MANUFACTURED JOY - NEW YORK JETS

by Zac, Throwing Into Traffic

Manufactured Joy is a series in which we'll be going through the NFL team by team, from the bottom to the top, and giving fans five good reasons why they should be excited to watch their team in action this season. Today, the New York Jets.

1. Gh-Gh-Gh-GHOLSTON!

Crappy old cartoon references aside, DE Vernon Gholston, who will likely be converted to an OLB in the Jets 3-4 scheme, is the most high risk/high reward player of the draft. At various points, scouts had him being considered with the number one overall pick. As it turns out, he went as low as he could have gone (given who was on the board), and the Jets may have gotten the draft’s best player at the sixth pick. Then again, they could have also gotten its biggest bust. Gholston’s physical gifts are well known; pound for pound, there was not a single athlete in this draft more naturally gifted. Equally obvious is his potential for taking games over, as when he wanted to, he was unstoppable (the game against Michigan was a thing of beauty). The trouble is that both his natural gifts and his drive to overpower opponents seemed to disappear inexplicably at times. The optimistic outlook is that it’s hard to stay motivated to compete when you can beat the competition without trying that hard, and that a move to the pros with the right coaching will only allow Gholston to find new ways to use his physical gifts. The pessimistic side of that coin is that if he wasn’t that motivated to consistently perform in order to get to the league, why should we assume he’ll suddenly turn it on now that money has started falling from the sky. Still, he’s entering the right system, with a coach who once showed an amazing ability to get the most out of his personnel (Mangini’s first year was remarkable for what he did with that defense). Whether he can get it together or not, he chance that he might makes him worth watching this season.

2. The Jets didn’t get McFadden!

And yes, I do mean that as a positive. I really like McFadden, but this defense needed the kind of kick in the ass that Gholston has the potential to give it. Don’t get me wrong, I think every team should have the kind of fast, sneaky back who can turn short receptions into home runs and confuse defenses…and the Jets already have that in “Neon” Leon Washington. For those of you who have missed out on the steal of the 2006 draft, Washington is basically Reggie Bush except several million dollars cheaper. He can run, he can catch passes, he returns kicks, and the Jets even lined him up and ran the option every once in a while last year (further raising the question: WHY DO THEY STILL HAVE BRAD SMITH?!?). It was bad enough last year when it looked like Mangini and the gang were trying to find ways to ignore their offense’s most potent threat, and getting McFadden would have made it worse. The NFL isn't about saving special talents for every sixth play; it's about wringing them dry and bathing in the glory. Year three is where Washington gets some recognition for the speed he shows at his position, not just kick returns.

3. Cautious optimism regarding Thomas Jones!

Dear Thomas Jones,

I know in the past I’ve said some negative things about you. Ok, I’ve said some very negative things about you. Ok, there may or may not be a tag on my blog labeled “Zac’s Hatred” in which you get top billing. That’s neither here nor there. What’s important is that I am tentatively, cautiously, anxiously optimistic about your upcoming season. I mean, when you had a very good offensive line to run behind in Chicago, you were a thoroughly above-average back. Hell, you averaged over four yards a carry. I can’t even imagine that. Literally, I can’t picture you taking a ball and moving forward with it more than four yards without my ears starting to bleed. Still, it happened. And it can happen again. The Jets brought in OG Alan Faneca (who is also an offensive guard), and with both C Nick Mangold and LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson entering their third year, the line, or at least the left side of the line, could be very, very good. So how about this: I’ll stop saying mean things about you, and you stop being…well…being like you. Deal.

4. Handsome Chad for QB!

It is such bullshit that Tom Brady gets all the “dreamboat” talk, because everyone who watches AFC East football knows that the real catch of the division is Chad Pennington. Sure, Brady is a good looking guy, and he’s easy to fall in love with; then he knocks you up and disappears into the vapors leaving a trail of smoke and a press release saying “we’re thrilled to work together on this.” Meanwhile, Chad Pennington is the kind of gee shucks guy you can bring home to mom. Also, he’s not a bad QB. Say what you will about his arm strength, but they didn’t lose last year because of his shoulder surgeries (they lost because it’s not fair to ask ANY quarterback, no matter how strong, to consistently put up 30 or more). Hell, with the same arm he was the Comeback Player of the Year in 2006. Furthermore, he’s also the smartest QB on the roster, and is likely to have more time to work through his reads, which is always a good thing for an intelligent QB. Chad is still an incredibly accurate QB who has no problems working a mid range pass, and really, who on this team is catching the deep stuff anyway? I like Laveranues Coles, but he’s still the best number two receiver trapped in a number one spot, and nothing more. The fact that the Jets didn’t really make any moves to improve the pass game (outside of the obvious move of dropping Justin McCareins) means that the mid range pass is king once more in NY, and the best man for that job is Handsome Chad.

5. But if not him, then The American Dream Kellen Clemens for QB!

Let me tell you all the story of a young man named Kellen Clemens, who grew up in a small town in Oregon and got on a bus with nothing but a lunchbox, a big arm, and a dream, and left in search of stardom in the bright lights of New York City. Coming back to reality, year one of the Kellen Clemens experiment, perhaps its only year, was a rough one. Like, worst QB rating in the league rough. Like, throw one TD pass to ten interceptions rough. Still, it’s not entirely fair to judge Clemens on one half-season in which an already out of the playoffs team was thrown on his back, the defense was miserable, the offensive line was in shambles, Thomas Jones was his running back (crap…forget I said that, Thomas), Justin McCareins was special olympicizing his way through his number two receiver role, and, well, he really didn’t seem ready to start. The truth is, Clemens showed, in spurts, the kind of athleticism that can buy time in the pocket, and there’s no question about his arm strength (seriously, Kellen, not everything has to come out hot…we know you’ve got the strongest arm on the team). Personally, I’m a Chad fan, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Clemens is able to turn a revamped line and a year under center into smarter decisions and a productive use of his many athletic gifts. Besides, QB BATTLE IN THE PARKING LOT!!!