What Leonhard's Injury Means

On Friday the Jets lost the quarterback of their defense and in my mind one of the best pound-for-pound players in football for the remainder of the season, when free safety, Jim Leonhard fractured his tibia after colliding with wide receiver, Patrick Turner during practice. Leonhard's loss could not have come at a worse time, leading up to the biggest game of the year tonight against Tom Brady and the Patriots in a battle for divisional and conference supremacy. Head Coach, Rex Ryan was very crafty about the way in which he attempted to execute his blitz-happy, offense baffling version of the 3-4 defense. Ryan was able to recruit three of his former Baltimore Ravens stalwarts who were familiar with his defensive scheme, to follow him to the Jets to help him ease the transition from Eric Mangini's 3-4 to his. Ryan was able to bring in a former Raven in every level of the defense: defensive end, Marques Douglas, linebacker and trash-talker extraordinaire, Bart Scott, and of course scrappy strong safety, Jim Leonhard.

In 2009, Ryan had Leonhard and Scott wearing the defensive head-sets in order to relay the calls to the defense and get everyone in the proper position. Naturally, as with many defenses around the league, it was primarily the safety's responsibility to make sure the defense was properly lined up and that the lines of communication were free flowing, a role that Leonhard whole-heartedly embraced.

Even with Leonhard there have been a number of communication breakdowns among the Jets' defense (see the Green Bay game.) Now, special teams capitan, Eric Smith who has had sturggles of his own this season in coverage is pressed into a starting role with the absence of Leonhard and it will be his responsibility to relay Coach Ryan and Defensive Coordinator, Mike Pettine's calls to the rest of the defense. Communication is essential especially against a seasoned veteran like Tom Brady who will be able to exploit any mismatches he sees. Leonhard's injury also provides a depth issue for the Jets at safety and at cornerback as backup Brodney Pool will need to step into Eric Smith's role at free safety, making blitz specialist, James Ihedigbo first in line in the event anything happens to Smith or Pool. Assuming that he plays, Dwight Lowery is likely to see more playing time at safety That coupled with the recent struggles of rookie cornerback, Kyle Wilson, means that in all likelihood, Drew Coleman will be the starting nickelback, which I'm sure Jets fans are "thrilled" about.

Leonhard's absence not only leaves a hole in the Jets defense but the punt return game as well. Sure, Leonhard was not exactly a Leon Washington-esque return man with explosive, game-breaking ability but he was as sure-handed as they come which cannot be taken for granted as the weather gets colder and windier. It looks as though Special Teams coach, Mike Westhoff has lost as much confidence iin Kyle Wilson as the defensive coaches have and it is unlikely that he will serve as the primary punt returner any time soon. However; there are a number of players on the Jets' roster who have been successful punt returners in the past, including cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis and wide receivers Jericho Cotchery and Santonio Holmes who have offered their services to Westhoff.

Although it is unlikely that Cotchery, coming off a significant groin injury, will see much time as the return man given the nature of the job. Westhoff's plans are unknown but Jets fans should have confidence in his choice, whatever/whoever it is. Linebacker, Jason Taylor also offered his services on special teams, although obviously not returning punts. It is comforting to see how many of Leonhard's teammates are willing to step up in his absence, which if nothing else, shows how committed the entire team is to winning this season.

Due to how late in the week the injury occurred, the Jets were unable to find a suitable replacement at defensive back to fill Leonhard's roster spot, so the team reached out to former fan-favorite, Laveranues Coles, who is on the roster for tonight's game, although it is unlikely he will ever be activated in his current stint with the team. The assumption with the Coles signing is that he will serve as an honorary capitan for the game and then be able to retire as a Jet, something he had always wished for, a classy move by the organization and who knows maybe they'll go out and win it for Leonhard and Coles.

The "H" Factor

The impending Monday night matchup between the Jets and the Patriots is being trumpeted as the "game of the year" in the National Football League, a game of Pacquiao-Mayweather proportions. The story lines are endless and the anticipation is palpable in Jets nation as many experts are calling this the most important regular season game in franchise history. However; the one story line that is being over-looked is the impact of Santonio Holmes' presence in the Jets offensive lineup. The acquisiton of Holmes is arguably one of the biggest steals in league history; how many former Super Bowl MVP's in their prime have been traded for a only fifth-round draft pick.

