Super Bowl Sunday and I awoke like a kid at Christmas time. I didn't have a pony in this race but the prospect of witnessing a shoot out between two incredible quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Drew Brees was one I had been relishing from the moment it became a reality.

It was this growing feeling of anticipation for what was hopefully to be a great game that lead me to want to post about some of my favorite Super Bowl memories. I was really hoping Super Bowl XLIV would prove to be a worthy candidate.

"No good! Wide right!" I'll never forget Al Michaels' words during Super Bowl XXV when Buffalo Bills kicker Scott Norwood muffed what should have been a game winning 47 yard field goal. Instead he propelled the New York Giants to World Champions. How big was that missed field goal? Big enough to inspire a movie. His missed kick inspired the plot idea for the 1994 Jim Carrey film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. The "Ray Finkle" character is loosely based on Norwood. Talk about memorable.

Who will forget the final play of Super Bowl XXXIV and 'The Tackle'? St. Louis Rams' linebacker Mike Jones hits Titans receiver Kevin Dyson just one yard short of the goal line stopping a beautiful last second drive by late Steve 'Air' McNair.

Of course, you can't mention great Super Bowl Moments without mentioning Super Bowl XLII and the incredible "The Helmet Catch". After a miraculous escape from what seemed like an inevitable (and possibly game ending) sack, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning would toss a pass to wide receiver David Tyree, who ended up using his helmet to help catch the ball while being harassed by Patriots defender Rodney Harrison. The play would lead to the upset of the ages, as the Giants would go on to beat the mighty New England Patriots 17-14, spoiling the Patriots shot at NFL immortality with a perfect 19-0 season. Best part of that memory for me is that the Patriots were taken down, in part, by a guy who had been used primarily on special teams and had only 4 receptions for 35 yards and no touchdowns during the 2007 regular season.

Insert evil grin here.

It's Saturday and I want to have something ready in time for pre-game Sunday. I get started on a rough draft. It's ok but I'm not in love with it and decide it needs some work before it gets posted.

Laziness ensues.

7:00 a.m. Sunday and I have a schedule to keep. Church, shopping, prep, guests, game time....and now I need to find time to get this post finished and up. I'm running late and I make a quick attempt to do something about my post and realize I need to wait to get back home so I can do this right and not rushed. I hit the showers and I head out.

Church lets out and I hit the ground running. My wife woke up not feeling well and skipped church so I had no one to slow me down. Good start.

10 a.m. Party City for some football themed party stuff. Grocery store for the eats and drinks. Things are rolling along splendidly. I'm going to make it home with plenty of time to finish and post my article well before game time.

11:00 a.m. It's time for my final errand before I can go home, a 6 foot sub for me and the guys. I get to the deli and the guy tells me my sub won't be ready until 1 p.m.!  I'm not happy but I know can still pull this off so I don't panic. It's about 30 minutes each way from my house to town so I decide to save the gas and just kill time in town until the sub is ready.

12:15 p.m. I get a call from the deli. The sub is ready and I can finally go home.

12:45 p.m. I'm on the home stretch. One more mile and I can unpack, get the wife up and going and get that article fixed and posted. Suddenly from a driveway ahead I see a pickup truck flying down the drive in reverse and as I stomp on my brakes to avoid the collision I watch it careen across the road and slam into the utility pole across the street. The pole made a horrendous cracking sound, shaking violently and snapping several of the lines attached to it.

I'm sitting there in a kind of shock at what just happened, when a 9 year old boy climbs out of the driver's seat of this pick up. The kid doesn't have a scratch on him and is laughing like he just got off a ride at 6 Flags. His parents came running down the hill nothing but pure terror and relief in their faces.

Apparently, the little boy was going to town with his dad when his dad realized he had forgotten his wallet. He strapped the boy into his car seat, started the car and ran inside to find the wallet.

The boy immediately climbed out of his safety seat and into the drivers seat where end resulted in what is now a matter between the Eisner family, the municipality and the state police.

