The State of the 2009 NY Jets-By T.J. Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

The 2009 Jets season started on the second play of Monday night's 2nd preseason game. Against one of  the NFL's best defenses in history,  rookie bonus baby Mark Sanchez, whom Jet faithful  hope is the next coming of Joe Namath, dumped off a rushed screen pass under pressure from future hall of famer Ray Lewis. Suddenly daydreams changed from Sanchez as the next Broadway Joe to nightmare flashes of onetime 1st rounder and disappointment Browning Nagle. The ball floated seemingly in slow motion into the hands of lineman Hloti Ngata who ran it in for a 25 yard TD.  This on a night where the future was supposed to start.  Jets rookie head coach Rex Ryan seemed poised to crown Sanchez the new king, despite a shaky start that almost led to a 2nd interception on the next possession.  A slant route that Lewis jumped at midfield was dropped, and had TD written all over it , Sanchez  then showed some resiliency. The former  USC star threw a TD on his 5th possesion to Leon Washingtonm the teams biggest threat  (yds) to cut the Ravens  lead to 14-7. A TD that by the way, happened while Lewis ad all pro Ed Reed watched from the sidelines. Nonetheless, 4th year backup Kellen Clemens, did little to sway things in his favor, throwing a dumb pick for a TD on the Jets own 15 with :30 left in the half.

So the Jets ,who lost the game 24-23 after a failed two point conversion by then signall caller and 3rd string QB Eric Ainge , are three weeks from the opener and are shaping up like this: A team whose new coach knows from his Raven experience and will try to implement,  running the ball  and tough defense as the winning formula. The 1-2 punch of Thomas Jones and Leon Washington at RB with the touted 3rd rounder Shonn Greene  will find holes thanks to a seasoned offensive line that may one of the leagues best. Former 1st round pick the 6' 7"  D Brickshaw Ferguson, former Steeler all pro 11 year vet  Alan Faneca, and all pro C Nick Mangold are versatile and athletic. Emerging pass catching  TE Dustin Keller  has star potential but a rookie QB and no true number one WR may tighten coverage around him . 

The potential for a mean tough defense is apparent especially with the addition of former Raven, the collision style LB Bart Scott, but  this unit will have to get through the first 4 games while star LB Calvin Pace gets through a league suspension. Baltimore's 2nd year phenom Joe Flacco moved the ball  well on the Jets , playing without killer run stopper NG, 360 lb Cris Jenkins, and Darrele Revis , a shutdown corner who returns next weekand  against the Giants. Revis is the star of a secondary that hopes to a play an aggressive  ball hawk style resembling Ryan's former unit, that very Raven defense that smothered Sanchez and the Jets offense early on Monday night. Pressure will come from all places. It will need to come from 2008 bust Vernon Gholston who will step into Pace's shoes while Pace sits. Gholston was invisible last night and better imrpove from the meek 5 tackles he made all of last season. Ryan says he's thinking not reacting out there. That's not a good sign for a guy taken with the 8th pick in 2008.

Rex Ryan the new coach with the loudmouth brash attitude, embodies the brutally honest manner of his dad, the former legendary creator of the Bears 1985 46 defense, and Eagles head coach from 1986-1990 Buddy Ryan.  The guy who once punched his own coach mate Keven Gilbride in the face for ruining his defense's shutout in the final regular season game in 1992 against guess who? The Jets. The new air around Florham Park is a  far cry from the secretive martial law like approach of the ousted Eric Mangini, now in Cleveland.

The son of one of the Jets Super Bowl III assistants has been quoted as saying "I'm not here to kiss Bill Belichecks rings." This an  attempt to erase the complacent culture that has permeated the Jets organization for too long. The last Jet teams to play with wreckless abandon ( I don't mean winning  a few playoff games for those Herm Edwards supporters out there. i mean flying around the field like a bunch of "crazed dogs"to quote the great Giant LB Lawrence Taylor) may have been the 1998 Bill Parcells led squad that fell a game short of the Super bowl thanks to another John Elway  second half comeback. Before that, perhaps the early 1980's Sack Exchange Jets of Joe Klecko and sack dancing Mark Gastineau.  Unfortuantely for those Walt Michaels/Joe Walton era teams, abandon became lack of discipline, which resulted in sad playoff exits. Remember Gastineau's moronic ill advised late hit on Browns QB Bernie Kosar that kept a hopeless Cleveland drive alive leading to an OT loss in the 86 playoffs?. Ugh.

