SB Nation - Leon Washington

Jets 26 Buccaneers 3: Flying High Again

John B — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:02:58 -0000

More photos » by Chris O'Meara - AP

The Jets are somehow back in the Playoff mix after their 26-3 victory today over the Bucs in Tampa. Gang Green is riding a 3 game winning streak and is back over .500 at 7-6. The last month of this season could get very, very interesting. This performance rivals the Houston and Oakland games in terms of domination.

More after the jump.

The Good:

The Defense: We'll definitely profile some of the outstanding individual performers, but this was just an excellent defensive effort. Tampa's only 3 points came as the result of a personal foul on Bart Scott on which the officials arguably should have thrown an offsetting flag on the Bucs. The blitz packages had Josh Freeman's head spinning and overwhelmed Tampa's offensive line. Freeman was 14 for 33 with 93 yards and 3 interceptions. The Bucs didn't have a first down until the third quarter. They ended with 6 and 124 total yards. This was domination.

Jay Feely: Feely was money today. He hit 4 out of 5 field goals. One was from 40 yards, and a pair were from 49. Feely's kicking helped the Jets put the game away even as their offense struggled to advance deep into Tampa Bay territory.

Calvin Pace: He was constantly running free and finished with 7 tackles and a sack.

Darrelle Revis: Another dominant performance by the game's best corner. Antonio Bryant had 2 catches for 22 yards. Revis had an interception that just about iced the game and broke up a few passes.

Mike Westhoff: A fourth successful fake punt this year deserves kudos. It was the third variety of fake punt the team has run. Apparently the Bucs didn't pick it up on film.

Danny Woodhead: 3 catches for 35 yards. I'm really liking the idea of having him as a third down back and replacing Leon Washington a bit as a receiving threat out of the backfield.

The Tiger Formation: I made that name up, but it's what we'll call the Wildcat package for Brad Smith. Smith only had 16 yards on 5 carries, but getting the ball into the hands of a playmaker in the open field is a good idea and at least gives upcoming opponents something to notice on film and spend time preparing for. Smith had a 21 yard punt return. I'd like to see him out there instead of Jerricho Cotchery. He's more apt to make guys miss. I know he doesn't have great hands as a receiver and would seem to be more of a turnover risk, but catching a punt is different from catching a pass.

Thomas Jones: Another big stat line against an opponent that was gameplanning to stop him. TJ had 99 yards on 24 carries and 2 touchdowns.

The Bad:

Kellen Clemens: The best thing you could say is that he avoided a catastrophic mistake, finishing with no turnovers. In other words, he was lucky that Tampa Bay's offense was no inept because he didn't make any plays. This was bad any way you slice it. This is a bad defense that was loading up to stop the run. Kellen only hit 12 of 23 passes for 111 yards and looked lost aside from a brief period in the second half. He left plays on the field. He wasn't making decisions quickly enough. When he found a receiver, his throws were wildly inaccurate. His mechanics were a mess. He struggled with all but the most basic throws, and even some of them were an adventure.

A lot of us (and I include myself in that number) have been making excuses for Kellen for four years. He was young and inexperienced. He wasn't supposed to play. His offensive line was terrible. The team never gave him a chance. He's out of excuses. By this point, if he was ever going to be a player in this league, he would have shown some sign of it. It's sad to say because from what I hear you'll never meet a more genuinely good person. However, I don't see how Kellen finds a job in the NFL after this season.

Shonn Greene: That would be three fumbles in six games. When the ball is getting punched out from behind like that, it's a sign you're carrying it way too loosely. The Jets are going to have to start taking carries away from him. Even though he's been productive, it's becoming too much of a turnover risk.

Mike Westhoff: Westhoff got credit for the fake punt. He also has to take heat for the onside kick. It's been obvious the up men have been leaving too early all year. It almost cost them against Jacksonville. It hasn't been corrected at all. The Jets had no shot of recovering that kick because their men were so far down the field.