1:30 p.m. I'm home and we have no cable. The wires I saw snap turned out to be the cable line and a telephone land line. I have no idea what time the cable will be back so I start calling the guys and breaking the news.

So now I have a house full of food and drink for a party that wasn't happening and no TV or internet to watch the game on or updates from. I'm not afraid to admit it...I almost cried.

The cable didn't come back on until well after the game had ended. After all that had happened, my wife and I just stayed home. I could have gone to one of my buddies homes to watch but my wife would have opted out because she wasn't feeling well to begin with. My wife watches all the games with me and after all she did to get this party going; cooking, cleaning and decorating, I didn't feel right leaving her behind.

Yeah I know, I know. What can I say? I love my wife...that and the Jets weren't in it so whatever.

We watched Zombieland with Woody Harrelson and ate as much of that monster sub, baked ziti, potato salad, smoked venison and various dips, chips, cookies and cake that we could.

I didn't see a second of Super Bowl XLIV and yet it will always be the most memorable Super Bowl of my life.

The guys over at ESPN’s NFL Live all chimed in with their opinions on the keys to the coming New York Jets vs. the San Diego Chargers. The key areas they cover include; Difference Makers, Match ups To Watch and of course a prediction.

First up the games ‘Difference Maker’. NFL Live selects Antonio Gates.

Antonio Gates, TE for the Chargers, represents a match up nightmare for the Jets. Normally, the strong safety position is responsible for covering the tight end, but, as the guys at ESPN noted, New York Jets SS Jim Leonhard is only 5′8″ which does beg the question…can Leonhard cover him? While I believe Rex will scheme for this scenario, most seem to believe that Gates will be the difference maker that allows for San Diego to move onto the AFC Championships.

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The New York Jets have embarked on an improbable run with a convincing victory over the AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals. Faced with the prospect of having to beat an NFL team not once but twice in back to back weeks, there were many who gave the Jets a snowballs chance in Hell of success.

Looks like even Hell is facing climate change problems.

Now New York and  company must travel to San Diego to face a Chargers team that many consider to be the hottest team in the AFC. Many will tell you that if the Jets were like snowballs in Hell last week, then they are like cake at fat camp this week.

They don’t stand a chance.

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Regardless of what you think of him, one thing you can say about New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan is that he is not afraid to let the spit fly. From his bold statements during his press introduction as the new Jets head coach to his lively exchanges with the likes of Dolphins LB Channing Crowder to his recent claim that the Jets should be the Super Bowl "favorites", Ryan has proven to be about as far from shy as a man can get.

For those of you who know football, you know that Rex didn’t get his big mouth by accident. Demonstrating that the acorn truly does not fall from the tree, Rex is proving to be every bit as colorful as his famous football father, Buddy Ryan.

Even though the Jets are currently listed as the longest shot of the 12 playoff teams (50 to 1 to be exact), Rex insists that the Jets should be the favorites in the tournament.

"I wasn’t aware of that, but to me we should be the favorites. I mean in the whole tournament. You know the way I feel. I think we have the best defense. I know we do. I know we have the best rushing attack. Those are two huge factors in our favor." – Rex Ryan on how he feels about being 50-1 playoff underdogs

"Brago-saurus" Rex has probably provide a little bulletin board material for that Bengals locker room, but apparently the Jets head coach doesn’t care how the Bengals, or anyone else, see his quotes.

Just a chip off the ol’ block.

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This is a tough one for me to admit but the truth is the truth. The New York Jets could actually lose their re-match in the coming Wild Card round against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Fair is fair. I recently wrote about the top five reasons why the Jets will win the Wild Card round and now feel compelled to be ‘objective’ enough to list the reasons why they won’t.

Like it or not, Jets fans need to recognize that winning this game is not written in stone. Real Jets fans know wholeheartedly that their beloved Jets losing an important game like this is far from unlikely. For Jets fans, being surprised to see this team totally blow an important game is a little like being surprised to find out Perez Hilton or Elton John is gay. It’s like, "Where have you been hiding?!?"

