I couldn't agree more. Frankly, I am surprised at someone like Gunnails even thinking that "anymore it always seems like the Jets are always a few steps ahead." Usually he's more realistic and reserved.
I am not, nor have I ever been 'afraid that we're falling behind' the NYJ. All they've done is gotten back to proving themselves as a rival. The past 2 years they've basically backed in the playoffs as a wild-card, and they surely didn't have any kind of stretch run that was decent. IIRC, they were very close (PIT game) to finishing 1-4 in the last 5 of the season, and practically missing the WC spot entirely. The Pats still won the division both yrs, and they still beat the hell out of them 45-3 late in the season.
I give the NYJ credit for being able to play with heightened emotion, and that was more than proven in the divisional game vs NE (not to mention a very good gameplan). Playing with emotion is important, particularly in the playoffs, so if they do return I consider them a very worthy oppenent. I do not think they have either the offense nor the defense to go 'all the way,' and they will be continuously let down.
All they have done is won divisional playoff games as a WC--and granted that is something we have not been able to do, so props to them on that. However, that is much different from their continous babbling about being the future 'SB champs.' They need help on both sides of the ball to do that, not to mention have gotten basically nowhere in the draft.
The NYJ have done absolutely nothing at all to set themselves up for a future run at anything, and will quickly be back to a 10-6/9-7 team again. Their play on emotion will only carry them so far, especially if their built for now mentality catches up to them this upcoming year. As I said, they have done nothing but prove themselves a worthwhile divisional rival, and although they have proven themselves quite capable of beating NE--so has Miami in yrs past, and their not winning any SB's any time soon either.
Kudos to the Jets, for playing us tough (and flat out beating NE) again...however, they are far from being a SB quality team, and are even farther from being a competitive team of the future. Anyone who thinks that the AFCE goes through them is incredibly short-sighted and downright delusional.