Three down, three to go. Nobody can say for sure how this thing will end. One thing is for sure. The Jets have shown a lot of character this year. It would have been easy to pack it in after the midseason swoon. The way they have continued to fight and get themselves back into this position says a lot good.

Jets Flight Connections 121009

dvdvil — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:15:55 -0000

HC Rex Ryan decided that QB Mark Sanchez will not play this Sunday. Rich Cimini reminds us that he thought of it first.

Fellow rookie and first round pick QB Matthew Stafford will not start either.

Fellow rookie and first round pick QB Josh Freeman is getting ready for the Jets game.

The Buccaneers have their work cut out for them, and having WR Michael Clayton might help.

The state of the upcoming opponent had nothing to do with the Sanchize being inactive. Attached to Dave Hutchinson's article are videos of Rex, Mark and back-up QB Kellen Clemens.

Hofstra product and Tampa Bay HC Raheem Morris knows the Jets just plan to run the ball anyway.

Clemens will get another chance to start, possibly his last shot to show what he can do. WR Braylon Edwards compares Kellen's situation to Browns QB Derek Anderson's experience.

The Jets and the Giants are keeping New York somewhat optimistic.

Former Giants RB Tiki Barber thought Mark would be okay to play.

Speaking of RBs, I once again urge you to vote early and vote often for Thomas Jones for FedEx Ground Player of the Week.

And again, you can send CB Darrelle Revis and other Jets all-stars to Miami by voting them in the ProBowl.

More connections after the jump.

Here is a nice summation of the Jets' clearest path to the playoffs.

ESPN.com says the Jets are in good position with their running backs.

RB Leon Washington is a big bargain. Browns HC Eric Mangini thinks highly of him.

Do the Jets actually have "the best front seven" out of the top five defensive teams right now?

This article names Darrelle Revis as Defensive Player of the Week.

This blogger compares Revis to 1994 Defensive Player of the Year Deion Sanders.

This blogger, for some reason, compares and contrasts the Jets to the Cowboys over the years.

Even K Jay Feely should have a productive Sunday for fantasy football. Pick Thomas Jones for your running back this week, as well as the Jets defense.

This article mentions Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew's no-TD play against New York, as well as his experience with Jets fans.

University of Washington QB Jake Locker looks at Mark Sanchez's decision to turn pro.

Even though Patriots QB Tom Brady recently became a daddy, he still made it to work on time, unlike these guys.

New England activated DL Titus Adams, who used to be on the Jets practice squad.

San Diego activated DT Antonio Garay, who used to be on the Jets practice squad.

Miami LBs Jason Taylor and Joey Porter did not practice.

Bills WR Terrell Owens says, "Just shoot me."

And lastly, here is a video of the Jets defensive players talking about their squad:

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Buffalo Bills Run Offense

John B — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:00:26 -0000

by Dean Duprey - AP

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The Jets lost Kris Jenkins in the first game, leaving a void on the defensive line for the rest of the year. The defense really stepped up in games against teams with powerful running attacks like Miami and Carolina. The Bills aren't on the same level. They're averaging a pedestrian 4.1 per run and only gain 104.6 per game, not terrible but on the bottom half of the NFL.

Fred Jackson is now the starter for the Bills. He's more dangerous than Marshawn Lynch. Think of him as Leon Washington to Lynch's Thomas Jones. Jackson is very quick, capable of making guys miss in space, and a threat as a pass catcher out of the backfield. His 4.2 average per carry is over a yard better than that of Lynch, who started his year suspended and never really got things going.

A good chunk of the blame should go on the run blocking. Lynch is good at hitting holes. Buffalo has been terrible at opening them. The Bills tried to revamp their offensive line during the offseason. lnjuries have played a role, but even without them things have looked bad. Geoff Hartinger was supposed to bring veteran stability to the center positon. His play has been uneven. Rookie guard Eric Wood was doing well, but he's on IR, replaced by unremarkable Kirk Chambers. Other rookie guard Andy Levitre has gone through ups and a lot of downs. Tackles Jonathan Scott and Demetrius Bell have been flagged a combined 15 times in 12 combined starts. Bell will sit this one out with a knee injury, leaving Jamon Meredith likely in his place. We all know the Jets don't have many playmakers on the line, but this matchup is a favorable one.