Holmes has been the "X factor" in the Jets current four-game winning streak making big plays in clutch situations like it's a bodily function. The Jets offense has seemingly been unstoppable when offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer dials up the quick slant to Holmes over the middle; a play that is directly responsible for road wins against Cleveland and Detroit. Let's not overlook his role in the heart-stopping come-back victory over Houston, when he caught the game-winning touchdown on a fade route to the corner of the end zone. Holmes presence alongside Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards provides the Jets with one of the most dangerous and dynamic receiving corps in the NFL. In the Jets 28-14 win against the Patriots in week two, Holmes was still serving his league mandated four game suspension for violating the substance abuse policy. New England's young, inexperienced secondary had a tough time stopping the Jets' passing attack without Holmes, now with the insertion of Holmes into the lineup, the Patriots 32nd ranked pass defense will be pushed to its limits. Holmes' presence does not only help the Jets passing attack but it opens up the running game as well, taking a defender out of the box to cover him on the outside.

For years, the Jets have lacked a dynamic home-run hitter at wide receiver and they received an early Christmas gift when the Steelers' and their "morals" had enough of Holmes. Many experts argued that many of the off-season moves General Manager, Mike Tannenbaum had made would blow up in his face, at 9-2 Tannenbaum is looking smarter each week. All week we have been hearing how hard it will be for the Jets to contain Tom Brady's weapons when we should be hearing what the Patriots shoddy secondary will do about the Jets "Flight Boys." If Schottenheimer lets Sanchez and the Flight Boys loose against the Pats the only thing Rex Ryan and the Jets need to worry about it is playing defense. Holmes and Edwards are also auditioning for a job, in the final year of their respective contracts which could explain why "Edwards Scissor-hands" has seldom dropped a pass this year. With the looming NFL labor dispute Edwards and Holmes are playing for more than just "W's," aren't walk years great?

How Long Can They Keep It Up

For the third straight week the Jets tested their fans patience, faith, and cardiovascular health with another last minute win, this time against the Houston Texans. The Jets had been dominating the game through three quarters but a communication breakdown between Shonn Greene led to a pivotal fourth quarter fumble that turned the tide for Houston.

The Texans went on to score 20 unanswered points putting the Jets in a 24-23 hole with a little over two minutes to go. Without right tackle, Damien Woody, the Texans defense picked on backup lineman, Wayne Hunter by directing pressure to his side. Hunter had an exceedingly difficult stopping the Houston pass-rush led by former number one draft pick, Mario Williams. With the Jets backed up in their own territory, the Texans brought a blitz to the right side that was able to get to Sanchez as he threw the ball, causing what most fans thought was the final blow.

However; the Jets defense held the Texans to a field goal leaving them with an opportunity to win the game with 55 seconds left and no timeouts. Obviously those in attendance had not watched the last two games where Mark Sanchez directed game-winning drives on the road, as most fans began to file out echoing the mantra of the "Same Old Jets."

As long as there is sufficient time on the clock the newly crowned, "Cool Hand Mark" will find a way to put the Jets in a position to win. The drive started the same way the others preceding it had, with a pass to Ladainian Tomlinson in space, allowing him to create yards with his vintage speed and quickness. Sanchez then hooked up with Braylon Edwards on a 42 yard streak down the sideline, which set the Jets up for the game winner at first and goal from the six yard line with 16 seconds remaining. On the next play the "San-tastic" duo of Sanchez to Santonio Holmes put the game away with a six yard fade to the corner of the end-zone. Mike Tannenbaum is looking like a genius acquiring Holmes for just a 5th round draft pick. 11 weeks and five heart attacks later, the Jets have the best record in football at 8-2, are tied for first place in the AFC East and poised for the stretch run. Having said that here are a few things to watch out for as the Jets make their playoff push:

The Absence of Big Wood:

If the Jets lose Damien Woody for any extended period of time it will be tough for the Jets to execute their offensive game plan. As we saw on Sunday the pass-protection was porous without "Big Wood" as Sanchez had very few comfortable pockets to throw out of. The absence of Woody will also make it increasingly difficult for the Jets to impose their will on the ground as opponents have been coming out with stacked boxes all season in order to stop the Jets ground and pound attack. We are being told that Woody's injury is a sprained MCL and is not season ending, pending an MRI.

Greene Looking Green:

For weeks fans and experts alike wondered why Shonn Greene had not been getting many touches, which can be attributed to his propensity to fumble the ball. After coughing up the ball in the Monday Night Opener against the Ravens, Greene did not even sniff the field. Recently, over the past couple of weeks Brian Schottenheimer has began to phase Greene back into the offensive game plan. However; after Sunday's crucial fumble nobody knows when we will see Greene again if he continues to turn the ball over.

