I predict the ENTIRE 2013 SEASON on June 6th.

[JoeKlecko]

This thread is devoid of any inkling of credibility by this one statement. Lock and Ban please.

 

LOL!  Yeah, that almost choked me.  I had water coming out of nose, eyes and ears.

[JoeKlecko]

I'd rather watch cells of Syphilis and Gonorrhea fight each other over a host through an electron microscope than the 2013-2014 N.Y. Jets.

 

Those pictures should be the Jets' new logo.  They could have one picture on the left side of the helmet and the other on the right side.

[JoeKlecko]

Tom,

 

I hate to say it, but I think the guys are right...you give Rex too much credit and with a 7-9 record, Sanchez playing as well as you have him playing, and the D putting up the stats you do, we're probably stuck with Rex and mediocrity for years to come.  I also think you give Sanchez way too much credit.  No way I see him playing that well with this group of WRs and if the right side of the OL is as bad as you say.

[SayNoToDMC]

My predictions for Tom.

 

Sept.  "The Jets suck."

Oct.  "The Jets suck."

Nov. "The Jets suck."

Dec. "The Jets suck."

 

Jan.  "Obama is awesome."

 

Water: Wet

Sun: Hot

Sky: Blue

[T0mShane]

For a guy who wants Rex fired, and thinks he will be, you sure give him a lot of credit here, as well as the W-L column. No chance a 7-9 wins gets him canned.

Lovie Smith got the Bears off to a 7-1 start, finished 10-6, and got fired largely because the new GM wanted his own guy. I think Rex's situation will mirror that. No first time GM wants to be hung by someone else's coach. This roster didn't drop from the sky into Rex's lap. Rex helped build this roster. He's responsible for bringing the franchise to the point where a 7-9 season might be viewed as a positive. He doesn't get extra credit for that.

And before you respond that these teams you speak of suck, remember this. Being able to beat inferior competition consistently means two things: 1) You bring more value to the table than probably two-thirds of the league's coaches, and 2) you aren't coaching an inferior team, which means that even in your down years, your team is at least mediocre. Again, that's better than about two-thirds of the NFL's coaches out there.

If you're a GM, you don't set out to find a top-third coach. You set out to find a top-five coach. Idzik will have enough information to determine that Rex probably isn't a top-five head coach.

If Rex coaches a team like this, with a QB transition and so much roster turnover, to 7-9, for as much as you've ripped him and the talent he's assembled, he's closer to Coach of the Year than he is to getting fired.

If you burn down your own house, you don't receive applause for rescuing your dog.

[T0mShane]

My predictions for Tom.

Sept. "The Jets suck."

Oct. "The Jets suck."

Nov. "The Jets suck."

Dec. "The Jets suck."

Jan. "Obama is awesome."

1. I'm done with politics. DONE.

2. My consistency is what makes me special.

[T0mShane]

But I thought WE were supposed to be one of those bad teams, Tom? You've been talking like we're headed for 3-13 all offseason.

I've consistently said we were a 6 or 7 win team. Rex is an awful head coach, but he'll field a good defense, and a good defense will beat the sludge of the league. The Jets will be a bottom-ten team, but they're far from the worst.

[T0mShane]

Soooo June 7th? Any amendments to your predictions as we get closer to the season?

I'm already working on my free agent targets.

[T0mShane]

Tom,

I hate to say it, but I think the guys are right...you give Rex too much credit and with a 7-9 record, Sanchez playing as well as you have him playing, and the D putting up the stats you do, we're probably stuck with Rex and mediocrity for years to come. I also think you give Sanchez way too much credit. No way I see him playing that well with this group of WRs and if the right side of the OL is as bad as you say.

Where I'm being overly optimistic, IMO, is with Mornhinweg getting Geno ready, and with Rex being patient with him.

[Jetsfan80]

Lovie Smith got the Bears off to a 7-1 start, finished 10-6, and got fired largely because the new GM wanted his own guy. I think Rex's situation will mirror that. No first time GM wants to be hung by someone else's coach. This roster didn't drop from the sky into Rex's lap. Rex helped build this roster. He's responsible for bringing the franchise to the point where a 7-9 season might be viewed as a positive. He doesn't get extra credit for that.

