Remember Mangini's team? Kerry being the captain of the defense, etc? Rex came in, shook things up, and we managed to get to the AFC Championship. Hell, we even looked good when they really shook things up and brought in Brett Favre. Winning creates chemistry.
How can no one mention Ellis as a leader. He's been through the shit and the high times with this team for the last 10 years. He, as well as we, know he is going to take reduced rule in playing time, but he is still a great leader on this team. Feely and TJ are probably the more vocal leaders that are not here. This is Sanchez' offense. If he doesn't step it up this year, he never will. LT, Mangold, and Woody will probably bolster Mark's leadership by being vocal leaders as well. On the defensive side - Ellis, Jenks, Scott, Leonard, & Revis, are Jets vets that will be leaders. JT is a 13 year vet and a stand up guy, even though we hate him, and will exact command of the younger more impressionable guys on the team. Rex's coaching should be the great equalizer. Leadership and chemistry is not a problem. My ONLY concern is with the OLine. There is a special "gelling" of the OLine with regard to cadence and the holes that are created and the RB's hitting those holes. That comes with playing time together.
Leon was missing from most of the push in 2009. Faneca and Jones were getting older and were requiring lots of money to stay. To boot, we didn't win with these guys. Many here blamed Jones for not stepping up. The team will still have the swagger we have begun to grow accustomed to. That comes from Rex on down. Good guys like Mangold and Revis will step up.
I was watching TV the other day and Herm Edwards said, "As long as you're winning, you don't have to worry about chemistry." So, lets hope we never have to worry about it. :beer:
Why are people worrying about team chemistry when only a few starters have changed since the playoffs? In reality, on offense the only changes will be at LG, LT/McNight as a 3rd down back, and the addition of Holmes as a top 3 receiver. On defense, the only major changes are the swapping out of Strickland, Sheppard, and Rhodes and replacing them with Poole, Wilson, and someone of the bench. Is that really that much turnover in the 21st century NFL?????? Plus, these moves are nothing coming to the seismic shift that occurred when Favre was brought in and Penny shipped out in August of 2008. Nobody worried about chemistry then, but that really impacted the team and Favre was a selfish old loner. I think these changes are really getting overblown.
I'm not too concerned. I think we have enough leaders still on the team and the atmosphere Ryan creates is part of what led to the team having so much chemistry. On top of that most of the guys they brought in that had character issues are playing for a contract which gives the extra incentive to be on their best behavior. Plus a change of scenery can sometimes be just what a person needs to get their head straight. Especially when you have enough guys in the locker room (Scott, Harris, Ellis, Revis, Sanchez, Mangold, Brick, Woody, Leonard...) who can keep people in line.
We have plenty of 'leaders' who produce on the field. There's no reason to keep mediocre players just because they are high character guys. At least that's my opinion. None of our guys with supposed "character issues" make or break this team. It's not like we have a TO that's our #1 receiver and carries (or kills) the team.
Guys who should step up as leaders: Mark Sanchez, LaDainian Tomlinson, Nick Mangold, Kris Jenkins, Bart Scott, Darrelle Revis. Those are all high character guys. As others have mentioned it's hard to lead off the bench which is why we let the players go that the CS didn't feel were good enough to start.
I agree. We can't keep guys past their prime because of leadership. We need the younger guys to step it up and be leaders. Faneca will be missed dearly, but it's time for Brick and Mangold to assume his role as the leader on that line. They learned from the best.
we will exude enormous amounts of swagger... Everyone wants to play and everyone wants to win on our team. We will be fine.
Nothing to worry about, guys. Just got word that there's a slumber party at Brick's house on Friday. They're going to watch scary movies an braid Mangold's hair. Keep this hush hush, but Revis is even going to get then to play light as a feather stiff as a board and then he's totally going to just start floating because he's powerful as shit.
I think Rex and his Cortland TC are responsible for the team chemistry. I'm not too worried about it. As far as Faneca goes, I remember getting rid of a center regarded as "the best in the league" for an unproven kid named Nick Mangold and it worked out pretty well. I liked Faneca, Jones, and especially Washington, but Rex and co. haven't given me any reason to worry thus far so I trust they know what they're doing.
