Link: WhatIfSports Picks Jets to go 7-9
WhatIfSports.com, a website that pits teams against each in hypothetical situations (like … who would win, the ‘56 Yankees or the ‘86 Mets?) lends their thoughts on how the 2008 season will play out and how the Jets will fare.
The Jets made some great additions to the offensive line and backfield to improve the running game. And a good draft plus some addition by subtraction gives the defense players who better fit the 3-4 scheme. However, without a downfield passing game and with question marks at defensive tackle and corner, New York cannot compete with New England and Buffalo, nor breach .500. The Jets average 22.1 points per game (#20) and allow 24.2 points (#19) against a schedule featuring five games against 2007 playoff teams.
I’m not sold that this team is going to the playoffs yet, but I do think they stand a formidible chance at breaking .500. The Jets passing game is one of the big questions, but we’ll just have to see how it all plays out.
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Well, its year 3 of Tangini… one could start making the argument that after 3 years, an unsuccessful organization has been giving “enough rope to hang itself”.
I really am/was excited about Tangini, I’m just beginning to question their wisdom after the Kendall situation last year and the way they won’t just handle the Baker situation and move on. They’re allowing the drama to dominate the media coverage and either cut the guy, trade him, or give him a very small raise for Christ’s sake!
Anyway, the point being is that by the end of year 3, the excuses are running out.
Hopefully this is irrelevant as the JETS put together a good year, perhaps 9-7 and 10-6, to keep everyone (including myself) at bay, and to put the lingering doubts to rest.
What is the question mark at DT? Jenkins has to adjust to the nose, but that shouldn’t be all that difficult. He seems eager to do it. And Pouha seems as if he’s a good enough backup. Throw in Moseley and it’s a good unit.
I think they’re calling the 3-4 DE’s DT’s, which is why they are saying there is a “question mark at DT” with Sean Ellis and Coleman, which would be accurate if you are calling them DT’s and Jenkins the NT.
I’ve heard both; in high school we ran a 5-2, which is really a 3-4 with the OLB’s on the line of scrimmage (often used in the NFL in hybrid-type defenses like the JETS run), and the DE’s were called DT’s.
I’ve heard both; I think thats what they mean.
Questions at DT? Really? I don’t understand how Jenkins is a question mark. Especially when they praise the Bills for Marcus Stroud who I think isn’t as good as Jenkins.
And, ok, we have a question mark at corner, but what team doesn’t have any question marks? 2nd, a 22% win chance at San Fran. Besides the Pats this is their hardest game?!??
God I hate predictions. I gotta stop getting all worked up over them.
The upside of this simulation is that they’ve probably underestimated the team this year in programming the simulation and yet despite that they have at least 4 swing games by their own admission that could just as easily go in favor of the Jets, making their record 11-5!. ;)
” thats why they PLAY THE GAMES! “
“Biggest Strength: Pass Rush – With Shaun Ellis, Calvin Pace, Vernon Gholston, David Harris, Kerry Rhodes and others, the Jets can attack the quarterback from any angle.”
I’m as excited as any Jet fan about the additions of Pace, Gholston and Jenkins (potentially freeing up Ellis, Coleman and the rest of the LBs) but to call this our biggest strength? I can’t say that. Sounds like maybe a poll (Bassett?) Unit by unit this is how I see it from biggest strength to least:
1) OL
2) RB
3) LB
4) TE/WR
5) DL
6) DB
7) QB
8) ST
When was the last time anyone wrote about the Jets, with a straight face, “Biggest Strength: Pass Rush”. This alone should create optimism.
3 things:
1) The DE and CB will be more important than the QB. If they play well our scoring needs will be reduced to even Chad’s capabilities. If they cannot control the LOS, Favre would not be able to do much without the ball and behind.
2) I am not worried about NE, I doubt we can beat them. I am not too worried about the Bills. If we cannot beat this purse strapped team, we will have new management.