The Pass Rush (or lack thereof):

Despite the hype and hoopla surrounding Rex Ryan's defense, the Jets have had trouble getting consistent pressure on the quarterback. The beauty of Ryan's system is that he does not care where the sacks come from, it relies heavily on deception, disguising blitzes with a number of different fronts. The lack of a conventional pass-rush is causing the Jets to bring more corner and safety blitzes leaving them vulnerable in the secondary (see the Joel Dreesen touchdown). On that play, Ryan tried to bring pressure up the middle by blitzing both safeties, (Eric Smith and Jim Leonhard) leaving them susceptible in the secondary, opening the door for Joel Dreesen's catch and run. It is safe to say that Jason Taylor has been rather ineffective for a majority of the season hence why we are beginning to see more and more of Vernon Gholston, who has not looked all that bad in limited action.

Playing Down:

Over the past three weeks the Jets have displayed a blatant inability to put away inferior opponents. All three games have gone down to the wire and all three could have been losses. What is most worrisome here is that the Jets will get complacent, knowing that regardless of how big a hole they dig themselves into, their young quarterback will dig them right out. This will not always be the case, especially against upper echelon teams like the Patriots, who the Jets face in two weeks. Granted 8-2 is a great record but 8-2 does not guarantee you a playoff spot, ask Eric Mangini whose 2008 Jet team was 8-3 only to finish 9-7 outside of the playoff hunt. Although Rex Ryan won't apologize for winning ugly he could very well be apologizing for losing if they keep this up.

Defensive Lapses:

For all their talent and ability, the Jets defense has not come up big this year in crunch time, specifically the last two weeks, giving up leads late in the fourth quarter to mediocre teams. Coach Ryan's aggressiveness has been to his own detriment recently, calling ineffective blitzes late that have exposed the secondary for big gains. The defense I am not so worried about, although they are not the same world beaters they were last year, Ryan and Pettine know what they are doing and should be able to straighten this out.

Mark Sanchez Folk Hero

Ladies and gentleman, we have ourselves a quarterback. Any doubts about Mark Sanchez's ability to take the reins and establish himself as a franchise quarterback were quelled by his gutsy performance against the Cleveland Browns sunday. Sanchez has been gradually maturing each week dating back to his outstanding performance in last year's AFC Championship game against the Colts. The second year quarterback's every move has been scrutinized since he was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft, from his pre-draft GQ photo shoot to eating a hotdog on the sideline during a game against the Raiders in 2009. In his rookie year, Sanchez proved to be more of a hindrance than a help to the team during the regular season, turning the ball over an eye popping 23 times including 20 interceptions. This year the "Sanchize" is finally living up to his nickname, vastly maturing as a quarterback, deliberately going through his reads, not forcing the ball down-field, and checking down when he needs to. The true barometer of Sanchez's growth as a quarterback is his dramatic decrease in turnovers. Sanchez has cut his interceptions in half with only throwing six through 9 games as compared to 12 at the same point in 2009. Jets fans have seen flashes of greatness from the second-year quarterback but have yet to see a game where Sanchez has asserted his role as an upper-echalant NFL quarterback. That is until Sunday, where Sanchez had a coming of age, an NFL "Bar-Mitzvah" so to speak. Against the Browns, Sanchez displayed excellent poise in the pocket and a command of the offense that we had not seen before, methodically leading the offense up and down the field against a tough Rob Ryan defense. Midway through the third quarter the Browns pass-rush got to Sanchez injuring his right calf but he was able to effectively play through the pain despite a noticeable limp.

When it came down to crunch time, Sanchez was clutch leading the Jets in to field goal range in overtime only to be undone by another missed field goal by Nick Folk. The rest of overtime was a battle of wills that looked like it might end in the league's first tie in two years. With time waning in overtime the Jets took a shot at the end zone, the pass intended for Braylon Edwards was intercepted by rookie cornerback, Joe Haden at the three yard line and should put Sanchez in consideration for Special Teams Player of the Week. The Browns took over on offense from their own one yard line with a little over two minutes remaining in overtime, going three and out and punting from their own endzone with 35 seconds left on the clock. After an 11 yard punt return by Jim Leonhard, the Jets had the ball at the Cleveland 37 yard line with 16 seconds left and what happened next was the stuff of legends. With 16 seconds remaining and a tie looming, a one legged Mark Sanchez hits Santonio Holmes on a 10 yard slant route, which he breaks off for the game-winning touchdown. Let's be honest this wasn't exactly Byron Leftwich being carried to the line by his teammates but it was a gritty, gutsy performance that you want to see from your franchise quarterback. Despite his short-comings, Sanchez has been clutch when he needed to be, leading the Jets offense on three game-winning drives in four weeks. Although the Jets still have issues to iron out it is comforting to know that for the first time in while their quarterback is not one of them.