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

sireric — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:00:23 -0000

Buffalo Bills (4-7) vs New York Jets (5-6)
Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 8:20 PM EST
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Woot! A Thursday night game! As this is a Thursday night game this week, I probably should have had this up sooner, but I didn't even think of that until just now, so that is why this gets posted now.

These two teams have a long history against each other, dating all the way back to 1960 when they first met. Fast forward 50 years, and this will be meeting No. 99 between these two franchises. The Bills hold the edge 54-44 all time, including a stretch from 1987 to 1992 where the Bills won ten straight games. The last five meetings between these two teams in Buffalo are after the jump.

Sunday, November 7, 2004: Bills 22, Jets 17
In what seems to be a common theme in Bills/Jets games, the Bills ground out 157 yards on the ground, spearheaded by Willis McGahee's 132 yards on 37 attempts - one for a touchdown. When the Bills have big days running the football against the Jets, they normally win. Lee Evans added a touchdown catch and Rian Lindell kicked two field goals; Big Pat Williams even tackled Curtis Martin in the end-zone for a safety. For the Jets, Chad Pennington got knocked out of the game, and former Cowboy Quincy Carter had to finish up. Carter hit Santana Moss for a 51-yard touchdown to make it close late, but the Bills held on for the win.

Sunday, October 16, 2005: Bills 27, Jets 17
Another Bills win over the Jets, another 177 rushing yards from Buffalo. McGahee was once again the workhorse with 143 yards on 29 attempts and a touchdown. Kelly Holcomb added two touchdown passes, one each to Jonathan Smith and Eric Moulds to help pace the Bills' scoring. This time, the Bills had Vinny Testaverde to go against, and the speed rushers of the Bills took advantage. (Please note use of sarcasm.) Ryan Denney (2.0), Tim Anderson (1.0), Sam Adams (1.0), and Angelo Crowell (1.0) all recorded sacks for the Bills.

Sunday, September 24, 2006: Jets 28, Bills 20
The Bills controlled time of possession and moved up and down the field with ease, but turnovers and costly penalties killed them. The Bills ran for 169 yards, once again led by Willis McGahee (who finished with 150 yards), and J.P. Losman even passed for 328 yards. A Victor Hobson fumble return for a touchdown and a key Losman interception gave the Jets the win. Chris Kelsay picked up the lone Bills sack.

Sunday, September 30, 2007: Bills 17, Jets 14
This was the starting debut of Trent Edwards. With the Bills holding a slim 10-7 lead halfway through the fourth quarter, Dick Jauron shows lots of faith in his young QB by going for it on a fourth and one. Jauron's faith was rewarded when Edwards hit Michael Gaines in the end zone for some much-needed insurance points. Less then four minutes later, Leon Washington crossed the goal line for the Jets to pull the Jets to within three points, but the Bills' defense would hold on for the win.

Sunday, November 2, 2008: Jets 26, Bills 17
After Jay Feely hit a field goal for the Jets, the Bills came back with a Derek Fine touchdown pass from Edwards to make it 7-3. It was all downhill from there. Feely hit two more field goals and Abram Elam's 92-yard pick six put the game away for the Jets. The Bills rushed for only 30 yards, and Kris Jenkins singlehandedly shut down the Bills' running game. Jabari Greer added a 42-yard pick six to make it look a little more respectable.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/1

MattRichWarren — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:14:24 -0000

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Lynch Fine With Back Seat Role
"I feel good. It feels good to come home and get a win in the fashion that we did," said Marshawn Lynch. "It's all right. If I could sit down and watch Fred (Jackson) do his thing, then that's what I'm going to do. As long as we get wins, I'm satisfied."

Veteran Florence proving a valuable pickup : The Buffalo News
"Drayton Florence is doing his talking on the field this season, and his performance says he is rehabilitating his career."

