Jeg har hermed fornøjelsen af at bringe en artikel af Brian Bassett, der selv har en weblog om Jets:

Greetings to Mark's Jets-Blog readers in Denmark! I must say, that I am impressed that there are Jets fans in Denmark, it is hard enough to be a Jets fan, even in New York! Mark is a little busy lately, what with the birth of his second child and asked me if I would give him a little breather and write an article regarding the upcoming season, which I was happy to do. Please use the comments below to let me know what you think about the NFL this year, and specifically the Jets.

First off, I should probably explain that I have a Jets blog like Mark, but in English, which you are welcome to check out at http://www.thejetsblog.com/. Second, I am glad to see that NFL is catching on in other nations and am impressed with so many people following the sport from so far away... how often do you get to see games, I wonder?

Anyway, on to my thoughts on the upcoming season and future for the Jets:


The Future is Now

This is a great time to be a Jets fan, it has been a while since expectations have been so high for this team going into a season. Woody Johnson has done a remarkable job of putting the right staff together to run this team, and slowly they are shaking off the stereotypical image of the "same old Jets."

From the top down, this organization has good staff. Terry Bradway has done a great job in finding and utilizing great players through the draft (Vilma, Coleman), but also bringing in free agents to fit the specific needs of the team (Barton, Fiedler). Herm might not be the best Head Coach in the world, but his players respect him and will play hard for him and his coordinators: Donnie Henderson & Mike Heimerdinger.

As for the players, this is one of the most well balanced teams in recent years, but the emphasis is still clearly on the defense. As Herm would say "it is harder playing with the ball than without it."

It is clear that this team has all the pieces now to not only contend for a wildcard playoff spot, but to contend for the AFC East, and possibly the conference championship. I have to see more from this team before I can say they are ready to win the Super Bowl, but it is clear that most of the pieces are in place. Even without Jonathan Abraham, this team is at least average if not better in every single area (Offensive Line, Wide Receivers, Linebackers, etc.).


What to Watch For

Here are a few items that I think will suprise people about the Jets this year. I am not sure if these are predictions, but just things to pay attention to:

Look for differences with new O.C. Mike Heimerdinger, but don't discount his use of players like Jerald Sowell or even Curtis Martin. Sowell is an excellent fullback and was a an easy option for Chad in passing situations in seasons past. Heimerdinger wants to run things his way, but isn't blind (like Paul Hackett was) to the talent he has on his roster.

Look for opponents to exploit a Jets weakness by using many 3+ receiver sets. Until the Jets get their schemes right and players right, opposing offenses will do their best to pick apart the Jets inexperienced nickel and dime packages.

We all know Jonathan Vilma and Eric Barton are solid starters, but I think "The Other Linebacker" Victor Hobson will be a nice suprise this year. Now in his third year, he has had some good showings so far in the preseason, and now has the experience needed to succeed.

Look for Bryan Thomas (Abraham's backup) to continue to impress. Although not a "stat monster" like Abraham, Thomas has played well enough in Abraham's absence. With Abraham's problems and desire for a big contract, is Thomas the answer for Abraham if he does depart next year?

Roster "Tweaks"

Early in the offseason, when Terry Bradway was asked about changes to the team in the offseason, he explained that there would be no major overhauls, but rather some "tweaks" to the roster. It's hard to say whether the offseason has been minor of major changes, but here are some changes that definitely make the team better.

Doug Jolley over Anthony Becht - It's easy to see that Doug Jolley is an upgrade. Jolley is a quick, athletic receiver who understands routes well (he used to be a QB), which is something the Jets haven't had at the Tight End position in a while. Whether or not he catches lots of passes (and I hope he will) matters less than the fact that he will be drawing Linebackers and Safeties with him in coverage, which will only help him spread the field for Martin.

Jay Fiedler over Quincy Carter - Fiedler isn't a physical specimen, but he is a smart, battle-tested player who can run the offense in the absence of Chad Pennington. In the past few years, when Pennington has gone down, the replacement has not been able to manage games well enough. With a stout defense, all Fielder needs to do is not screw it up, which is something he is more than capable of.

Ty Law over Donnie Abraham - Donnies heart wasn't in the game, where Law has a lot of critics in New England he wants to shut up. Beyond the motivation factor, when healthy, Law has been one of the premiere cover-men in the game, and immediately locks down one side of the field for Erik Coleman. On the other side of the field, Barrett is made better. Although Barrett isn't world-class, he is more than competent at covering a #2 receiver.

Ben Graham over Toby Gowin - Gowin didn't have that bad of a year in 2004, but punters can be had easily in this league, and Graham's upside is clearly interesting. A former Aussie Rules Footballer, return men will have a tough time fielding his "knuckleball" type punts, and so far his punts have helped the Jets win the field position battle in both preseason games.

Enough Already

As I had said earlier, this is a good time to be a Jets fan, and even key players like Curtis Martin and Chad Pennington have good replacements that should be able to keep the team moving forward if needed in their absence. The defense is the focal point of this team, as it should be, but has some inexperience in the secondary. Hopefully this should be worked out as the season moves along.

Many Thanks

Thanks to Mark for this chance to write, and thanks to you for reading this article! I hope you are looking forward to this season as much as I am, and would be interested to see what you think! Let's go Jets!!!