2013 New York Preview | Predictions
If there ever was a NFL team that could be easily confused with a travelling circus it would be the New York Jets. Rex Ryan made his mark by leading this team to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in his first two seasons as head coach, but since then he has taken the Jets in the wrong direction with an 8-8 record in 2011 and a 6-10 mark in his fourth season at the helm.
2013 Jets Futures
- Super Bowl Odds: 100/1
- AFC Conference Odds: 40/1
- AFC East Odds: +1400
- NFL Regular Season Wins: Over 6.5 (+135) Under 6.5 (-165)
2013 Jets Predictions:
- Place they’ll finish in AFC East: 4th
- Place they’ll finish in AFC Conference: 12th
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Much of the drama has been self-inflicted by Ryan’s inability to just keep his mouth shut, but the issues suddenly became very real with the loss the Jets best player on defense and a highly paid franchise quarterback that finds himself in a battle with a rookie for his job. It begs the question as to who is really running things in New York as Ryan appears to be at odds with the very people that sign his paycheck.
We are just two weeks away from the start of the regular season and the Jets still do not know who will behind center on opening day against Tampa Bay. The incumbent, Mark Sanchez has done little this preseason to help his cause, but second-round draft pick Geno Smith has not shown that he is ready to be a starter at this level. You cannot help but think that no matter which quarterback Ryan ultimately decides to go with, the end result will be disastrous.
New York is not dealing from a position of strength on offense to begin with. It finished the 2012 season ranked 30th in the NFL overall with a passing game that was also ranked 30th. This effort complemented a normally reliable running game that was ranked 12th in the league. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Shonn Green led the team in rushing with 1,063 yards but he is now with Tennessee. This means third-year vet Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory will have to step things up to fill the void. If New York cannot successfully run the ball this season things will get ugly fast.
Ryan’s early success was built around a shutdown defense that was one of the best in the league. At the center of that unit was All-Pro Derrelle Revis, who developed into the best shutdown cornerback in the league. When he went down with a knee injury last season, so did the entire Jets’ defense.
It finished the 2012 season ranked eighth in the NFL overall, but it was ranked 20th in points allowed. After deciding to trade Revis to Tampa Bay, the defense also lost safeties LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell to free agency.
Ryan may consider himself a defensive genius, but even the best schemes in the world will not work if you do not have the talent to run it.
The sharks are circling around Ryan in New York as more and more it looks like he is in a no-win situation. He has a complete mess on his hands at quarterback and more questions than answers on a rebuilt defense.
This all adds up to another step backwards this season with five wins at the most.
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