Will bust as an "Over Hyped" "Team" and actually miss the playoffs for the first time in a long time. And I won't sit here and lie, as a Jet fan... I'm gonna be loving it.
Now I know every team has bad luck with injuries, and as a fan it's annyoying when it happens to be big name players, just ask the Jets who went 4-12 with an injured Chad... The Patriots have lost two key players that were leaders of that Defense in each and every playoff and superbowl run.
R.Seymour will be hard to replace, yea Jarvis Green is actually more than an average backup DE, but at the same time... As a Jet fan... He's no R.Seymour, not even close. Not only can R.Seymour get after the QB with the best of em, he at times can help contain if not shut down the run by finding a way to get past the D-Line, He can play LB, DT, DE, he's been a play-maker for this NE Defense for quite some time in my eyes.. At first I was worried about Seymour going up against one of our younger offensive O-Lineman in Ferguson from the left side, with J.Green now starting I honestly feel that the Brick can do more than just hold his own.
R.Harrison? I guess all those cheap shots and late hits from Harrison all through his playing career wasnt because he was actually a dirty player, I now feel it was simply something we call "Roid Rage". But at the same time, he was honestly a leader of that Defense who would make the tough hits and the tough tackles that made him a great Safety for many of years in that Defensive backfield. Will teams still be nervious about passing through the middle of the field as of right now? Maybe not. Call me crazy, but the Patriots Defense may just feel a strong impact from the loss of 2 leaders and 2 all pro type players for a good 6 weeks, if not longer. R.Seymour was the leader on that D-Line with Wilfork and Warren and R.Harrison was the leader of that secondary with A.Samuels. Is A.Samules even ready to start this week?
The loss of C.Dillon may just hurt this NE Patriots rushing attack... He may have lost a step or two, but he was one player who could always get that extra 2-3 yards and be that work-house that every great team needs to set up the pass. One thing about Dillon, I seen it all last year, he would help tire down the Defense and L.Maroney would benefit alot by the smash mouth style of play from Dillon. Can Maroney stay healthy? Can Maroney make it through a full 16 game season as the feature back? Who knows, maybe so... But as a Jets fan, I know one thing... The loss of Dillon may just slow down the progression of Maroney.
The Montana-Rice and Manning-Harrison connection has been so great and in my eyes it's all based on timing, trust, chemestry, and feel for the WR's... Look at Manning and Harrison, have you ever seen the way they practice with eachother before games? As far as Brady-Moss goes, I really dont feel Moss is the Moss from his days with the Vikings, and I just dont feel that Brady will take the league by storm like alot of NE fans think.
Stallworth is nothing more than a deep threat who may pull a hammy when going for a Tom Brady hail marry. I know one thing, Moss and Stallworth are not the recievers to ask to make that tough 3rd and 8, or that tough catch in the middle of the field in crutial situations. Welker may just be the best WR on this team.
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Lat season the Patriots only finished 2 games above the Jets in the AFC East standing.
Last season we made the playoffs with Kevin Barlow, D.Blaylock, and C.Houston as our runningbacks... lmao. This year we have a 1-2 punch in Thomas Jones and Leon Washington who can take it for a huge gain each and every time he gets the ball in the flats.
Last season we had 2 rookies on the O-Line in Ferguson and Mangold. I know one thing, I'v had a chance to see a great HOC Center play in his prime in Kevin Mayae, and with Mangold... Bare injury, this kid is a future pro-bowl center for years to come. Last season Brickashaw Ferguson made some rookie mistakes at times, which is expected and in the NFL, rookies who start right away will make mistakes... But as a fan I can say this... We drafted a Franchise LT, and that 4th pick in round one was well spent.
As far as WR's go... We have Pocket A's if you ask me. Coles in one of the toughest WR's to play the position in a long time, and a player who will get his 1,000 yards recieving each and every year. J.Cotchery came into his own last year as a first year starter, much before the late TD in the 4th Quarter vs New England... This kid broke almost each and every record set by T.Holt while playing at UNC, dont ask me why Herm Edwards had this kid on the bench for 2 seasons... Dont ask me.
Last season we actually made the playoffs with a rookie HC in Eric Mangini (Thanks alot BB and the whole Patriots front office)along with a first year OC in Martys boy.
Last year we also made the playoffs in our first year running the 3-4 under Mangini after so many years in the 4-3 with Herm Edwards. We even had Kimo as our starting DE, guess what? He's been cut. This year players such as Vilma, Ellis, Robertson, Barton, Hobson and B.Thomas will all be in thier 2nd year under the 3-4 and with the addition of David Harris, I look for our front 7 to be alot better stopping the run...
This year we went and brang is a proven work horse in Thomas Jones, we drafted the best CB out of the draft in D.Revis who has looked great in preseason (First CB drafted by the Jets since Aaron Glenn) And we also drafted D.Harris out of Michigan in the 2nd round where most draft experts say he was the 2nd best MLB in the draft (And he played a 3-4 D) and a for sure 1st round talent.
With C.Baker being who is a solid TE, Chad Pennington will have alot of options on the O-Side of the ball... We just need our O-Line to work as a better unit coming into it's 2nd season working together. This has been Chads first offseason in over 3 years where he has actually been healthy. Say what you want about Chad, but he knows how to manage a game, he knows how to win, and he had 2 recievers last season with NO RUN GAME almost with 1,000 yards recieving... Well Cotch actually missed 1,000 by a small number.
Not to forget... But we also have one the best secondarys in the AFC as of right now with Dyson, Revis, Miller(Who is one of the best KR's in the game today) and Barrett as our 4 CB's and E.Coleman and K.Rhodes as our safetys, Look at E.Reeds stats, and look at K.Rhodes stats from last year... And tell me who should have been in the pro bowl?
Call me crazy all you want... Jets only finished 2 games behind the Pats last year for the AFC East... We are 10 times better this year with year 2 under Mangini that as a Jet fan, it's not even funny. Just dont think that you all will run away with this division... Because i'm telling you now... Jets will be the AFC East champions... It's then up to the Pats to fight for the Wilcard. Last year we had to fight for the wild card and win 3 games str8 to make the playoffs... This year it's the Patriots turn.