3) I keep being amazed at those who want to open up the pandora’s box of rewarding players who complain to the media, lie shamelessly about their situation, and act in ways to reduce their own and their teammates’ value. If you want to keep seeing this behavior showing up, give Baker more money. It will also keep showing up if we trade him so we better get real value for a deal. Let him suffer or the Baker saga will soon be repeated more times than any of us will care to witness.
harlan
Looking at the secondary in general, the secondary was not bad last year and we had no pass rush so the QB’s had all day to pick us apart. With the hopefully new and improved pass rush the secondary should be improved and become a pretty solid unit.
It doesn’t create that much optimism, in my book, that the “biggest strength” on the JETS is a unit that was amongst the worst in the NFL last year, and the analysis is based solely on offseason additions.
The new additions are definitely exciting, but saying that one of the worst pass-rushing teams in the NFL last year now can count pass-rush as a strength because they signed free agents and drafted an OLB is scary.
The secondary didn’t give up a lot in the way of killer plays — I thought that was more the run defense … making guys like Kenny Watson look like all-Pros. I hope that becomes this team’s best turnaround — going from turnstiles to run-stoppers.
sec108, how is special teams our weakest unit? Arent we known for being dominant in that phase of the game? What would make you say that?
And i for one am getting a little sick of reading sports writers opinions and predictions of our team. My money says none of these guys ever watch the jets play, and they know little about our players. So screw all of them, we are making the playoffs.
Very pre mature to call the pass rush our biggest strength.
Although I do believe our LB core could be our biggest strength.
The difference between the Jets and Bills is their head-to-head record; the simulation assumes a Buffalo sweep. That’ s hard for me to believe. The defense is incredibly hard to predict, I think the Jenkins addition will have a ripple effect through the front 7, improving the DE play and helping someone like Harris to play on the offensive side of the LOS. If the pass rush is, indeed, a strength, then the second CB position isn’t that important…you can’t pass when you’re flat on your back and the QB won’t have much time to look left if VG is bearing down on him.
Good call Mike G, you caught me, forgot about specials until after I did the regular units and lazily just placed them at the end. Having said that if you look at it as a whole, I don’t think its near our best unit, not anymore, the loss of Westhoff’s impact isn’t known yet, but worries me, our punter is a big question mark, and our place kicker seems average to me. The only real strength seems to be Leon and Miller returning kickoffs, and the coverage units have been ok, I’d probably rank them 5 or 6.
There was some really bad tackling in the secondary last season. The Burress play, the Kevin Curtis play, etc. Agreed that a better pass rush helps to negate some of those problems, but better tackling would help. Also, special teams are a Jets strength and with Justin Miller added to the mix, ST should be even stronger.
I’m not really worried at all about our situation… The thing about Tangini is that this is the first year where they can say they have THEIR players… So I would really count this as year 1 of tangini… You can’t really put a prediction on any season cause “On any givin sunday… bla bla bla…” , BUT I do see this as being a positive year for us… and by positive I mean we’ll have a better record than last year… The players will be given the chace to mesh and build some chemistry together… I do believe that we will have our biggest show of improvement next year when this squad has a year under its belt… There always is that cinderella story… I’m hoping its us… I’m just not placing any bets on it…
K.C. summed it up – Talk is cheap, play the games. Once again, this is just bulletin board material. The Jets are one big question mark, at this time. By the end of pre-season, we should have a better idea about strengths and weaknesses. If the players come together, we can be a playoff team. Let the media keep beating up on our team. It will be a rude awakening for them, if they think we are the inept group that they saw last year. With a revamped line, our QB’s will be just fine. I say, let Baker negotiate with other teams. Get rid of all distractions.
DSmizzle,
You’re acting as if what was predicted by this useless website , (Whatif Sports? give me a break,) is indeed fact. None of their hypothesis are even correct.
To quote you: “Well, its year 3 of Tangini… one could start making the argument that after 3 years, an unsuccessful organization has been giving “enough rope to hang itself”. You sound like the third season has already been played, and it was not successful.
Can we at least actually play the season before you fire Tangini?