So, while it greatly pains me, here are the top five reasons why the Jet faithful should be slightly worried.

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The New York Jets have squeaked into the playoffs with a sound 37-0 trouncing of the Cincinnati Bengals in what is most likely the last football game in the history of Giants Stadium. The Jets tumultuous season has lead many to speculate that this team is "one and done" in this years playoff rounds.

Most do not have the Jets getting past their first round opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals. The current spread on the game is Cincinnati by 2.5…not too bad actually, when you consider that home team automatically gets three.

None-the-less it is a slight on the Jets chances.

Call me a crazy Jets fan but I can give you 5 good reasons why the Jets will beat not only the spread but the Bengals as well.

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There is tragedy today in Jets camp as Casey Johnson, the socialite daughter of New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and heiress to the Johnson & Johnson business empire has died. She was 30.

Popular celebrity news site, TMZ.com, reports that Casey was found dead in her home on Monday.

Police report paramedics had already pronounced Johnson dead when they arrived at her Los Angeles home shortly before noon and it is not known how long Johnson may have been dead.

Johnson's death is speculated to have been from natural causes since a preliminary investigation turned up no signs of foul play. A final cause of death will be determined by coroner's officials, who will seek toxicology tests. Those results could take six weeks to obtain.

In a statement released through publicist Jesse Derris, the Johnson family says it "is mourning its tragic loss, and asks for privacy during this very difficult time."

Casey Johnson gained celebrity as the girlfriend of Tila Tequila, a reality TV star, who tweeted about the loss.

"Everyone please pray 4 my Wifey Casey Johnson. She has passed away. Thank u for all ur love and support but I will be offline to be w family." - From Tila Tequila's Twitter Page

I would like to extend my heart felt condolences to Woody Johnson and the entire Johnson family in this time of tragedy. Just two days removed from the high of a successful run at gaining a play-off berth, I can't think of a more heart wrenching way to come down from that high.

God bless the Johnson's and may Casey rest in eternal sleep with the good Lord watching over her.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief for AFCBeast.com.

The newest chapter in the Jets – Dolphins rivalry began with another spectacular Monday Night Football game. The Miami Dolphins edged out the New York Jets 31-27, in a game that featured 2 ties and 6 lead changes. A disappointing end to an exciting game for Jets fans.

The loss got me to thinking about some of the great games I’ve seen these two teams play over the years and I decided to put together my list of the most memorable games played between these rival AFC teams.

• January 23, 1983 – 1982 AFC Championship game – aka the ‘Mud Bowl’
  During the strike- shortened 1982 season, the Dolphins swept the regular season series. The two teams would meet again in the 1982 AFC Championship game, a trip to Super Bowl XVII at stake. This game was marked by a rather strange incident. The tarp was left off the field of the Orange Bowl during a marathon rainstorm leading up to the game. This resulted in a mud covered field which helped keep both teams scoreless in the first half. This game would feature ten turnovers, eight of them on quarterback interceptions. Three of those interceptions came from the star of the game, Dolphins linebacker A.J. Duhe who would nab three of Jets quarterback Richard Todd’s five interceptions of the day. Duhe cemented the 14–0 win, sending the Dolphins to Super Bowl XVII, when he returned one 35 yards for a touchdown.

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The biggest winner in the Braylon Edwards trade may just be the New York Jets running game.

The Jets currently hold the league’s No. 9 ranked rushing offense, averaging 130.5 yards per game. Those numbers aren’t hideous but Rex Ryan’s promise of a "ground and pound" attack hasn’t exactly been making any defensive coordinators lose much sleep either.

Of course, much of the running games woes can be linked to rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. Last season, defenses had to respect the Jets passing game with veteran Brett Favre under center. Now opponents are simply daring Sanchez to beat them through the air by stacking the defensive front with eight and sometimes even nine players.

There has been very little room for Jones and Leon Washington to run in with extra defenders in the box.

