This question really only applies to the present. Would the Jets be any better if Idzik signed a say a CB, a WR a TE. Outside of a CB we have both. Has that been the deciding factor of why we suck? No. It has been the QB. Who's choice was that? Not Obama.
I was mostly talking about that kid from Notre Dame who was tearing it all up yesterday. Guys like Welker and Edelman weren't great until they went to the Patriots. He doesn't spend huge money on most players. He gets the most out of them and then lets them walk when their contracts expire. I think Idzik has the same kind of thinking and that's why he doesn't want to commit his cap to a big ticket player. Who might not play well or get injured. I think it's smart but most fans and some of the front runners in the press want a expensive acquisition. I think that overall frugality pays. But Revis for BB was an exception. And Harvin for Idzik the same thing. That is if he decides to keep him.
That simply isn't true. The history of sports is filled with coaches and GM's being fired because their performance dictated such without the next coach or GM lined up to take their place. Nice try but next time try something that thinks good not just sounds good.
Don't get me wrong, I agree that for many reasons Rex will have to go at the end of this year. But that should not give us much comfort thinking that the next guy can do what BB has consistently done with The Pats. There isn't another coach out there, not one that comes close, With the football genius to create a winning system that works almost independent of the pieces. Not one. Replacing Rex will do nothing unless we provide the new guy with the right players, as is the case with the rest of the successful NFL coaches, starting with a QB and ending with a decent secondary. Arizona is doing an admirable job and it is mostly because of a very solid defense, but make no mistake, they will be crushed by Rodgers and the Pats in the playoffs because without a top tier QB you will not reach the promised land.
I will say, my exception to firing Rex is if we make the playoffs. I was just thinking of this since we aren't "officially" eliminated. That's probably Rex's only way to save his job and even if he wins out, that's still out of his control if they end up being a playoff team. I disagree that a new coach will not make a difference. I think if we draft a QB, that's where the difference comes in. Again, maybe Sanchez and Geno were never that great, but it's discouraging to me that both look and play like the same QB under Rex. Maybe it isn't Rex, again it could just be two QBs who were not prepared for the NFL, but Rex's job is to get them ready. Credit him for finding a way to win with rookie QBs (17-15 record regular season record) but clearly neither QB has developed under him. Geno was a longer shot than Sanchez based on draft pick, but you would hope there would development not regression.
The one thing firing Rex will do is buy time for Idzik or whomever is GM to restock/reload talent. A lot of the heartburn is that Rex is in year 6 and things aren't trending up as much as they should. Patience does have limits and you do have to show results. Rex can't live on those two AFCCG's forever and the last 4 years have trended down. I have no doubt that Rex will do much better the next time he's a HC whenever that is but for now, I think its best for all concerned for him to move on, step back and re-evaluate his coaching style.
The one thing here, and I do have my decided opinion, and suspicions, that I acknowledge I dont really know is the extent to which the decision to play Smith even with Vick on the roster was Idzik's. And I am not talking about say Marty going along with that decision, or even saying well if that is the decision, let's make the most of it. But I do think it was Idzik's. I'll get to why in a second, but if that is what he wanted, then he has been the deciding factor, along with the travesty he created at Cb. With competent play at Cb and Vick starting, it says here the Jets would be @5-5 right now and we'd be talking playoff prospects. Why do I think it is his decision, even if others did not oppose it? He's the GM. He's the boss. He has ultimate responsibility. If HE decided that Smith would start no matter what, then he has to live with that decision and not make those who report to him the scapegoat for it. I also can't see the hype coming out of Jetland about there being a real Qb competition, when there was none, and that not being something Idzik was all on board with. As the GM, if he both knew that was not true, and did not agree there should be no real Qb competition, then how could he have let his subordinates get away with that? It makes no sense. But it makes complete sense that the organization would have been putting out Bs about a Qb competition, when there was none, if that is what Idzik wanted. Then there's the signing of Vick. On one hand this does not make sense, until you think of the politics of it. Idzik has the reputation of being cheap, but then he goes and signs Vick to essentially hold a clipboard. But then go back to the Qb competition - signing Vick and pretending there was a real competition served several objectives for Idzik. It gave him cover. It made it sound like Smith improved if he could beat out Vick in camp. It may even have, to their thinking, bucked up Smith's self confidence. But mostly it bought Idzik time to keep the questions away until Opening Day. For a move that accomplished all those things, Idzik must have thought it was money well spent. Well spent or not, it was not part of the build through the draft mantra. It was not the having competition at all positions mantra, either. Yet that's what happened, and we know now that Vick did not have a real chance to start. I think that's all on Idzik, so I must disagree he is not responsible for this awful season. Sure, Smith is the one who failed on the field. But that was Idzik's choice, and he should be held responsible.
