The AFC East has recently belonged to the New England Patriots. But with a fortuitous run to the conference championship and an overly active off-season profiled by HBO's television miniseries "Hard Knocks," the New York Jets have become division favorites as well as the most interesting team in the National Football League.
The Jets surprised in 2009-10 with a 9-7 record under first-year head coach Rex Ryan and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. Now in their second seasons with the club, a step forward would mean the team's first division title since 2002, or, in Ryan's words, the chance to "lead the league in f------ wins."
Ryan, a former coach and coordinator of the renowned Baltimore Ravens defense of the past, brought his boisterous style to the Jets, one now captured on "Hard Knocks."
Ryan has averaged 30 curses per episode of "Hard Knocks" and has been the show's main source of comedy. Former Pro Bowl cornerback Antonio Cromartie also drew laughs in a scene in which he struggled to recall the names and birthdays of his eight children by six women in five states, all of whom are under the age of five.
Providing the drama has been the team's number-one cornerback, and the best defensive player in football, Darrelle Revis, who is engaged in an ugly holdout as he tries to renegotiate his contract with the Jets.
"Revis Island," who was assigned man-to-man coverage of the oppositions' top wide receivers throughout last season, was the main reason the Jets limited opposing No. 1 receivers to under 30 yards per game, a mark some 20 yards better than any other team. Two of those games featured the league's premier wideout, the Patriots' Randy Moss, who was limited to a total of 50 yards and seven catches on 16 attempts.
After such a ballyhooed year, the Jets promised Revis a contract extension but have yet to follow through. Revis, in turn, sat out of training camp, therefore forfeiting the guarantee of $20 million over the final two years of his contract. Revis has his eyes on a long-term deal that will pay him upwards of $15 million per season.
"Hard Knocks" and the media at large have told the story of the negotiations from the martyrdom-seeking Jets' point of view, but there is no question that Revis is worth what he asks for. The Jets, however, feel that they control too much leverage to give in, as Revis won't become a free agent for another couple years. They are also afraid to hand out too much guaranteed money heading into an uncapped year.
Even without Revis, the team's defense is stacked with Pro Bowlers. In Ryan's 3-4 defense, the nose tackle slot is paramount, and that just happens to be where the Jets' second-best defensive player resides.
Kris Jenkins missed over half the season due to injury, and his return will require a double-team on every play. That frees up space for past-their-prime pass rushers Shaun Ellis and Jason Taylor to come off the edge, and possibly the 2008 sixth-overall pick bust-trying-to-make-good Vernon Gholston, who, according to Ryan on "Hard Knocks," has "dropped his nuts" during training camp.
The linebacking corps can also get to the passer with the likes of Calvin Pace and Bart Scott, the latter shipped from Baltimore along with Ryan to serve as the coach's alter ego on the field.
The Jets' special teams under coach Mike Westhoff has been a strength and should continue to perform. Part of Westhoff's inspiration comes from the fact that he's battled bone cancer, while the rest of his brilliance is derived from telling players to execute blocks even if they have "triple Asian flu."
With the defense and special teams figuring to be near the top of the league, the offense remains the sole doubt.
Sanchez, 23, should experience his largest season of growth, based on quarterback aging curves. That means this could become a make-or-break campaign for him. He had a rough preseason, the lowlight of which might have been his haggling over breadsticks and sauce while ordering pizza.
Fortunately for him, the Jets have surrounded their young signal-caller with talent, which should enable him to succeed. LaDainian Tomlinson is, at the very least, an able pass-catching back, and Dustin Keller, though not physical, can provide a downfield threat as a tight end.
And then there are the wide receivers, as full of talent as question marks. Former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes was suspended for the first four games of the season, and Braylon Edwards' hands are as suspect as his beard.
Yet the addition of those two in the past year has pushed Jerricho Cotchery, who started last year as the team's top receiver, into the slot. Those three receivers caught 2,749 combined yards last year while Sanchez threw for only 2,444. With such weapons around him, it's up to Sanchez to make the whole equal the sum of the parts.
Winning in the NFL is contingent upon successfully throwing the football, yet the Jets pride themselves on a steady running game.
Shonn Greene provides the power out of the backfield, while Tomlinson, who has scored the third-most touchdowns in football history, could provide some flash. Meanwhile, fourth receiver Brad Smith ran for 207 yards on 18 attempts last year.
Leading the way will be either the ageless fullback Tony Richardson or the upstart John Conner, nicknamed "The Terminator."
As for the O-line, Nick Mangold is the top center in football and lays claim to a freshly inked $55 million deal. Damien Woody is as good as any guard in the game at run-blocking. Left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson's main job is to protect Mark Sanchez's blindside, which he does capably, but if the 6-foot-6 Pro Bowler can hold his own this year in the run and allow the Jets to even out their run distribution from 32 percent to the right against 16 percent to the left, they'll be more balanced and therefore more dangerous.
To top it all off, this will be the inaugural season of the New Meadowlands Stadium. And while "Hard Knocks" won't follow the team into the regular season, the Jets will play in five primetime games.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, when commenting on all the attention that the Jets have been receiving, said he hates the Jets. He and Patriots coach Bill Belichick have long had the upper hand in this AFC East rivalry, and haven't shied away from saying as much.
Now, though, the Jets have the loudest voices, the most talent and finally, the highest expectations.