Bills Announce Thursday's Game in Toronto Is A Sellout | WGRZ.com
The Buffalo Bills announced late Monday evening, the game against the New York Jets in Toronto on Thursday is officially a sellout and the game will be televised locally (in Buffalo - NOT Rochester).

Fitzpatrick helps Bills finish | BuffaloBills.com
"In winning his sixth game as an NFL starter, Fitzpatrick led four touchdown drives on 17-26 passing for 246 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also capped a scoring drive with a 31-yard run—the longest rush by a quarterback in team history."

Bills replay: Run defense stiffens : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The rushing defense didn't look great in the first half but that changed in the second when they clamped down on Ricky Williams.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Home of the Buffalo Sabres - Levy and Thomas reunite on air
Former Bills head coach Marv Levy joined Thurman Thomas and The Bulldog on Buffalo Football Monday's Extra Point show, and Levy touched on a number of topics and memories.

Buffalo Bills Replay: Has team turned corner? | Democrat and Chronicle
Leo Roth and Sal Maiorana take a look back at the Dolphins game giving their feedback.

Buffalo Bills give Fred Jackson chance to be No. 1 RB | Democrat and Chronicle
"We need two running backs and he needs to get started and he needs his carries," said Fred Jackson. "I know he's the feature back and that's who they want to try to get rolling, but yeah, anybody in my situation wants the ball. You want to help the team as much as possible."

Food for Perry | Democrat and Chronicle | Three-Point Stance
Sal Maiorana gives his opinions on Perry Fewell and other events surrounding the Miami game.

Six from Sunday: Questionable calls prove costly
"The Dolphins' Wildcat pass from the 3-yard line in the opening drive of their loss to Buffalo is a play the Fish would love to have back. The play resulted in an interception, after Miami had rushed five times for 32 yards (6.4 average) to reach the 3"

Buffalo Bills | NFL at CBSSports.com
Bills interim coach Perry Fewell has quickly won over his team with his energetic approach. "He's the type of guy that has come in and gotten everybody behind him," DT Marcus Stroud said. "We want to play ball and ... we're trying to build up some wins."

Week 12 Morning Aftermath | ProFootballTalk.com
Mike Florio thinks that "Under Fewell, the Bills are dangerous." He continues saying, "It's easy to have big gonads when there's no real danger of getting them cut off."

No pads practices this week – Inside The Bills
"We will have walk-through practices, they won’t be padded full-speed practices because you’re coming off a game on Sunday," said Fewell. "And so we must try to keep our players fresh but give them good information."

BillBoard: Porter & Fish LBs | Buffalo News
"This will sound odd, but even though Miami linebacker Joey Porter had 2.5 sacks in Sunday's game against the Bills, he did not play a great game."

Oh Snap! Guess What I Saw? | The Goose's Roost
"Fewell may not be the guy, but he’s making Russ Brandon and Co.’s decision a little bit tougher every day. It’s hard not to root for him."

Niagara Gazette - BILLS DVR REWIND: Defense kept Buffalo in Sunday's win
Tim Schmitt rewatches the game and thinks the Bills defense is what won the game - not the offense.

Inpspired Bills down Dolphins | Olean Times Herald
"BUT THE real winner was Fewell who the players have embraced for his upbeat personality, positive attitude and willingness to get in their faces if needed," says Chuck Pollack.

Bills/Dolphins notebook: A record run for Fitzpatrick; Lindell redeems himself
Notes from the Bills’ 31-14 win over the Dolphins on Sunday afternoon at "The Ralph:"

Bills hope to get warmer reception in Toronto - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
John Wawrow talks with Brian Moorman and Rogers Communications' Adrian Montgomery about the upcoming game north of the border.

Anything But | The Goose's Roost
Ryan knows it's better for the Bills if they lose but, like me, can't bring himself to root against Buffalo.

Kubiak must go, the amazing Colts, coaching blunders - Don Banks - SI.com
"If the Bills can't land one of the big-name coaching candidates they've pursued, they could do a lot worse than retain Fewell, who at least has his guys playing impressively early on in his seven-game audition."