If you're a GM, you don't set out to find a top-third coach. You set out to find a top-five coach. Idzik will have enough information to determine that Rex probably isn't a top-five head coach.

If you burn down your own house, you don't receive applause for rescuing your dog.

 

1.  Fair point, but I think the future is bright for this franchise.  The guy that deserved to get fired, Tannenbaum, is gone, and there's a new Sheriff in town.  I simply don't think a 7-9 season gets Rex fired, because that means we had some success with our rookie QB.  Not everything is linear in the NFL.  You have to have downtimes sometimes, especially when you're run like this team where our previous GM made our window for a Super Bowl a 1-2 year deal and never blew it up, and as long as there is a light at the end of the tunnel and Idzik believes Rex can be a part of that resurgence, he'll keep him.  Time will tell.

 

2.  Everyone wants a top-5 coach but unless Idzik is confident that guy is out there, a top-3rd coach is the kind that gets an extension for a few seasons.  Again, we'll see.

[CrazyCarl40]

This is the Jets. You know they are losing Week One and Revis will be directly responsible.  Also, I can see Doug Martin running all over that game too.

[Bleedin Green]

I have to be honest, given the state of this team, I probably wouldn't be particularly heartbroken by this outcome with the exception of having to watch that much of Sanchez and that week 17 prediction (even if it does sound very Jet-like).  I agree it's unlikely that it would be enough to get Rex canned as others have said, with the only possible exception being if that week 17 has some sort of playoff implications and it gives Woody 2008 flashbacks.

[Jetsfan80]

 Rex is an awful head coach, but he'll field a good defense, and a good defense will beat the sludge of the league. The Jets will be a bottom-ten team, but they're far from the worst.

 

The statement "Rex is an awful head coach" completely contradicts the rest of your point.  You can't be an awful head coach and  have the following be true:

 

1) Field at least one solid unit on the field

2) Beat the bad teams in the league (awful head coaches end up producing one of those "bad teams" eventually)

3) Be "far from the worst team"

 

Rex is, at worst, an average HC in this league.  I think he's a a top 10-12 HC in this league.  His pros outweight most of his cons when you put it all together.  He leaves a good bit to be desired but many teams out there would love to have him running the show.

 

Again, awful head coaches don't go into the season with Sanchez and a complete question mark of a rookie as his options at QB and go 7-9.  That would mean he'll still have a winning record with the Jets overall despite having one of the worst QB situations for 5 consecutive years.  Regardless of the fact that Rex is a big reason why Sanchez was ever on this roster, still is, and is legitimately competing for the starting job.....he's still had success and will continue to do so.  He's not an awful HC for that reason alone.

[Thor99]

1. I'm done with politics. DONE.

 

 

You saw that, did you?

[T0mShane]

You saw that, did you?

When I quoted it. LOLed pretty hard. It's a wonder nobody killed me last fall.

[T0mShane]

The statement "Rex is an awful head coach" completely contradicts the rest of your point. You can't be an awful head coach and have the following be true:

1) Field at least one solid unit on the field

2) Beat the bad teams in the league (awful head coaches end up producing one of those "bad teams" eventually)

3) Be "far from the worst team"

Rex is, at worst, an average HC in this league. I think he's a a top 10-12 HC in this league. His pros outweight most of his cons when you put it all together. He leaves a good bit to be desired but many teams out there would love to have him running the show.

Again, awful head coaches don't go into the season with Sanchez and a complete question mark of a rookie as his options at QB and go 7-9. That would mean he'll still have a winning record with the Jets overall despite having one of the worst QB situations for 5 consecutive years. Regardless of the fact that Rex is a big reason why Sanchez was ever on this roster, still is, and is legitimately competing for the starting job.....he's still had success and will continue to do so. He's not an awful HC for that reason alone.