Jones is averaging only 3.8 yards per carry and doesn’t seem like the guy who carved up opponents last season. Washington has a 4.0 yard per carry average but hasn’t been the superman we hoped for so far and rookie Shonn Greene has only four carries in four games.

The reality is that until Sanchez proves he can execute the passing game on a consistent basis, opposing defenses will continue to shut down the ground attack. This is where Edwards comes into play.

With Edwards, the Jets are in a position to threaten defenses deep. Forcing opposing defenses to respect the deep ball will help limit the number of 8 and 9 man fronts our running backs will face in a game.

Once Sanchez, Cotchery and Edwards get into a rhythm with each other, you can expect to see some explosiveness out of the backfield.

Rookie Shonn Greene is likely to have some big numbers in his future with the addition of Edwards. Greene, who was MIA through the first 3 games, injected life into the Jets’ slumping ground game in New Orleans. Greene ripped off 9- and 7-yard gains on consecutive carries in impressive fashion. The 5-11, 226-pound Greene would gain 23 yards on four carries.

Too bad four carries was all he got. The rookie would tweak his ankle in the 3rd quarter or he probably would have seen more action. I get the feeling he’ll be getting a lot more touches in the near future.

Through four games, Jones has 55 percent and Washington has 40 percent of the carries. The Jets insist that they can get their triple backfield 25 carries each in a game but that is likely unrealistic. There is no doubt however that Greene will be a factor as the season goes on.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

It looks like Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery will be a game time decision for Monday nights game with the Miami Dolphins. Cotchery and the team flew down to Miami in the early afternoon on Sunday.

Cotchery is currently listed as questionable on the team injury report. "Questionable" means there’s a 50-50 chance that a player will play.

Cotchery, suffering from a hamstring injury, has had hours of treatment for several days. Cotchery has told friends he expects to play and the extra time off should help his chances.

The Jets’ debut of Braylon Edwards may severely test the skills of the newly acquired wide receiver if Cotchery doesn’t play. Edwards is facing playing a Monday Night Football game against a division rival with a new team, a rookie QB and a couple of back ups tag teaming the other receiver spot.

That sounds like a heck of a trial by fire to me.

Edwards has reportedly been a hit with his new team mates and has been impressive in practice. The 6-3, 215-pounder is making circus catches in practice and displaying the potential to open up the entire offense.

This is great news if he is doing this against the first defense. With Edwards having come from a similar offense in Cleveland, it is obviously a great advantage as he tries to transition.

Cotchery is the Jets’ leading receiver with 23 receptions for 356 yards and one TD.

The Dolphins are sure to play us tough. They come into this match up with a rookie QB who just led them to their first victory of the season. They haven’t won a prime time game since 2004, losing just 3 weeks ago on MNF to the Colts. This means they are coming in on a high and maybe with a bit of a chip on their shoulders too.

I think that our back ups, David Clowney, Brad Smith (the likely starter) and Wallace Wright, can get the job done but I also think they will need to bring their ‘A’ game. Perhaps even their ‘A+’ game. There is no doubt that Edwards presence should greatly improve how they look on the field.

Look for Edwards ability to threaten Miami deep to really help the Jets open things up for tight end Dustin Keller. The Miami defense has been very weak against tights end so far this season. The Dolphins’ defense made Dallas Clark look like a Hall of Famer during that week 2 Monday night loss to the Colts.

Clark had 7 catches for 183 yards including an opening drive 80-yard scoring pass where he got behind linebacker Akin Ayodele and broke the tackle of safety Gibril Wilson.

I’m guessing that Keller may end up playing the biggest role of the night in defeating the Dolphins.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan says WR Jerricho Cotchery may not play on Monday night against the Miami Dolphins.

Cotchery missed Friday’s practice with a hamstring injury.

Cotchery has been terrific so far this season, with 23 catches for 356 yards and a touchdown. Having Cotchery watching from the bench Monday night, could be a major blow to the offense. Especially now, when this team is trying to rebound from a pretty bad loss to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

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New York Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez was fined $5,000 by the NFL for his low block on New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma last weekend. The league offices don't confirm fines until Friday but Sanchez volunteered the information yesterday.

