It’s never too early to preview the upcoming season.
Here’s the Buffalo News’ take on the Jets:
New York Jets coach Rex Ryan obviously is not an advocate of the public relations mantra “Undersell and overdeliver.”
Ryan overdelivered in his first year as the Jets’ coach in 2009. But he’s not underselling after his team’s blockbuster offseason moves in 2010. “I came here to win,” Ryan said the week after the NFL draft. “I didn’t come here to be average. I know I’m going to be judged on whether I win a championship, and I’m man enough to go for it, where a lot of other guys aren’t.”
Ryan calls the Jets “an outstanding football team. When we get to playing, we’ll be just fine. We plan on being the team that wins the whole thing.”
The Jets look like the pretraining camp favorites of what has become a beastly AFC East division. Coming off a surprising playoff run to the AFC title game, New York added former NFL interception champion Antonio Cromartie to its defense and former Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Santonio Holmes to its offense.
More good news for the Jets: They will be rolling in new money with the opening of their new stadium.
I’m not sure about that new money part, as we here in New York have seen how difficult it’s been to sell the PSLs. But I do like what I hear from Ryan. I’ve criticized him in the past because there are times when you’d like to see the Jets tone it down a bit, but I have no problem with him saying he’s here to win a championship, and that he won’t settle for anything less. He’s admitting that the talent is there, that it’s on his shoulders to put it all together. What’s wrong with that?
More about the Jets from the Buffalo News:
Key gains: CB Antonio Cromartie (Chargers), WR Santonio Holmes (Steelers), LB Jason Taylor (Dolphins), RB LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers), CB Kyle Wilson (Boise State), G Vlad Ducasse (Massachusetts), K Nick Folk (Cowboys).
Key losses: RB Thomas Jones (Chiefs), G Alan Faneca (Cards), RB Leon Washington (Seahawks), S Kerry Rhodes (Cardinals), CB Lito Sheppard (Vikings), K Jay Feeley (Cardinals).
Breakdown: Cromartie, added for a third-round pick in 2011, looks good because he doesn’t have to be the No. 1 corner. Holmes is one foul-up from being suspended for a year. He’s suspended the first four games. But he caught 79 passes last year and he’s in a contract year. The Jets gave up only a fifth-round pick to get him. Worried that Jones had reached the decrepit age of 31 for a running back, the Jets handed the job to young Shonn Greene.
Questions: Can Ryan light a fire under Cromartie, who underachieved the last two years? Can Ducasse fill Faneca’s giant shoes? Can Tomlinson get a spring in his step? Can LB Vernon Ghoulston avoid getting cut? Can Rhodes be replaced?
Click here to read the paper’s AFC East preview.
Didn’t know you wrote this blog, too! From one Jets hooligan to another, I don’t think Lito Sheppard was that big a loss. He caught passes like he had vaseline on his hands. As much as I liked Faneca (and he had the numbers backing him up for a while), his last couple of years he was faltering. I think Ducasse can absolutely take his place and do an amazing job. I am sorry to see Leon Washington go. I thought they were going to keep him around. Shonn Greene is one to watch. I can’t wait for the season to start.
Comment by Melissa — June 27th, 2010 @ 8:16 am
Good for you, Melissa! To be perfectly honest, I grew up a Cowboys fan and was a beat reporter for the Giants, but I’ve always followed, and liked, the Jets.
Should be a fun season. Thanks for reading.
Comment by Charles Costello — June 27th, 2010 @ 8:47 am