NFL history is filled with good coaches that were awful head coaches, such as Buddy Ryan, Dom Capers, Dick LeBeau, Dave Wannstedt, Steve Spagnuolo,etc, etc, etc, Mike Martz, etc, Ron Rivera, Jim Haslett, Bruce Coslet, etc, infinity.

[Thor99]

When I quoted it. LOLed pretty hard. It's a wonder nobody killed me last fall.

 

We didn't have any Steeler fans around last fall.

[SayNoToDMC]

I'm already working on my free agent targets.

 

Mock Mini draft?

[T0mShane]

We didn't have any Steeler fans around last fall.

We should have contracted one.

[T0mShane]

Mock Mini draft?

Might be one of my favorite Mike Tannenbaum moments of all time.

[peebag]

this needs to be stickyed so that we can laugh at  critique the OP during the season.

[JoeKlecko]

The statement "Rex is an awful head coach" completely contradicts the rest of your point.  You can't be an awful head coach and  have the following be true:

 

1) Field at least one solid unit on the field

2) Beat the bad teams in the league (awful head coaches end up producing one of those "bad teams" eventually)

3) Be "far from the worst team"

 

Rex is, at worst, an average HC in this league.  I think he's a a top 10-12 HC in this league.  His pros outweight most of his cons when you put it all together.  He leaves a good bit to be desired but many teams out there would love to have him running the show.

 

Again, awful head coaches don't go into the season with Sanchez and a complete question mark of a rookie as his options at QB and go 7-9.  That would mean he'll still have a winning record with the Jets overall despite having one of the worst QB situations for 5 consecutive years.  Regardless of the fact that Rex is a big reason why Sanchez was ever on this roster, still is, and is legitimately competing for the starting job.....he's still had success and will continue to do so.  He's not an awful HC for that reason alone.

 

I totally disagree with your post.  From where did you dig up that nonsense?  A very good coordinator will get his unit to play at a high level.  Since we know that Rex is a very good defensive mind and was a very good DC, he could have the D playing at a high level while his other issues remain unresolved, unchanged, and no real growth or improvement on his part takes place.  Your reasoning is totally off on that point.

 

If  the Jets with their good D are giving up 30-40 points to the top teams in the league, then the Jets WILL be a bad team, not just mediocre.  If Rex's specialty is D and with all the #1 Jets picks on his D, and his D is getting bitch slapped around to the tune of 30-40 points in those games, then there's nothing to compel Idzik to keep Rex following the season.  Nothing.  His ability to produce a top D is probably what got him hire and what makes many Jets fans love him and think he is a great HC.  If his D gives up those many points, then it isn't a top D, Rex isn't nearly as good as advertised, and there's absolutely no reason to retain him as HC.

 

Your third point is equally nonsensical.  There are probably other awful HCs in the NFL as well, and perhaps their teams have less talent than the Jets, more injuries, or tougher schedules.

 

Logic escapes you in this post.  Your reasoning is flawed and circular.

 

Being an average HC is no reason to retain Rex.  His pros do NOT outweigh his cons at this point.  Some day they may, but certainly not now, especially if his D gives up 30-40 points a game to the top teams.  That shows that the Jets are a long, LONG way from being a top contender under Rex.  It makes little or no difference that the Jets squeak by other bad/weak teams.  Decent teams are supposed to beat weak teams.

 

Finally, you're still confusing being a HC with being a glorified DC.  It's totally laughable that you're using Sanchez and his still being on the team as a justification for Rex being a good HC.  He's still on the team because Rex LOVES him and has stood totally behind him until this offseason.  Rex's support of him probably had a lot to do with Tanny's insane decision to give Sanchez such a HUGE contract, and that has prevented the Idzik and the Jets from getting rid of Sanchez.  Rex stuck with Sanchez because of his own ignorance about offense, and because due to his love for and belief in Sanchez, and coupled with Tanny's incompetence, there were no other real options.  The fact that there is an open competition for the starting QB spot speaks volumes about how awful Sanchez is.  What other 4 year veteran QB who has played in two conference championship games and who has a winning record in the playoffs would have to compete to not only stay on the team, but more than likely to try to salvage his career. Sanchez has the worst record of any QB in the NFL over the last 5 years.  You gotta be joking with that BS.

