The Jets defense, a unit that enters Sunday’s season opener with six new starters from a year ago and at least as many questions, will face the NFL’s 2002 Comeback Player of the Year To Be in Drew Bledsoe at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
After nearly nine years as The Franchise in New England, Bledsoe was traded to Buffalo in April. He brought immediate legitimacy to the Bills, who were 3-13 and a mess at quarterback in 2001.
If the Bills’ young but potentially strong offensive line keeps Bledsoe healthy, he can’t help but be the best comeback story in the league after suffering serious internal injuries from a Mo Lewis hit last September and later losing his starting job to Tom Brady.
“He’s their best quarterback since Jim Kelly and he can do for them what Jim Kelly did for them,” Jets CB Ray Mickens said yesterday, referring to the four Super Bowls Kelly helped lead the Bills to in the ’90s. “He makes them formidable.”
Bledsoe has the entire region of Western New York Bills crazy again. In the hours following his trade to Buffalo, Bills season ticket sales began to burgeon.
“When they signed him, you could sense the attitude of the fans and the team in Buffalo being more positive with a confident attitude,” Jets QB Vinny Tertaverde said. “He’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the league, no question about it.”
As for the Patriots trading Bledsoe away to another AFC East team, Testaverde admitted he was “surprised a little bit that [New England head coach Bill] Belichick would let that happen.”
Bledsoe has not only found a home, he’s been welcomed with open arms.
“With Drew here, he really adds a sense of legitimacy,” Bills LB London Fletcher, who like Bledsoe is a newcomer to Buffalo this season, was saying yesterday. “We were not contenders a year ago and now we are. You have to respect our quarterback position, because Drew has the ability to put up 400 yards on you in given week if you’re not on top of your game.”
Therein lies a significant issue for the Jets, who play Sunday’s opener with three new starters in their secondary: CBs Aaron Beasley and Donnie Abraham, and SS Sam Garnes. The only returning starter in the secondary is FS Damien Robinson, who’s coming off an abysmal year, on and off the field.
This factor makes Bledsoe, who’s thrown for 29,657 yards and 166 TDs in his career and had a hand in leading two Patriots teams into the Super Bowl, even more dangerous to deal with.
So, too, does the fact Bledsoe has a litany of targets to throw to, including WRs Eric Moulds (67 receptions last year) and Peerless Price (55 catches), and TE Jay Riemersma (53 catches). Rookie WR Josh Reed has looked like a legitimate third-down weapon.
“You can already see on film the kind of chemistry he’s built with Moulds,” Jets LB James Darling said.
“This has been really exciting for me,” Bledsoe said yesterday. “Sometimes change can be good. Coming to a new situation, a new area, a new organization with new players around me has been energizing. It’s felt a little bit like my rookie year coming into a new situation with high expectations.”
Bills pass-catching RB Larry Centers said, “It’s legitimacy, that’s what Drew brings us. Having him lets us think of ourselves as a contender.”
Rookie tackle Mike Williams, the Bills’ No. 1 draft pick, has become so enamored with Bledsoe he proclaimed, “I am ready to throw myself on the sword for that man.”
Bills head coach Gregg Williams said Bledsoe brings “a strong sense of credibility to that position that we needed.”
“He’s a calming influence on a very young football team that we have,” Williams said. “He has the presence about him to get through the very tough times of the season.”
Jets fans, who remember a much-less-talented Bills team coming into Giants Stadium last December and nearly ruining Herman Edwards’ rookie season with a 14-9 win, understand Bledsoe’s presence can make for some tough times for the Jets Sunday.
