What To Expect from the 2009 New York Jets

After the August 2008 acquisition of quarterback Brett Favre, many pundits expected the New York Jets to be contenders in the AFC.

An 8-3 start even spurred Super Bowl hype, especially after a 34-13 road blowout of the previously undefeated Tennessee Titans. But a dreadful 1-4 finish left the Jets third in the AFC East and out of the playoff picture, as Favre threw nine interceptions in the final five games to seal the Jets' fate.

A collapse like that always creates a scapegoat, which came in the form of head coach Eric Mangini, who was fired after the season.

With Mangini and the now-retired Favre out of the picture, many are unsure what to expect from the Jets in 2009. The Jets hired Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to replace Mangini, but Favre's departure left an obvious hole at quarterback.

The Jets addressed that need by trading up in the draft to acquire USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Sanchez will compete with 2006 second-round pick Kellen Clemens for the starting position.

Much of the Jets' success will rely on the results of that quarterback battle. Whoever wins the job will be aided by a top 10 running game that returns running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, as well as a solid offensive line that has had a year to gel after the signings of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody last offseason.

The departure of Laveraneus Coles leaves a big hole in the receiving corps, but the reliable Jerricho Cotchery remains. Second-year tight end Dustin Keller should build on an impressive end to his rookie campaign, and both Washington and Jones are receiving threats out of the backfield.

Receivers Chansi Stuckey, David Clowney, and Brad Smith can be weapons if utilized correctly, and Stuckey and Clowney have the upside to start opposite Cotchery. What the Jets lack in top-tier receiving threats, they make up for with a plethora of options.

The Jets made a particularly big splash on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. Needing to upgrade their 29th-ranked pass defense, they traded for veteran cornerback Lito Sheppard and signed former Ravens safety Jim Leonhard.

Those two will team up with Pro Bowlers Kerry Rhodes and Darrelle Revis to remedy the Jets' struggles against the pass. The Jets also threw big money at another ex-Raven, linebacker Bart Scott, who should solidify the linebackers with David Harris and last offseason’s big free agent signing, Calvin Pace.

Nose tackle Kris Jenkins will clog the middle of the 3-4 all day, and if he stays healthy, teams will struggle to run up the middle of the Jets defense. The only glaring weakness on the defense is on the outside, especially after the trade of Kenyon Coleman in the draft-day trade that landed Sanchez.

Without Coleman, the aging Shaun Ellis remains the Jets' best defensive end, and the starter on the other side is uncertain. Also uncertain is if Ryan can get the best out of last year's first-round pick, outside linebacker Vernon Gholston. Either him or Bryan Thomas will have to step up to fill the few holes the Jets have on defense.

How far the Jets go this season ultimately depends on who emerges at quarterback. Clemens has been mistake-prone in limited action and has never gotten an extended look as a Jet.

That may not change with the pick of Sanchez, who has the accuracy and decision-making ability to run the Jets' short-passing offense to perfection. He played in a pro-style offense at USC and will be asked to take care of the ball, letting the running game and defense control the game.

Unless Clemens changes his stripes, expect Sanchez to win the job for week one.

This year's AFC East promises to be yet again, one of the toughest divisions in football. The Patriots will get Tom Brady back from injury, the Dolphins upgraded their defense, and the Bills signed Terrell Owens to help their sputtering offense of a year ago.

Combining a difficult division with all the question marks surrounding their quarterback situation, the Jets are likely staring at a 7-9 or 8-8 season.

If Sanchez can acclimate himself quickly to the NFL and take care of the ball, the Jets have the pieces around him to reach the playoffs with 10 or 11 wins.

Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco took their teams to the playoffs as rookie quarterbacks in 2008, and coincidentally both had strong running games and good defenses around them. Sanchez will have the same support if he wins the job.

However, nothing is guaranteed with a rookie quarterback. Teams will stack the box to stop the run and dare Sanchez to throw the deep ball to expose his lack of downfield arm strength.

If he can't make plays down the field and struggles to limit turnovers like Favre last season, the Jets may struggle to run the football and keep their defense off the field. Opposing defenses respected Favre's abilities, but Sanchez will have to earn that same respect. If he can't, the Jets will go nowhere in 2009.