Stock Watch: Bills RB Fred Jackson - George Winkler - Fantasy Source Blitz - Sporting News
Fred Jackson's fantasy stock has gone way up now that he is the featured back.

Underdog Buffalo Bills likely to bite New York Jets | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
Bob Matthews wonders why the Jets are favored on Thursday night when the Bills beat the Jets while they still had their two best players in Kris Jenkins and Leon Washington.

The 10 best NFL games of the last decade - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The Music City Mirage makes the list as the third-best game of the decade.... and it's barely part of the decade (January 8, 2000).

Touchdown for Teachers award winners announced | BuffaloBills.com
The Buffalo Bills and M&T Bank announced the "Touchdown for Teachers" program finalists and grand prize winner during the Bills vs. Dolphins game on Sunday, November 29th.

Game Preview: Jets @ Patriots

MaPatsFan — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:21:50 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

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Division game, folks. As much as we're hurting from the Colts loss, it's time to move on. It is, afterall, a week after. As Belichick would say, "Time to focus on the Jets." And he's right. 3-6 means Bo Diddley. Any given Sunday and all that. Never take any opponent for granted. Historically, we're 49-50-1 against the Jets. However, our fanbase has cause to be confident. Since Kraft purchased the team, we're 20-12 against the Jets; since the 2003 season, the Patriots are 20-1 after a regular season loss; Bill Belichick is 14-8 against the Jets; and since 2001, our New England Patriots dominate the division with a 41-12 record.

As we discussed in Focusing on Jersey: Patriots take on Jets this Sunday, there's a lot of history between these 2 teams and it's not just on the field. Coaching contracts, the fact that it's New York...you name it. We love to get up for these games. But, the most important reason to get up for these games AND to win them is this: it's a divisional game.

Winning your division is the surest way to make the playoffs. Tying the division bites, plain and simple. Do you remember the nail biting we did last season? Yeah, you're left at the mercy of the tie-breaking procedures. And wildcard berths are raft with "Gee, I hope so-and-so wins this Sunday" as well. No, we need to soundly thrash everyone in the AFC East because our nemesis, the Miami Dolphins, are right behind us.

The Jets seemed to have quite the swagger at the beginning of the season. Rex Ryan was talking about not kissing Belichick's rings and how his defense was going to own the division. Nine games later, NY is 3-6, NE is 6-3, and Ryan is crying at team meetings. Hey, I'm not going to pick on the guy for getting emotional with his team; I only point this out to document the contrast in attitude over half a season. Hence why Belichick usually keeps an even keel when he's at the top or the bottom (which doesn't happen too much).

New York faced a VERY different New England in our Week 2 9-16 loss. Tom Brady had significant rust on him and Joey Galloway couldn't hang on to the football for what seemed like 2 certain touchdowns. Remember those? One in the numbers at the front of the end zone and one in the back where he forgot where his feet were. Bleh. At any rate, New England has gotten very good at protecting Tom Brady. LT Sebastian Vollmer has done very well handling the pass rush, but he's also had some creative help in doing so. We'd all like to think rookie "Sea Bass" soundly handled one of the best pass rushers in the league, but that's not the case. Don't feel bad. I think it's a good thing. It means that as a team, we're doing a good job of handling pass pressure from the defense. Remember, blitzing and pass pressure are the hallmarks of a Rex Ryan defense. As Belichick is so good at doing, take away what a team is good at and make them play YOUR game.

The Jets are facing some serious trouble with 2 high profile guys placed on injured reserve: DT Kris Jenkins and RB/JR Leon Washington. The absence of these 2 is like losing Vince Wilfork and possible Laurence Maroney for the season. Not good. Jenkins, like Wilfork, swallows up offensive linemen and is a big reason why the Jets defense is rated 3rd in the league. Interestingly enough, their offense is first in rushing.

