PonyExpress
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2006
- Messages
- 4,659
- Reaction score
- 78
So they have "revamped" to some degree the O-line, assuming Woody can handle RTackle for more than 5 games. My sense is he'll keep his weight down with a familiar face around like Mangini, but get injured by about week 7. DBrick should be a bit better. Faneca was not as bad last season as Steeler fans made it seem.
IMO the year TJones was supposed to impersonate C. Dillon and carry the Jets into the playoffs was 2007. He is already 30, and although he didn't carry the ball much early in his career, he has shouldered a heavy burden for about 5 seasons. He is not a dynamic player, more a grind it out in the box rb. L. Washignton is actually their best rb option, and if given more carries could develop into Warrick Dunn type lead back. But that won't happen in 2008. So the ground game should be decent, but not dominant, especially because no Qb on the Jet roster can stretch the field.
IMO they will go with Pennington for as long as he can stay upright. They got full of themselves and thought they could find the next Brady in Clemens, but eventually realized Clemens can't even carry Pennington's jock. They were looking for more than Pennington, and discovered there's alot worse. I actually think the best Qb on their roster is E. Ainge, though I'm sure I'm in a tiny monority.
The best comparison to Coles and Cotchery is Branch/Givens. They are solid, dependable winning players in the right situation. Baker is an underrated and underused TE in their scheme, and it looks like they have burned their bridges with the Keller pick. That is good news for Pat fans, because while Keller is a dynamic athlete, the QBs on the Jets don't have the height to deliver the ball adequately to a 6'2'' TE up the seam. What they needed was a player like Carlson, 6'5'', who although slow, provides their popgun, short Qbs with a big target.
Jenkins is probably good for one decent year, a la Ted Washington. K. Coleman and the other DEs are nothing special, but could impersonate Bobby Hamilton, which is what Mangini is looking for. The LBing corps is strong, with Harris, Pace and Gholston. Apparently they will play Pace over the TE, and Gholston on the blind side.
I was high on Gholston before the draft. I believe he will be at minimum a quality starting OLB. I see no reason to downgrade that assessment just because he's playing for the Jets. But he may not become that quality player until year 2. I don't think Pace or Gholston will be effective in coverage, because that will require a complete understanding of the scheme. if AD struggled a bit digesting it all in his 1st season with the Pats, I expect Pace and especially Gholston to have twice the growing pains. They will simplify things for Gholston and let him rush the passer, which he will do well in spurts. I can see him ending up with 9 or so sacks, while getting screened to death. Pace will get bored if he has to play the Vrabel role and shadow the TE, after making his bones as a PRusher last season.
The secondary has some above average players in Revis, an emerging star, and Rhodes, who is good but does not seem to be the dynamic blitzer he was in 2006.
Overall I would say the 2008 Jets will resemble the 2006 version more than the 2007 version. But now people know what to expect from Schottenheimer's multiple offensive sets, and are prepared to counteract them. The schedule is not brutal, and 9-7 seems like a strong possibility provided Pennignton stays healthy. If Pennignton goes down early, and Clemens has to emerge, 8-8 seems like the ceiling, with a 5-11 disaster very possible. If things start to go bad, Mangini and Sutton are not charismatic enough to keep players who have already gotten paid engaged. It could get ugly, so a fast start is crucial to stave off fat cat fatigue.
Unfortunately, 8-8 is still not bad enough to get Mangini canned. But going into 2009, no matter what happens, the Jets will have to break in a 3rd Qb, find another rb, and L. Coles will be on his last legs. Meanwhile, I see the Pats just as strong and Buffalo improving by leaps and bounds, and Parcells in his second season of rebuilding. Long term I see the Jets treading water and foundering in mediocrity. Barring some green miracle Jet fans will finish Mangini off in 2009.
IMO the year TJones was supposed to impersonate C. Dillon and carry the Jets into the playoffs was 2007. He is already 30, and although he didn't carry the ball much early in his career, he has shouldered a heavy burden for about 5 seasons. He is not a dynamic player, more a grind it out in the box rb. L. Washignton is actually their best rb option, and if given more carries could develop into Warrick Dunn type lead back. But that won't happen in 2008. So the ground game should be decent, but not dominant, especially because no Qb on the Jet roster can stretch the field.
IMO they will go with Pennington for as long as he can stay upright. They got full of themselves and thought they could find the next Brady in Clemens, but eventually realized Clemens can't even carry Pennington's jock. They were looking for more than Pennington, and discovered there's alot worse. I actually think the best Qb on their roster is E. Ainge, though I'm sure I'm in a tiny monority.
The best comparison to Coles and Cotchery is Branch/Givens. They are solid, dependable winning players in the right situation. Baker is an underrated and underused TE in their scheme, and it looks like they have burned their bridges with the Keller pick. That is good news for Pat fans, because while Keller is a dynamic athlete, the QBs on the Jets don't have the height to deliver the ball adequately to a 6'2'' TE up the seam. What they needed was a player like Carlson, 6'5'', who although slow, provides their popgun, short Qbs with a big target.
Jenkins is probably good for one decent year, a la Ted Washington. K. Coleman and the other DEs are nothing special, but could impersonate Bobby Hamilton, which is what Mangini is looking for. The LBing corps is strong, with Harris, Pace and Gholston. Apparently they will play Pace over the TE, and Gholston on the blind side.
I was high on Gholston before the draft. I believe he will be at minimum a quality starting OLB. I see no reason to downgrade that assessment just because he's playing for the Jets. But he may not become that quality player until year 2. I don't think Pace or Gholston will be effective in coverage, because that will require a complete understanding of the scheme. if AD struggled a bit digesting it all in his 1st season with the Pats, I expect Pace and especially Gholston to have twice the growing pains. They will simplify things for Gholston and let him rush the passer, which he will do well in spurts. I can see him ending up with 9 or so sacks, while getting screened to death. Pace will get bored if he has to play the Vrabel role and shadow the TE, after making his bones as a PRusher last season.
The secondary has some above average players in Revis, an emerging star, and Rhodes, who is good but does not seem to be the dynamic blitzer he was in 2006.
Overall I would say the 2008 Jets will resemble the 2006 version more than the 2007 version. But now people know what to expect from Schottenheimer's multiple offensive sets, and are prepared to counteract them. The schedule is not brutal, and 9-7 seems like a strong possibility provided Pennignton stays healthy. If Pennignton goes down early, and Clemens has to emerge, 8-8 seems like the ceiling, with a 5-11 disaster very possible. If things start to go bad, Mangini and Sutton are not charismatic enough to keep players who have already gotten paid engaged. It could get ugly, so a fast start is crucial to stave off fat cat fatigue.
Unfortunately, 8-8 is still not bad enough to get Mangini canned. But going into 2009, no matter what happens, the Jets will have to break in a 3rd Qb, find another rb, and L. Coles will be on his last legs. Meanwhile, I see the Pats just as strong and Buffalo improving by leaps and bounds, and Parcells in his second season of rebuilding. Long term I see the Jets treading water and foundering in mediocrity. Barring some green miracle Jet fans will finish Mangini off in 2009.
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