DSmizzle,
Another thing, your constant whining about C. Baker is starting to irritiate me as much as Baker himself.
Baker will not make or brake the season. In the grand scheme, he is insignificant, he is a mediocre TE at best and can be easily replaced with the other TE’s already on the roster, or by bringing in someone else.
Uh, yeah. The post was about a “simulation” that had the JETS finishing 7-9, right? I was operating under that hypothetical situation.
Is that not obvious?
Harlan,
Your points about the Baker situation are good but how do we know that he has lied about his situation? Can I not sit here and say the Jets have lied about the situation? No one on this blog really knows what was said between the two.
I can’t sit here and defend his actions by going to the media with his complain. I’ve lived in Philadelphia for the past 6 years so I can see how a player can become a cancer. But the Eagles did not handle the TO situation properly because they did exactly what you want the Jets to do, just have him sit there and complain. Trust me, in no way do I think Baker is as important as TO but the Jets need to pick what they wanna do, trade him or cut him!
My problem is that BEFORE he made that speech- this blog was 75% anti-Baker. People will say “he had his career year last year but his stats weren’t that good.” Without looking at stats I always liked Baker out there. I just hate when people say he isn’t that good because of stats, I assume fans on here actually watch games not boxscores. The same people think that Bubba Franks is still good because he was in the probowl and has put up better numbers in his career! He’s been a nonfactor in GB for years now, does anyone question why?
Sounds like you were overreacting, not operating.
Ramble,
I think Baker is more important to the team than people think… I am upset that he decided to do this, this year, being that he had 2 years left asopposed to next year he would have been in a contract year… the reason i think hes doing it this year as opposed to next, is if keller blows up… he wont have ANY levrage or negotiating power… So I think hes thinking that he better do this now while kellers talents or impact on the game are still unknown…
Smizzle,
if it means anything to you, I had no idea you were talking as if the 08 season was already simulated… but even then I would still disagree with it because of what i said in my first post on this topic…
They said we cant compete with buffalo
do these charlatans actaully believe the stuff they write? “we cannot compete with Buffalo?” Is this topic Annual Inches of Snowfall?
For some reason, no matter how bad Buffalo is and no matter how good the Jets are the Jets still manage to lose a game to the Bills. Last year the Bills swept the Jets. I don’t know how this happens, but it does.
If the Jets are going to make any noise this year, they have to follow the 2006 season by winning at least 2 of 4 between the Bills and Pats, and then sweeping the Phins. If they do that, they have an excellent chance of making the playoffs. Obviously, this is much easier said then done.
how can anyone “project” wins? did anyone “project” the giants winning the SB?
Its all b.s.. Everyone who writes this nonsense should pull their head out of their a**. I think tangini put together a good team (with or without baker). We should be able to compete for the palyoff in December. Anyhting other than that will probably be deemed a failure. The year thereafter we should go deep in the playoffs, both years barring any significant injuries and AT LEAST a mediocre year out of Pennington or Clemens. Our D , O-line and running game will be strong enough to carry the team adn have it competing.
Good points on the secondary’s bad tackling sackdance99…The Burress play was embarrasing and dont forget the Randy Moss opening day TD where he had what seemed like the whole Jets defense running behind him. However, overall the sec was decent and should be better this year with a better pass rush
“However, without a downfield passing game and with question marks at defensive tackle and corner, New York cannot compete with New England and Buffalo, nor breach .500.”
A) The Patriots have a downfield passing game, but they also have question marks at defensive tackle and corner. We shouldn’t be better than them, but they won’t be 16-0 either.
B) The Bills have no downfield passing game, and have questions at defensive tackle and corner. I’m sorry, but was I asleep and missed Trent Edwards’ Hall of Fame Induction ceremony? Was I watching Bridezillas during the ‘07 season when the Bills receiving crew, which consists of Lee Evans and 5 extras from North Dallas Forty broke all the significant NFL passing records? Every knock you can potentially knock the Jets for, you can knock the Bills for. They’ve won nothing and proven nothing. Saying that there’s no way we can compete with Buffalo is absolutely ludicrous.
