Jets of 2017 have forced fans to choose between their heads and their hearts.

[Mainejet]

Do you root for position in the standings or position in next spring’s draft?

Everyone seems to agree these Jets are not playoff contenders, never mind Super Bowl contenders. With that acknowledgement, the logical conclusion is this team is better off finishing 2-14 or 3-13 and landing one of the top two picks than 6-10 or 7-9 and ending up picking between six and 12.

Still, if you’re a fan, how do you root against the team you’ve spent your life cheering for? How do you not pull for Jets touchdowns and sacks and boo the hell out of the other team?

Sunday was the first home test for this strange season. I spent some time in the parking lot with a passionate group of fans before the game. It was clear that the talk of tanking or hoping the Jets lose faded with those who actually showed up at MetLife Stadium. Gone were dreams of Sam Darnold. In their place was hope that the experts might all be wrong and the natural reflex any Jets fans feel when they see a Dan Marino jersey in East Rutherford — a desire to pound the Dolphins mercilessly.

The home team complied and routed the Dolphins in impressive fashion, 20-6. That predictably led to questions of whether this win should be celebrated or mourned. The Jets had blown their chance at an imperfect 0-16 season. Would it cost them a franchise quarterback?

Stop worrying

Jets fans should enjoy this win and any others that come along this season. People are overreacting to one win. A week ago, everyone was throwing dirt on the Jets. They played a great game Sunday, and the Dolphins looked like they were sleepwalking. It was the perfect combination for a Jets victory. The Jets are still going to finish with a record that will give them a top draft pick.

So, Jets fans should relish this week. Enjoy mocking Dolphins fans. Let your mind wander toward possibilities of surprising the league. Don’t worry about the 2018 draft now.

This is one of the strangest Jets seasons ever. Fans are unsure whether to feel good about the team or hope for the worst. Even things other than the record are hard to process.

Quarterback Josh McCown has gotten off to a great start in the first three games. He is completing close to 70 percent of his passes and is not committing dumb turnovers. Instead of enjoying that, though, I have heard from many fans concerned this is delaying the chance for Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg to play.

With the Jets appearing destined to be at the top...

Again, stop worrying.

Hackenberg and/or Petty will get to play this year. Injuries happen. McCown will cool off. The organization will turn its eyes toward 2018 at some point.
For right now, though, enjoy what McCown is giving you. Enjoy watching Jamal Adams fly around the field. Enjoy a young team that is playing hard and playing loose.

The Jets have another winnable game on Sunday. Sure, the Jaguars beat the Ravens 44-7 last week. But they are coming off playing in London, traveling to New Jersey and trying to put together back-to-back good games. There are plenty of reasons to like the Jets in this game.

If the Jets win, panic will set in among the pro-tank crowd. Others will celebrate a Jets win the same way they have since they started rooting for the team.
These are the Bizarro Jets, where you have to choose between what your head and heart tell you.

 

[jets82]

I said it briefly on a different thread a few days ago and I'll say it again here, the Jets are going no where without a franchise QB. I'm fully convinced of that now. After years of misery routing for this team, a team that truly had no chance and I know it deep down inside (2015). Or routing for a team that I truly thought had a chance but the QB held us back (2011) and the very rear occasion of routing for a team that you thought had it all around (1997) but they came up short still. Until the Jets get a franchise QB, anything else they do from this point means nothing to me. I love this rebuilding thing and the fight in the team but it's all mute to me with them playing a 38 year old reject QB. McCown isn't Farve or even Vinny T. He is either a slightly better or slightly worse version of Fitzpatrick. That is not a QB to build around people or have any hope in. I was against this originally but I'd rather the team draft a QB every year to find the right QB then do what they been doing. Playing these reject vet QBs and not giving the youngsters a shot.