Re-visiting the Mangini Era

With the meeting between former Jets head coach Eric "Mangenius" Mangini and his suddenly rejuvenated Cleveland Browns on the horizon lets take a look back at the highlights and of course the low-lights of his tenure as head coach.

"Mangenius:"
After a disappointing 2005 season under Herm Edwards, marred by a slew of injuries including losing the first two quarterbacks on the depth chart within minutes of each other in the first half of a home game against the Jaguars. The Jets finished 4-12 that season and had their head coach lured away by the Kansas City Chiefs following the retirement of coaching legend, Dick Vermeil. The Jets were suddenly without a head coach once again, so naturally where do they look? To the Belichick coaching tree of course, in the form of a hot-shot young defensive coordinator named Eric Mangini in hopes of replicating Belichick's success in New England. Belichick was staunchly against Mangnini taking the Jets job and however; Mangini did not heed his warning and went to interview for the job. Upon his return to New England he found that the warm-hearted Belichick had invalidated his access code to the practice facility, an unceremonious departure. In January 2006, Eric Mangini was named "HC of NYJ," making him the youngest head coach in the NFL at the time. The beginning of the Mangini era and the Mike Tannenbaum era coincided as he was hired as the general manager, replacing Terry Bradway. In their first draft, Mangini and Tannenbaum compiled a number of draft picks and used them to re-vitalize the team especially the offensive line. The 2006 draft yielded book-end tackle D'brickishaw Ferguson and perennial Pro-Bowl center, Nick Mangold as well as special teams ace, Eric Smith, ultimate flex player, Brad Smith, the current nickelback, Drew Coleman, explosive running back/return man, Leon Washington, and quarterback, Kellen Clemens. Quite a haul for their first draft, considering that most of the players mentioned are still playing significant roles on the team. Going into the season with an inexperienced offensive line, a new defensive scheme, a quarterback coming off his second shoulder surgery, and a rag-tag running back by committee system, Mangini's Jets were not expected to contend. However; with a weak schedule and a re-invigorated Chad Pennington at the helm, the Jets finished the season 10-6, including a dramatic win against Belichick's Patriots on the road, in a driving rain storm. After clinching the Wild Card, Mangini and Belichick were on a collision course once again in the Wild Card round, that one went to Belichick. Mangini's unexpected success earned him the nickname "Mangenius" and a cameo appearance on "The Soprano's" in their final season.

Spygate and Kendall-gate:
Coming off a successful season Mangini and Tannenbaum went to work once again in the off-season in an attempt to address the team's weak spots, notably at runningback and in the secondary. Tannenbaum addressed the runningback issue by trading for the Bears' Thomas Jones fresh off a Super Bowl run. The 2007 draft was another successful year for Mangini and Tannenbaum spending their first two draft picks on future All-Pro's: Cornerback, Darelle Revis and Middle Linebacker, David Harris. For all of the great moves Tannenbaum made during the offseason, he made one that proved to be fatal for the 2007 Jets. Left guard, Pete Kendall demanded a modest raise and Tannenbaum did not feel as though he was worth it and traded him to the Redskins for a mid-level draft pick, a decision that would come back to bite him. The Jets opened the season at home against the Patriots a game in which the Jets were man-handled and also the game where Chad Pennington was cheered when he fell to the turf attempting to walk off an ankle injury. The Jets lost 38-14 but it only became interesting the following day when it was revealed that NFL security had caught a Patriots assistant video-taping the Jets defensive signals, the infamous incident known as "Spygate." Spygate did wonders for Mangini's reputation as he became known as a snitch among NFL coaching circles. The season was all downhill from there for the Jets as the offensive line became a liability in pass protection and run blocking. Pennington was benched halfway through the season in favor of Kellen Clemens, a highly touted second round pick out of the University of Oregon. Clemens was essentially set up to fail with an offensive line that couldn't keep him upright as the Jets finished the season at 4-12.

Jet Favre Comes Town:
Following the 2007 season the Packers gave Brett Favre an ultimatum: "tell us whether you're coming back or retire," which was a bad idea because we found out making decisions was not Favre's strong suit. Favre chose to retire in a teary press conference and the Aaron Rodgers era began in Green Bay. July of 2008 comes around and Favre decides he wants to play again but finds there is no more room for him in Green Bay and then demands a trade. There were three potential suitors for Favre: the Vikings, Buccaneers, and ofcourse the Jets. Mangini was reticent at first but after some convincing by Tannenbaum and owner Woody Johnson he came around. Favre then agreed to be traded to the Jets for a conditional pick. The arrival of Favre spelled the end of Chad Pennington, who was cut and traded to the Dolphins. The Jets made a litany of moves that were overshadowed by the Favre trade including signing All-Pro guard Alan Faneca, Pro Bowl fullback Tony Richardson, immense nose tackle Kris Jenkins, and pass-rush specialist Calvin Pace. Favre's first and last season started out with a bang with a win in Miami against Pennington and the Dolphins, he followed it up with a six touchdown performance against the Cardinals. The Jets ran their record to a league-best 8-3 and had the media clamoring about a potential Jets-Giants Superbowl. The team went into an utter free-fall losing four of the last five games as Favre was ineffective turning the ball over several times. The Jets finished the season with a disappointing 9-7 record falling short of the playoffs, while watching the under-appreciated Chad Pennington celebrate a division title on the Jets own home field. There was such an uproar about the Jets collapse that heads needed to roll and that man just happened to be Eric Mangini and "Mangenius" became "Man-jobless."

