What the hell is Brett Favre doing here? The 2008 New York Jets

The Jets most intriguing position battle seems to have been won...by Brett Favre? And in less intriguing news, Kellen Clemens started the preseason opener last week in what may have been the last start of his NFL career.

But now that the Jets have Favre, what now? What should Jet fans expect? Could the Jets possibly return to the Super Bowl for the first time in 40 years?

Well, probably not. Remember they are the Jets. However, this move brings excitement back to the Meadowlands, well as long as you forget the defending Super Bowl Champions play in the same stadium. Keep in mind that the Brett Favre the Jets traded for last Wednesday night is not the same Brett Favre that won back to back MVPs and led his team to 2 consecutive Super Bowl appearances including a title, but the excitement level created by him even stepping on the field will only be equaled by the return of Fireman Eddie Anzalone from injury.

The truth is the Jets will be much improved from last season, but they were before this move. While the Favre addition clearly created the biggest headlines, it may not prove to be the greatest indicator of the team's success this season. Coach Eric Mangini has a reputation as a defensive specialist (well at least he did before coming to New York) and for the first time in his 3 year tenure as Jets head man he has the players to fit his scheme. In order to rectify the Jets porous run defense, they added mammoth defensive tackle Kris Jenkins to plug up the nose.

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The Jenkins trade will not only help the Jets run defense but open up more opportunities for newly acquired rush linebacker Calvin Pace, first round pick Vernon Gholston, and grossly overpaid Bryan Thomas to get pressure on the quarterback coming from the edge. The new additions to the Jet defense should go on to help improve a unit that was already showing progress after Mangini began calling defensive plays after last year's bye week.

Even with the Jets' inability to stop the run last season, the team's dearth of play makers on offense may have been their biggest problem. Jets fans can only hope Brett Favre will play at the same level in 2008 that he did in 2007. Packers coach Mike McCarthy was able to reign Favre in and make him less of a gunslinger and more of a system quarterback, but will Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer be able to do the same?

Other than Favre, the only game breaker the Jets have on offense is third year back and poor man's Devin Hester, Leon Washington who not only doubles as 3rd down back extraordinaire and kick off return specialist, but is also the greatest Jet named Leon since Leon Johnson. That being said, everything on offense should run smoother for the Jets in 2008 because of the improvements on the offensive line. Last year, the 2 most popular players on the team were offensive linemen Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson. Their popularity was not only predicated on the allure of the name "D'Brickashaw", but also on their value on the depth chart. Since being drafted 4th overall in 2006, Ferguson has been outperformed by Mangold who in all likelihood has been the team's best player the past two seasons. This season however, D'Brick will have a lot less pressure and a lot more help on the offensive line. The Jets additions of All-Pro Guard Alan Faneca, and Damien Woody who will be playing right tackle should bolster the line and provide bigger holes for Washington and starter Thomas Jones, as well as keep Favre off his back.

As a Jets fan I will tell it to you straight, I am worried. It has been 39 years since Joe Willie Namath held his finger up at the Orange Bowl to signify the Jets being the World Champs. 40 Years! Could this be the year that they finally bring another one home? Will Brett Favre have enough time to get his timing down with receivers Lavernaeus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery before its too late? Will the Jets fall victim to to the Madden Curse and the curse of spending the most offseason money and then underachieving which seems to plague the biggest offseason spender every season?

Like most Jets seasons, this season begins with a series of question marks, but unlike those seasons the level of intrigue is almost smoldering. The Jets now have a superstar; one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history on their side, but these still are the Jets.

Although I don't think the Jets will be Super Bowl bound, I will hold out hope, but one thing is certain. I would rather have Brett Favre in my corner than the quarterback the Jets will be lining up against week 1.

By Dan Rein
ProFootball-fans.com New York Jets Correspondent