[JoeKlecko]

I agree.

 

If Rex wins 7 games, and Geno Smith looks like an NFL starting QB in Mornhinweg's system, Rex gets extended.

 

Would you think the same way if Rex once again loses control of the locker room during the last half of the season and the circus continues?  Because if Sanchez plays as well as Tom says, and Geno comes on later and plays that well, then more credit goes to Marty and QB Coach Lee than Rex.

[slats]

Lovie Smith got the Bears off to a 7-1 start, finished 10-6, and got fired largely because the new GM wanted his own guy. I think Rex's situation will mirror that. No first time GM wants to be hung by someone else's coach. This roster didn't drop from the sky into Rex's lap. Rex helped build this roster. He's responsible for bringing the franchise to the point where a 7-9 season might be viewed as a positive. He doesn't get extra credit for that.

 

That represents something of a collapse for Lovie, while the Jets season is set up much differently. If they do decide to sit sit Geno for half a year, and let Sanchez take the punishment against the meat of the schedule - and then Geno steps in and plays competently against weaker competition, and racks up a few wins - Rex looks good. Like a coach who finally made the right hire at OC, and kept his team together thru a rough season to play well at the end of the year.

 

If Idzik wants to build the roster himself, he's not concerned about Rex's abilities there.

[slats]

Would you think the same way if Rex once again loses control of the locker room during the last half of the season and the circus continues?  Because if Sanchez plays as well as Tom says, and Geno comes on later and plays that well, then more credit goes to Marty and QB Coach Lee than Rex.

 

If the Jets are playing well at the end of the season with Geno at QB, Rex isn't losing the locker room.

[Jetsfan80]

I totally disagree with your post.  From where did you dig up that nonsense?  A very good coordinator will get his unit to play at a high level.  Since we know that Rex is a very good defensive mind and was a very good DC, he could have the D playing at a high level while his other issues remain unresolved, unchanged, and no real growth or improvement on his part takes place.  Your reasoning is totally off on that point.

 

If  the Jets with their good D are giving up 30-40 points to the top teams in the league, then the Jets WILL be a bad team, not just mediocre.  If Rex's specialty is D and with all the #1 Jets picks on his D, and his D is getting bitch slapped around to the tune of 30-40 points in those games, then there's nothing to compel Idzik to keep Rex following the season.  Nothing.  His ability to produce a top D is probably what got him hire and what makes many Jets fans love him and think he is a great HC.  If his D gives up those many points, then it isn't a top D, Rex isn't nearly as good as advertised, and there's absolutely no reason to retain him as HC.

 

Your third point is equally nonsensical.  There are probably other awful HCs in the NFL as well, and perhaps their teams have less talent than the Jets, more injuries, or tougher schedules.

 

Logic escapes you in this post.  Your reasoning is flawed and circular.

 

Being an average HC is no reason to retain Rex.  His pros do NOT outweigh his cons at this point.  Some day they may, but certainly not now, especially if his D gives up 30-40 points a game to the top teams.  That shows that the Jets are a long, LONG way from being a top contender under Rex.  It makes little or no difference that the Jets squeak by other bad/weak teams.  Decent teams are supposed to beat weak teams.

 

Finally, you're still confusing being a HC with being a glorified DC.  It's totally laughable that you're using Sanchez and his still being on the team as a justification for Rex being a good HC.  He's still on the team because Rex LOVES him and has stood totally behind him until this offseason.  Rex's support of him probably had a lot to do with Tanny's insane decision to give Sanchez such a HUGE contract, and that has prevented the Idzik and the Jets from getting rid of Sanchez.  Rex stuck with Sanchez because of his own ignorance about offense, and because due to his love for and belief in Sanchez, and coupled with Tanny's incompetence, there were no other real options.  The fact that there is an open competition for the starting QB spot speaks volumes about how awful Sanchez is.  What other 4 year veteran QB who has played in two conference championship games and who has a winning record in the playoffs would have to compete to not only stay on the team, but more than likely to try to salvage his career. Sanchez has the worst record of any QB in the NFL over the last 5 years.  You gotta be joking with that BS.