STFU
The Bills were better last year, so it appears to the objective viewer that it will be easier for them to make the minor leap (2-3 wins) required for them to make the playoffs, whereas the JETS need about 5 more wins to make the playoffs.
On paper, they weren’t much better than the JETS I ’spose, but they played better on the field. Much better.
DSmizzle, I can see that logic, but it really doesn’t apply to the NFL anymore. Assuming they only need 2-3 more wins implies that the team as presently constituted is already gaurunteed the requisite 7 wins they had last season. Each season is its own entity, with new players via free agency and the draft, new injuries, players suddenly excelling and declining.
Its as much folly as anyone looking at the 2006 Jets coming off a 10-6 season were in line to challenge the Pats thinking we only needed 2-3 more wins. We all saw what happened with that.
Bilai, I’m the charter member of the Bubba Franks fan club. Look, he was injured the past 2 seasons and last season lost his job in Green Bay when he came back healthy. His worst 2 seasons came when Baker had his best 2 seasons. I don’t think its fair just to discount the rest of Franks generally excellent career to focus just on the last 2 seasons. Now, let’s try to evaluate between a healthy and motivated Bubba Franks and a disgruntled Chris Baker. Franks is a better redzone target (in 8 games and only 1 start, he had 3 TDs, the same as Baker), is known for great hands, is an able blocker, has good speed for a man his size and wants to rejuvenate his career. Baker is, at best, average in every TE area, but now is disgruntled and wants to leave the Jets. So, I’ll take the former pro bowler, who is over his health problems, and wants to be here over the average guy with an overinflated view of himself who wants to leave.
What do they mean on this site when they say absolute record? as compared to the predicted record. I think they gave a fair assessment, I know we all hope for better and It wouldn’t surpise any of us but there won’t be too many writers who will dare to say a team that was 4-12 last year will make the playoffs this year.
- Smoked Piglet
NVM on the absolute record question it is written in the first paragraph.
Rich G, ramble914:
You guys are right on on all counts! These “experts” using last years stats in making this years predictions are funny. What I trully don’t understand are “fans” assuming this year as a failure before it even starts and claiming they are optimistic fans are a sad joke !!!
“whatif..” should not have been posted on this site. Basset, we really should try and stick to relevant stories.
I, too, am puzzled by the pundits’ love for the Bills. The Jets and Bills have identical 14-18 records over the past 2 seasons. Since 2000, the Jets and Bills have a .500 record against each other, with the Jets sweeping in 2002 and the Bills sweeping last season, all the other seasons were splits. Given the recent history between the teams, the safest prediction would be a split and that would make both teams 8-8 in “What If’s” view. Also, What If is placing a lot of faith in James Hardy, but most tall WRs from college fail in the NFL and I have real doubts that Hardy will be able to get off the LOS. Plus, as TSJC said, who died and made Trent Edwards into Jim Kelly? Edwards is very much in the Chad mold, so I’m not all that certain that Edwards can fully exploit Lee Evans’ big play capability. Let’s see how Edwards does now that all of Western New York views him as a savior.
Q: Let’s say the Jets are down by 6 points in the last game of the season with 0:59 left in regulation, and a win puts us in the playoffs. Does anyone here believe we have a QB in our fold who could produce a 80yd game winning drive? If the answer is no, we are in for another long year of Tangini BS.
(hint: 1 QB no arm, 1 QB no accuracy, and 1 QB no clue)
A: We finish 9-7 no playoff and Tangini doesn’t address the QB issue next year and we go 5-11 with a tougher schedule from being 9-7 the previous year.
We need a proven vet or we need to draft QB in first round next year. Both of these options are highly unlikely. The running game and our D will be our only hope.
Go JETS!!!!
I think one reason the Bills may be considered to have an advantage in 08 is because they seem to have a QB that doesn’t suck.
James,
I’ve seen Chad drive the team down for a score (TD or FG) in the last minute of games many times.
