2008 Jets State of the Union Part 1: Darkest Before the Dawn
(Applause) Thank you very much. Vice President Bent, posters of TJB , distinguished guests and fellow blogosphere denizens: As we gather tonight, the Jets are fighting a losing war on Power Rankings. Our win total is in a recession, and the increasingly rare civilized Jets fan faces unprecedented dangers at home and away. Yet the state of our Union has never been stronger. (Applause.)
During this past season we were met by shock, suffering, enemy cameras and even exposed breasts. (Applause) In four short months, our community has comforted the victims, clothed the topless, seen justice served to the wicked, and begun to rebuild our faith with budding defensive stars. (Applause.)
OK … I don’t want to ape a real State of the Union speech all the way through, but I wanted to at least get you in that mindset. Let’s take a look at the Jets from a macro level with a touch of over the top optimism, and see where the team stands versus the enemies both foriegn, and domestic. The first part of the “speech” after the jump …
Darkest before the Dawn
For years, we all questioned and rolled our eyes at former GM Terry Bradway’s management of the Jets, known for his reaching on draft picks and overvaluing contracts at the expense of the future. Now two full years’ removed from his despotism, the organization has made headway, but some vestiges of Bradway’s regime remain. The shadows of players like Jason Fabini and their contracts (whilst allowing other players like Kareem McKenzie and Jason Ferguson to walk) and the hubris of a knee-jerk moves (like drafting a kicker in the second round due to a missed field goal in the team’s last game) are becoming less scarring on the organization’s current complexion. But as 2007 proved, the effects are still very real, and the change of direction have inflamed them, revealing 2006 for what it really was, a “gravy” year during a substantive renovation project.
The Jets were bolstered in 2006 by a healthy team, bend-don’t break defense, special Special Teams play and an offense that although wasn’t burning up the FieldTurf, kept the chains moving. For all the things that went right in 2006, we saw a severe breakdown of those trends in 2007. Injuries piled up, the defense gave up big plays while not creating pressure or turnovers and the offense couldn’t make third down conversions, all while turning the ball over far too often.
Although the remnants of Bradway era are starting to fade, questions linger over some of the new organization’s moves. Under the microscope are free agent acquistions like Kimo von Oelhoffen, the 2007 “DL by Committee” signings, the Pete Kendall fiasco, and some draft reaches of their own … Schlegel & Pociask notably. More fans now are grumbling at the pick of D’Brickashaw Ferguson in the 2006 Draft, wondering if he will ever be worth the slot at which he was taken … funny how the same questions plague a different linemen on the Jets taken at number four just a few years earlier.
Is this organization cursed? Can the current management get the job done? Some fans have seen enough, but my view is that I’ve seen enough savvy moves to give the youngsters some leash and some faith.
I’m big on metaphors, and the title of this post is meant to be taken as such. If what we just saw from the Jets was the worst that could happen, and the core of the team still played their hearts out every week right up until the end, then I’ll take that. That to me is the dawning of what this team is truly capable of accomplishing.
I will be posting these daily, so during the rest of this series, I will be addressing the players’ contracts, the salary cap, the 2008 NFL Draft, and much more … Stay tuned. Up next: the QB Quandry.
11 Responses to 2008 Jets State of the Union Part 1: Darkest Before the Dawn
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Harlan Lachman says:
Basset, the most disturbing trend is how Tangini don’t seem to be able to assess players as well as some fans. It is possible they are knowledgeable and skillful and their options were limited; they were forced to try and make a silk purse out of a sows arse, it is also possible they cannot evaluate talent on the field (I actually like their drafts, including last year’s trades that limited picks but netted two studs we need).
Any observant Jets fan would have loved to enter this season without the following guys on our team: I speak of David Barrett, a key pass completion waiting to happen; Kassel and Chatham mistakes and missed tackles away from a big play; Clement and Moore, a missed block away from a stuffed run or injured QB; R Washington, E. Coleman, Elam, et. al., safeties who are anything but safe. And, my favorite, Justin McUseless who likely cost us at least two games with his hands of stone and inability to fight for the ball.
