as Pennington (Jacksonville) leaving the team with Bollinger. That is not Edward's or Bradway's fault. Anyone who claims Edwards clock management did not cost the Jets games has a short memory. The Ravens game in 04 comes to mind immediately. How about the OT loss the Giants in 03 when the season still had hope and the Jets got a delay of game penalty in OT when they were about to kick a long FG that could have won the game. If I go down the seasons game by game I'm sure I can come up with many others. I didn't hate Edwards, but I didn't love him either and it sure was time for him to go in 2006, but he couldn't manage a game clock to save his life.
Edwards was/is not head coach material. He had a few things going for him which kept him in the boys club and zthings broke exactly right for him. He couldn't have had better timing in 2001 and then moving on to the chiefs. He sure was entertaining and talked a lot but IMO he had nothing to say. I remember hoping the jets would look at john fox but apparently Edwards had a one way ticket to ny from the very beginning. Nuff said
Good post overall but I disagree on the Ravens and Giants games. The Raven game the clock mgmt was fine, they didn't execute late and Carter did something stupid that I can't remember specifically. I think he wasted a TO that killed them. The Giant game they came back from a late 14 pt deficit to send it to OT, it would have been a long FG and they had problems getting Brien on the field in time.
The Rooney Rule didn't go into effect until years after Herm was hired. Herm was hired b/c he was the best man for the job of the candidates and that was proven over the next 5 seasons.
All the rest I agree with, but the bolded part is nonsense. Getting Fiedler to back up Chad was like telling your daughter that if her herion addict boyfriend might not be dependable enough to take her to the senior prom, but she could always go with the guy who is being sent to jail. Fiedler was even MORE fragile than Pennington. You don't back up one of the more fragile Qb's in the league like that. It was stupid, and not for nothing and guess what that's exactly what happened. A situation the "Duh!" phrase was built for. And of course how much did the CS prepare for this by giving work to Bollinger in camp and practice to get him prepared? Essentially nothing. That decision, to bring in Fiedler, meant the Jets had no chance to salvage a season if Chad went down, and went down not for the first time. That decision was all on Bradway and Herm. You are wrong here.
so the CS is supposed give reps to the 3rd/4th string QB in anticiptaion of the top 2 getting hurt and the 3rd(who we signed off his couch) not playing well? Fiedler was a good signing, he was a quality backup that had a freak injury. yeah he got hurt b/c he played a more reckless style but he wasn't missing seasons, he was missing games here and there. from 200-2003 in Miami he played in 54 of 64 games. To call him fragile is silly.
We had the patriots in our division and IMO this team went as far as it could under herm and mangini.
I hear you, but Marivn Lewis is loved by the Bengal owners. He will be their coach for a long time. Plus, he's actually done a miracle: made the Bengals a decent team. They probably take a step back this year though. Sophmore Slump for Andy Dalton and Cam Newton. D-Cordinators have tape on you boys now. Have fun with that! :rofl:
I agree that Dalton will take a step back, but I don't think that there's any slowing down Cam Newton.
Newton will succeed or fail based on how the Panthers use him and how the NFL reacts to that. The things he did positively last year are on tape now for everybody to break down. My best guess is that he'll have a bit of an off-year and then look to rebound in year 3. The Panthers got him a bit of help with the signing of Tolbert. They added a guy they think can be a good guard in the draft. They're relying heavily on Steve Smith not having any real dropoff this year at 34, which is a middling to safe bet given his size, speed and the fact that WR's tend to maintain value better than some of the other skill positions. Newton also caught a break in the Saints essentially being dismantled for the season. Atlanta is still the favorite and now the Panthers will be competing with New Orleans and Tampa Bay in what should be a tough race for a potential wildcard slot. It's not hard to see the Panthers finishing 4th and Newton's performance coming under a microscope in that context which would add more pressure. Josh Freeman just experienced that effect last year in Tampa after a very impressive 2nd season in which the Bucs over-achieved.
Greg Schiano. Or: 1) Phil Jackson 2) John Gruden 3) Sean Payton 4) Rex Ryan 5) Barry Switzer 6) Jimmy Johnson 7) Rich Kotite 8) The ghost of Tom Landry 9) bobby Boucher 10) mike Tannenbaum