I think Belichick and company may do something similar to what was done against Indy. That is, creative pass protection to allow Brady some time. With Julian Edelman AND Sam Aiken questionable, it's anyone's guess who will be the third wideout, but I'd guess Edelman; afterall, he toughed it out for the Colts game. It's also been good to see Randy Moss improving at some crossing patterns instead of simply sprinting vertical; it adds another weapon in the Patriots' arsenal. Why leave all the fun to Wes Welker?

With the Jets' Kris Jenkins out, it may be easier for us to generate and sustain a decent rushing attack - key to a balanced offensive plan. Combine that with Brady's improvements during the season and I think we'll see a VERY different football game today than we saw in Week 2.

Leon Expects to Be Ready for OTA's in March

John B — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:30:12 -0000

More photos » by Tony Avelar - AP

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Leon Washington is expecting to be back for offseason workouts in March.

"My goal is, which I'm very optimistic about, is to get back in March for initial training," said Washington, speaking to the New York media for the first time since his injury in Oakland. "I want to be moving around pretty good. I want to be able to work out with the guys ... I'm very optimistic about that. I have faith about it. I look forward to it. The way I'm moving right now, I'm right on target."

Washington suffered a rare injury - a double open fracture in his right leg. He broke the tibia and fibular bones, which pierced the skin. For the interview, he sat in a chair, with his lower leg encased in a walking boot. He's getting around on crutches.

Washington, in the final year of his contract, said he has "no regrets" about eschewing the Jets' proposal for a long-term contract - a decision that could ultimately cost him millions.

"With business, there's risk and reward," he said. "I knew that coming into the season. There was a risk ... Life is more important by being happy than, per se, money. Obviously, the security part is what you want for you kids' kids, grandkids. But right now, I feel better than ever."

And yes, it's too early to quit on this season and dream of what the 2010 Jets will be like with Leon and Kris Jenkins back.

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Run Offense

John B — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:14:47 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

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Jacksonville has one of the game's most explosive backs, Maurice Jones-Drew. He reminds me a lot of Tennessee's Chris Johnson (or Leon Washington if he was a full time back). Jones-Drew is small, but his blazing speed makes him a dangerous weapon. He's already got 737 yards on the ground, a 5.1 average, and 11 touchdowns. To combat him, we may see more of the big 4-3 with Ellis and Douglas at end, Pouha and Green at tackle, and Scott, Harris, and Pace at linebacker the Jets showed against Miami to slow down the run. The good news is this run defense won't necessarily take the teeth or aggression from the pass rush. The Jets did have 6 sacks while focusing on the run against Miami.

Jones-Drew's backup, Rashad Jennings, is a rookie from Liberty. For my money, he was one of the steals of the Draft. He has a very similar skill set to Shonn Greene, big and bruising between the tackles with a surprising second gear of speed. He's only averaging between 2 and 3 carries a game, but he can be dangerous.

Jacksonville's offensive line is much better run blocking than pass blocking. The rookie tackles, Eugene Monroe and Ebon Britton, who have struggled at times in pass protection, have been good opening holes for Jones-Drew. So have guards Uche Nwaneri and Vince Manuwai. Backup Maurice Williams has been arguably better than they have so we could see him in the lineup. Center Brad Meester has had problems, though. He'll have a tough time handling Pouha on his own, which means we'll likely see the Jaguars try and swing Jones-Drew outside plenty.

Leon Washington Pays a Visit to Practice

John B — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:44 -0000

by Tony Avelar - AP

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Leon Washington was at Jets practice yesterday.

Three weeks after suffering his gruesome, season-ending compound leg fracture in Oakland, Jets running back Leon Washington returned to the practice field today _ an inspiring sight to his teammates.

The popular Washington, whose injury was so serious he had to have emergency surgery immediately following the game and stayed behind in the Bay Area for a couple of days, was using a motorized scooter type vehicle to get around.

We saw Kris Jenkins talk a few weeks back about how important it was for him to stay a part of this team. I have to say that I am very impressed with the chemistry in the locker room. Nobody could blame Jenkins or Washington if they wanted to stay away and rehab in private. It's a credit to the coaching staff these guys are still coming to Florham Park to pull for each other.

