Favre Doesn't Have to Say it. The Jets Need a Win

We’re just three weeks into the season and I’ve already seen way too many “must wins.” I’ve also spent too much time worrying about our kicking situation(s).  Arizona’s rolling into the Meadowlands Sunday and they’re bringing two outstanding recievers, Edgerin James, and their own elder statesman.  I think the Jets can lose six games this season.  Using one of those losses against the Cardinals would be a disaster.  Before the season started, when I looked at the Jets schedule week 4 marked the beginning of a stretch of games the Jets should win.  Now that it’s here I’m not so confident.

It blows my mind that Kurt Warner is playing as well as he is.  The dude has a QB rating of 111.7 (Favre’s is 98 by comparison).  Warner has thrown 6 touchdowns with 1 interception and the thought of his receivers unleashed upon the Jets secondary is frightening.  Maybe it’s because of that Chris Chamber’s touchdown last week or maybe it’s because Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald can’t both be triple covered at the same time.  Boldin leads all wide receivers with 4 touchdowns- Warner will certainly be looking his way.  For the Jets to win this Sunday our secondary needs to play an outstanding game.  We’ve been allowing 200 yards per Sunday through the air and it’s time for Kerry Rhodes and co. to make a statement.  Rhodes is due for a big day- thus far he has zero sacks and zero interceptions.  Remember how fun it is to watch him blitz the quarterback?  I hope we can all have that fun on Sunday.

Speaking of blitzing, Calvin Pace has to be pumped up about playing his old team.  Pace spent his first 5 seasons with the Cardinals before coming to the Jets this offseason.  I’m hoping he’s going to unleash all the pent up frustration that comes with playing for the cardinals for 5 whole years upon Kurt Warner.  I want 4 sacks and a forced fumble that Kris Jenkins picks up and rumbles for a touchdown.   Jenkins should be back Sunday.  Even if he doesn’t get a TD, he sure takes the edge off of James and the Cardinal rushing attack.  The acquisition of Jenkins is looking brilliant as long as the big fella stays healthy.  We’re 8th against the rush in the league.  I don’t remember the last time we were in the top ten.

If our Special Teams can get it’s kick together we should own the field position in this game.  We’re averaging 29.5 yards a return (4th in the league) versus the Cardinals meager 18.8 (28th).  Leon Washington (everyone’s favorite Gummi Bear) is once again having a great season and we need him to keep it coming Sunday.  As far as Ben Graham and his firing then rehiring then saying stupid things goes, if he punts like he did last weekend he’ll be the Jets punter for a while.  If he can’t help out with the field position game then he can’t do his job can he?

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“You come from a sport that what you do is ingrained in you. And you come here, and you sort of want to believe it’s the same game, same sport, but it’s not. It’s different. It’s a business. And I caught the end of that.” -Ben Graham

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Nope.  What Graham caught was the aftermath of too many bad punts.  He was terrible against New England in a game that was all about field position.  A division rival and Mangini’s nemesis… you’ve got to be able to do the basics well to beat them.  When I say basic I don’t mean easy.  I mean fundamental.

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“I know I had a bad game (against the Patriots). I know field position affected the result of the game. I understand that. But I sincerely believed that I was part of the team and they didn’t, so they moved me on.”-The very same Ben Graham

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I don’t know, maybe he just doesn’t understand that being part of the team means performing on the field.  Or maybe twenty yards a punt is great in Australia.

Do I think we will win Sunday?  Yes I do.  I must have drank a ton of the Kool-Aid because I still see so much potential on this squad.  The Cardinals thus far are having a winning season but both of their victories came against weak teams- the Chiefs (Herm still can’t manage the clock) and the Raiders.  If the Jets don’t win sunday, it’s going to take more than Kool-Aid to keep the hope alive.

Stats from NFL.com