FanPost

What a Difference a Year Makes

2013 was the most enjoyable non-playoff season I have experienced in my 35 years as a Jets fan. After rolling into the offseason feeling optimistic about our young overachieving blue collar team going 8-8, the confidence rating in John Idzik’s plan for "sustainable success" was through the roof.

In less than 9 months John had cleared a messy cap situation and turned a damaged and greedy Darrelle Revis into the DROY, clear corner stone player and best player in 2013 Draft Sheldon Richardson, and a 3rd or 4th round pick while saving 13 million in annual cap space. His draft included our starting QB Geno Smith and future #1 CB Dee Milliner who both seemed to turn the corner in a big way during the last quarter of the season. Brian Winters surely had to improve with experience after converting from OT. Jets fans would trade a 4th for Chris Ivory every year. 5 legit starters in a weak draft and 3 at premium positions QB, CB and DE to boot. He played the draft like a master. Could it be that we have a guy who was a key in building the soon to be Superbowl Champs? Do we have the guy who is the perfect partner/mentor for our beloved players coach?

We project forward as we watch the Seahawks executing the blueprint. Young, exciting, hard hitting defense; physical rushing attack and a dual threat day two QB lead by our enthusiastic players coach who bleeds Jet green.

Armed with massive cap space and 12 draft picks in the deepest draft in recent memory we finally have the guy with the vision to lead us. No quick fixes. No succumbing to public and owner pressure to dominate the back page.

After fixing WR and CB in free agency our GM with the Midas touch was going to draft starters, core rotational players and key special teamers. With all these picks in this deep draft a late round gem or two was reasonable. Rex and Marty would have the horses to fully implement their systems. Tom Brady was another year older, Gronk was breaking down and Bellichik has blown draft after draft. The Dolphins were in the throes of chaos and the Bills were err umm the Bills. We were at the dawn of witnessing our beloved J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS seize the division for the forseeable future!!!!!

Only on the road to multiple Lombardi Trophies our leader over-drafted his last 10 selections, Dee was never healthy, we exited free agency in worse shape at DB than we entered and Geno and Winters regressed.

This was compounded by Marty demonstrating some of the worst playing calling executed since the Paul Hackett days. If you don’t believe it was that bad re-watch that Packers game. Averaging nearly 8 yards per carry lets decide to show Michael Vick in slot on a goal to go situation to give teams something to think about. Now let’s send him in motion to throw cold while rolling out. Three minutes left in half lets show that Vick is slot look again on 2nd and 3. No reason at 21-10 to play our base offense that was chewing up clock and maybe taking one strategic downfield shot. Let’s be cute and put ourselves into clock stopped third down situation. Let’s give Aaron Rodgers enough time to put up a quick seven for 21-17 and a huge momentum swing. I could go on for days about Marty but in a specific game this one had me questioning practically every call. Then he topped it off with the timeout fiasco. How many times did we see Percy, Decker, Kerley, Amaro, CJ, Ivory and even Salas/Cumberland types yoyo from being suddenly featured to being invisible? This would be explained away as game specific planning versus individual growth towards being complementary components of a balanced attack.

As much as we love Rex there is no excuse for the misuse of Antonio Allen and Quinton Coples, the stunted development of Calvin Pryor so Landry could play close to the LOS and the criminal workload Dee was given in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of that same Packers game and use on ST. Rex can scheme with the best of them when he has the personnel but this staff was exposed for their weaknesses in both player development and situational game management. Mo and Sheldon were going to be successful anywhere between the their approach and the gifts with which they have been blessed. In the end Rex and his defensive coaches haven't developed one legitimate LB or DB.

In the aftermath of the worst season since Rich Kotite had the keys to the kingdom the only logical conclusion is cleaning house and starting over.

WOW, what a difference a year makes…


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