New York Jets pass first quarter test

The New York Jets entered the 2010 season with Super Bowl aspirations, along with several situations that could derail their season.  No one truly knew which direction the Jets were headed, but after 4 games and a 3-1 start, we are starting to get some answers.

Lets take a look at some of the preseason concerns and how they played out through the first quarter of the season.

1) Play of Mark Sanchez- The New York Jets are built to win now and many believe the team will only go as far as their young quarterback will take them.  Sanchez had a rocky rookie season, but played very well throughout the Jets post season run.  So which quarterback will Gang Green get in 2010?  Through 4 games Sanchez has thrown 8 touchdowns with 0 interception.  The young quarterback from USC appears to have a strong grasp of the offense and respect in the huddle.  The playbook has been opened up for Sanchez and he has thrived.

2) Chemistry issues- This past offseason the Jets decided to shake up their roster, which included getting rid of respected veteran leaders Thomas Jones and Alan Faneca.  In addition the team decided to bring in players that were considered “divas” by their former team or were just considered problems on and off the field, which caused many to worry about team chemistry. Well through 4 games the Jets appear to be just fine as they bounced back from a tough first game with three impressive victories against division rivals.  It appears that players like Jason Taylor and LaDainian Tomlinson have taken on leadership roles and are truly embracing their chance to play with the Jets.  Team chemistry is not an issue for Gang Green, especially when they are winning without the likes of Darrelle Revis, Kris Jenkins, Calvin Pace, and Santonio Holmes.

3) Off the field distractions- The Jets as an organization love to be in the headlines and that was capped off by their decision to be on HBO’s Hard Knocks television series.  Many believed that this decision, along with the constant talk about the Super Bowl, would end up becoming a major distraction for the team.  Well it seems like the show had an adverse effect on the team, as Gang Green has adopted an “us against the world” attitude.  The New York Jets have become a resilient bunch which was proven by the way they bounced back against the Patriots and how they handled the Edwards DUI incident.  This team believes in one another and more importantly in their head coach, which could take them a long way.

Looking forward: The Jets are off to great start, but lets not start talking championship just yet.  As we all know it is a long season and anything can happen in the NFL.  Gang Green must keep their on the prize and remain a united, resilient bunch.  Mark Sanchez must continue to play well, the defense needs to clean up their communication issues, and the team as a whole needs to keep battling the injury bug.

Ok who are we kidding? The Jets are off to a 3-1 start, and they are getting back Revis, Pace, and Holmes.  Bring on Favre, and the rest of the NFL for that matter!  What an exciting time to be a Jets fan.

Tyson Rauch

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