To me, I'd rather lose 16 games with Petty or Hack (mainly) to know we don't have anything in them, then win 6-8 games with McCown and it pretty much means/proves nothing. Icing on the messed up cake is if the management and CS feel they can win with McCown like they did with Fitz and not draft a QB period or draft one way down the line that is clearly a developmental guy. This team is better then any of us expected, I will admit and has ten times more fight in them. With a halfway decent QB, veteran or rookie, this team could fight for a wildcard. To bad we don't have that kind of QB here or this would be a very exciting season to follow. Anyway, I'm choosing to go with my head with this team from now on because going with my heart has left me with nothing but heartaches, headaches, stomach cramps and pains, sore throats, body pains and damn near broken furniture. I've decided if I'm going to go through that anymore, its going to be worth it.

 

[magicjohnson]

I feel your pain 82. I have been advocating since the loss of Pennington that this organization make finding/developing a QB priority #1. Both Jets GM's/Coaches have passed up chance after chance in favor of loading up the Defense. Alex Smith was the big fish we let get away. As for drafting a QB....we need to start making smarter choices and Hack was not a smart choice.

 

[jets82]

I feel your pain 82. I have been advocating since the loss of Pennington that this organization make finding/developing a QB priority #1. Both Jets GM's/Coaches have passed up chance after chance in favor of loading up the Defense. Alex Smith was the big fish we let get away. As for drafting a QB....we need to start making smarter choices and Hack was not a smart choice.

Jets had something special in/with Pennington. No he didn't had that gun but he had everything else and that made up for the arm strength. Chad was the next Jets franchise QB and maybe even SB winner but health killed it for him. As for what they have done since Pennington, I've always thought when they draft a QB to let him sit a year or two and learn behind a quality vet. Or play him year one and give him 2-3 years on the field to see if he's our guy without drafting another QB. The way the Jets have screwed up every QB draft since Pennington, I'm finally thinking draft one every year if you have to until you find that one. I wasn't with that thinking in the past but I am now. Sad part is, the Jets have drafted a QB (in whatever round) just about every year for the past 10 years. They have drafted in fact, 8 total QBs in the past 10 years. Which is more then any other team and they still can't get it right. SMDH!!!

 

[Mainejet]

I said it briefly on a different thread a few days ago and I'll say it again here, the Jets are going no where without a franchise QB. I'm fully convinced of that now. After years of misery routing for this team, a team that truly had no chance and I know it deep down inside (2015). Or routing for a team that I truly thought had a chance but the QB held us back (2011) and the very rear occasion of routing for a team that you thought had it all around (1997) but they came up short still. Until the Jets get a franchise QB, anything else they do from this point means nothing to me. I love this rebuilding thing and the fight in the team but it's all mute to me with them playing a 38 year old reject QB. McCown isn't Farve or even Vinny T. He is either a slightly better or slightly worse version of Fitzpatrick. That is not a QB to build around people or have any hope in. I was against this originally but I'd rather the team draft a QB every year to find the right QB then do what they been doing. Playing these reject vet QBs and not giving the youngsters a shot.

To me, I'd rather lose 16 games with Petty or Hack (mainly) to know we don't have anything in them, then win 6-8 games with McCown and it pretty much means/proves nothing. Icing on the messed up cake is if the management and CS feel they can win with McCown like they did with Fitz and not draft a QB period or draft one way down the line that is clearly a developmental guy. This team is better then any of us expected, I will admit and has ten times more fight in them. With a halfway decent QB, veteran or rookie, this team could fight for a wildcard. To bad we don't have that kind of QB here or this would be a very exciting season to follow. Anyway, I'm choosing to go with my head with this team from now on because going with my heart has left me with nothing but heartaches, headaches, stomach cramps and pains, sore throats, body pains and damn near broken furniture. I've decided if I'm going to go through that anymore, its going to be worth it.

I'm actually quite surprised to hear you post this? I would have thought you would be one of the more upbeat fans? But I agree, the team is going nowhere without a franchise QB. I'm just equally convinced that we do NOT need the number 1 pick to get a franchise QB. There is no art or strategy or method behind getting a franchise QB. IMO, it's nothing more than a complete pull-it-out-of-your-ass contest? Sure, sometimes the best QB's are selected in the 1st round and even sometimes with the number 1 pick, but more often than not they are the least suspected ones that turn out to be great?

