MOST IMPORTANT OFFENSIVE PLAYER
D’Brickashaw Ferguson. If he can keep Chad Pennington off the ground and healthy, Pennington will perform well and be a successful QB. Ferguson, of course, can’t do it all by himself, but the top draft pick needs to be the “quarterback body guard” he promised he’d be before being drafted.
MOST IMPORTANT DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Dewayne Robertson. LB Jonathan Vilma is the best defensive player. But Robertson adjusting to the new 3-4 alignment and being a runstopping nose tackle is critical to the Jets’ success on defense. A defense that can stop the run is a defense that’ll keep the team in games.
ROOKIE TO WATCH
Nick Mangold. He’s a rookie center who’ll be starting right away and he’s replacing an perennial Pro Bowl player in Kevin Mawae. How he grades out will be crucial to the success of both Pennington and the running game.
STAR ON THE RISE
Jerricho Cotchery. This appears to be Cotchery’s time. He’s diligent and talented. This could be his year to become the dependable, physical, clutch receiver the Jets hoped he’d be when they drafted him.
BIGGEST GAME
Season opener against Titans at Tennessee. With the Jets projected by many to be last in the division and a laughingstock, a win over the Titans on the road in the opener could change everyone’s outlook in a hurry and boost the young Jets’ confidence immensely.
BIGGEST COACHING DECISION
Getting his big playmakers into the game – whomever they may be. Right now, rookie WR Brad Smith looks to be a player Eric Mangini needs to get the ball to at least a few times a game, because every time he touches it, his prolific athletic ability makes him a threat to score.
DON’T BE SURPRISED IF . . .
Pennington plays all 16 games and finds his winning form again.
SURE TO MAKE GANG GREEN FANS GRUMBLE
Failure to score points. There is heat on new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to be dynamic after many believed the previous regime was too conservative.
THE JETS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS IF . . .
Pennington plays 16 games and Kevan Barlow rushes for 1,200 yards.
THE JETS WILL MISS THE PLAYOFFS IF . . .
They cannot find an every-down, feature running back and Pennington is hurt again.
THE SCHEDULE
Sept. 10 at Tennessee 1:00 CBS
Sept. 17 NEW ENGLAND 4:15 CBS
Sept. 24 at Buffalo 1:00 CBS
Oct. 1 INDIANAPOLIS 1:00 CBS
Oct. 8 at Jacksonville 4:05 CBS
Oct. 15 MIAMI 4:15 CBS
Oct. 22 DETROIT 1:00 FOX
Oct. 29 at Cleveland 4:15 CBS
Nov. 5 Bye week
Nov. 12 at New England 1:00 CBS
Nov. 19 CHICAGO 1:00 FOX
Nov. 26 HOUSTON 1:00 CBS
Dec. 3 at Green Bay 1:00 CBS
Dec. 10 BUFFALO 1:00 CBS
Dec. 17 at Minnesota 1:00 CBS
Dec. 25 at Miami 8:30 ESPN
Dec. 31 OAKLAND 1:00 CBS
(Starting times subject to change beginning Nov. 12 due to national TV game selections).
SIZING UP GANG GREEN
QUARTERBACK
Chad Pennington, coming off the two shoulder surgeries, looked fairly sharp in preseason as he made the long road back into the starting lineup. If the Jets are struggling by midseason or so, you could see Eric Mangini insert rookie Kellen Clemens and begin a new era.
RUNNING BACKS
Curtis Martin starts the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. In his place are newcomer Kevan Barlow, Derrick Blaylock, Cedric Houston and rookie Leon Washington. It’ll likely be either Barlow as the man or a committee deal.
RECEIVERS
Laveranues Coles is being counted on big-time to be the star of the show for Pennington. Jerricho Cotchery and Justin McCareins will be the other primary targets, and Tim Dwight looks to be a terrific acquisition as a clutch receiver. The question is whether rookie Brad Smith is ready for The Show.
TIGHT ENDS
This is a thin position for the Jets. Chris Baker is the starter and showed potential last season before breaking his leg. After Baker comes newly-acquired Sean Ryan, who’s never caught an NFL pass.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Gone are Kevin Mawae and Jason Fabini. In are Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Anthony Clement. The only sure incumbent returning starters are guards Pete Kendall and Brandon Moore. Adrian Jones is returning but was pushed all summer by Clement at RT. Ferguson, the top pick, is the left tackle and Mangold is the man in the middle.
DEFENSIVE LINE
How will the Jets replace his John Abraham’s sack production? DE Shaun Ellis needs to step up with a big year after a disappointing 2005. DT Kimo von Oelhoffen was brought in from Pittsburgh and should be an upgrade. Dewayne Robertson is a key to the whole thing if he can adjust to life as a nose tackle. C.J. Mosley and Bobby Hamilton were late acquisitions who will help depth.
LINEBACKERS
Jonathan Vilma, though facing the challenge of the new defense and not being able to run freely to the ball, will figure it out and go back to the Pro Bowl, because he’s that good. The Jets need big production from OLBs Eric Bartonand Victor Hobson. They have depth with the addition of Matt Chathamand Brad Kassell. Rookie Anthony Schlegel is someone to watch. He should contribute.
SECONDARY
Goodbye, Ty Law, we never knew you. Hello Andre Dyson, who was signed as a free agent and had a good summer. He should start at corner alongside David Barrett with talented Justin Miller knocking on the door. Safeties Erik Coleman and Kerry Rhodes return.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Good tandem on KO returns with Miller and Washington with Blaylock the lead blocker. Punt returns have been upgraded with the fearless Dwight back there. There’s a lot of youth to solidify the coverage teams.
KICKERS
This is a pretty solid area for the Jets with K Mike Nugent and P Ben Graham returning. Both second-year players are potential rising stars.
COACHING
Gone is Herman Edwards and in is an entirely new regime, beginning with Mangini, who’s been a disciplinarian from the moment he arrived. Mangini has a diverse staff that includes veterans and young former players to help spread his message.
PREDICTION 7-9 – THIRD PLACE IN AFC EAST
This is a rebuilding situation for the Jets, but that doesn’t mean they can’t win eight or nine games and make things interesting.