Sanchez dived at the legs of Vilma when Darren Sharper ran an interception back 99-yards for a touchdown in the second quarter Sunday. The low block resulted in a 15-yard personal foul penalty.

Vilma was less than impressed with the block, expressing some surprise with how it played out. Vilma agreed that the league should fine Sanchez for the low hit.

Sanchez, in a stand up move, said he called Vilma on Tuesday and apologized. The apology was reportedly well received by Vilma.

The first of four turnovers by Sanchez against the Saints, including three picks, Sharper's interception was the beginning of the end for Sanchez that day. Sanchez would also have a fumble recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

I fully expect the young QB to bounce back strong against this week's opponent, the Miami Dolphins. He will need to because it appears the Dolphins are still steaming over the trash talk exchanged between Dolphins LB Channing Crowder and Jets head coach Rex Ryan. Expect the Dolphins defensive squad to be looking to cream the rookie at every chance.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

Speaking this morning on ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike In The Morning show, ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen voiced some skepticism about the New York’s Jets acquiring WR Braylon Edwards from the Cleveland Browns.

Mortensen said the trade of Edwards was not a surprise to him, in light of his recent troubles off the field. Browns head coach Eric Mangini runs a tough team first program that Braylon Edward’s personality seems to clash with.

Mortensen makes a valid point here. Mangini is essentially a disciple of the Bill Parcel’s school of coaching. This means a tough, hard nosed attitude that is centered around the team at all times. No exceptions. Braylon Edwards does not appear to be of the same mindset, oft times showing a tendency for selfishness as opposed to the team first mentality.

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True followers of the New York Jets know all too well what the roller coaster ride is like. One week there is heart pounding excitement as the team looks poised to finally reach a Super Bowl after 40 years (nobody needs to be reminded of the talk following the wins against the Pats and Titans last year). Then, before that feeling of excitement can set in, the magic carpet is pulled out from under us, followed by the most unbearable form of heartbreak a sports fan endures.

Complete and total failure.

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Newsday reported yesterday that the Jets are seriously considering a trade for the Denver Bronco's disgruntled (and frequently troubled) wide receiver Brandon Marshall.This comes from an unnamed source within the NFL organization who is said to be familiar with the Jets situation.

Easily one of the most talented but troubled receivers in the game, Marshall was suspended Friday by the Broncos for conduct detrimental to the team.

Caught on video and broadcast by a local television station, during pre-practice warm-ups last Wednesday, Marshall walked while the rest of the team ran, punted a ball away from a ball boy instead of handing it to him and he also swatted down a pass thrown to him.

He will remain suspended until September 5th.

Marshall has demanded a new contract through much of the offseason and preseason and also has asked to be traded. He is due to make $2.2 million this season.

It's like deja vu all over again for Denver.

The Jets wide receivers corp have been under some tight scrutiny over the last couple of months, with many pointing to the lack of a true number one receiver in Jerricho Cotchery and the hodge podge of receivers who have yet to produce a clear number two receiver behind him.

There has been very little doubt about the teams need to get a force to reckon with at the position. Brandon Marshall would definitely represent this force should he be picked up, but will the price tag be right?

After the fiasco they experienced with Jay Cutler, it is highly unlikely that Denver will let Marshall go without attaching a high price tag to him. Denver is reportedly looking for a first rounder at minimum.

I have to wonder if the Jets will find this price tag a little high for their liking.

Based solely on his on-field performance, Marshall may well be worth it. Marshall had 104 catches for 1,265 yards and six touchdowns last season and 102 catches for 1,325 yards and seven TDs, in 2007. Marshall also led all NFL wide receivers in yards after first contact for the 2007 NFL season.

These are numbers that definitely put Marshall in the upper echelon of wide outs in the league.

The real concern for most fans, I think, is about his off-field troubles. Marshalls legal woes off the field have gained as much press as his on field play.