The guys you think will be decent depth and turn out to be great? Russell Wilson was expected to be just that. Dak Prescott was considered to be nothing more than that.

My feeling is if the were to target a guy like Baker Mayfield? I would be very excited. Not only would we get a potential franchise QB, but we could fight for every win this season?

This young team is disappointing me right now. Losing to the Dolphins when the game was in the bag is a tough thing to face. It's obvious to me that there's SOMETHING wrong with this team that they could not pull out that game? So getting better is of paramount importance. I'm just not sure it would take tanking the season........

 

[jets82]

I'm actually quite surprised to hear you post this? I would have thought you would be one of the more upbeat fans? But I agree, the team is going nowhere without a franchise QB. I'm just equally convinced that we do NOT need the number 1 pick to get a franchise QB. There is no art or strategy or method behind getting a franchise QB. IMO, it's nothing more than a complete pull-it-out-of-your-ass contest? Sure, sometimes the best QB's are selected in the 1st round and even sometimes with the number 1 pick, but more often than not they are the least suspected ones that turn out to be great?

The guys you think will be decent depth and turn out to be great? Russell Wilson was expected to be just that. Dak Prescott was considered to be nothing more than that.

My feeling is if the were to target a guy like Baker Mayfield? I would be very excited. Not only would we get a potential franchise QB, but we could fight for every win this season?

This young team is disappointing me right now. Losing to the Dolphins when the game was in the bag is a tough thing to face. It's obvious to me that there's SOMETHING wrong with this team that they could not pull out that game? So getting better is of paramount importance. I'm just not sure it would take tanking the season........

If you thought that then you haven't been reading my post my friend, lol. I've been one of the main ones killing this team all year about this dumbass QB choice with such a young building team. Hell, I started the thread of the race for the 2017 draft position and QB race. I've been the Debbie downer on the season and proud of it. I know the team itself wants to and will do all it can to win. I get that but it don't mean I have to agree with it and want the same damn thing. I'm tired of all the false hope with this team. I've seen enough in these past 36 plus years to know without a franchise QB, this team will win nothing. I'm througherly convinced of that now and tired of fighting it.

So whatever the Jets do until they get that young rookie franchise QB, means little to nothing to me. Drafting a franchise QB doesn't have to be in round one and even more at the number one draft pick. Your right it doesn't but it damn sure would be nice to have that luxury. Jets haven't had that luxury since the Keyshawn Johnson pick. Years in between or before they have drafted as low as number two but didn't draft a QB that high. It would just be nice to have the luxury of drafting a QB that high and getting it right. Being able to pick and choice from whomever is out there and not have to trade up. Not draft a known 2-3 year project kid. Draft a Andrew Luck or Carson Wentz or Deshawn Watson or Dak Prescott and actually get it right this time.

 

[Mainejet]

If you thought that then you haven't been reading my post my friend, lol. I've been one of the main ones killing this team all year about this dumbass QB choice with such a young building team. Hell, I started the thread of the race for the 2017 draft position and QB race. I've been the Debbie downer on the season and proud of it. I know the team itself wants to and will do all it can to win. I get that but it don't mean I have to agree with it and want the same damn thing. I'm tired of all the false hope with this team. I've seen enough in these past 36 plus years to know without a franchise QB, this team will win nothing. I'm througherly convinced of that now and tired of fighting it.

So whatever the Jets do until they get that young rookie franchise QB, means little to nothing to me. Drafting a franchise QB doesn't have to be in round one and even more at the number one draft pick. Your right it doesn't but it damn sure would be nice to have that luxury. Jets haven't had that luxury since the Keyshawn Johnson pick. Years in between or before they have drafted as low as number two but didn't draft a QB that high. It would just be nice to have the luxury of drafting a QB that high and getting it right. Being able to pick and choice from whomever is out there and not have to trade up. Or draft a known 2-3 year project kid. Draft a Andrew Luck or Carson Wentz or Deshawn Watson or Dak Prescott and actually get it right this time.

