Bondy: Temper Expectations
by John B on Oct 1, 2009 10:15 AM EDT
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PrintFlip Bondy says Jets fans shouldn't get too high based on their start.
You say, "How's college treating you, Al Groh?"
Consider that a cautionary quip, and not the only one available to a skeptical columnist. Jets history is filled with fast starts and silly, fitful finishes. This is the fourth time they are 3-0. The previous three teams made the playoffs exactly once, while capturing zero championships.
They were 4-0-1 under Weeb Ewbank in 1966, only to end at 6-6-2. They were 4-0 under Groh, whose 2000 Jets dropped six of their last nine. They were 8-3 last season. The only good thing - make that, the only very good thing - about that collapse was Eric Mangini's eventual migration to Cleveland, and Rex Ryan's arrival from Baltimore.
Ryan's upbeat, boisterous presence has made for the most delightful honeymoon. But you can't really blame the bookies, who looked at the Jets this week and decided they were definitely not for real. These are people with actual money on the line, and they are not about to be swept up in any sentimental Subway Super Bowl Mania.
They made the Jets 6-1/2-point underdogs at New Orleans.
I think just about every Jets fan suffers from sky is falling syndrome. Anybody who has read this blog knows I certainly do. Of course it's important to keep the start in perspective. I've said the same thing.
At the same time, I think Bondy's reasoning is poor. Rex Ryan isn't Al Groh. Ryan worked hard and paid his dues to become head coach of the Jets. Groh got the job because Bill Parcells was scrambling to find a coach he knew when Bill Belichick bolted. This isn't 2000. Just because something happened in the past doesn't mean it will happen again. Otherwise, we'd just hand the Steelers the Vince Lombardi Trophy again and not play the season.
The notion because the Jets are underdogs they're in trouble is ridiculous. How many times does an underdog win? The Jets have done it twice in those three games.
Of course, we're not even a quarter of the way through the year. Bondy's reasoning may be off, but he is right about it being too early for Super Bowl talk. What concerns you most about the Jets and their ability to maintain this hot start?
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take it easy guys
if we were playing in jersey, yall would be favorites
by DrewBreesManCrush on Oct 1, 2009 10:21 AM EDT reply actions
Ryan ain't Groh
Too bad the bookies forgot to look at the fact that this is also a “true test” for the Saints! Drew Brees has not faced a defense quite like this one this year. We get the ground game clicking, Sanchez does just enough to not lose the game, and turn the dogs loose on defense. Jets 17, Saints 10.
Lets be honest
how many Jets fans have anyone reading this talked to this week or over the past two weeks that have been talking Superbowls or anything of that sort. There is a difference between celebrating a hot start and getting carried away, and I think some of the media can’t see the line that separates them. If someone says to me, I can’t believe we are 3-0, I think we have a very good team this year, some ‘media’ would say calm down it’s only three games which is true, but it’s also a valid observation that we do have a good team and it is quite unbelievable that we are 3-0. The only people who I can honestly say need to calm down a little bit, is the media that are reading between the lines, taking fan pride in the teams accomplishment and mixing it up with unrealistic expectations. I speak to a lot of Jets fans daily, and not once over the past two weeks have I heard anyone really getting carried away and looking ahead to week 17+
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Gang Green Nation
www.ganggreennation.com
My Main Concern!
well we have seen the Jets totally kick tail the first 3 weeks, and im really psyched about the teams attitude and swagger and Rex Ryan at the Helm has been great, buy im really worried about 2 things: First: i wanna see how the team will handle adversity like losing a couple of games cuse thats usually how the implosions of the past have happened, and second: Mark Sanchez has been stellar, but what happens if he has a couple of bad games, can the team pull thru and come up with wins.
Im thrilled about the way the team is playing and hopefully the team will make the playoffs
A Jets fan in guatemala!
Audentes fortuna iuvat
A Concern I Have
Is can the ground game get back to the consistency it had last year? Lets be honest people, while the run has put up some big numbers the first couple weeks, it was off of big plays. I’d rather see consistent five yard runs than a few big runs late in the game. A consistent ground game is what’s going to win later in the season when teams figure out sanchez and find ways to exploit the defense. If we see the same rush attack all year its gonna be really tough to win those do or die games. Big numbers does not equate to a good running game, and the consistent yardage we got last year was a big reason for those wins.
The Jets were near the top of the league in sacks last year, but can anyone say there was consistent pressure? Consistent pressure and consistent running games win in the NFL, and right now all i’m seeing is the former.
I think the biggest thing that we can take from this 3-0 start is the level of competition and the consistancy that we have shown. We are 3-0, with 3 wins over quality opposition, not 3 wins like the Broncos or even the Giants have. We probably aren’t as good as the Giants, but I think we are much better than many of the pundits give us credit for. We beat the Patriots, not badly, but everyone watching knew who the better team was on that day. Yet they are still ranked higher than us on nearly every power ranking list compiled this week.
The only thing that concerns me as a Jet fan is the consistancy of the run game and the possibility of getting too hyped up for big games. I think that making the Patriots game our “Super Bowl” is good to get the team pumped, but leaves us open for trap games against lesser competition. We did good last week in proving it won’t always happen, but I think as the season wears on that possibility will be more and more likeky.
I like Jones had it spot on
most teams really are stacking the box if you go back and look at it, teams are daring Sanchez to beat them and he is, we also have to remember that the Patriots and Titans are well above average in terms of run defence, so I’m not ready to pull on the emergency cord yet. Teams are going to realise that Sanchez can beat you through the air so they won’t be able to commit as many men at the line. From what I have seen from the tape, I’m not that worried about the run game. It will come along, and I expect it to start coming along this weekend.
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Gang Green Nation
www.ganggreennation.com
People point to the lack of Playoffs and lack of championships from the Jets 3-0 teams. Since 1980 the Jets have only gotten to the AFC championship game twice and ten playoff runs in 30 years. We’ve only won the East twice.
So its not exactly the biggest pool of examples to say that the Jets when 3-0 end up being failures.
The biggest weakness I can see is the ground game
Jones is going to skip and fall his way to a 700 yard season and Leon is going to get overused. We cannot allow a situation where Sanchez has to win games through the air. I really want to see Green start to get some touches. Hell, I want to see Woodhead get some touches (if he’s still with the practice squad).
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