Analysis:
Although Mangini left the Jets having led the team to two winning seasons in three years he only led the team to the playoffs once and did not make it beyond the Wild Card round. The Mangini hiring was an obvious attempt by the Jets to replicate the Patriots success by hiring a Belichick disciple who also happened to be a "look-alike." Alot of Mangini's short-comings can be attributed to a lack of coaching experience, the players did not respond well to his disciplinarian style. Football wise, the first two years of his tenure he was attempting to play a 3-4 system with 4-3 personnel. In his final year he actually got the personnel to play the 3-4 however; the defense faded down the stretch as the anchor of the defense Kris Jenkins body could not withstand the workload of a full season. He also showed a blatant inability to make half-time adjustments and was very stubborn when it came to deviating from his game plan. People can criticize Mangini all they want but he did have an eye for talent drafting the players that are now the foundation of the team including the core players: Revis, Harris, Mangold, and Ferguson. For his first coaching stint Mangini did not do a terrible job however; he was not fit to coach in the pressure packed tri-state area media market. He failed to live up to the success of his mentor but where the two were most alike was the way they dealt with the media; monotoned, devoid of personality a stark contrast to his successor, Rex Ryan. He will be looking to get his payback attempting to beat his former team with a team full of Jets retreads, Sunday will prove whether he deserved to be "Mangenius" or "Manjobless."

What we Learned from Sunday

Well, it happened the Lions gave the Jets a run for their money on Sunday forcing Mark Sanchez to score 10 points in under five minutes. Despite coming away with the victory the Jets still showed many of the same issues that have plagued them over the past three games. So I've compiled a list of a few things that we can take away from the game:

"Same Old Jets," I think not: The way the team struggled for most of the game had many Jets fans crying the famous "Same Old Jets" addage. However; "The Same Old Jets" would never have won that game, the Same Old Jets would have run down, scored a touchdown and then heaved it four times to end the game. These new Jets can play mediocre and still win, which is something you need to be able to do in today's NFL because anyway you slice it, a win is a win. Rex Ryan's Jets are resilient and have the play makers to pull out games like this.

Wilson, Where Art Though?: If there is anything that can be seen from Sunday, it's that the coachign staff has lost as much faith in Kyle Wilson as Wilson has lost in himself. The Jets highly coveted first round pick out of Boise State has been burried in the depth chart behind Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman, who was victimized by Nate Burleson. The issue of the nickel corner is something the Jets coaching staff is going to have to address because it is obvious that Drew Coleman is not the answer here, which should have become obvious after the AFC Championship game last year. Obviously, Mike Westhoff still had faith in Wilson had as a kick/punt returner as he shared punt returning duties, at least initially, with Jim Leonhard. Westhoff's faith in Wilson may be waining as well after he fumbled a punt return early in the game. Wilson must have no confidence in himself if Drew Coleman is starting over him, hopefully the coaching staff will be able to gradually re-insert him into the starting lineup.

Revis Christ is Back!:If anybody still thinks Darrelle Revis is still being hampered by his hamstring injurt, forget it! Revis delivered a vintage, shut-down performance against Calvin "Megatron" Johnson, shadowing him all day and holding him to one catch for 13 yards, despite him immense size, (6"5, 236) and talent. Revis showed that he was back to 100% early in the game when he broke up a pass intended for Johnson on a deep streak. With Revis back to his old self and assuming that Cromartie continues to play well and stops committing penalties, it should allow Rex Ryan and his defensive think tank to bring a variety of blitzes from a number of different fronts, perhaps allowing Vernon Gholston to get his first sack...

