Jets Win Again, Head for the Black Hole
ProFootball-fans.com just hopes our Jets Correspondent survives the weekend...
If this is the last article I write for this website, then make a note that I was murdered on Sunday, October 19th, 2008 at McAfee Coliseum (if that's what they're calling it this week). That's right, this week I am going where no Jets fans are welcome: to the center of the black hole. Well, maybe not exactly the black hole, but I will be in attendance nonetheless. Let's hope I don't get killed for the sake of another article at the very least.
The Jets come into this week's matchup with THE RAAAIIIIDEHHHHHHS (the only Chris Berman comment I actually like) after another unimpressive victory. You know what, I actually liked the way they played because I full on expected them to butcher that game worse than Pete Wentz trying to use a condom. Good luck being married to Ashlee Simpson, buddy. Have a nice life.
The Jets failed to produce a complete effort yet again. This team could make the playoffs playing like this, but it is completely unsatisfying to be a Jets fan. I want the Jets to line up across from one of these lackluster teams that their schedule is filled with and play hit 'em in the mouth Bill Parcells football. Is this too much to ask? The Jets won the game last week, but so what?
On a side note, let me get this straight before I go nuts...again. I am glad the Jets won last week, and I am glad they are 2 and 0 while wearing those dreadful Titans of New York jerseys, but only because those are two wins. Do not think into it please. Don't get superstitious. The jerseys had nothing to do with it. Wear green and white. This is Gang Green. The Titans were a separate franchise. Separate ownership. It was cute for about five minutes Woody. I don't care if you are a U of A guy, but you are bordering on a disgrace to your fans. Please, I implore you NEVER...EVER...WEAR THOSE TITANS JERSEYS EVER AGAIN. Please.
Back to football, possibly.
I'll be honest; this Bengals game was a nothing game. Eh. That's all I came away thinking. I mean it's good to win a football game, but it’s just unimpressive. The Jets have some flaws that you figure can work out in time, but it’s been five weeks already. Let's get going.
The Jets cannot run the football. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Thomas Jones has been a bust for the NYJ so far. He may have had his best game as a Jet last week, but I would rather play straight up Lance Harbor/Jonathan Moxon football throwing the ball around like crazy with Leon Washington as the primary back making plays out of the backfield. I'll give the Jets some credit though. In the games they win, they seem to have a knack of making big plays when they need them the most. Last week comes to mind when they were trying to ice the game after the Bungles made it close as well as the big 4th and 1 play for the touchdown against the Cards. The reason for this is one Mister Brett Favre.
Brett Favre has turned this team into a playoff contender. They are a team that on paper should at least challenge for AFC East title, which has become really competitive all of a sudden on the heels of wildcat. You could legitimately make an argument for every team in this division. I make it a habit to never say anything nice about the Dolphins, but this Tony Soprano can coach some football. I guess when it faded to black in the final episode, Tony wasn't killed. Riveting television nonetheless.
This week, I might die. Seriously. People keep telling me to fear for my life. It was a struggle to find anyone to come to this game with me. I've been told that I won't even make it to my seat if I wear a Jets jersey, but in the famous words of David Puddy, "gotta support the team." To be honest though I am not scared. At all. I'm just going to add 911 to my speed dial just in case.
I'm starting to get scared...
OK, so this week is sort of comparable to last week in the respect that the Jets are playing an inferior team and should obliterate them on the field. Obviously this game is more of a challenge because it is on the road in a place where I may or may not have to fear for my life, but the Jets are favored and rightly so.
The Raiders might be the most unstable team in the league. Their new head coach is twenty some odd games under five hundred as a pro and college head man and his middle name may or may not be “Digital”. The owner of the team gave the oddest press conference in the history of sports a couple of weeks ago. However, I do agree with him that JaMarcus Russell is a great player. If you don't think I regret taking him in the 18th round in fantasy, then you are crazy. I actually have to play him this week. Good times.
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The Jets pass rush has been inconsistent, but very effective at times this season. To my surprise, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas have really gotten the job done. The key to this game will once again be the Jets ability to get after the quarterback. Although Al Davis thinks JaMarcus Russell is a great player, he is young and wildly inaccurate. If the Jets get after him, good things will happen, as long as Johnny Lee Higgins isn't prominently involved. Run DMC should play, but let's hope he doesn't because he is the type of guy who is primed to tear the Jets up. Let me make this clear. A healthy Darren McFadden would scare me more than the 40,000 Raider fans that will probably tear off my head on Sunday.
The biggest concern I have for this weekend is with the Jets new found glory as a so-called "run-n-gun" team, they're going to have to pull it off against what might be the best corner back tandem in the NFL this week. Here’s how good Nnamdi Asomougha is: last season he was only thrown at 21 times…the entire season. I think they made a movie about it starring Kevin Spacey. Expect the Jets to throw all over DeAngelo Hall, who used to be good, but this year it pretty much remains to be seen. The Jets probably won’t be able to run the ball this week, because well they’re the Jets and if they wear those Titans jerseys I might poke my eyes out before the end of the 2 nd quarter anyway.
This week I am strangely confident, but most men on their death bed usually are. I don’t care if Jimmy Kimmel’s cousin Sal picked the Raids this week, I like the Jets, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to pick them.
Prediction:
Jets 24
Raids 27
Let’s pray that I’m wrong.
By Dan Rein
ProFootball-fans.com New York Jets Correspondent