New York Jets 2009 Preview

2008 Summary:
Following the conclusion of a miserable 2007 season, the Jets entered the 2008 offseason with little fanfare and extremely low expectations. As was probably expected given the fact the Jets had just completed a 4-12 season and generally looked and played like one of the worst teams in the league.

Then, abruptly, everything changed. Future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Brett Favre decided to channel his inner Michael Jordan, held the Packers hostage and forced his way out of Green Bay much to the delight of Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum who quickly sent a package over to the Packers for the rights to his services.

Suddenly, longtime Jet Chad Pennington was shown the door and would later sign with division rival Miami - a move that would eventually come back to haunt the Jets at seasons end.

However at first, the Favre honeymoon seemed to be taking off as well as anybody could have hoped for. The Jets began the season on the road against Pennington's new squad, and Favre led his new team to a hard fought six point victory.

After dropping their next two games, the Jets would go on a roll. They won six of their next seven games capped off with an impressive showing on the road against the hated Patriots and the undefeated Tennessee Titans.

Brett Favre looked like he was on the verge of becoming the savior of the Big Apple. With a Patriots squad playing the season without their MVP quarterback, the division was ripe for the taking. The Jets were 8-3 and the schedule was opening up very favorably for them down the stretch. The only road games remaining on the schedule were west coast trips to floundering San Francisco and Seattle, the rest of their home slate was against AFC opponents with two of those games coming against division opponents.

On paper it appeared the Jets would be favored in every single game the rest of the way, and be in position to swipe home field advantage from the Titans and Steelers and make the road to Super Bowl XLIII come through Giants Stadium.

And then..... as has happened many a time to the Jets faithful, without warning, the walls came crashing down. The Brett Favre that was so good early on would begin to implode before everyones eyes.

With each passing week, the Jets would find new ways to lose. Favre would be the catalyst for the collapse, throwing 9 interceptions to just 2 touchdowns. The Jets would slowly get away to what them so good early on to begin with, their rushing attack of Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. And a secondary that relied on 35 year old Ty Law as a starter, would give up big play after big play, sending the Jets to a skid in which they would lose four of their last five games.

A skid that could have easily been a five game losing streak had Bills quarterback J.P. Losman not gift wrapped a win for the Jets with a costly fumble that'd be returned for a touchdown in the final minutes of the game.

And almost fittingly, while the Favre era would kick off with a win over the longtime starter of the Jets, the one-year experiment would be put to rest once in for all by the guy that was quickly cast away for Favre.

Chad Pennington would lead his young Dolphins into Giants Stadium, and like he had done so many times before, he wasn't flashy, he wasn't putting up highlight reel plays, he was just quietly efficient and headed to the playoffs at the same time.

2009 Free Agency Additions:
LB Bart Scott (Baltimore)
S Jim Leonhard (Baltimore)
DT Howard Green (Seattle)
CB Donald Strickland (San Francisco)
DE Marques Douglas (Baltimore)
WR Mario Urrutia (Cincinnati)
LB Larry Izzo (New England)

2009 Trade Acquisitions:
CB Lito Sheppard (Philadelphia)

2009 Offseason Departures:
DE Kenyon Coleman (Traded to Cleveland)
QB Brett Ratliff (Traded to Cleveland)
S Abram Elam (Traded to Cleveland)
WR Laveranues Coles (Cincinnati)
TE Chris Baker (New England)
LB Eric Barton (Cleveland)
DE C.J. Mosley (Cleveland)
K Mike Nugent (Tampa Bay)
LB Cody Spencer (

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