New York Sports Fan Blog

The New York Giants are coming off their second Super Bowl win in the last five years. The core of their young team is almost exactly the same. Eli Manning has only gotten better every year since his first Super Bowl MVP in 2008. The other New York team, the Jets, are coming off a disappointing 8-8 year. Their biggest off season pick up was a back up quarterback who may spend more time on the back page of the New York Post then in the endzone. Despite all this, the Jets will have a better record then the Giants come years end.

Two years ago the Jets were one of the most feared defensive teams in the league finishing 3rd best in points allowed. Last year, despite not losing much in terms of players, they fell to 13th. Rex Ryan is back to calling the defense this year and that should help regain their 2010 form.

The real reason behind this prediction is the schedule of the two New York teams. The Giants have (arguably) the hardest schedule in the NFL while the Jets sport one of the easiest. The Giants get to play just five teams that finished under .500 last year, while also playing seven games against teams that made the playoffs. On the other hand, the Jets get to play eight games against teams below .500 and just five games against playoff teams. The Jets finished just one game behind the Giants last year and the two team’s schedules should be enough for the Jets to gain at least one if not two games.

New York Jets Head coach Rex Ryan has been spotted with a new tattoo on his right calf. Now just because the guy gets a tattoo, does it really need to get the attention the media is giving it. Since day one, the media has giving Rex Ryan the most unneeded and undeserving attention. Who really cares about the guy getting a tattoo. Its his body and he can do what he pleases. Just like the nonsense video about him recording his wife’s feet last year. If the guy has a foot fetish then let him be. The media needs to focus more on the team and stop worrying about the little things. Show more about how practice went and how the team is getting along with their new additions. All I really have to say is stop wasting time on nonsense and give the fans the real information that want.

As the season gets closer, all I think about is what is Darrelle Revis doing? I understand that he wants to get paid as a big time player that he has proven to be but at the same time one season does not mean anything. Yes he did do work on the field but he has to prove himself once again to be worth all the money that he is asking for. I agree with him that he should be paid more but not the amount that he is asking for.

I believe that he just needs to get to practice, do his work and prove his wealth. Once he proves himself in practice he can use it as leverage to get the amount that he needs. At the end of all this I think he needs to prove himself this season because one season does not mean anything. He needs to go show that he is a valuable asset and his skills are not a one time deal.

Darrelle Revis’s recent contract dispute with the New York Jets is expected to carry on for quite sometime until he or the Jets organization decides to budge. I do understand Revis’s point but his terms are ridiculous. Revis one of the best corners in the league wants a contract that will make him the highest paid cornerback in the league, people believe the numbers to be about $16 million a year. While Revis is one of the best he is not the best, Revis Island and all the un-explained media coverage definitely added to his self-believed worth.

Now as a Jet fan I have to worry about the organization not being able to sign their other notable free agents including Nick Mangold and others. If you ask me I think Revis needs to stop worrying about the money and play. I do not know the exact numbers being discussed but if its for example $13 million a year vs. $16 million he really needs to take a step back and look at the fact that he is already making a ridiculous salary while others in the country cannot find minimum wage jobs!

Last season, the Jets ran the ball 607 times, compared to only 393 pass attempts. Their leading rusher from 2009, Thomas Jones, is now a Kansas City Chief, and the question of who will carry the load for the Jets’ rushing game is on the minds of many of their fans.

The most obvious replacement for Jones’ production is Shonn Greene. As a 3rd round draft pick out of Iowa, Greene’s rookie season was largely quiet, as he rushed for 540 yards. In the playoffs, however, Greene rushed for 304 yards in only 3 games, and had several memorable touchdown runs which raised expectations for this season. Despite Greene’s impressive talent, however, he has shown weaknesses in the past. Last season, he fumble 3 times in only 108 carries, and he failed to record a reception. Despite these worries, however, Greene showed a combination of speed and power that has many Jets fans excited for his 2010 season.

While Shonn Greene appears to be entrenched as the starter, his backup will be one of the best running backs in NFL history. LaDainian Tomlinson, signed from the San Diego Chargers, will likely be featured as the Jets’ 3rd down back. In his prime, Tomlinson was one of the top pass-catching backs in the NFL, but it seems as if Tomlinson’s prime ended two seasons ago. Last season, Tomlinson appeared to have lost a step, as he averaged only 3.3 yards per carry for a dynamic Chargers offense. Tomlinson’s season ended against the Jets’ defense, as he rushed for only 24 yards on 12 carries. Heading into this season, Tomlinson’s ability will be called into question by most Jets fans. If he can return to the form that made him one of the best running backs of all time, then the Jets offense will feature two running backs who compliment each other well. If Tomlinson’s decline continues, however, the Jets offense will likely struggle on passing downs, or in the event of an injury to Greene.

