2.12.2008

Thoughts of Green

Ah, we have entered the long off-season of discontent. Except for me.


Eric Mangini certainly has his work cut out for him this upcoming NFL season. He is going to have to do some lights-out coaching and preparation.
The AFC East is already humming with activity. The Patriots are just picking their heads up from their shocking defeat in the Super Bowl. Bill Parcells cut 9 guys yesterday including veteran QB Trent Green and will probably pull off another unbelievable draft this year. I think the only guys on the Miami roster over 31 will be Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor. And you know something about Buffalo? They have a damn good core and a suddenly deep and respectable roster. The Jets?

Well, when is the last time anyone even heard from them? I hope Mangini is locked away somewhere drawing up some grand designs because the challenge will never be greater for Gang Green next year.

The draft will be very important, your cross-town and stadium-sharing brethren managed to win the Super Bowl with major contributions from 10 rookies. I am advocating for Offensive and Defensive line help. I suppose some good news is that Vilma doesn't appear to be going anywhere, so if the Jets pick up a quality DT, that frees up Vilma to play like Ray F'ing Lewis. However, the Jets running game was sorry this last year and that has to be a huge concern. The ability to run the ball takes the pressure and the coverage off of new QB Clemens (who I think is a gamer). RB's Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are a more than adequate 1-2 punch, they just need the hogs up front. So where do they go with their pick? Right Guard (not the deodorant)? Left Guard and potentially put together one of the best left sides in football, with Mangold, draft pick and D'Brick? Ball control solves a lot of problems with your defense, they won't be on the field as much. Ball control also helps out the QB immeasurably: Managing the game with throws under 20 yards instead of being forced into trying to make big plays.


Ball control is the way to beat the Patriots, even with that prolific spread attack that Brady orchestrates so well. Parcells COVETS ball control and the power running game and he tries to assemble behemoths up front, e.g. the Dallas Cowboys offensive line. The Buffalo Bills have a good one-two combo with RB's Marshawn Lynch and Anthony Thomas and very unheralded O and D lines.

I'll tell you what free agents could help the Defense out: Jared Allen, Terrell Suggs, Assante Samuel, Albert Haynesworth.

I'll tell you what free agents could help out the O: Rueben Brown, Ryan Lilja (guard from Colts), Alan Faneca, Max Starks, Flozell Adams. It is an EXTREMELY rich year for Offensive linemen in free agency this year. Pete Kendall defecting in Training Camp hurt the Jets a lot this year.

3 comments:

Figgythemick said...

What is this? Is everyone in hibernation or what?

Anonymous said...

Great post Figs, u know more about the Jets than I do.

I agree they need O line help and of course defensive help. I like any ex-Pat because along with their skill they bring a knowledge of the Pats' schemes. It's like cheating the fair way, through free agency.

I like Samuel and Suggs, and as long as Vilma can play like Vilma the D can come back to life this year, Harris is fucking solid.

It's almost time to move over to the Mets blog boys! I have high hopes!!!!!

Go Mets!

Anonymous said...

Nice Figs. I say trade Vilma and get a #1 and a #2 draft pick for him.