His arrest record runs the gambit from assaulting a police officer to domestic disturbance to disorderly conduct. While I admit to craving his level talent on the team, I am not so sure he would be worth the major headache he seems to represent.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

Halleujah! The New York Jets are finally playing ball! Rich Cimini reports this morning that the Jets have finally upped the offer to RB Leon Washington.

Reportedly the offer is now closer to averaging about $4.5 million per year.

This is significantly closer to the $6 million a year Washington and his agent, Alvin Keels, have been seeking. Part of the issue has been a change to the CBA.

Washington will be a restricted free agent in 2010, not unrestricted, and the Jets can retain him for a qualifying offer that would be significantly less than a long-term deal. Under the previous rules – it changed because 2010 looms as an uncapped year – he would have been unrestricted next year.

Another issue is that a $6 million payoff would be more than the team is paying current starting RB Thomas Jones. Jones, the AFC’s leading rusher in 2008,  is already upset with the team over his contract dollars and putting Leon up above him could spell disaster for relations with Jones.

Jones is scheduled to earn $900,000 this season in the third year of a four-year, $20 million contract.

I hope this new deal is one that Leon can live with so we can put this contract nonsense behind us already. Our first preseason contest is this coming Friday against the St. Louis Rams and it would be absolutely great if Leon had his mind on nothing but winning.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

Dispelling a rumor on nationalfootballpost.com, the Star-Ledger is reporting that the New York Jets are NOT shopping veteran running back Thomas Jones around. This is according to an unnamed, inside source.

Nationalfootballpost.com posted the rumor last night claiming the Jets had placed a call to an NFC West team in order to gauge trade interest.

The Star-Ledger report, however, was not all roses.

The stellar play of rookie Shonn Greene in training camp thus far could make Jones expendable, but the Jets are standing pat right now with the trio of Jones, Greene and Leon Washington.

With the Jets apparently ready to reward Washington with a new contract, there are concerns Jones could become a problem. He reported to camp on time but has refused to address his contract.

I really hope Jones does not turn into a problem for this team now. It would really ruin my perception of him as a professional. I like the direction this team is headed with their backfield (minus contract disputes mind you) and would hate to see Thomas cause this to fail on any level.

Having said that, I think he will do the right thing, having so far conducted himself in a very professional manner during training camp and simply refusing to talk about the dispute. He has opted to concentrate on football, which is very good, even if only to try and be attractive to another team next season.

I have a feeling he won't be around for us, come next season.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

New York Jets running back Leon Washington was arguably one of the best players to take the field for the team last season. Not that you can tell from the treatment he is getting from the Jets as his contract negotiations drag on seemingly forever.

Just days before the start of camp it was reported that a deal would likely be completed by the start of training camp. Training camp started 12 days ago and Washington is still waiting.

Washington has averaged 190 touches per season in his first three years, had 195 touches, including a career-high 151 carries, as a rookie in 2006. He hasn’t missed a game in his career (49 games). Washington has done all that has been asked and then some, so why is it that he can’t get a deal done?

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Considering the nightmare the news media, yours truly included, has built up regarding the New York Jets depth chart issues, it is refreshing to hear something positive in this area.

It appears that Rutgers product, defensive end-turned-linebacker Jamaal Westerman is the real deal. So much so that Dave Hutchinson of the Star Ledger is reporting that Westerman making the team is a near certainty now.

''I'll tell you, Westerman, the kid from Rutgers, I'll be shocked if he doesn't make a name for himself this year,'' Ryan said last Sunday, the first weekend of camp. ''We're really excited to have this guy.''

Westerman, 6-foot-3, 255 pounds, has been the rookie free-agent find of training camp thus far. He's a virtual lock to make the team.

This is truly fantastic news since we've all been belly-aching about the lack of depth. Westerman may turn out to be a stellar pickup for this team because of his sheer versatility. Once a defensive end, Westerman has been asked to switch to outside linebacker then to inside linebacker and is now calling defensive plays on the field with the second team.

Westerman is a player who can play outside, inside and knows the entire defense. Versatility Rex Ryan appreciates, calling Westerman his "swing guy".