Actually, it would be much better for Mac outside of the 1st round. The kid turns out to be great. Mac also never had to trade up to get that franchise guy, so he's able to use the rest of the picks on great talent in all rounds. Just like he did with this last draft. Even trading down to grab more talent with extra picks. This last draft I am convinced is an excellent draft class and one that will go down in comparison to 2006 as a truly great draft class.

But I get it. All of this will mean nothing unless Mac finally finds that franchise QB. We could turn out to be like the 2010 team. A great team without a franchise QB or sack artist and ultimately the reason why that team never got into the SB.....

 

[jets82]

Actually, it would be much better for Mac outside of the 1st round. The kid turns out to be great. Mac also never had to trade up to get that franchise guy, so he's able to use the rest of the picks on great talent in all rounds. Just like he did with this last draft. Even trading down to grab more talent with extra picks. This last draft I am convinced is an excellent draft class and one that will go down in comparison to 2006 as a truly great draft class.

But I get it. All of this will mean nothing unless Mac finally finds that franchise QB. We could turn out to be like the 2010 team. A great team without a franchise QB or sack artist and ultimately the reason why that team never got into the SB.....

You are correct my Jets friend

 

[TebowCan'tThrow]

We went from #21 to #10 so if McCown is still starting I will hope for losses. The run was fun and would have been great if he hadn't pulled a McCown in the last two games and we won. No reason to watch him anymore. Let Petty have a shot and if nothing there let Hack get some reps. I know we need a QB, but we also need a real RB, WR's and OL. Don't reach for a QB. I would be fine getting Saquon Barkley. I was thinking about it yesterday since I live in Dallas. There is something really special about having a great RB. I have seen Dorsett, Herschel, Emmitt and now Zeke. We have had Martin and he never had that excitement and home run ability. We will probably have a top 10 pick.

 

[magicjohnson]

I know hindsight is 20-20 but Mac choosing Hackenburg when Dak Prescott was available will go on his resume as a serious red flag for him. Clearly the Front office is not getting the intelligence it needs from scouts but Mac makes the final decision. Here is a 2nd round pick in Hack who is doing absolutely nothing....at least Geno got playing time. 2 second round picks wasted and we wonder why this team now has holes. With the exception of maybe a few, teams just do not go all the way without a Franchise QB.

Ask yourselves this...why do some teams find it so easy to replace one Franchise QB with another one immediately (Cowboys, Packers)?....while others can't get it right for a decade (Jets, Browns). After all, Cowboys and Packers never have the first draft pick so the theory that we need to go 0-16 to get a franchise QB is clearly overrated. It helps, but so does simply paying attention and clearly no one in this organization is paying any attention to the world outside their comfy offices.

 

[Bigmoe]

I never have routed for the Jets to lose and never will . 47 years and counting.
what happens happens come drafting a QB
top qb prospects are no guarantee and no I'm not going to list them.
but We all know about a certain 6th rounder

 

[jets82]

I never have routed for the Jets to lose and never will . 47 years and counting.
what happens happens come drafting a QB
top qb prospects are no guarantee and no I'm not going to list them.
but We all know about a certain 6th rounder

We all have our thoughts and frames of mind when it comes to this. Drafting a QB is no real science it appears. It's all about knowing what your doing (scouts) and drafting the right guy management and CS off that scouting, with a little bit of luck to it. The Jets don't have to have to number #1 draft pick to get the right guy and in saying that, they don't have to tank the season either. However; they haven't gotten it right all the other ways they tried it so why not try it this way. Besides, people get it twisted on my thoughts and others that agree with me on this. It's not about tanking this or any season and that's not what I'm saying they should do. In regards to this season, it is about the youth movement and playing majority, if not all young players and letting them grow together. Whether that means they win zero games or 16, play the youngsters and let the chips fall where they may. Just because a team is playing majority young players doesn't mean they are tanking. Look at the Rams for example this year and Seahawks years back. Majority young team and they played hard and won.