First Half of the Season Shows Jets Have a Solid Foundation

John B — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:52:21 -0000

by Ben Margot - AP

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There's a lot of pessimism in Jets land right now. That's easy to understand. After a 3-0 start, 4-4 seems like a disappointment, especially considering how it has happened. There's only one loss where the Jets were simply outexecuted, the Monday night game at Miami. In the other three, New York registered a ton of self-inflicted wounds. The thing people need to remember, though, is the Jets aren't looking just for this year. They want to build something special over the long haul. They are well on their way.

It's really tough to win with a rookie quarterback in the NFL. Starting 4-4 is a great start for Mark Sanchez. He's played two bombs of games. He had a game against the Raiders where he was asked to do very little. The other five games have been somewhere between good and excellent. He's looked composed beyond his years for the most part. He was developed in a pro system at USC, which is a novelty in today's college game with everybody going to a spread offense. He played against pro caliber competition at practice every day. It shows. He looked special in a second half comeback against the Patriots after struggling in the first half and when he twice shredded Miami's secondary trailing in second halves. I think everybody would agree Sanchez has looked like he has belonged, which is pretty incredible for a rookie quarterback. The number don't look that great, but they don't tell the whole story. The two bad games killed the stat sheet. In those games, he did things with the ball that experience and coaching correct (locking onto receivers, leaving the ball exposed for pass rushers, forcing throws).

Quarterback is one of the two most important people on a football team. A team with a good young quarterback is in good shape over the long term. A team with a good quarterback and a good head coach is in great shape, and it looks like the Jets have found a good head coach. You have to be thrilled with the job Rex Ryan has done to this point. He's instilled a lot of confidence in the locker room. It would be one thing if he was just popping off to the press. He's not. When players make big comments to the press, it's an indication they believe in their head coach and want to help him back up the talk. These guys went into a Week 2 game against the Pats expecting to win and broke New England's long domination of the Jets at the Meadowlands. Winning over a locker room is only part of the job, though. The hard part is coaching a team to reach its potential. Ryan has improved the Jets to the second ranked defense in the league. Their pass rush is one of the fiercest in football. They hit Tom Brady around half the time he dropped back in Week 2. They totally confused Matt Schaub, who has played great football the rest of the season. When the Dolphins ran all over them in Week 5, Ryan adjusted his scheme to get bigger and run blitzed his secondary more to shut down their rushing attack. He's shown great acumen for X's and O's. When a coach wins a locker room and shows he knows how to game plan and adjust, he's a good one.

Let's not forget about Mike Tannenbaum. He's shown himself to have a bright football mind since he took over running the team. Look at all of the successful moves he's made through the Draft. He's hit on D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold, Leon Washington, Darrelle Revis, and David Harris, all of whom look like Pro Bowl caliber players in the Draft in his four years. He's also added Dwight Lowery, who appears on the verge of developing into a quality starter. Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene look like hits also. He's made bold moves for Alan Faneca, Kris Jenkins, Calvin Pace, and Bart Scott, all guys who fit a need in the system. There's a big difference between doing what the Redskins do, accumulating names without regard for age or how they fit, with what the Jets do, wisely shop for guys in their prime to fill needs in the system. He signed Tony Richardson. Even the ill-fated Brett Favre trade showed something good about Tannenbaum. He's not afraid to make a bold move if he sees a weakness and isn't afraid of having something blow up in his face. He's shown himself to have a firm grasp of the salary cap from the job he did getting the Jets out of cap hell in '05 while fielding a Playoff team in '06 to making moves like giving Kerry Rhodes and Calvin Pace roster bonuses in their contracts to make the cap situation better in '08 which could be converted into signing bonuses a year later for cap flexibility then. He knows how to work the cap.

What does this mean? The Jets have a good young quarterback, a good head coach, a good nucleus, and a general manager making good moves to suppliment the talent. I wouldn't write off this year. There's a decent chance the defense just lifts this team on its back and carries it to the Playoffs. Even if that doesn't happen, don't get too upset. This club is building a foundation for long term success.