By STEVE SERBY July 23, 2006 -- An offseason of upheaval led to the departure of Herman Edwards to Kansas City and the demotion of GM Terry Bradway, first to scout, more recently to director of player personnel. Woody Johnson, craving the Patriots Way, handed the keys to his kingdom to Generation Jets - Eric Mangini, the rookie head coach who would be Bill Belichick, and Mike Tannenbaum, the rookie GM who would be Scott Pioli - which means that for the 38th consecutive season there will be no Super Bowl championship for the Jets. Here are the five most intriguing issues for the Jets as they open camp: An offseason of upheaval led to the departure of Herman Edwards to Kansas City and the demotion of GM Terry Bradway, first to scout, more recently to director of player personnel. Woody Johnson, craving the Patriots Way, handed the keys to his kingdom to Generation Jets - Eric Mangini, the rookie head coach who would be Bill Belichick, and Mike Tannenbaum, the rookie GM who would be Scott Pioli - which means that for the 38th consecutive season there will be no Super Bowl championship for the Jets. Here are the five most intriguing issues for the Jets as they open camp: CHAD'S COMEBACK They'll have to cut off Chad Pennington's rotator-cuffed right arm before this guy stops fighting. It would be folly to expect him to be the 2002 Chad Pennington who inspired comparisons to a young Joe Montana. That ship has sailed. But bet against him at your own peril. Following a second shoulder surgery, he won't have to rush his way back, the way he did a year ago, and Mangini, if forced at gunpoint, would concede Pennington has an advantage over Patrick Ramsey in the leadership and intangible departments. Second-rounder Kellen Clemens is the quarterback of the future, but with a pair of rookies on the offensive line, there's no sense in letting him take a beating in the present. Barring a summer setback, look for No. 10 to be under center Sept. 10 at Tennessee. MARTIN'S MILEAGE Curtis Martin has made a living defying odds, but this time he's 33 and coming off a 735-yard season after 10 straight over the 1,000 mark. Curiously, the Jets waited until the fourth round before drafting a running back, Leon Washington. That means Martin, who has been rehabbing from December knee surgery, will have to summon every ounce of his immense iron will and pride to give the Jets a respectable ground game with Cedric Houston and Derrick Blaylock little more than bit players. RUSH HOUR DE Shaun Ellis is the only hope for double-digit sacks, and he'll draw more double-teams with John Abraham in Atlanta. Kimo von Oelhoffen? He's recorded 251/2 sacks over 12 NFL seasons. Dewayne Robertson? Mangini doesn't even know whether he's a fit at NT or DE in the new 3-4 defense. MAN-GENIUS? Whoa. Let's not forget that Bill Belichick wasn't Bill Belichick when he started as head coach in Cleveland. Mangini did, however, have the benefit of learning at the feet of both Belichick and Bill Parcells. He does not, however, have Belichick's staff: an offensive coordinator like Charlie Weis and a defensive coordinator like Romeo Crennel. Brian Schottenheimer, 32, is his rookie OC and Sutton is his rookie DC. At 35, Mangini may be the youngest head coach in the league, but he's smart, tough, disciplined and all football all the time. New York won't scare him. And he'll remind the media of Belichick in that he won't reveal anything about the operation. Many will be yearning for the good, old days under Sermon Edwards. Mangini's player blueprint: "Smart, tough, hard-working, competitive guys that are selfless and guys that football's important to." Tannenbaum has promised to look under every rock for these kind of guys. Lots of rocks to go. HAUNTED BY DRAFT Matt Leinart didn't have the arm to cut through the Giants Stadium winds, and although Page Six might have welcomed him with open arms, Mangini doesn't want his QB plastered over the gossip pages canoodling with Paris Hilton. The Saints wanted a boatload for Reggie Bush, but Mangini and Tannenbaum opted to rebuild their offensive line with LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson and C Nick Mangold. Reggie Heisman is a once-in-a-generation player who would have given the Jets a box-office gamebreaker/difference-maker. The Jets lack speed at wide receiver, they're still waiting on TEs Chris Baker and Doug Jolley and punter Ben Graham is the early odds-on favorite to be team MVP. The good news is the best players will play in Camp Land Of Opportunity. The bad news is there aren't enough best players. http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/ready__jet__go__jets_steve_serby.htm
The truth is, there is no telling how we are going to do this year. I firmly believe that success in this game has as much to do with determination and desire as it does with talent and skill. This is why some 6th round guys occasionally end up as Superbowl MVP. If the new coaching staff is preaching to the choir, and instills a killer instinct, then there is no reason for us not to have a respectable season. Do I think we'll win the SB?, no, but 8-8 or 9-7 would sure go a long way toward respectability.
An 8-8 season would have me skipping all offseason...That would be a TREMENDOUS way to begin a rebuilding team. BUT, the cold hard facts almost guarantee that we go 5-11 or 6-10. Bill Bellichick went 5-11 his first year with the Pats, Romeo Crennel went 6-10 with Cleveland his first year. Even if we do have a losing record I will be ok with it as long as they play like a better team by the end of the year.
if chad rebounds, and is atleast 90% of what he was and thats a big if, and if curtis can get 1000 yards this season I think this team can be 7-9 or 8-8
Im thinking that took serby about 5 minutes to write? thank you captain obvious. that man is a complete toolbag assclown
HAUNTED BY DRAFT The Jets would have had to give up the present, the future, and a firstborn child to get Bush. I guess Serby pulled off the trade in Madden, so it must be a good idea.
Screw Serby, he is probably just pissed that the head coach of the NYJ is no longer kissing his ass -
Serby's long overdue for another lockerroom throat choke/head slam. Someone step on it and get Richard Todd on the horn. If he isn't nursing yet another "turf toe" he got courtesy of his own livingroom carpet, I'm sure he'd be glad to oblige.
Disagree with RB assesment I think that Houston will be alot more than an afterthought in the running game this season.
What? Finally Serby is also wising up & not saying we are going to be SB champs. Well if he can change his stripes there is hope for some of us here. H'mmm only 38 years since our last CHAMPIONSHIP & still counting makes you wonder what our owners/management/CS has been doing all these years. You do realize that 38 years represents over 10,000 days since we were the elite of the elite?