Westerman has even been more impressive than second-year linebacker Vernon Gholston. Gholston was drafted sixth over all by the Jets in 2008 and was supposed to be the "terror" of passers the league over. So far the only thing Gholston has managed to terrorize is the bench on the sidelines.

These are the kinds of stories we need to see more of out of camp. Who starts at QB or who receiver #2 will be is, of course, a big concern but it's guys like Westerman who ultimately could make the biggest difference down the stretch when things get tough due to injuries or fatigue or any of the other unknowns yet to come.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

Yesterday, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan named veteran quarterback Kellen Clemens the August 14th starter for the team’s first preseason match up against the St. Louis Rams. A move that emphasizes just how big a chance coach Ryan is giving Clemens to grab the starting spot.

Especially considering how good rookie Mark Sanchez is reportedly looking after his first full practice with the first team.

While there have been some positive reports out of Jets training camp about Kellen Clemens performance, the bulk of the news has been about the number of interceptions he’s tossed already. Unfortunately, the news about Clemens doesn’t seem to ever really get better.

Clemens hit four of 12 passes with one interception and two near interceptions in yesterdays morning workout. That wasn’t even against the first team defense.

Meanwhile, Sanchez hit 10 of 19 passes with two touchdowns and one interception, including a 40-yard touchdown to wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, beating Darrelle Revis in the process.  Sanchez also had a length-of-the-field two-minute drill with a 20-yard touchdown to Chansi Stuckey on a slant pattern.

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Rich Cimini put out a good article this morning about New York Jets TE Dustin Keller.

Bart Scott gives some surprising praise to Keller that, I thought, was just awesome to see.

"I've played against some pretty good tight ends, and I practiced against (former Ravens teammate) Todd Heap - a tremendous athlete - and I would compare Dustin Keller to Kellen Winslow," Scott said. "That's very high praise because, other than Antonio Gates, we always viewed Kellen Winslow as the best route-running tight end in the league. I think Dustin is well on his way to that."

I can not say enough how much I hope this turns out to be true. Having a TE who is comparable to the likes of Kellen Winslow would not be a bad thing at all.

While there is so much good that can be said (and has been said) about Dustin's talents, Cimini does a good job pointing out some of the things Keller still needs to focus on if he is to be successful this season.

"During his tear, Keller emerged as Brett Favre's go-to receiver on third down. (Who can forget the dramatic third-and-15 grab in the overtime win at New England?) But down the stretch, he was a nonfactor, as opponents adjusted their coverage and the Jets did a poor job of countering. He dropped a key pass in Week 14 against the 49ers, and never seemed to recover.

"I've shown flashes of what I can do, but I need to do it over an entire season," said Keller, who is working with tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson with the hope of improving his blocking."

Having Keller develop the metal acuity to keep his focus after a key miss, is actually a great point. Even the best of them have key drops in their catalog. What made them great was being able to recover and keep up the level of play they are known for.

I hope that besides a quick first step and decent hands, Keller proves to also have the mental talents that make the difference between good and great.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

New York Jets running back Leon Washington told reporters he had no confidence in a deal getting done anytime soon with the team. News that crushed Jets fans everywhere as they imagined holdouts and bad feelings detracting from what is supposed to be a stand out season for us.

Yesterday the Star Ledger reported that Leon, who staged a one-day holdout before reporting for camp, now feels confident a deal will be done before the start of the regular season.

This is just about the best news to come out of the Jets training camp yet. A new deal for Leon is just one item on what is starting to feel like a very long list of things the Jets needed to address before the coming season.

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What a difference a year can make. New York Jets safety Kerry Rhodes was making serious waves back in 2006 and 2007 as a playmaker in the NFL.

Amassing 160 tackles, seven sacks, nine interceptions, 16 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and two recoveries — one for a touchdown in 2006 & 2007, Kerry was the toast of the town. Then it all went away.