For THESE Jets, it will be about  buying into Ryan's aggression. The former Ravens coordinator brings with him the swagger. Letting the" fur fly" as Ryan likes to say will be the Sunday approach as Jet fans can expect the  blitzes and the  pressure will come from all places. The more that success happens on the field during the regular season, the greater the swagger will become.  As for now and the dog days of summer, Ryan is providing energy, and fun. He's big . He's loud. He's what a football coach ought to be. He's at times Parcellian, rolling his eyes after mistakes, shouting profanity from his lips so easily deciphered on the sidelines even for the novice lip reader. Soon however, it will be about results. Wins and losses.

September is a stone's throw away but for the Jets, the first quarter of the 2009 season will have to be a war of attrition.  Sanchez will need more development on the fly behind center.  A wide out has to either emerge opposite the dependable Jerricho Cotchery, or else the organization has to bring someone in and get them up to speed quickly. Plaxico Burress could've been that guy, but a two year prison sentence for shooting himself in the leg last winter
has ended that dream for Jet fans. Maybe disgruntled Bronco star WR Brandon Marshall can fall out of Denver and into our laps somehow.  Dreams are what Jet preseasons are all about right? On the other side of the ball, Ryan's favorite side of the ball, the  defense will have to start to develop a killer attitude while at the same time chomping at the bit for Pace's week 5 return. 

Let's also not forget that the already fierce AFC East has gotten even better. Tom Brady is back in New England. TO in Buffalo makes the Bills a different threat. The Dolphins were division champs in 2008 and will be playing with a new confidence out of the gates. Jet fans should hope that the team can get through October  and the first eight games at 4-4 so that big games in December are possible. Too often, the faces change with Gang Green,  but the story remains the same. The Rex Ryan era is upon us. Let's see what happens. At worst it will be entertaining.

Sanchez brings a flare, a dynamic of excitability that has been the missing intangible for this franchise since Joe Namath left. Big shoes to fill. Even bigger expectations. New York city swallows up the meek and the thin skinned. The learning curve doesn't go over well around here. That said, Ryan has ot believe that above everything,  Sanchez gives the Jets the best chance to win. The Jets open the season at Reliant Stadium Sept 13 at Houston.

Is It June or September? The latest on NFL QB's Merry-Go-Round-Plus Plaxico Burress (again)

The N.Y. Jets latest wunderkind, QB Mark Sanchez finally got his deal done this week. It's worth 50 Million over 5 years, and with incentives could push 60 million. 28 Million of it is gauranteed money. I guess Woody Johnson will be able to sell off the rest of those PSL's now. Rex Ryan can talk all the smack he wants, butt hey still have to make their RB's happy (Shonn Greene still needs to be signed, as well as Jones and Washington deserving new deals), because they will take the pressure off whomever the starting QB is. Don't just think Kellen Clemens will just roll over and play dead.

A lot of Jets players think it's a great idea for the team to go after Ex-Giant receiver Plaxico Burress. Newsflash: he's going to be in jail for at least a few months if not more. He turned down a plea deal that would have limited his jail time to 60 days, plus 1,500 hours of community service. But Plax balked at the idea because it seems he is deathly afraid of serving time on Rikers Island. Sorry Plax: they don't put player's numbers on the back of correctional facility jumpsuits. The Jets players (and fans!) have yet to factor into the equation that Mr. Goodell will also suspend him for play as well. Just ask Mike Vick, because he'll be playing in the UFL this year. Plax is due in court this coming Monday.(late breaking news-We have reports that the case will be continued until September)

Down I-95, it looks like the Eagles finally have shown Donovan McNabb some love, but only so much. Reports are that he has a multi-million dollar raise(5.3 million), but no extension past 2010. This is surely because of a lack of a new CBA between the players and the NFL. You can be sure no veteran players will earn long extensions until the new deal is in place. Translation: Donovan, you have two seasons to win or find somewhere else to whine about losing.