The Sanchize: Mark Sanchez, dubbed the "Sanchize" by teammates is maturing ever-so-slightly each week but he still has "a ways to go." Sanchez is still having trouble with his accuracy and finding the right read on certain plays but was still able to make several key throws. The kid is developing great poise and presence in the pocket, in terms of stepping up and avoiding the rush and checking down when he needs to, instead of forcing the ball down-field like he did last year. Despite his lofty expectations that come with being the quarterback of an "overly-hyped" team with Super Bowl aspirations, fans and critics also need to realize it is only his second year in the league and is still going through some growing pains. One thing that should not be questioned is his confidence in his ability to run the offense and come up with plays in crunch time after leading two consecutive drives down the field with less than five minutes on the clock, to send the game into OT. Sanchez shined in over-time, culminating with a 52 yard hook up with Santonio Holmes to set up the game-winning field goal. The kid looked good toward the end of the game, now let's see if he can put it together for four quarters.

Stumbling Running Game: The Jets running game has seemingly hit the wall in recent weeks, it looked as though Brian Schottenheimer was being a little stubborn in terms of the play-calling, running right into stacked boxes several times. As was expected Shonn Greene saw an increased work-load, which should continue to happen as long as he is able to keep the ball in his hands and not on the ground. LaDainian Tomlinson still looks quicker than last season but slower and less effective than he was earlier in the season, maybe he can't handle the bulk of the carries any more but he is still an invaluable asset in the passing game as seen on the game tying drive.

Folk Yeah!: Well, for those of you, (myself included) who thought Nick Folk would be a mess and unreliable in the clutch were proved wrong as he kicked the game tying and game-winning field goals in succession. Folk has missed only three field goals this year but it will be interesting to see how he fairs in the New Meadowlands in December and January as it has proved to be just as much of a wind-tunnel as the old place.

Mangini on the warpath: Eric Mangini is on his 2010 revenge tour as his Browns completely dismantled his former mentor, Bill Belichik's Patriots, 34-14. He is undoubtedly looking to do the same this week as he faces his former employers, who jettisoned him after two winning seasons, the latter one ruined by the stubborness of the "old gun slinger/photographer" Brett Favre.

6-1 Fluke: After getting thoroughly man-handled by his protege, Eric Mangini and the upstart, rag-tag Cleveland Browns it seems as though Bill Belichick's Patriots early success is starting to look like a bit of a fluke. The real test will come this week against the Steelers who look like they are the team to beat in the AFC.

A Win is a Win: Jets fans, you can complain all you want about what a poor showing the team had against the lowly Lions however; a win is a win and in the NFL you can't take wins like that for granted. The reality is that the Jets are 6-2, tied for the best record in the NFL and are sitting atop their division.....not bad eh. For all you "Hard Knocks hype" bandwagoners that feel like jumping ship when things look rough, this your stop.

In to the Lion's Den

Coming off an embarassing 9-0 home shutout at the hands of the Packers, the Jets are looking to bounce back strong against the Lions this week. However; this matchup has all the makings of a trap game, coming off a disappointing loss against a historically mediocre opponent. Let's get one thing straight, these Lions are nothing like the 2008 Lions, under second-year quarterback Matthew Stafford.

They rank 6th in the league in points per game (26.1)and 7th in passing yards per game, despite being without Stafford for several weeks. The matchup to watch this week is one of "strength on strength," the Jets best player, All-Pro cornerback, Darrelle Revis will be matched up against the 6"5, stud wide receiver, Calvin Johnson who has been dubbed "Megatron" by his teammates. A number of analysts expect Johnson's size to give Revis issues however; Revis' track record against tall recievers is impeccable, having shut-down the likes of Vincent Jackson (6"5), Andre Johnson (6"3), Terrell Owens (6"3), and Randy Moss (6"4).

Having said that, the Lions still have other weapons at their disposal including explosive rookie running back, Jahvid Best and former first round pick, tight end, Brandon Pettigrew. The Lions have played close games against virtually every team they have played, including a dramatic win against the Redskins last week. The Jets certaintly showed a fair amount of rust, at least on the offensive side of the ball, coming off the bye-week and are looking to secure wins each of the next two weeks against two very beatable teams before their schedule gets tougher beginning, with a match-up at home against the Texans. Despite the Lions offensive success, their defense has struggled to contain opponents this year, yielding 23.6 points per game and 130.4 yards per game on the ground.

The Jets should look to get back to their "bread and butter," running the ball right at the Lions' shoddy run defense, look for Shonn Greene to see an increase in touches this week. The Lions inability to stop the run will allow Mark Sanchez to execute the play-action with greater effectiveness, leaving him with opportunities to take some shots down-field. The weather will also not be an issue as the Lions play indoors at Ford Field allowing for a fast track and no Meadowlands-esque winds to disrupt the passing or kicking game. The Jets match-up extremely well on paper against the Lions and should be able to come away with the win with relative ease however; the beauty of this league is that there is no such thing as a "lock." I am not in the business of prognostication, having said that don't be surprised if the "Cardiac Cats" have Jets fans pulse's pounding this Sunday.

