The Jets may have a tougher strength of schedule this year but at the end of the day we're still a team coming off a 10-6 season behind a strong offseason. From the naked eye we've improved key position(s) such as: 1.) WR with Anderson, Peake and Jalin for improved depth and versatility. 2.) Addressed a longtime need and re-vamped our LB core with both Lee and Jenkins for added youth, speed, athleticism & coverage ability. 3.) We're even deeper at HB due to the additions of both Forte & Robinson. Robinson may not be a proven Chris Ivory but he does run with the same type of reckless abandonment as a smaller/stronger back but it's Matt Forte who's the overall X-Factor in terms of an added weapon to our backfield. Ranking top 3 in all-purpose yards from scrimmage over the past 3-5 years as a 3 down back with proven ability rushing, catching out of the backfield and within pass protection; is yet another improvement from years past. 4.) Last but hopefully not least is our special teams. We're going from a slow/mediocre KR in Zac Stacy with no big play ability to potentially an electric Jalin Marshall who features HR potential every time he's returning a kick (could be Leon Washington 2.0 back there) and more importantly 5.) a real punter in Edwards who displayed a cannon for a leg with punts consisting of booming hang times throughout all 4 preseason games. Judging off of preseason these are my top 5 player-personnel improvements from 2015 to 2016. My questions are, which types of improvements have either Buffalo or N.E made from only last season? Because the Jets aren't the only AFC East team with a tougher schedule. We all have a stronger strength of schedule due to going from playing against the AFC South & NFC East divisions of 2015 to playing the AFC North & NFC West divisions here in 2016. Take Buffalo for example while only coming off an 8-8 season. Where are there overall offensive and defensive improvements? A schedule outside of the AFC East vs. the likes of @ Baltimore, @ Seattle, @ Cincinnati, @ Oakland, vs. Arizona, Pittsburgh, vs Jacksonville and even on the road @ Los Angeles shouldn't be overlooked. The Patriots schedule isn't all that easier neither. I've just listed off some of our overall team improvements (above) and imo the Jets have 'closed the gap' on the AFC East division (with improvements) more than any other team has throughout the offseason. I'd like to see from those with doom or gloom thoughts... list off opposing AFC Conference contenders overall offseason improvements before I buy into writing off this up coming season with 5-11, 6-10, 7-9 etc types of records. Take Pittsburgh for example. Those days of dominant defenses under Dick LeBeau seem to be long gone. Was there pass defense not horrific last year? Who have they added within a pass happy league to take their secondary over the top? Was a longtime successful TE in Heath Miller retiring and is Martavis Bryant being suspended for the entire season considered as overall upgrades for Roethlisberger and their Steelers offense? There are many of 'around the conference' questions in which need to be answered before not considering the N.Y Jets of 2016 as potentially serious Conference contenders.
i think it is abusurd to have us 2nd on that list in the AFC. we are closer to 2nd worst then second best (not that i think were 2nd worst) Pats, Broncos, Steelers even with big injuries and bad luck are easily better then us. whoever wins the AFC south automatically gets a spot. chiefs are better. we are grouped in with: whoever doesnt win the south, the bills, the raiders, and whoever suprises from cleveland/SD/Miami it would be a pretty big suprise for us to get in outside of some week 17 luck to get that last WC spot... and having watched this team for 36 years, im not holding my breath for that. i think what is going to spell our end is a BRUTAL december schedule rest and travel and opponent wise combined with a QB who struggles in bad conditions
last year everything basically panned out. we were about as healthy as you can ask for and got a career year from fitzpatrick with pretty decent "luck" all year. outside of special teams, it was as fortunate as you can hope for. i think it will be tough to stay as healthy and have as much fortune
cant address additions without losses. we lost snacks. our run defense is a big questionmark now (PFT noted snacks was doubled more then any interior lineman in football last year, with most of those in the run game). we have a ton of talent at dline, but i dont see a DT i trust unless its a clear passing down. we lost fergeson. he wasnt great, but at the very least he had chemistry and report and experience with this team. clady has been good in the past, but in zone scheme and before a season ending injury chris ivory. he was banged up at the end. but for 75%of the year was a warrior. can we count on forte to hold up or bilal to break out? then there are lesser subtractions... cro, pace... those guys werent great but they did provide experience and some production. to me snacks loss makes me very nervous. he made everyones job alot easier.
I think the Jets can be as good as being the third best team in the AFC. IF ... they stay relatively healthy. The depth is very poor, thanks to horrible drafting in the past half dozen years. Other than the three terrific d-linemen. Most of the other high quality players came through trades and free agent signings. Fitz, Marshall, Decker, Forte, Revis ( I know we originally drafted him, but I am talking about the drafting of the last half dozen years), Gilchrist, Skrine, Clady ... Pray for health
