I have absolutely no problem with tanking (ask Indianapolis if they like having Andrew Luck). The problem with the Jets' situation last season is that it was completely unreasonable to expect Rex to tank when it increasingly appears that Idzik depleted the roster so the Jets would lose and he would have a gift-wrapped reason to fire Rex. You can't tell the head coach, "If you don't win, you're fired" and then be mad because he didn't tank. If you want the coach to tank, you need to give him a contract extension before you expect it. EDIT: As others have pointed out, the players are never going to tank ... they are playing for their next contract. If you want the team to tank, it has to be implemented by the head coach (who can only accomplish it by refusing to play the best players, and instead plays the reserves).
Tanking is the NFL equivalent of taking a dive in soccer. The NFL should change the draft order: playoff teams still seeded as normal, but the 1st pick in the draft goes to the best non playoff team, and work down the standings instead of up.
There's way too much argument going on in this thread about the value of the 6th pick when the actual premise of the thread is for the team to purposefully lose which is so unrealistic as to be ridiculous. The Jets went in position to tank because they had a lame duck head coach, so this thread is useless
Can someone explain to me who on the Jets should have initiated a tank last year? Players will never tank. Rex was fired as is, he had no reason to tank and make himself look worse. Idzik also got fired at the end of the year. He needed wins to keep his job. Zero reason to tank. The year the Jets could have actually tanked was 2 years ago when Idzik had job security. He could have fired Rex, hired his own guy, and tanked. Could have gotten Watkins/Mack/Bortles and could have traded up for Teddy if they wanted. 12 picks all towards the front of the round. Idzik had a lot of questionable moves, but his strategy was sound. I'm hoping Macagagnan trades back a bit to recoup the picks that we have lost.
you can't ask the players to tank BUT: They could've fired Rex midseason. Played out the string with a guy like Morningwood. Forced Morningwood to sit some of the vets and play Geno Smith only and not Vick (that alone probably costs the PIT game at least) When a Muhammad Wilkerson gets hurt in week 11 you put him on the IR, instead of trying to rush him back for the final 2 games of the season. Same thing with other vets battling injuries down the stretch. Don't trade for a Percy Harvin when your seasons already in the bag. That stuff is subtle and relatively easy to do and also very common for teams in a lost season. Tampa did most of that, Tennessee too. The Jets probably end up with picks 1 or 2 and the chance at Winston or Mariota if they just did that. not saying I disagree with you at all as your post was very good and I actually believe what you say about 2 years ago. but I am just saying there was ways to "tank" this year. and if all the above happened Idzik could've possibly played the "look at all the injuries" "look at the revolving door at HC this year" card and maybe still have a job today. maybe
If we wanted to tank the Jets should have started that Simms kid for the last 5 games, in the guise of seeing what they had in him...
Maybe. But wasnt the fire Idzik crew in full force by midway through the season? The issue is that Idzik could have (and should have) fired Rex before the season started. Once he decided not to fire Rex, they were anchored together. I honestly think from about week 9 or so on, they were both already gone. Tanking probably would have been the smart play, but without job security, it would have been a death sentence for both of them.
true. and Rex didn't do Idzik any favors by opening his mouth and increasing expectations. but yeah Idzik didn't help matters either by being pretty incompetent. I am glad both are gone and we have a fresh start. I do wish we weren't picking 6th though
Trying to lose to improve your draft choice, hmmmmm. That'd make for some real interesting games down the stretch when two teams face each other and are trying their hardest to lose. If it could be proved a team did just that, I think they should lose all their first and second round picks for the upcoming draft.
This is the year to tank. trade out of the spot, and next year get Jones and Elliot from OSU and give Chan Gailey the base he needs. Amaro is already here. then you can just draft OL...
Perennial top teams and consummate winners hardly ever tank....perennial loosers continuously tank. How is that working for Them? I don't really believe there is much merit to the theory behind this thread. But here is my counter theory. Perennial winners draft well and covet picks, and continue to build through the draft, while perennial loosers draft poorly and often move up in the draft for a project, and they eventually tank again. Washington for one comes to mind, the overreach for Sanchez as well, and the often constant fixation for drafting to fill a hole rather than BPA in areas where there is no strong candidate to match the need. i.e. Gholston.
This. It's been working out well for the Browns, Jags, and Raiders of the world for over a decade though!