Assessing the Competition

At 5-2 the Jets are considered among the league's elite teams however; they are still looking up at the perennial "thorn in their side," the New England Patriots. The Patriots are currently sitting atop the AFC East at with a league-best 6-1 record, coming off a big home win against the Vikings. The Patriots' success has Jets fans up in arms in disbelief, this was supposed to be the year that the Jets would over-take the Pats as the class of the AFC East. Yet, despite trading away their starting running back, Laurence Maroney and their number one receiving threat, Randy Moss early in the season, the team continues to win games and surpass the Jets. With a rag-tag group of misfits including BenJarvus Green-Ellis, re-tread Deion Branch, and Jets cast-off Danny Woodhead flanking Tom Brady on the offensive side of the ball the Patriots have reeled off five straight wins, the last three coming against 2009 playoff teams:Ravens, Chargers, and Vikings. Despite how much Jets fans don't want to hear it, there is one man responsible for the Patriots' surprising success, he is known by many names among Jets Nation, many of them unfit to print regardless of what you call him: Beli-cheat, "the Hoodie," etc, this is one of Bill Belichick's best coaching jobs. The man continues to have sustained success despite a blatant lack of talent at every position, save the quarterback. The schedule softens this week as Belichick goes back to Clevland to take on former protege, Eric Mangini and his tough-luck Browns.

We will find out whether the 2010 Patriots are for real or just a well-crafted house of cards when they take on the Steelers and Colts back-to-back. Unfortunately for Jets head coach, Rex Ryan his tow goals of hosting a playoff game and leading the league in wins may coinicde if the Patriots continue to run through the AFC. Despite their struggles against the Packers at home, the Jets schedule opens up a bit with two extremely winnable road games against the Lions and Browns respectively. The Jets have the upper-hand on the Patriots, with a 3-0 division record and a 1-0 head-to-head record, so everyone should be circling Monday, December 6th as the Jets go into New England to take on the Pats for divisional supremacy and possibly the right to host a playoff game.

Aside from the Patriots, the Jets should not be so quick to write off the Dolphins, who have played close games against a host of quality opponents and are nipping on the Jets heels in the division, only one game out in the loss column. If there's anything the Dolphins have proved during the first half of the season is that they can go toe-to-toe with any team in the league on any given Sunday. They could very well be 6-1 right now, if a few plays go their way against the Steelers and Jets. Tony Sparano's unit definitely has the talent to hang with anyone, with the dynamic two-headed running attack of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and Chad Henne coming into his own as he continues to develop a rapport with Brandon Marshall. The Fins defense has less big name talent but is just as capable, sitting just outside the top 10 in both rushing and passing defense. The past two years under head coach Tony Sparano have been night and day in terms of the team's performance in the stretch run. In 2008, the Dolphins won their final five games and nine of their last ten to finish 11-5 and win the AFC East. On the other hand in 2009, Miami stumbled down the stretch, finishing 7-9 and missing out on the playoffs. Whether the Dolphins will be faders or surge in crunch time is uncertain however; after week 10 the schedule does open up a little bit with games against the Raiders, Browns, Bills and Lions.

As for Ryan's Jets, hopefully their performance against the Packers was just a momentary hiccup as their scchedule only gets tougher after week 10 and will need to continue to show the resiliency they displayed during their five game winning streak. The best prescription for gang green's success is wins, wins, ande more wins, if they take care of their own business everything else will fall into place. As to who will emerge victrious in this three-horse race in the AFC East has yet to be seen however; on thing is for certain, it will make for some entertaining football as the calendars turn towards December.

The Offense Packed it in Against Green Bay

For the first time since 2006 the Jets were shut out at home, despite a dominant performance by the finally healthy defense, the Jets offense proved to be inept unable to muster a single point. The offense's recent troubles is perplexing to say the least most people thought that the team could only get better with the addition of Santonio Holmes into the mix however; it is obvious that over the last couple of weeks the offense has regressed.

Naturally, most of the blame was placed sqaurely upon the shoulders of second year quarterback, Mark Sanchez. Granted he did leave alot of plays out on the field however; the play calling was rather unimaginative and predictable even to those sitting in the stands. As erratic has Sanchez has been recently, the offense's struggles have been exacerbated by the play-calling of the increasingly enigmatic Brian Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer is tough to figure out, one week he calls a brilliant game and the next he decides to run against a stacked box. Dom Capers should also be credited for calling a great defensive game however; there are no excuses for being shut out at home. Aside from Schottenheimer's vanilla play-calling the receiever's were not doing Sanchez any favors with five drops and two interceptions that were ripped out of the hands of Dustin Keller and Jericho Cotchery respectively.