Out in Minnesota, the Brett Farve waiting game continues. Did coach Brad Childress give Farve a deadline or not? Does it matter? If The "Farvelous" one wants to play, he will. His Agent Bus Cook says "Brett is at a different level then most." Which level is that? The level that he's finally realized he should hang it up for good this time? Or the level that says " i could still make a few dollars and be competative for at least a few games." Earth To Brett, come in Brett: please stop trying to embarrass yourself. We Know you were one of the greatest ever to play the game. the sooner you retire the sooner you get the gold jacket and the bust in Canton.

REX GROSSMAN sighting!! Rex has been spotted in Houston Texas, where it is reported that he will compete for the third string QB job against Alex Brink, and behind Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky. Now you know why half the population of Houston roots for Dallas instead.

In Denver, head coach Josh McDaniels has named QB Kyle Orton the starter during the teams' mini-camp. I had looked like it would be between Orton and Chris Simms as to who would get the nod for the 2009 season. Orton was part of the Jay Cutler deal with the Bears.

Finally, We have reports that Former all pro QB Trent Green Retired late this week after 15 seasons. When interviewed by Foxsports.com Green said "I feel this is finally the right time, I've talked about it with (the family) for a while, especially with the concussions over the last few years. We all felt it was the time to do it." Green returned to the St. Louis area where he was raised for the 2008 season. He also played for the Chargers, Redskins, Dolphins, and
Chiefs over his career.

Photos: New Jets QB Mark Sanchez, SBS Media's Fearless Leader Zennie Abraham, The "Docta" and one of his "grad students" of Football, Yardbarker.com's Dewey Hammond
The Monday After: a Draft Wrap up part 1 By D. Bill Chachkes for Football Reporters Online/Gridiron Draft Guide/SBS Media

The NFL Draft is where the wild things are. This year the Jets fans were more then just wild, They were wildly happy that owner Woody Johnson gave GM Mike Tannenbaum and Head Coach Rex Ryan the Green light to trade up for USC QB Mark Sanchez. But Is Sanchez what the NY Jets really need? While the Jets organization, most of the beat media, and even most fans feel that the USC Product was one of the only two QB's in this draft that could start sooner rather then later, I'm not totally convinced. Personally, i don't dislike him, infact he is very likeable, with a great sense of humor and a great personality, which he showed in the draft press conference Sunday when two of my writing partners, SBS media's Zennie Abraham and Yardbarker.com's Dewey Hammond were razzing him about his hair and the CAL-USC rivalry. It's not his ability, he has plenty. I just think the Jets gave up too much to get him in this economy, and the Jets already have three QB's, including one they won't let play the position (Brad Smith) who passed for over 5,000 yards in college. Maybe they will try the wildcat offense with slow guys. Meanwhile they did not address the issue of getting a fast receiver. Had they done so, any QB would have been good enough for one more year. Give the Jets a B to a B+ depending on how long it takes Sanchez to get it together and adjust to the NFL game, which his agent David Dunn says will happen smoothly.

Thoughts on the other AFC teams:

Bills: 8 Picks. LB Aaron Maybin (rd1) and CB Jairus Byrd are good solid choices, But OC Eric Wood wasn't even among the top 2 Centers, and the other Offensive Lineman Andy Levitre was only an after thought on many Draft expert's charts, including mine. Grade: C to C-

Dolphins: 10 Picks. I'd like to give big poppa Parcells the benefit of the doubt here(and so would at least one of my associates who knows him personally and spend a year following him as research on his book) regarding Vontae Davis, But ego runs in the family (see big brother Vernon). I love Pat White as a QB, but they need to add more speed at receiver for the wildcat to work well. Sean Smith is the biggest CB i have ever seen. no addition of a Stout DL would worry the Phins faithful. Grade: C+ unless White gets the help he needs.