In 2008, thanks in large part to the Jets’ slipshod pass defense which was ranked 29th and yielded 234.5 yards a game, Eric Mangini slapped handcuffs on Rhodes. Apparently, Mangini preferred to see Rhodes sit back and prevent touchdowns when one of his teammates got burned by a pass.

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Training camp is finally here! After weeks of speculation about the who’s, the what’s and the when’s, we are finally going to start getting some answers. In celebration of the coming season, I have put together a training camp guide outlining what is good, bad and down right ugly as the New York Jets head into camp.

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The Star Ledger is reporting that things are not going so good with negotiations between the New York Jets and star running back Leon Washington.

Alvin Keel, Washington’s agent, was reported to have commented in an email "Don’t have much new to report."

The day is just getting started so lets all hope that things loosen up and a deal gets done here.

This situation can snowball very quickly into something no Jets fan is going to want to see. With Thomas Jones also a hold out threat over contract negotiations, we are in danger of quickly going from an extremely favorable backfield situation to a virtual disaster.

While Shonn Greene seems poised to do great things as a bruising back, the stated game plan requires the Jets get at a minimum one of the two current hold outs signed and underway. Sooner rather than later.

With Jones on the wrong side of 30 and his ability to produce the numbers he did last season in serious question, getting Washington signed and ready to compliment Shonn Greene is becoming more and more vital with each passing day.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

HolyJoeNamath.com posted some great screen shots featuring the Jets from the hotly anticipated video game, Madden 2010.

I am a HUGE fan of the Madden series and can not wait to get my hands on this latest version.

The screen shots look fantastic and it is a blast to see Mark Sanchez taking charge on the field…even if it is only a digital fantasy at the moment.

Check out the rest of the screen shots here.

Many thanks to Adam over at HJN.com for the sneak peek!

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

The New York Daily News reported last night that Alvin Keels, agent for disgruntled running back Leon Washington, is coming up from his Virginia base to meet with New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum.

This could be a good sign for Jets fans anxious to see Washington signed in time for the start of camp on Friday. Typically a face-to-face meet like this would indicate a deal is near completion and the final details are being hammered out.

Of course, it could also be an indicator of a last ditched effort by all parties to get something done before Leon becomes a camp hold out. I think it’s clear no one, Jets fans least of all, wants to see this negotiation drag out through the preseason.

To quote Rich Cimini on the subject;

…if the Jets let this go until the regular season, and Washington has to play for his current salary ($535,000) … well, that would be wrong. I think the Jets know that, too.

I really hope the Jets get this deal done. I think keeping such a dynamic and electrifying player like Leon happy is extremely important. I think most of us know what  kind of a drag it can be when you’re not happy at work. We all want this guy going out there happy and ready to kill it.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

One of the hottest topics coming out of New York Jets camp these days is the question of who should start at quarterback in 2009. Will it be USC, hot shot Mark Sanchez or tried and not so true veteran Kellen Clemens?

Hotly contested in blogs and news media, opinions about the current QB vacancy in NY vary from sublime to fanatical. There is certainly no lack of strong opinions on the subject.

For me the answer to this question is very easy. Mark Sanchez all the way.

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Yesterday former New England Patriot, Pro Bowl safety Rodney Harrison took 5 questions from the New York Post. Fully 3 out of the 5 were about the New York Jets and apparently gave Rodney plenty to talk about.

Harrison, when questioned on how smart head coach Rex Ryan’s decision to call out the New England Patriots was, stated he didn’t know just how smart of a head coach Ryan will be.

Harrison also threw salt on old wounds for Jets fans by stating;

"But let’s be honest, the Patriots have really dominated the Jets."

While I could have lived without the jabs, he did make a good point about how much pressure Ryan’s actions have added to an already pressure filled situation.

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Recently, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson shot down the idea of the team picking up Michael Vick should he be available.

"We’ve got Kellen Clemens and now we have the young Mark Sanchez. I think we’re good on quarterbacks." – NY Jets Owner Woody Johnson

Yes, we have Kellen Clemens at the ready to back up young Mark Sanchez, but is he the best option?

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