 

tl;dr

[Klecko73isGod]

Now that I know what's going to happen, I don't need to watch this season. F*** you Tom Shane!

[T0mShane]

That represents something of a collapse for Lovie, while the Jets season is set up much differently. If they do decide to sit sit Geno for half a year, and let Sanchez take the punishment against the meat of the schedule - and then Geno steps in and plays competently against weaker competition, and racks up a few wins - Rex looks good. Like a coach who finally made the right hire at OC, and kept his team together thru a rough season to play well at the end of the year.

If Idzik wants to build the roster himself, he's not concerned about Rex's abilities there.

That would be the x-factor for sure, if Geno comes in and lifts the team. It could save Rex the same way Russell Wilson made people start to take Pete Carroll seriously. That said, I think Geno would have to be SO good down the stretch to do that--to make Woody and Idzik forget last year and my hypothetical five-game 2013 losing streak--that it's almost inconceivable.

[T0mShane]

Now that I know what's going to happen, I don't need to watch this season. F*** you Tom Shane!

Think of all the anxiety I spared you!!!!

[kelticwizard]

If Sanchez plays relatively OK against tough competition, and Geno's playing relatively well at the end of his rookie year, that means the offense is headed in the right direction.

 

If you look at Rex's overall record then for the last three years-a .500 season followed by two losing seasons-he probably should be up for firing.

 

The problem is that if you unload Rex you also have to unload Mornhinweg as OC because you don't want to hamstring the new coach with leftover assistants, much like the Jets did with Rex and Schottenheimer.  So you're getting rid of the same coordinator who is turning the offense to the right direction.

 

If this season goes as Tom predicted, Rex either keeps his job or Mornhinweg becomes head coach.

[FloridaJetsFan]

JoeKlecko, on 07 Jun 2013 - 12:46, said:

I totally disagree with your post. From where did you dig up that nonsense? A very good coordinator will get his unit to play at a high level. Since we know that Rex is a very good defensive mind and was a very good DC, he could have the D playing at a high level while his other issues remain unresolved, unchanged, and no real growth or improvement on his part takes place. Your reasoning is totally off on that point.

If the Jets with their good D are giving up 30-40 points to the top teams in the league, then the Jets WILL be a bad team, not just mediocre. If Rex's specialty is D and with all the #1 Jets picks on his D, and his D is getting bitch slapped around to the tune of 30-40 points in those games, then there's nothing to compel Idzik to keep Rex following the season. Nothing. His ability to produce a top D is probably what got him hire and what makes many Jets fans love him and think he is a great HC. If his D gives up those many points, then it isn't a top D, Rex isn't nearly as good as advertised, and there's absolutely no reason to retain him as HC.

Your third point is equally nonsensical. There are probably other awful HCs in the NFL as well, and perhaps their teams have less talent than the Jets, more injuries, or tougher schedules.

Logic escapes you in this post. Your reasoning is flawed and circular.

Being an average HC is no reason to retain Rex. His pros do NOT outweigh his cons at this point. Some day they may, but certainly not now, especially if his D gives up 30-40 points a game to the top teams. That shows that the Jets are a long, LONG way from being a top contender under Rex. It makes little or no difference that the Jets squeak by other bad/weak teams. Decent teams are supposed to beat weak teams.

Finally, you're still confusing being a HC with being a glorified DC. It's totally laughable that you're using Sanchez and his still being on the team as a justification for Rex being a good HC. He's still on the team because Rex LOVES him and has stood totally behind him until this offseason. Rex's support of him probably had a lot to do with Tanny's insane decision to give Sanchez such a HUGE contract, and that has prevented the Idzik and the Jets from getting rid of Sanchez. Rex stuck with Sanchez because of his own ignorance about offense, and because due to his love for and belief in Sanchez, and coupled with Tanny's incompetence, there were no other real options. The fact that there is an open competition for the starting QB spot speaks volumes about how awful Sanchez is. What other 4 year veteran QB who has played in two conference championship games and who has a winning record in the playoffs would have to compete to not only stay on the team, but more than likely to try to salvage his career. Sanchez has the worst record of any QB in the NFL over the last 5 years. You gotta be joking with that BS.