Sanchez has been criticized for his propensity to check-down to the running back this season however; his frequent check downs show that he is maturing as a quarterback, going through his reads and not trying to force the ball down-field. In addition, since the arrival of Holmes arguably two of the Jets biggest weapons, Dustin Keller and Shonn Greene have seemingly become "forgotten men." It appears as though Schottenheimer is trying to keep everyone satisfied by spreading the ball around however; it should not be his job to stroke egos, his job is to call plays and win games and he needs to get back to doing that instead of worrying about whether his diva receivers are satisfied. With four viable receiving options, Sanchez, in theory, should be able to take advantage of single-coverage however; we have yet to see any real vertical passing game since week four against the Bills.

Teams are figuring the Jets out because Schottenheimer has become increasingly predictable in his play-calling, even Packers safety, Nick Collins noted: "The Jets offense was an easy read." If opponents are telling you, your offense is predictable something has to change, with all the offensive weapons the Jets have there is no reason they should be shut out. We're looking at you Mr. Schottenheimer.

Since I've Been Gone...

Coming back from my self-imposed year and a half hiatus here's what has happened:

1) The Sanchize- the team obviously did not heed my advice and traded up to draft USC Quarterback Mark Sanchez who showed flashes of greatness in a fairly rough rookie season while leading the Jets to within a game of the Super Bowl.

2) The Playoff Run- The 2009 season provided a roller coaster ride after a 3-0 start the Jets began to sputter and needed a few "gift games" from the Colts and Bengals at the end of the season to finish 9-7 and capture the AFC Wild Card and the 5th Seed. The Jets went on to become road warriors, dismantling the Bengals in the Wild Card round and followed it up with a dramatic win against the Chargers in San Diego and then went on to face Peyton Manning and the Colts in the AFC Championship game. The Jets played an impressive first half, prompting fans to begin making travel plans to Miami. However; in the end injuries to Thomas Jones and several defensive stalwarts proved to be too much as Manning single-handedly torched the Jets secondary en route to being crowned AFC Champions.

3) A Tumultuous Off-Season- Coming off their improbable playoff run the Jets entered the off-season handcuffed by the collective bargaining agreement's "Final Four rule" that stipulated a team in the NFL's final four could only sign a free agent when one of their's was picked up by another team prohibiting the Jets from going after the likes of Julius Peppers or Karlos Dansby. However; Mike Tannenbaum did what he always does and made an immediate splash by trading for former pro-bowl cornerback, Antonio Cromartie to go opposite Darrelle Revis, then he went out and signed future hall of famer, LaDainian Tomlinson and in turn jettisoned Thomas Jones coming off the best year of his career and entering the final year of his four year contract. Tannenbaum was not done there, he let reliable kicker and vocal team leader, Jay Feely go in order to sign 36 year old, former defensive player of the year, Jason Taylor and then signed Nick Folk to replace Feely, who had fallen out of favor with the Cowboys. Arguably Tannenbaum's biggest steal of the off-season was his acquisition of former Super Bowl MVP and NFL Elite wide receiver, Santonio Holmes for a fourth-round draft pick. However; Tannenbaum began to execute a series of controversial moves including several draft day moves including: trading fan-favorite Leon Washington who was arguably the team's best offensive player before enduring a brutal leg injury in Oakland in 2009. Perhaps the most controversial move was releasing All-Pro Guard Alan Faneca who served as the anchor for the left of the side of the best offensive line in football despite the fact that 5 million of his 7 million dollar contract was guaranteed. In the draft the Jets selected Boise State cornerback, Kyle Wilson in the first round, raw offensive lineman, Vlad Ducasse out of UMASS in the 2nd round, embattled USC Running Back, Joe McKnight in the 4th round and the traded up to grab Kentucky fullback, John Conner dubbed the Terminator for his shared namesake with the movie character and his ferocious running style. In the spring the Jets agreed to be feautred in the HBO series "Hard Knocks" during training camp at SUNY-Cortland. Entering training camp, the hype machine was in full force and the Jets became the trendy Super Bowl pick.

4) Stumble then Rumble- With all the hype surrounding the team going into their season-opener against the Ravens on Monday Night Football. The defense played fairly well however, the offense was anemic with extremely vanilla play-calling and were only able to muster 9 points in a disappointing 10-9 loss. They then went on to reel off 5 straight wins, starting with an impressive home win against the Patriots going and ending with a nail-biting last minute win against the Broncos on the road, going into the bye week with a 5-1 record and control of the AFC East. And now here we are....