Indeed, excellent point. It's true and kind of ironic, but if Rex is smart, he will take what he learned in NY and avoid those mistakes in his next assignment. Meantime, we better hope the next guy we get is able to bring enough lessons learned with him and solid experience to make us an instant contender. I have a fealing we will be very low in patience entering 2015 and beyond. This team is just a few key pieces away from getting there and we need to get those pieces soon. The clock is ticking for Idzik almost in unison with Rex.
But Rex doesn't appear to be very smart. He certainly hasn't applied, what he should have learned from being our head coach in his first five seasons, to this year. He still seems disinterested in the offensive side of the ball, still struggles with game management, and the team still lacks discipline.
You just described a GM candidate with prior GM experience. Sadly, Woody hasn't hire ANYONE with prior experience in the job he's being hired for since Parcells. That's the fatal flaw in Woody's management style. OJT is fine for some positions but not for the critical ones. GM requires a person with a SOLID personnel and management background. You can hire a first time HC without prior experience but above his level, you need the experienced hand to guide the franchise. Woody ABSOLUTELY HAS TO CHANGE how he hires personnel for this franchise or we'll never be a solid, consistent winner. We'll always take one step forward, two steps sideways, one step back. I dunno about you, but I'm done with that.
I don't think Ryan is particularly smart. The team was arguably only a few key pieces away coming out of last season. But the current regime has taken the team backwards. Why should we have confidence they will do better next time? We have a first time GM who has struck out on more of his draft picks than he has hit on. He has had some good FA signings, but some bad ones, and more holes than when he got here. He has no track record of success picking a Qb high in the draft, either. Overall I think extending him is a bad idea.
I swear it feels like Woody is going to make no changes. He likes the attention, and it would not surprise me if the ssdd doesn't change next year.
That outcome wouldn't surprise me one bit. If Woody does make changes, it will look like he's caved to public sentiment and appear weak. If not, he looks like he knows what he's doing and has confidence even when everyone else doesn't. May win him some points with the Homer contingent of his fanbase as they're the ones most likely to spend the cash on the swag, the PSL's and the DoG seats. (Day of Game) no matter how badly the team plays. Right now, Woody's biggest problem is the "BRAND". He has to change the public perception of the Jets but at the same time, not appear to "cave in" to the disgruntled faction of his fanbase. Given that he's never developed an enterprise from the ground up, this may be OJT for Woody as it is for everyone in the organization other than Bradway. The question that must be answered by Woody is this: Does he stand pat and risk alienating what's left of a shrinking fanbase OR making meaningful changes that may appear to be caving in to public sentiment. For a guy running a billion dollar enterprise, Woody has his work cut out for him. This may be the defining moment in Woody Johnson's ownership of the New York Jets. Xroads as it were. Looks like its gut check time for Woody Johnson. Lets all pray he has the courage and wisdom to make the call and live with the results. God help us if he doesn't...
The defining moments for Woody have come and gone. When Woody put his religious beliefs ahead of the organization and forced Tebow on us that defined who Woody Johnson is. When Woody said in 2012 that Mitt Romney is more important than the Jets winning that defined who Woody is. Woody is simply a man who was done nothing other than being born on third base and believes he hit a triple. Woody will never do anything to make us a winner other than dumb luck. The man is arrogant and incompetent.