I like this JoeKlecko fellah! Way smarter than T0m Shane! Give him hell Joe!!!

[JiFtheOracle]

Great thread Tom!  Job well done.

 

Rex Ryan is a saint I tellya!

[Larz]

you couldn't give ivory 1,000 yards ?

 

dick

[TechJet]

There is no need to watch the Jets this year, because I have broken it down for you right here in an objective, analytical manner.

Week One:

Jets: 24

Bucs: 13

If you give Rex eight months, he'll prepare a defensive gameplan to stymie even the best quarterbacks. The Bucs begin this year as the most overrated by the media team in the league. Their coach sucks, the quarterback is average, and the defense has holes all over it, despite the spending spree.

Mark Sanchez will start because Geno just won't show enough over the summer to prove that he's ready, and Idzik will want to protect his psyche. Sanchez will finish 14-22, 165 yards, one TD, one INT. He'll challenge Revis one time, with an incomplete pass down the right sideline to Stephen Hill.

Player of the Game: Chris Ivory--26 carries, 142 yards, 2 TDs.

Week Two:

@Pats: 48

Jets: 14

The Pats will remember having to squeak out the first meeting with the Jets in 2012, and they'll come out motivated to beat the sh*t out of a Jets team on four days rest.

Sanchez will start out hot, riding the confidence from his Week One showing, but ultimately he'll break down trying to keep up with Brady, who will torture Dawan Landry and Antonio Allen down the middle of the field. Sanchez will throw two TDs, two INTs, and the Jets running game will be held to 76 yards total.

Player of the Game: Demario Davis--12 tackles, 1 sack, PD.

Week Three:

Jets: 28

Bills: 3

If there's one thing Rex Ryan knows how to do, it's humiliate rookie quarterbacks. He brutalized both Andrew Luck and Ryan Lindley last year, and he'll do the same to EJ Manuel this year. It'll be ugly.

This will be all about the defense. Mo Wilkerson and Quentin Coples will each tally sacks, and Cromartie will pick off Manuel twice. Chris Ivory and Mike Goodson will combine for 200 rushing yards, and Stephen Hill will get his first TD of the season.

Player of the Game: Cromartie--Two INTs, TD return.

Week Four:

@Titans: 7

Jets: 16

Jake Locker is Tennessee's Mark Sanchez, and this is the game where he finally gets benched. The Titans will be tough, but not tough enough to overcome Locker's suckness.

Player of the Game: David Harris--14 tackles.

Sanchez will have another meh game and finish the first quarter of the season completing 58% of his passes, with 6 TDs and 4 INTs. The fans won't break out the pitchforks, however, because the team will be 3-1, and the offense will be able to move the ball on the ground with a creative inside-out running game. The defense (despite the Pats massacre) will have people excited, with Wilkerson, Richardson, Coples, and Barnes providing a ton of pressure on obvious passing downs.

Week Five:

@Falcons: 36

Jets: 13

The Falcons will want to show off at home on Monday Night Football, and will pound the Jets senseless. The Falcons will use this game to announce that they're ready to compete for a title, how they want the respect they deserve, yadda yadda. All in all, a bad situation for the Jets. On the plus side, Santonio Holmes elects to make his season debut.

Absolutely nobody on the Jets has anything resembling a good game. The Falcons are tough to beat at home, and on MNF? Forget it.

Player of the Game: Mo Wilkerson, who is able to exploit the Falcons' lack of a RT until he blacks out from being on the field for 60+ snaps.

