I agree mostly about the others but Victor Green was easily one of my favorite defensive players for us back then Id give him the nod over Leonhard
QB: 1998 RB: 2009(Curtis didn't have a great 1998) FB: Sowell wasn't the FB, Keith Byars was. he was a better pass catcher but Richardson the better pure fullback WRs: 1998 TE: even, '98 better blocker, '09 better receiver OL: 2009 DL: '09 LBs: even, we had great LBs in 1998. I might even give them a slight edge. Secondary: '09, Glenn was very overrated(and was hurt for the late season run). P: '09, hansen was cut during the year and John Kidd punted most of that year. K: '09, Feely is the best K we have EVER had(as long as I have been a fan and that goes back to pat leahy) KR: leon was hurt in '98, remember the title game when Meggett didn't catch the KO? edge 2009 PR: 2009, Cotch has been much better than Meggett was and leon wasn't having a great '98 before he got hurt. Coaching: That '98 staff was a legendary staff, have to give the edge to that group. We were better in 1998, hopefully we are building a tam that will soon be alot better than that team but '98 was better.
That was the 1st thing I noticed........ V GREEN gets the nod, as well as Parcells LB corp was pretty close too. hard to top that 98 team.
Wow, great thread, I was thinking coming in today just about this subject, but also the related one about how the games themselves compared going into them and where the 98 and current teams look to be respectively in terms of the future. On the players, while the current OL is better than in 98, the main difference is that 98 was Vinny's best year. He was at the top of his game, a big tough guy for a Qb who was minimizing the mistakes that plagued him earlier in his career. Sanchez looks to have a great future, but he's nowhere near where Vinny was. So there's that. I don't think I would agree that the current RB tandem is better than the 98 group, and comparing them as a tandem leaves out that Martin carried the vast majority of the load back then, not splitting it up like Jones and Greene do now. Martin was great in part because he rarely fumbled. Going into a game like this you want the guy who's been there before, got it done, doesn't make mistakes. I give Martin the edge for sure. For the receivers and TE, it's pretty close, with one exception. I am a big Cotch fan, and expect Edwards to have a dominating game any game now - maybe this is the one. Keller has had periods of inconsistency, but lately he seems back to his great play from mid season last year. Meanwhile Brady was ok but really underperformed his expected talent level. He was a real disappointment from that era, another first round pick who didn't pan out. But Keyshawn had a great year that year, and Chrebet was pure heart and clutch. But the main thing about 98 compared to now is the 98 team had Ward as the #3 wideout, giving that team more weapons at receiver, so the edge goes to 98, but only sightly. The 98 D was very good, but this one is better overall. Ftr I was not a Victor Green fan back then, and he did not have a great day in Denver. About the game itself, there were some similarities, like Denver had a history of underachieving in the playoffs, particularly the three preceding SB losses with the great Elway as their Qb. But the 98 Broncos team was very different than those teams, much more balanced on O. Kind of like this year's Colts. As much as Manning gets the accolades today, I would give the nod to Elway at the top of his game if I wanted to pick a Qb to win a game. He was just plain tougher than Manning. Focused, not like Manning sometimes gets getting on his teammates, getting distracted. The main difference between these two games, and I think a huge difference favoring the Jets now, is that Mile High was the one stadium that a road team had a physical and not just mental detriment to deal with, that being the altitude. Denver players have to get used to it, and opponents can't in the limited time running up to the game. No matter how well conditioned you are, as the game gets into the final 20 minutes, it starts to show. And of course the Jets in 98 were ahead with 20 to go and ended up losing. There were specific plays that were involved, but it was hardly the first time an opponent came up short toward the end of a game at Mile High. That won't be a factor this time. The other thing, and the larger thing we will carry into the off season no matter what happens on Sunday, is that there is now the hope that Sanchez will improve and be the franchise Qb for possibly the next ten years or more. Vinny was at the top of his game, and even at the time seemed likely to be more than halfway through his career - and this was true despite the several more seasons he played. Obviously. The loss that year was followed by an off season filled with hope, only to see Vinny go down in the first quarter of Opening Day, effectively killing the 99 season. That is a huge difference with the current team.
98 Broncos vs 09 Colts: QB: Elway vs Manning (Tough to call, I still believe Elway is the best QB of All-Time but Manning is probably going to be the best of All-Time) HB: Davis vs Addai/Brown (Davis by a lot 2,000 yard season) FB:Griffith vs Don't know who starts at Fullback for Indy WR: Smith/McCaffrey vs Wayne/Garcon/Collie (I like Smith and McCaffrey) TE: Sharpe vs Clark (I'd take Sharpe but not by much) OL: Broncos (3 Pro Bowlers and a guy with the nickname Stink) Defense: I'd give it to the Broncos. Freeney and Mathis are probably better than Neil Smith and Maa Tanuvasea but Keith Traylor and Trevor Pryce were beasts LB: Again I'd give it to the Broncos with Romanowski, Cadrez and Mobley CB: I'd give it to Crockett and Gordon Safeties: All I need to say is Steve Atwater Kicking: Broncos with Elam and Rouen Coach: Shanahan I lived in Denver around that time and saw a lot of Broncos games and I personally think the 98 Broncos were a lot better than the 09 Colts
Yes, I agree. It was tough to admit following the loss, but in hindsight that Bronco team was one of the better teams in league history. Very well balanced and coached with perhaps the best Qb ever.
Wasn't Richie Anderson the Full back in '98? He was a great receiving fullback and led the jets one season in catches (not '98), but he was definately the starting fullback before sowell or byars.
I agree. I think this team is a little stronger over all. I also think this team is peaking and gaining momentum with every game, I don't think that was true of the 1998 team.
I'd have to disagree with this, although Green was and always will be one of my top 5 JETS ever the fact remains he was a better "man in the box" than he was as a coverage asset..If my memory serves correct I believe he gave up a huge pass to McCaffery that led to Denver's comeback in the '98 championship game...Also the fact that he was playing with Jerome Henderson/Corwin Brown, who also had their coverage issues, didn't help him at all...While Leonhard is not as good of a run stopper, although by no means a slouch, he is very fluid in pass coverage which is a saftey's 1st responsibility...1 thing is for certain, Green would've been proud of that VICIOUS hit/ helmetless recovery of the fumble in SD
Yeah, but if we're up 10-0, at halftime, for the love of God, don't throw it to Byars. I knew 10 points wsn't enough against Elway then, but I would sign for 10-0 Sunday right now with this Defense.
Victor Green was a hard hitting mofo man. Guy was awesome and then he went to the patsies. Really pissed me off to see him in that uni.
Johnson and Crebet were a lot better than Edwards and Cotchery Key almost single handedly won the Jacksonville game with a receiving TD, rushing TD and an interception at the end of the game. He was a beast in that game. Plus Key and Wayne both had over 1,000 yards that season.
The Jets 98 squad was much better than this team. Ranked #5 offensive points and #2 defensive points and #4 in offensive yards and #7 in defensive yards, might have been the most balanced squad in Jets history
It was 3-0 at halftime, we made it 10-0 in the 3rd qtr before Denver quikcly struck back to make it 10-7.
The 98 team was better balanced much better QB more experience on D and one of the great all time NFL staffs. The Bronco team we lost to was much better than any NFL team right now and the 98 Jets probably beat them if the game is played anywhere else except Denver. Huge edge to this team at CB. Huge edge to that team at QB. I take the QB every time.
