The War is Won in the Trenches

There is much to be excited about this year with the New York Jets. There is a new head coach, key new additions via free agency and a top five pick quarterback from this year's draft. The thing that may be a bit under the radar to the casual eye, is that the offensive line is returning intact. This unit has a full year together under thier belt and that is both rare and vital to success in the running game and pass protection. Football teams take on identities similar to that of the head coach. From Lombardi to Parcells, Walsh to Manigini. Teams play with the same energy level on the field as the coach's persona and demeanor. I mentioned Mangini because when you look at the overall body of work his teams produced here, they were as middle of the road and non-emotional as he was. Aside from the around 500 record overall in his stint, you can just look at the way the team performed on the West Coast and also down the stretch last year. The whole time he was making bland statements about approach and execution, the team played just as flat as his press conferences. Can you imagine what we would have heard from Ryan in the midst of such a collapse. I can guarantee that the team would react differently, if they were to end up in such a scenario, which is highly unlikely. I mention all of this because this year, the team will rely heavily on the running game. If you doubt that for any reason, look at the drafting of Shonn Greene for proof. When you look at the culture that Ryan is creating in the locker room, you can't help but think that this year, the offensive line will step up to be one of if not the best in the league. They are experienced, highly talented, extremely well coached and more familiar with each other's tendecies. When coupled with the aggressive mentality that Ryan brings, I see the potential for a nasty unit that can dominate. Damien Woody, Alan Faneca, Nick Mangold, D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Brandon Moore are all pretty darn big. When you factor in that the league as a whole is getting 3-4 happy, resulting in one less big tackle on the opposing defensive lines, I can easily see a season that produces two 1000 yard runners. These guys are not only big, but extremely athletic as well. You start talking about Mangold or Faneca downfield on a linebacker and it creates serious problems for the opposing defenses. This is becoming somewhat of a hot topic with football minds around the country right now. There is actually a great in depth article by KC Jones earlier this month comparing the Jets and the Giants offensive lines in a highly statistical manner right here http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/15/who-has-the-best-o-line-giants-or-jets/ This shows that I am not alone in my thinking about the potential for this year. Many analysts around the league are actually expecting big things from this unit. Even with the emphasis on the run, the pass protection will also be a huge factor in this team's success. No matter which QB we go with, neither is a proven Dan Marino back there. Teams will be bringing the heat in passing downs. The "blind-spot" protection for the QB will be a determining factor in games. Teams will not only bring the heat, but likely be ball hungry and swipping a lot when putting the pressure on. I expect to see a huge step up in D'Brckashaw's game this year as from the comments I have heard from him thusfar, he seems to have something to prove. There is no debating the fact that with all of the high-powered offense, if the QB has not time, the throw can't be made. The game was and still is, won in the trenches.