Week Six:

Jets: 17

Steelers: 24

The Steelers never found a groove in 2012, and will be looking to bounce back in 2013. Off of the Falcons debacle, the Jets will be coming home to face the boo-birds for the first time all season, with the majority of the venom aimed at Mark Sanchez.

Sanchez has his first real horrible game of the year, throwing three picks and getting sacked four times (two by Jarvis Jones, which will hurt Jets fans deeply). Santonio Holmes has a mini-meltdown during the game when Sanchez overthrows him on the one pattern he chose to run hard for. The defense will be stout, but rookie Leveon Bell will break 100 yards rushing. Coples, back to playing full-time on the DL, will get 1 1/2 sacks on Roethlisberger. Stephen Hill will get drilled by Ryan Clark and miss the next four weeks.

Player of the Game: Coples--2 sacks.

Week Seven:

Jets: 21

Pats: 31

Gronkowski returns from injury and nabs two scores in a by-the-numbers performance for the Pats. The Jets fight hard, but can't overcome a sluggish offense. The calls for Geno are loud and continuous, but Sanchez puts up a decent third and fourth quarter (two TD passes) to hang on to his job for another week.

Sanchez hits Goodson, Hayden Smith, and Santonio Holmes with TDs, much to the chagrin of many Jets fans who were anxious to see Geno Smith get some PT.

The Jets drop to 3-4, and the media takes out the knives they've been sharpening for over a year. They helped set Rex up, and now they're ready to cut him down. WFAN is flooded with Geno must start/Rex must go calls. Good times in JetLand.

Player of the Game: Mark Sanchez-- 22-35, 289 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT.

Week Eight:

@Bengals: 24

Jets: 14

The Jets are completely unafraid of playing in Cincy, but the Bengals have convinced themselves that they're ready to make a run.

Sanchez plays decently (16/24, 216, 1 TD, 0 INTs), but the Bengals use a Pats-like two-TE offense to torch the Jets' safeties. Tyler Eifert continues his Rookie of the Year campaign by catching 8 passes and 2 TDs.

Player of the Game: Santonio Holmes-- 6 catches, 109 yards, TD.

Week Nine:

Jets: 20

Saints: 48

Sean Payton sits down with Rob Ryan to create a game plan that absolutely torches his brother's defense, and it's a mess from start to finish.

Drew Brees has his way with the Jets' nickel and dime defenses, and the Jets offense doesn't show up until late in the fourth. The first paper bags show up in the crowd. Going into the Bye on a five-game skid, the Jets are under fire from all corners.

Player of the Game: Joe McKnight-- 92 yard kick return TD.

Bye Week

They held out as long as they could, but Rex finally comes out and says that Geno Smith will be the permanent starter moving forward. There was much rejoicing. Sanchez's stats actually aren't that awful--57% completions, 14 TDs, 8 INTs, 3 rushing TDs, 3 fumbles. The positives for the Jets at the Bye: Chris Ivory is healthy and is on pace for a 1200 season; Wilkerson, Richardson, and Coples have combined for 18 sacks, and Dee Milliner looks like the real deal; the left side of the OL (Brick, Winters, Mangold) is dominant. The negatives: Stephen Hill continues to be an injury nightmare; the TE position is a black hole, and the right side of the OL (Howard, Ducasse/Colon) is awful.

Week Eleven:

@Bills: 9

Jets: 21

The Geno Smith Era gets off to a good start, with the team responding to the change at QB. Smith is uneven, but commands the two-minute drill beautifully to end the first half, and the running game takes over the second half.

The Jets defense punishes EJ Manuel again, and there are already whispers in Buffalo that he's a huge bust. Geno Smith (14/25, 186, 1 TD, 1 INT) looks the part and gives the whole franchise a spark. His 26-yard rushing TD in the fourth quarter to put the game away is a thing of beauty.

Player of the Game: Smith

Week Twelve:

@Ravens: 34

Jets: 14

There is zero championship hangover in Baltimore, and they give Geno Smith his welcome to the NFL moment, sacking him five times and picking him off twice.

