i think we do better... but is 8-8 really a horrible prediction? - we went 8-8 last season - we didnt add a ton - our QB situation is still iffy - new offense/offensive co ordinator - offensive line questions - aging LB corps jsut got older - complete turnover at safety other then an easier schedule, i see no concrete evenidence, especially considering these are non-jet fans making predicitons, that the jets should do better then a year ago... especially if you feel the bills have gotten better. In addition, reading the posts and posters predictions, it just renforces the point that there isnt a good read on the jets and 5-11 or 11-5 would be huge suprises in either direction. Hell the poll results are almost a perfect bell curve
are they assuming or are you? is stephen hill really a lock to outproduce what plaxico did, as a rookie, who hasnt played much in an nfl system? is coples really a lock to improve our pass rush... and do so signficiantly? im not sure those things can really be said with any level of confidence.
Isnt the goal of EVERY NFL team to improve there team? just because you improved your team doesnt mean you will do better because the 31 other NFL teams have all also improved there teams.
With the schedule the league handed out to the AFC East this year, anything less than 10-6 would have to be considered a disappointment for the Jets.
The Jets also thought Mason and Plax were an upgrade at WR last year. It doesn't always work out. I saw the obvious decrease in talent, yet got sucked in by recent Jets success last year and picked them to go 11-5. I was clearly wrong. I see a lot of holes on the Jets this year being filled by rookies and injury prone players. I also see a shaky QB, shaky O-line and questionable depth at RB and certainly safety. Could it all pan out? Absolutely. There is just no way you can say it will work out based on nothing but optimism.
"Will the Wayne Hunter of the 2010 playoff run please pick up the white courtesy phone..... There are people wondering if you're still alive. Thank you"
Maybe that's what w/ the Jets someone said to the media, and I'm not about to go article hunting, but to suggest that Holmes/Plax/Mason was going to be better than Braylon/Holmes/Cotch was delusional. That person either missed or cared not to pay attention that we prioritized Asomugha so much we missed out on any opportunity to strengthen our WR core. After Asomugha, we had to tuck our tail between our legs and coddle Father Cromartie into signing with us. Most rational people here were saying we downgraded. (usually qualifying it with not by much) Plax and Mason were ancient and we had no idea what we were getting in Plax. We got a tall guy that blocked well. This year, we haven't decreased in talent anywhere besides losing LT. We did age, and it's probably going to show on the OL and LB. I have to assume that we can't get fucked by all the safeties we acquired, which should mean at least par to last year. I think the offense will struggle as I see the OL deteriorating to a non passable point but Hill has potential and we made the best addition by subtraction move we could make by getting rid of Schotty.
FWIW I have no problem w/the prediction. The NYJ were a lousy team for much of last season. I think they will be improved, however I can understand why others don't and frankly if it motivates the players and the coaching staff to play w/a chip on their shoulders thats great.
Except the peak of the curve is at the 10-6 mark, not the 8-8 mark. Granted we are all Jets fans (for the most part) so we tend to believe in our team more than most analysts, but it's not a "perfect" bell curve.
I think that all the negative energy being aimed at this team this offseason can only help. Guys are pissed. Bart Scott worked his ass off this offseason because he felt that there was a chip on his shoulder....not saying he's the end-all (if he was we'd have a big problem!) but I'm just giving a microcosm of the effect bad press has on players' motivation. I just really have a lot of faith that Rex is going to put absolutely everything into this team this upcoming year and their defense will return to prominence. Everybody loooves to talk about the offense because Sanchez is everybody's favorite whipping boy, but the truth of the matter is the major difference between last year's team and the years before was the dominance of the defense. If the defense can bounce back (and I don't think anybody doesn't think it can) we're right back. The safety position has been completely turn-over, and there have been youthful injections into the front 7. Not to mention the hopeful progression of Wilk and Mayhem gaining 25 lbs this offseason looking to be even more of a factor. Plus I think Sanchez is actually pretty good, but I reeeally don't want to start that disussion...
The Bills started off the year strong and ended up with a poor finish as well. The only difference is, the cause of that for Buffalo was a roster decimated by injuries. What was the Jets' excuse? I'd argue being healthy and tanking is much worse than losing every playmaker on your squad and tanking. The Jets didnt need to make wholesale changes? They didn't have a poor RT and LG? They didn't have 2 holes at both safety spots? They didnt have problems with finding new OLBs? The Jets didn't address any of those holes, and they needed to. Yes, that would be CJ Spiller, David Nelson, Donald Jones, TJ Graham, Marcel Dareus, Shawne Merriman, Mark Anderson, Kelvin Sheppard, Leodis McKelvin, and Bryan Scott. And the Bills have those players developed from within as well. The difference is, Buffalo cured their problem by improving both their starters and their depth by one acquisition. The Bills got new starters, which made their previous starters additions to their depth. The Jets did not make any moves other than Coples and possibly Hill, 2 young guys where you have no idea what to expect.
What pisses me off is the fact that ESPN underestimates this team, but then goes and overestimates other teams such as the Bengals who I heard in super bowl conversation on ESPN the other day. Give me a break, the bengals have on okay season, sneak into the playoffs get bounced in the first round and theyre in SB conversation? We have an easy schedule this year, and anything less than 10-6 is a failure as far as I am concerned, this team was close to winning several games they lost last season and could have made the playoffs.
its note like that at all... that is a pretty horrible analogy. for one, its not hard to improve on 2-14. second, the colts upgraded the most important position on the field with the #1 overall pick in the NFL draft. I think its a pretty safe assumption that andrew luck will outperform what the colts did at QB last season, since it was dreadful... luck being a guy who was one of college footballs best players hill outperforming what plaxico produces... not nearly as safe an assumption -- and you certainly cant flame someone for thinking he wouldnt do that in his rookie season, specifically at a position(WR) where guys tend to take a bit longer to develope. in 2 of our 3 seasons under rex we went 9-7 and 8-8. so how is someone predicting 8-8 for us such a bad predictions? also, rookies starting isnt always a good sign. especially early onw here they are likely to hit some bumps in the road. "doing well in camp" is irrelevant, doing well in regular season camps is what matters. we heard how well alot of past rookies have done in camp, only to watch them fail miserably. im nto saying we wil go 8-8... im saying its kind of stupid to bash anyone predicting it, since we havent added a ton to a team that was mediocure last season(even before the late season collapse we werent all that good) and lost some pieces that performed well. offensive line, wide out, runningback, safety, pass rush are all legitimate concerns. to deny that and knock someone for using that as a basis for us to not improve is kind of silly
I picked 12-4 The offense is going to suprise everyone, slow at first, then later in the season it will be spectacular! The defense will start strong, level off a little by mid season then come back strong at the end barring injuries. Special teams will be better than last year, will be the main reason the NYJs will stay in games. Tebow will be unstopable in the wildcat!