Also Kellen had at least 3 games last year where he drove the Jets down at the end of the game for a score.
A major point at the end of the game isn’t arm strength/accuracy it’s clock management. And Chad is one of the best in that category and the emphasis Mangini puts on the final 2 minutes during practice doesn’t make me worry about this point.
No Chad clock management isnt all that great. They’re not bad but not great. Hackett never ran a 2min drill and how many false start penaltys did we have? It was like death and taxes cept it was delay of games and C-Mart 3&5 Draws! Yes pennington can stage a late minute drive but he needs a lot of time. He has no quick strike ability.
I think the Bills and Jets are virtually identical teams this year. Some underrated WR’s, a solid but inconsistent defense and a big “?” at QB.
But when push comes to shove, Roscoe Parrish isn’t going to win any games, not with the Jets new defensive unit.
Suck it Brady.
James – you wrote “We need a proven vet or we need to draft QB in first round next year. ”
Umm, no, what we “need” is for one of the 3 QBs currently on our roster to step up and play alot better than last year, which is in fact fairly likely considering that any proven vet or first round draft pick you can name (from any year) would have sucked last year considering the Oline that was in front of them (except when they were so manhandled by the opposing Dline that they were in fact behind the QB or on their backs).
Trent Edward is going to be a very good QB in this league. The Bills are going to be as good as Lynch. He’s the X factor.
James,
As I’ve said many times, go root for the Titans. You are not fooling anyone by pretending to be a Jet fan.
Your constant barage against Tangini is unfounded.They’ve had one good season, one bad. Let’s at least wait for the tie breaker before bashing them once again.
NYC PE,
Another thing I’ve said many times is, Payton Manning couldn’t have played behind our line last year, especially a 23 yo kid making his first starts. Not the way to start a career.
SD99, the reason the media love the Bills has to do with NFL economics. Bills fans need more hope than we do. Our fans show up regardless of what the team’s record is. Bills fans don’t. Why do you think they are planning on playing games in Toronto? To expand their fan base and sell more tickets. Not to mention if the Bills have plans to permanently move to Toronto down the line, they will need good press to woo potential investors. We Jets fans are just as invested in this team at 1-15 as we are at 10-6. Other teams like the Bills need hope…
Lynch IS pretty awesome… and more of a game-changer than TJ. Has the capability to pace TJ with the “tough” yards but has more big-play ability.
Lee Evans is more of a big-play threat than Coles… Cotch is better than any other WR on the Bills, perhaps even better than Evans (I’d rather have Cotch than Coles, first of all). Trent Edwards was better than Kellen when both had limited chances.
Very similar teams, but I can see why someone would give the Bill the edge… if only because they were able to win more games last year with their returning players.
You can say the NFL is different these days with free agency and teams can’t stay together… but sometimes they do, and the Bills have a very similar roster as they did last year.
Its certainly not objective that the JETS should be ranked higher than the Bills in the preseason.
Ramble914, as I have said many times you are an idiot. When you root for a team you don’t have to wear glossy green glasses. Reality check, we are a roller coaster team Playoffs then high draft Playoffs High draft. I have been a Jets fan since 1980. Probably longer than you have been alive. So, if you think that honestly looking at your team’s strengths and weaknesses is wrong then go pull for the Patriots. I bet you already do. LOL
Hey now, we’re all on the same team here right? No need for useless mud slinging. (Leave that to the politicians).
James is entitled to his opinion, as he like most old timers are looking for the next Joe Willie.
As for the rest of us, let’s keep the optimism alive and pray for more than a few Miracles at the Meadowlands to give us some hope.
The Bills are always pegged (like the Ravens) to go farther than they actually do. I don’t buy that the Bills are better than the Jets this season. Especially with the current issues with their left tackle. That’s a bad sign.
James,
I’ve been alive 46 years, I graduated high school when you became a (so called) Jet fan, in 1980. I started rooting for the team in 1969. I’m sure I’ve been to more games in one season then you have in your entire life.