This failure to evaluate talent may also be apparent in the recent pricey JAG FA signings. Bryan Thomas soaked us off one non-terrible year. Kimo Von Do Nothing and Kenyon Coleman demonstrated ably how to be pushed out of the way on running plays and not generate a pass rush. Barnes and Barlow (technically a trade), are not on our team and I think are out of the league. None of the other FA DE signed last year made a play.
I would add that last off season’s decision not to trade Vilma when he was healthy and apparently desired haunts us. There is no excuse for Harris’ performance in the same position that I can think of other than Vilma cannot play this D and needs a 4-3. Why did we not get a player who fits for him when we could.
Finally, it is scary to hear Eric talk glowingly of Bryan Thomas and Ellis, guys who we watched repeatedly not getting a pass rush or being blown off the ball on running plays. Are we missing something in the D’s design (is being knocked around their job)? Did failures by others preclude their success? Is Eric just trying to pump up their value and hoping to trade them?
The reason these things loom large is that this will be a make or break year for this franchise; at least for older fans who may not have another 4 decades to wait for a SB winner. We have so many holes. But we also have lots of cap room, deadwood we can cut to increase cap room, and good draft slots that make all our first three picks potential starters and cap room for at least 3 potential FA studs.
Some fans want temporary fixes like Faneca or the Fish’ Taylor. These great players are likely too old to be much good by the time we fill all the holes and have given guys experience. That would be a disaster, delaying both improvement and training of the players we actually need.
The question that will be answered with a vengeance is whether Tangini are the right guys to make these decisions and whether they are settling for a quick turnaround or a team that can compete on even terms with the Colts and Pats.
harlan
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jeff i says:
bassett – i’m far from the eternal optimist but underneath the surface of a horrible season in terms of wins/losses, was a great trend emerging. everyone is going crazy talking about all the free agent $ we need to spend, which is fine and i agree. BUT, spending $ on free agents isn’t a long term competitive advantage. drafting great players and creating a core you can build around IS a long term competitive advantage. in that respect, harris and revis are HUGE home runs. these are two guys you can build a defense around.
let’s cut tangini some slack. they made a few mistakes last year for sure personell wise but they are learning. these guys have a plan and are sticking to it. the kendall thing was complex and in the end they got burned by it.
i like the direction the team is headed.
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Are-Tee says:
I agree about Schlegel being a reach, but Pociask? Wasn’t he drafted in the sixth round?
If you’re going to criticize some draft picks, you also have to credit Bradway/Tannenbaum for stealing Cotchery, Rhodes and Leon in the 4th round.
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Are-Tee–
Fair enough. I think Pociask was a fifth rounder … and it’s hard to hold someone’s feet to the fire for that. But Pociask was on no one’s board … he wasn’t even expected to be drafted. when he was picked people were like … who???
As far as Cotch and Rhodes, you are right … credit where credit is due.
To all,
I initially tried to create this as one post, but it was ballooning to almost 2500 words … and I think I could be on track for doubling that by the time i am done with it, so there are many facets yet to cover, from the cap, to free agents, to the draft, to the QB situation … etc etc.
I’ll address as many of these as I can, but it’s going to take some time, thanks for your patience!
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Bent says: Yes, Pociask was in the 5th and although I knew who he was, I didn’t have a grade on him either, so it was a bit baffling when there would have been several other blocking backs/TEs available in the later rounds or even “round 8″.
They must have been high on him for some particular reason but when he was injured as a rookie, we never really got a chance to see what that reason was – and he did little to impress this year either. I’m not going to lose any sleep over a 5th round pick though.
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Ilan says:
Harlan,
I’d hold off criticism of Elam. When he was inserted into the lineup, the defense seemed to improve. Granted there were other changes as well but I’m not ready to count the guy out as a potentially productive player.
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subwayfare says:
Agreed on Elam. He made some mistakes but definitely seemed to add some toughness and aggression to a soft unit.
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Nice Intro