It's a good thing I didn't write this before August 6th.

That is the day the New York Jets shook the AFC to its core by trading a conditional 4th round pick for estranged Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

Sure, the additions of Alan Faneca, Damien Woody, and Calvin Pace via free agency help, as does the trade for Kris Jenkins, the drafting of Vernon Gholston and the trade back into the first round to select Dustin Keller.

But this is Brett Favre we're talking about. A Super Bowl Champion. A 3-time NFL MVP. He was in There's Something About Mary for Chris'sake!

Favre said all the right things when he was traded, about how he was eager to help the Jets win games, and how excited he was to be playing in New York. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg didn't disappoint when he met the quarterback either, telling him about the generous New York media and gracious Jets fans. He even tipped off Favre about a bridge he could sell him.

That should have been the moment when it hit Favre. Welcome to New York. Or should I say-Welcome to the Jungle. There have been plenty of superstars to grace the city with their athletic presences, but Favre tops the list for sure. No player, not Randy Johnson or Eric Lindros, Alex Rodriguez or Stephon Marbury, Mo Vaughn or Roberto Alomar, has done enough to succeed under the bright lights of Broadway. Someone other than ESPN should tell Favre that the only Jets quarterback in the Football Hall of Fame is Joe Willie Namath.

But there's plenty more to this Jets team that meets the eye.

There's a revamped offensive line with veterans Faneca and Woody to mentor third-year center Nick Mangold and tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and stalwort a line that surrendered 53 sacks last season.

Gholston and Pace should improve a pass-rush that ranked 11thin the AFC last year with 29.0 sacks. It should also create space for defensive backs Kerry Rhodes and Darelle Revis to wreak havoc in the secondary, as well as help New York fully adjust to the 3-4 scheme. It better-the lack of improvement sent fan-favorite Jonathan Vilma to New Orleans.

However it's spun, the message is clear: Brett Favre is not alone on a deserted green and white island in the middle of New Jersey.

He is, however, the biggest story to hit this beleaguered franchise in some time. He is the most established quarterback since Vinny Testaverde to come under center in a Jets uniform, and he will likely be the best quarterback the Jets have for the next ten years (even if he only plays for two).

Suddenly, a limp Jets passing game has legitimacy. Dustin Keller is a threat in his rookie year. Jerricho Cotchery has an opportunity to have a Pro Bowl caliber season. And the Jets can open up the passing game in ways former Jet (and current Miami Dolphin) Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens could not. Brian Schottenheimer, you're welcome.

Just how important is Brett Favre to the Jets? Before the trade, I was convinced they were a 7-9 team if they had consistent quarterback play (turns out I like the Jets defense).  They would lose two to New England and beat Miami twice, and even split the season series against Buffalo. They were good enough to beat Kansas City at home, but not before losing in Oakland a week prior and have trouble against the Tennessee Titans down the stretch.

All that seemed to change on August 6th. Because that middle-of-the-road schedule the Jets had with Pennington and Clemens splitting snaps becomes favorable with Favre as the starter. These same Jets, with a certain 38 year old quarterback, can not only finish 11-5, but reach the postseason and fight for respect in potential rematches with New England or San Diego if all three teams make the playoffs. These outcomes may all be speculation, and season predictions in August are never a good thing come January, but the Jets have hope, folks. And it's not going away.

Because with Brett Favre, the New York Jets are ready for takeoff. 

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