We were all pretty much up in arms when SI had us going 5-11 last year following an 8-8 season. Turns out we didn't even win 5.
This is true, but I think the fanbase expects improvement this year vs. last. It's optimism in that Rex lost the team, there are better players on the team this year, Gailey > Mornhinweg, and if Geno grows in any aspect... Combine those things with an easier schedule and there's no way the Jets only get one additional win.
How do you know that the schedule is easier? Using that flawed logic, every team the Jets play, those teams are chalking up a win against the 4-12 Jets.
Yup.... I think it all comes down to Geno, play well and they could win 8 games... plays bad and it's Fitzpatrick but at what point does Geno get yanked and Fitzy given the job?
In the modern NFL, the key positions are QB and O-Line. The Jets major problem areas? QB and O-Line. Easy to see how predictions like that come about, and they're probably not far off.
And defensive positions aren't "key"? I disagree. OG positions are not more important than pass rushing DEs and/or OLBs or NTs, or even MLBs.
I would imagine as soon as he starts throwing 3+ interceptions in a game that are clearly his fault (not bobbled receptions and the sort). I know that's not a great standard, but there is value to letting him try to work through his issues while he experiences them.
Other than RG, I think each projected starter on the O-line is average or better. So I don't necessarily agree that it's a "major problem area", especially when you're talking about players who never have the ball in their hands. QB is by far and away the only true "key" position for a football team, and obviously Geno is a major problem until he proves otherwise.
The 1996 Jets should have been better than the 1995 team because they added a big free agent QB and they drafted the best WR #1 overall and their RB finally stayed healthy for a whole season and had his first big year, etc. The Jets also had a young improving defense that was finally getting several people stacked together at the same time with Marvin Jones, Hugh Douglas, Aaron Glenn, and Ray Mickens all gearing up for their first big seasons at 23 to 25. They had savvy vets like Mo Lewis, Victor Green and Marvin Washington for the young guys to form around. They were worse than the '95 team by quite a bit and nothing jelled for them all season. This despite a veteran QB who had been to the Super Bowl the year before. It's about chemistry and the expectation of success and it really is about the QB and the offensive line as you said. You need a very good QB to compete these days and if the offensive line isn't very good there are only a small handful of guys who can overcome that. I could reasonably see anywhere from 5 to 9 wins this year, skewing a bit high because Todd Bowles is a new head coach and if he's really as good as he looks, well good coaches tend to win a lot in the first couple of years with a team.
Ehh... I go to Penn state currently and Hack is good but he has brick feet in the pocket and his interceptions are usually jackass mistakes. I do know a red flag or two that were off the field stuff but ill give it a slide because since freshman year I havent heard any of that stuff happening again.
I like flying under the radar with a good team....2009 they never saw us coming. It was magical. Going up in power rankings every week....getting more and more press....an extra prime time game late in the season. So ya, rank us at the bottom with 'maybe' 5 wins, then sit back and enjoy the show. It's much better this way: "Four teams advance....3 home teams the fucking NY Jets!!!"
oh and another thing, the AFCE is going to be brutal this season. Any of the four teams would be lucky to split in the division. Which gives us 3 loses (at least) before the season even starts. 3 loses for all the AFCE teams actually, which means we may not be sending a WC team to the playoffs. We may only be sending the AFCE champs with like a 9-7 record with the other 3 teams at 8-8-ish. Pats and Fish have good QBs and a solid team, so they SHOULD be duking it out for 1st place. While the QB-less Jets and Bills battle for last place. That's on paper....let's see what happens with the gun goes off. What's more probable: Jets win the AFCE -or- Pats finish dead last
Nobody saw the Jets coming?????? If the Colts and Bengals don't sit all their starters, the Jets finish 7-9 and miss the playoffs completely.