Patriots: 12 Picks. S Pat Chung could play anywhere in the defensive backfield, and Butler is a shutdown CB. Got Depth and scored 2 picks next year by smart trades, but no true "impact" players here. Grade: B

Ravens: 6 Picks: Just on Mike Oher alone Ozzie Newsome and his personnel crew get the "A", but i have to take away a half a grade because CB Lardarius Webb could pass for a 15 year old H.S. player in his pads at 177lbs. soaking wet. Rb Cedric Peerman could develop into a good reserve/role player. Grade: A-

Bengals: 11Picks. If Andre Smith doesn't flake out from the stress, he could someday be in that Building in Canton. Rey Maualuga is the Troy Polumalu of inside linebackers, and TE Chase Coffman has the NFL pedigree through his dad. Add OC Jon Luigs and P Kevin Huber(if he continues to improve his hang time numbers). The issue as always in Cincy is will these guys act their age or their shoe size. Grade: B-

Browns: 8 Picks. Alex Mack is the best Center in this class. Add the two receivers, Robiskie & Massaquoi and LB Kaluka Maiava (who we all know is the nephew of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) and you have added enough depth at key positions. Kudos to the Mangeinus for doing the deal with his old team, but there aren't any Real great players here. Grade: C

Steelers: 9 Picks. While i like DT Ziggy Hood, OL Kraig Urbik and OC A.Q. Shipley are back-ups at best for now. CB Joe Burnett is a decent CB for where he was picked. The rest are just back-ups if they make it at all. Grade: C+

Texans: 8 Picks. Houston got one of the steals of round one with Brian Cushing, and Connor Barwin will combine with Mario Williams to greatly improve the Texans D. The only problem here is that no receiver or running back was chosen to help with depth. Grade B+

Colts: 8 Picks. Are you surprised that Donald Brown came of the board before Ohio State's Chris Wells? You shouldn't be, because Brown is more adaptable to more offensive sets. DT Fili Moala, WR Austin Collie, and QB Curtis Painter will help with depth, but they still need another DL from somewhere. P Pat McAfee could get teh job on his toughness alone. Grade: B

Jaguars: 9 Picks. Great use of draft slots to get the best players to fill needs. OT's Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton will help Maurice Jones Drew have a "career" year in 2009, plus adding three receivers (Mike Thomas, Jarett Dillard, and Tiquan Underwood will add bench depth, but they are still missing an instant starter at the position to help veteran FA signing Torry Holt. Liberty;s Rashad Jennings is an undiscovered talent at RB. Grade: B+

Titans: 11 Picks. I'd grade them higher if i could but they didn't get someone who could even develop into Al Hanesworth's replacement. Sen'Derrick Marks is good but not good enough yet to do it alone. WR Kenny Britt and TE Jared Cook will add some zest to the passing game, and smallish RB Javon Ringer was a Michigan State stand out and quality person all around, who could be the next Dave Meggett talent wise. Grade: B

Broncos: 10 Picks. Although Ex-Georgia Bulldog Knowshon Moreno was the best RB in the Draft in my mind, Denver did little else to help other need areas, like the defensive line. Also didn't address the offensive line until late in the draft. Grade: D-

Chiefs: 8 Picks. Nice job of starting to rebuild the defense. RB Javarris Williams from Tenn. State in the Ohio Valley Conference was one of our "small school prospect unknown" and another steal at his position in round 7.Still need more help for QB Matt Cassel. Grade: B+

Raiders: 7 Picks. If Al Davis would only retire or at least let someone else handle the personnel side of things, maybe the raiders can move forward. While Darrius Heyward-Bey is a quality receiver he wasn't the 7th pick overall, and who the heck is Michael Mitchell? Grade: D+ if Heyward-Bey develops faster then expected, otherwise they get the big "F" again.

Chargers: 8 Picks. While I really like LB Larry English as a defensive player, there is no way he should have been a 1st round pick no matter how much you are worried about Shawne Merriman not being able to come all the way back. Explain to me why you also pick 2 OG's in a weak class for Guards? LSU's Demetrius Byrd is a better receiver then his slot would indicate. Seems to me like they had a Brain Cluster after Denver picked Moreno ahead of them. Grade: B-

Next: The Giants and the NFC