Re: Pats reign is finally over - ESPN
Hate to admit it but barring some unforseen improvements by 2nd year guys we could be in for a rough year. I don't think NY will win it all but I'd have to call them favorites for the division as of now.
Why are 2nd year improvements by the Pats players (Butler, Chung, Edelman, etc.) unforeseen? Shouldn't some of them improve significantly with a year of experience and a full offseason knowing what they are doing in the program?
Better question...why is it assumed that the Jets 2nd year players (Sanchez, Greene) will have significant leaps in productivity this year? Sanchez had "minor" surgery and still isn't running 2 months later. His target went from full participation in the offseason program to being ready for the start of training camp.
As for Greene, you really don't know how he will react with full-time responsibilities. While it seems to be a universal opinion that he had a great rookie season, it was really a rollercoaster. He did really well against the Raiders and in the last 2 games against Indy/Cincy. Hard to evaluate using those games because he was likely running against teams not giving max effort (look at the Raider tape...they checked out early in that game). Other than that, Greene had about 60 carries for a 4 ypc clip and no TDs. In the playoffs, he did well against a terrible Cincy team and was averaging under 3.5 ypc against SD until his new teammate Cromartie escorted him to the end zone for the clinching TD. Against Indy, he didn't make much of an impact and really wasn't used much once the Jets got the lead.
I actually like Greene, but I'm not sure what to expect as his carries go from around 100 to closer to 300. He gives high effort but isn't a burner and will take a lot of hits. Expecting Greene and LdT to give you 2000 yards may be a stretch.
Sanchez is the key though. If the running game isn't as prolific in 2010, then Sanchez will need to win some games. In 18 starts, he has exactly one game with 20 completions (and lost) but 5 games with at least 2 completions to the wrong team (all losses).
The Pats have a ton of young players that could step up big this year. Around a third of their roster after the draft picks are made. If even a handful make a big leap forward, the Pats are significantly upgraded from 2009. The Jets have only 2 and they are at two of the most visible and impacting positions for them. If both of them don't make huge strides in 2010, the Jets season will almost certainly be a disappointment.