This game will be notable not only for Geno taking a beating, but also for Santonio Holmes going on IR with a hamstring, leaving Geno Smith with Clyde Gates, Jeremy Kerley and a gimpy Stephen Hill at WR.

Player of the Game: Smith, who takes his beating like a man, and comes back in the fourth quarter to lead two late TD drives.

Week Thirteen:

Jets: 17

Dolphins: 14

The Dolphins come in at 7-4, looking toward a playoff spot.

Geno Smith leads a late TD drive to bring the Jets all the way back from a ten-point halftime deficit. Sheldon Richardson has his breakout game, roughing up Ryan Tannehill with two sacks and a FF. The Jets running game returns with a vengeance, as teams start accounting for Geno Smith's willingness to spread the ball around, as well as scramble.

Player of the Game: Richardson.

Week Fourteen:

Jets: 28

Raiders: 6

The Raiders engage in full-on Jadeveon Clowney tanking early on. The first mentions of "GenoMania" are witnessed in the media.

The Jets offense starts fast, and the Raiders lay down. Geno Smith throws two TDs, Ivory runs for one, and Demario Davis returns a Terrelle Pryor for a score.

Player of the Game: Ivory--103 yards, TD

Week Fifteen:

@Panthers: 24

Jets: 13

Cam Newton takes the next step this season to emerge among the elites. The Panthers come in looking to lock up a playoff spot, and do.

Chris Ivory tweaks an ankle, but Mike Goodson and Bilal Powell pick up the slack in a losing effort. Geno Smith takes another beating.

Player of the game: Dee Milliner-- holds Steve Smith to two catches.

Week Sixteen:

Jets: 27

Browns: 21

The Browns will be surprisingly tough this season, but the Jets will be resilient all year.

Brandon Weeden, coming in leading a surprisingly powerful Browns passing game, gets his head beat in by the Jets' front four, as they play most of the game in a 4-3 front. Trent Richardson rushes for 115 yards, but earns every one of them. This will be Geno's coming out party, and he plays much of the game from the shotgun, completing TDs to Hayden Smith, Jeremy Kerley, and Joe McKnight.

Player of the Game: Smith

Week Seventeen:

@Dolphins: 10

Jets: 7

Tons of intrigue going into this last game: Can Rex get them to 8-8?; Is Geno Smith the real deal? Can they knock the Dolphins out of the playoffs? Answers: No, Yes, No.

The Dolphins defense comes to play, and they bottle up Geno Smith and the Jets offense behind Cameron Wake's three sacks and four Dolphin interceptions. A very Jets ending to the season.

Player of the Game: Null

Jets MVP: Chris Ivory-- 986 yards, 12 TDs.

Jets Pro Bowlers: Mo Wilkerson (11 sacks); Antonio Cromartie (4 INTs, TD); Nick Mangold; D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

Wow! you just predicted the ultimate demise of Rex Ryan....bye! bye! Rexie pus! and don't forget to take your boyfriend Franchez er! my bad! I mean Sanchez with.....ya! .....bunch a nuffen but scrubb ballahs.  

[T0mShane]

If Sanchez plays relatively OK against tough competition, and Geno's playing relatively well at the end of his rookie year, that means the offense is headed in the right direction.

If you look at Rex's overall record then for the last three years-a .500 season followed by two losing seasons-he probably should be up for firing.

The problem is that if you unload Rex you also have to unload Mornhinweg as OC because you don't want to hamstring the new coach with leftover assistants, much like the Jets did with Rex and Schottenheimer. So you're getting rid of the same coordinator who is turning the offense to the right direction.

If this season goes as Tom predicted, Rex either keeps his job or Mornhinweg becomes head coach.

Hypothetically speaking, if Idzik were to fire Rex, there's a good chance that Darrell Bevell (Seahawks OC) would be the front-runner to get the job next year. Bevell comes from the same Mike Holmgren/Packers lineage as Mornhinweg, so it's not as if Geno would be learning an entirely new offense. If Mornhinweg produces with Smith, they could probably keep him on the staff with Bevell pretty easily. It's not like Mornhinweg has a ton of options.