Eight games into the season and the Jets stand at 4-4 on their BYE week barely hanging on to their second place standing in the AFC East. Although there have been many errors in past games, the Jets return to face a decent mixup of teams (Jags, Bucs, Panthers, Pats, Falcons, Colts, Bengals, Bills) but one question remains:  How can the Jets begin to click once again? (maybe the above picture is something Ryan should use in his motivational Powerpoint next week).

This is where you guys come in. We here at TJB want to know what do you guys think of the Jets so far? Do you think they can still get into the playoffs? What about the 2010 draft, are there any needs you see now that can be resolved in April or through free agency? Who What Ya Got?

Bassett had asked me to get this segment back up and running and I’m thrilled to do it.  I’ve been busy hanging out on twitter talking with some great Jets fans and also working on a site called Jets Twit (http://www.jetstwit.com/), articles that feature the Jets players activity on social media.

I’ll stop my shameless plug and step off the soapbox, but I would love to hear your feedback on this segment and the content.  Please feel free to comment in this story OR catch me on twitter, @e_man.  ANY feedback is appreciated!

• Kerry Rhodes held his charity events earlier in the week.  Many Jets players showed their support and were sending tweets during the event.
• Players were tweeting about their “vacation” and the plans they had for the bye week.  Jay, Nick and Woody were touring the USS New York, while Kerry, Braylon, and David were flying out of the state.
• Bassett had a post about predictions on his blog, I threw out a similar question on Twitter. You can see the interaction between the Jets fans and their record predictions.
• What else do the players like to do on their BYE week, apparently EAT!

Although the Jets have lost Jenkins, the arrival of Calvin (after his first game) has been a major factor in the recent success of the Jets pass rush. The team is also employing interesting and varied third down tactics that have seen up to six OLB/DL on the field at the same time, as they employed a few times against the Dolphins (for Wildcat purposes? we’ll see) last week, which seemed to be a new wrinkle.

Although Pace struggled in a three point role in Arizona, he’s still a capable enough guy to play with his hand down if he needs to, but he’s best used off the edge standing up … it’s where he’s most effective. Counterpart Bryan Thomas is a decent lineman in coverage, and while Pace needed a jumpstart after his first game, Ryan and Pettine moved some things around for Pace and it’s made a difference. The staff allowed Pace to swap some with Bryan Thomas to the weak side (where the Tight End isn’t) and there’s been a noticeable uptick in the outside pressure to the quarterback … just think about Pace working on the Right Tackle in the Oakland game on the first play from scrimmage.

With the Jets off this week, AccuScore took a look at their chances to win the division and to make the playoffs. The computer spat out some unfavorable numbers.

The numbers, of course, will fluctuate. But based on 10,000 simulations of how the season will unfold after Week 8, AccuScore determined the Jets have a 4 percent chance to take the division and a 13 percent shot to reach the postseason.

The Jets’ projected record was 8-8.

To me, I determine getting to the playoffs in football as my watermark for a successful season. Before the season started, and before they went 3-0 we thought that the Jets would have fallen somewhere in the 7-9 — 9-7 range, and statistically now that’s where it seems like they’ll end up. Now, statistics can’t account for teams rallying, pulling together, quarterbacks maturing, and head coaches gaining sudden in-game awareness that so far they don’t seem to possess, so anything’s still possible.

But 13% to make the playoffs, that seems about right. The problem as we laid out earlier this week is that a lot of teams above them would have to fall off pretty drastically while the Jets put together an impressive run of at least six, potentially seven wins for thet team to sneak out a wildcard spot. That said, the teams proven that they can play well in all three phases, but they just have failed to do so at the same time. If the Jets can get firing on all cylinders, they could make a move, but for now, don’t go holding your breath.

Woody talks with Bloomberg about the funding of the new stadium. “Stadiums have to be replaced every four of five decades.”

• The players are on a few days away, but are eager to get back and prove themselves.
• The quick start for the Jets and Giants are both the things of memories.
• Former Jet Joel Dreesen is going to see a lot more playing time with Owen Daniels out.
• Jets players met up with some of the sailors on the USS New York.
• The Jets would like you to believe that it’s not over. Thank you, duly noted.
• The Jets Training Facility was a finalist for a World Architecture Festival Award.
• There was a chat about the new stadium earlier this week on the Jets site.
• After tearing his ACL, Bills WR James Hardy is back with the team.

Starting with a Samberg video, we’ll end with another …

Ku-mi-te .. Ku-mi-te .. Ku-mi-te .. Ku-mi-te .. Ku-mi-te ..

So we don’t know anything about MMA, but some of you asked about it, so here’s a shot at it, with our old friend from FanHouse, Michael David Smith who knows it well.

BB: Who’s the Next Big Thing in MMA?

MDS: The next big thing is a 22-year old UFC fighter named Jon Jones. He’s 9-0 and an incredibly good athlete from an incredibly athletic family — his brother, Arthur, is a defensive tackle from Syracuse who will be a 2010 first-round draft pick.

BB: What’s your opinion of the Machidas Decision? Fair? Not?

MDS: I had Shogun beating Machida 48-47, but it was a close enough fight that I certainly wouldn’t call it a robbery and I was surprised by how many people did. Judging in MMA is fairly subjective, and close fights can go either way.

BB: Although it’s growing quickly, what will it take for MMA to go “mainstream?”

MDS: MMA needs one major star to become “mainstream” someone who’s an American, who’s articulate, whose fighting style is exciting and attractive to casual fans. MMA has a long way to go before it becomes mainstream, but it’ll get there.