Jets poised for a Super Bowl run

By Jonathan Solomon  |   Tuesday, September 06, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

New York Jets
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The New York Jets nearly finalized their 53-man roster at Saturday's deadline. With two more spots to fill, the team will be looking too add an offensive lineman and a fifth wide receiver. Following a 3-1 pre-season and a relatively healthy roster to start the season with, expectations for Gang Green are high.

Last year's defensive rookie of the year, linebacker Jonathan Vilma, said as much earlier in the summer. "I'm thinking about the Super Bowl...I've got a real good feeling from the players," Vilma told Newsday. The New York Jets didn't lose much during the off-season besides an anchor of an offensive tackle in Kareem McKenzie (signed with Giants) and a cork in the defense, James Ferguson (signed with Cowboys).

Two of the best pieces of news for the Jets a week prior to their opening game in Kansas City is quarterback Chad Pennington's health and defensive end John Abraham's arrival and agreement on a one-year contract. The biggest question mark heading into the pre-season was whether or not Pennington would be able to recover from off-season shoulder surgery. It's safe to say that he'll be fine. He threw for nearly a 71 completion percentage, completing 17 of 24 pass attempts.

As far as the fans are concerned, the biggest addition to the offense was clearly the hiring of offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger. For the first time, Chad Pennington lined up in the shotgun formation as a pro, during the pre-season. The New York Jets clearly have enough weapons to be a fierce offensive team. Curtis Martin along with Derrick Blaylock have shown to be a great combo this pre-season.

In 2004, the weakest group on the Jets was the secondary. Going into the 2005 season, the team believes the secondary will be a strong point. With the addition of former Pro-Bowl corner Ty Law and rookie safety Kerry Rhodes (from Louisville), Jet fans are excited.

After the heart-wrenching AFC Playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Jets knew they needed a lights-out kicker. They selected kicker Mike Nugent (from Ohio State) in April's Draft and general manager Terry Bradway looks like a genius. During the pre-season, Nugent was a perfect 4-4 (2 from 30-39 range, 2 from 40-49 range). Although the Jets hope to score touchdowns galore, it's safe to say that points will be scored thanks to Nugent.

The New York Jets open the 2005 season on Sunday, September 11th in Kansas City. The personnel has clearly been upgraded, all that's left is to find out whether or not head coach Herm Edwards has improved. His time management has hurt the team throughout his tenure, so for the Jets to go deeper into the playoffs, Edwards can't make those same mistakes. Whether or not the New England Patriots have come back down to earth or not, the New York Jets' fate is in their own hands.
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