One final wildcard in the Jets 2010 backfield is their 4th round pick, Joe McKnight. Heading into college at USC, McKnight drew comparisons to fellow Trojan Reggie Bush. Although he failed to match Bush’s college production, McKnight is still regarded as a shifty runner who could serve as an asset to the Jets’ offense. With the departure of Leon Washington to Seattle, the Jets will need a quicker running back to take over Washington’s role. Although McKnight did not make the best first impression by appearing out of shape at the Jets’ first rookie mini-camp, there is speculation that his familiarity with his college quarterback, Mark Sanchez, could help him get onto the field as a rookie.

With the continued development of Mark Sanchez, it’s likely that the Jets will throw the ball far more than they did last season. Despite this fact, however, the Jets will likely remain a running team. In order for the Jets to succeed, they will need their running game to remain a dominant force. With the presence of three talented running backs, there is no reason for the Jets not to have success, but all three backs have question marks that won’t be answered until they step onto the field to open the season.

First, Thomas Jones, then Alan Faneca. Will Shaun Ellis be the next over-30 veteran dumped by the Jets? He wonders.

Ellis, a defensive end, told the Associated Press Thursday his request for a contract extension was rejected by the Jets, leading him to believe he might not be with the team for the upcoming season. Ellis, 32, may have been dangled in trade talks before last month’s draft but is now not in danger of being jettisoned, according to a person familiar with the team’s thinking.

“I don’t know,” Ellis said. “I think so. Well, I hope so. You never know what they’re thinking up there. You’ve just got to roll with it. We try to control our own fate, but we really can’t.”

The Jets’ longest-tenured player, Ellis is due to make $3.35 million in the final year of his contract. He recorded 6½ sacks last season, bringing his career total to 68 and made the Pro Bowl as an alternate. Ellis has a troublesome knee, but the Jets are hoping to squeeze one more season out of him, especially with depth concerns at defensive end.

Click here to read the full article – By Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com

In making a bid to host the 2014 Super Bowl at New Meadowlands Stadium, the Jets and Giants are embracing the weather. It will be cold in New Jersey in February, but the teams contend that’s not a reason to reject the bid.

Team owners and notable players were at the site on a cold and rainy Wednesday to formally announce the bid. With half of the dismantled Giants Stadium looming next door, Lamping touted the indoor spaces for those who have the good seats in the 82,500-seat arena. The facility would have heated concourses and fans would be given handwarmers.

“One thing we know how to do in New York and New Jersey is deal with snow,” Jets owner Woody Johnson said.

Mark Sanchez, Curtis Martin and Nick Mangold joined Johnson for the Jets, with Eli Manning and Ottis Anderson standing by Giants owners Steve Tisch and John Mara.

Click here to read the full article – By Jane McManus of ESPNNewYork.com

New York Jets Sports Memorabilia
and other New York Jets Autographs
Below are links to memorabilia available for Shonn Greene.

Linebacker Jason Taylor is leaving the Dolphins to play for the Jets, his agent, Gary Wichard, told the Miami Herald.

League sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Taylor — the NFL’s active sacks leader with 127½ — agreed to a two-year deal that could be worth as much as $3.75 million in the first year.

The Miami Herald reported that Taylor is tentatively scheduled to travel to the New York area on Wednesday to sign the contract.

Because of the Final Eight rules that restrict the Jets from signing Taylor for more in the first year than what Jay Feely received from leaving the Jets to join the Cardinals, Taylor will be on the Jets’ books for $1.75 million in 2010, but he could earn another $1.25 million to $2 million depending upon his performance.

Click here to read the full article – By of ESPNNewyork.com

The obscene gesture for which Jets coach Rex Ryan was fined $50,000 came in reaction to a fan’s heckling that included spitting, according to FoxSports.com’s Jay Glazer.

Ryan, who this season led the Jets to the AFC Championship Game in his first year as an NFL head coach, “showed the greatest restraint,” Glazer said Thursday on New York radio station WFAN.

Glazer said he saw the incident that occurred Saturday night at a mixed martial arts event in South Florida.

Ryan was caught in a widely circulated cell-phone photograph extending his middle finger, presumably at the heckling fan.

Click here to read the full article – By of ESPN.com