4 Reasons It's New York Jets' Turn to Rule the Big Apple

With repeat losses in the AFC Championship Game in 2009 and 2010 and a 2011 season that crowned the Giants Super Bowl champions, it's been a rough couple seasons for the New York Jets.

Last season was disastrous for Gang Green and ended with the dysfunction of their locker room being put on public display. However, with the help of some free-agent acquisitions, scheme changes and new coaching personnel, the 2012 New York Jets might just be able to return to being the toast of the town. 

The 46 Defense

After leading the NFL in points per game in 2009 (14.8), the Jets slipped to sixth in 2010 (19.0) and fell all the way to 20th in 2011 (22.7).

One would expect better performance from a defense run by Rex Ryan.

The Jets have announced they plan on running the 46 defense more this upcoming season. The 46 (the defense run by Rex's father, Buddy Ryan, that was dominant in the '80s Chicago Bears defenses) focuses on creating one-on-one matchups for pass-rushers and often involves routinely sending 5-plus blitzers each play.

Buddy Ryan was known for saying: "To stop a passing game you had to put pressure on it, some teams are good enough do it with a three man rush, but we're not, in fact I don't know if we can do it with a four man rush, if we need to send eight we'll send eight but we're not going to let you sit back there and pick us apart all day."

In this frame of mind, the scheme fits the Jets personnel very well. New York lacks a dominant pass-rusher that can regularly get to the quarterback, and this scheme creates opportunities by sheer volume of blitzers. More importantly, the Jets have a top-tier secondary capable of quality one-on-one downfield coverage with Darelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and safeties that can come down and play the physical linebacker-type, heavy-hitting role the defense requires in Yeremiah Bell and LaRon Landry.

Departure of Brian Schottenheimer

Brian Schottenheimer's play-calling was constantly called into question as offensive coordinator of the Jets. He always seemed too heavy on "dink and dunk" style short-yardage passing attack. While this fit the inexperienced Mark Sanchez and the league's No. 1 rushing attack in 2009, it predictably wasn't as effective the more the team deviated away from a run-heavy offense. 

This ultimately stifled the offense and the development of Sanchez as an NFL quarterback. With defenses keying in on everything underneath, and short yardage being Sanchez's primary read, the offense was doomed.

Further, it created Sanchez's check-down mentality. It's understandable to coddle a quarterback in his first year or two in the league, but in order to know whether or not he is the QB of the future, the Jets need to spread the field and see whether Sanchez can make NFL quarterback plays.

With Schottenheimer out as offensive coordinator, we'll get a chance to find out. 

No More Quarterback Complacency

In 2009, 2010 and 2011, Mark Sanchez was backed up by Kellen Clemens and Mark Brunell, neither of whom were serious threats to steal the starting job from the first-round draft pick. Clemens had already had his opportunity to start in NY (with forgettable results), and Brunell was really there as a mentor to aid Sanchez's development.

Regardless of the public opinion of Tim Tebow's viability as an NFL starting quarterback, for the first time in his career Sanchez has a backup capable of stepping onto the field and making plays. With Tebow on the roster, Sanchez actually has to play well to keep his job.

While the Jets did just extend Sanchez's contract through 2016, the move was largely done in order to free up cap space for some defensive acquisitions this offseason. Even with Sanchez receiving guaranteed money in 2012 and 2013, if his performance falters, Tebow will see time, and Sanchez knows it.

Return of the Wildcat

When Brad Smith was on the Jets roster, you could count on seeing a few Wildcat plays per game. In the past, the Wildcat/option approach offered the Jets big-play potential (something the Jets seemed to completely lack this past year) and adds another dimension to their offense. And perhaps most importantly, it forces opposing defenses to have to spend significant time preparing for an additional style of attack in the week leading up to their matchup.

In Smith's absence last year, the Jets strayed away from the option attack, only giving WR Jeremy Kerley a few snaps under center.

New offensive coordinator Tony Sparano pioneered the Wildcat as head coach in Miami. Couple him with recently acquired QB Tim Tebow, arguably the best candidate in the NFL to run the Wildcat, and you have a potentially dangerous on-field option.