I have no issue with looking at the teams problems. I have an issue with your moronic point of views. They make no sence. Stick with the Titans.
I have a big problem with calling for a regime change if Mangini/Tannenbaum do not deliver this year. I believe that the Jets have a good organization in place and the best way to win a championship is by maintaining consistency.
DSmiz, do you think the current regime is so bad that the better approach would be to fire the whole staff and start over, yet again? Seriously, can we give this staff 4-6 years to follow through with the plan? Only in NYC are the fans/media this impatient.
Zenlaw,
I agree, even if this season isn’t successful, we can’t make another change. I think Tangini is doing a good job, they are bringing in good players, both in FA and the draft, if it dosen’t happen this year, I am sure it will happen next year. I do however think they will have a good season, my prediction is 11-5.
If anyone should be questioned if we have a bad year I feel it is Tannenbaum. Not for the players he brings in but for how out of control it quickly spirals. I see new O and D coordinators on the horizon but I like Mangini. He (and Westhoff) had us in a lot of games we shouldn’t have been last year thats not too bad for a 2nd yr head coach in his 30s.
I’m just saying, the reason everyone (including myself) is so patient with Tangini is because of the mystique surrounding 2006 and the pedigree of Mangini from New England. Specifically, in 2006, the JETS were playing like New England did during its previous championship seasons (seemingly having imperfect talent level and flawed team but playing football the way it was meant to be and making plays at the right time).
The Kendall thing last year and the Baker thing this year (the Kendall situation was universally was considered a screwup, in my opinion they aren’t handling the Baker situation well either) should raise some question as to their wisdom.
So basically, all I’m saying is that if we had brought in a regime without this pedigree and who didn’t earn some level of mystique in their 1st year (which was deserved), more people would be speaking up about the way they are handling things.
I guess my point is that while they deserve a lot of credit for Year 1, they botched things last year with the Kendall situation and in my opinion, coming off a 4-12 season, they are botching the Chris Baker situation.
While I don’t think another bad year will merit their firing, they DO have the guys THEY claim they needed this year, although the team still has some holes.
I think that the level of success that we should expect out of this team to deem this year a success would have to be at least 8-8 coming off a 4-12 season last year. It would bring back the optimism.
I’m still on board with Tangini, by the way. Very much so. Just questioning what they’re doing, and trying to add some variables to their resume (while they deserve credit for 2006, they deserve blame for 2007; can’t have one without the other, IMHO).
DSmizz,
Why do you feel they aren’t handling the Baker situation well? Look at the way every other team in a similiar situation handles it, they basically ignore the player, and force them to play at their current contract. Caving in creates certain problems, and cutting the player creates other problem. They really have no choice but to hold steady.
Aren’t you one of the fans who is optimistic for this year? Then why not throw the guy a few hundred K, and make a run with it this year? No one is really disputing that he is a good player. They could use him.
I don’t buy into the theory that this will cause future problems; they’ll exist no matter what. This is what players do.
You have to field the best team possible this year. Lets get him back in the fold and kill this distraction.
I think the FO and the coaches are the kind of people that I like to work with. Well prepared, easy going, positive, and approachable. Alot less media show than high profile coaches and a lot fewer media players than higher profile teams. Only thing that will change is perceptions and that comes with winning.
Billvv, I agree, and they do it in NY! The media captiol of the world.
I agree with Ramble, hold steady and don’t give in to Baker’s ridiculous demands. Caving will in fact cause problems in the future, just as the Kendall fiasco last year caused problems this year (Baker, Coles). Baker deserves no more than he is getting and throwing a whiner who has bee paid adequately for his talent and production levls a few hundred K:
A.) almost certainly won’t make him happy, and
B.) is a pretty sad way for the FO to run a team
Ramble 914, it is fans like you who accept mediocrity and therefore put no pressure on the team to be a yearly contender. Oh and learn how to spell, it is “since” not “sence” if you had some sense you would understand that.
James,
You learn to spell, its “sense”, as in you make no sense. I at least made a typing error, whats your excuse?
Go root for the titans.