It's not about how young the players are, it's about the young players your getting by draft/trade or whatever, training them, their mentality/dedication and want to win, who your playing and game plan. The Rams have majority young players that are hungry, very talented and want to win now, the Jets have a hungry team that is somewhat talented and want to win now, the Browns appear to have a team not hungry and maybe not very talented and 49ers have what appears to be a hungry but not so talented team. All I'm saying is if the Jets played Hack or Petty from game one, who knows what happens. Maybe either one plays better then we think and if they stink it up then we all know what we have. That doesn't mean your tanking. You still want to win but your playing your youngsters to let them grow together and see if you have anything in them. I could understand if McCown was Farve, Vinny T or even a QB or today like Alex Smith. They could have even gone with a Kaepernick or retired Romo. QBs that have proven you can win with them and McCown has not proven that.

 

[jets82]

I know hindsight is 20-20 but Mac choosing Hackenburg when Dak Prescott was available will go on his resume as a serious red flag for him. Clearly the Front office is not getting the intelligence it needs from scouts but Mac makes the final decision. Here is a 2nd round pick in Hack who is doing absolutely nothing....at least Geno got playing time. 2 second round picks wasted and we wonder why this team now has holes. With the exception of maybe a few, teams just do not go all the way without a Franchise QB.

Ask yourselves this...why do some teams find it so easy to replace one Franchise QB with another one immediately (Cowboys, Packers)?....while others can't get it right for a decade (Jets, Browns). After all, Cowboys and Packers never have the first draft pick so the theory that we need to go 0-16 to get a franchise QB is clearly overrated. It helps, but so does simply paying attention and clearly no one in this organization is paying any attention to the world outside their comfy offices.

Agreed and my above post to Bigmoe confirms it. This drafting a QB thing is not easy but it shouldn't be this damn hard either. Not for a team that has drafted eight QBs in ten years and still can't get it right. Either the Jets aren't hiring the right scouts, management and CS or there is truly a dark cloud over teams like the Jets and Browns. Phila traded up to get Wentz and it appears that will be the best move they have probably ever made. The Cowboys waited and drafted Dak in the 4th, just because he was there when they didn't really want him and look at the results. Two different extremes but the same results. Franchise QBs for the next 15 plus years. Sad part is the Browns traded down with the Eagles and the Browns are kicking themselves right now for it. I believe the Browns traded down again this year with the Texans when Watson was staring them in the face then also. Jets screwed the pouch on the Watson thing also, so there's nothing we can say on that. It's all about getting it right, whether in the first or seventh round and that comes from the scouts, management and CS and they ain't doing a good job of it. Ten years of the same shit, SMDH!!!

 

[beresford]

Interesting to see the rise of the Eagles and the Rams, and their different QB philosophy to the Jets. They took their lumps developing their rookie QBs and are now reaping the benefits. If Goff or Wentz had come to the Jets they would be sitting behind a veteran journeyman who 'gives us the best chance to win'.

 

[jets82]

Interesting to see the rise of the Eagles and the Rams, and their different QB philosophy to the Jets. They took their lumps developing their rookie QBs and are now reaping the benefits. If Goff or Wentz had come to the Jets they would be sitting behind a veteran journeyman who 'gives us the best chance to win'.

Lol, you are so right and that’s what so sad about it. This whole Jets team philosophy it just the stupidest. They’ll finally reside to going with a young team and playing them but won’t do it at the two most important positions on offense, QB and RB. It seems it would take an act of God to start the rookies or younger players at those positions. No matter how they’ve played up until the season start. This type of philosophy will always hold this team back from success. True long standing success and SB victories as well.

Hack may not have been to impressive but Petty played pretty well but he’s not starting. Forte clearly was in recovery and the rookie looked decent during pre-season but they start Forte anyway. Phila and LAR played their young QBs regardless and stuck with them and look at the rewards. Wentz started out on fire, got cold middle of the season and finished strong. Before the season started, he was injured majority of preseason but they still started him anyway. Goff looked like pure garage preseason, sit the start of the season and when he did play he looked like a pure bust. They stuck with him anyway and look and the results.

They say a player can never really learn, develop and get better riding the bench. He has to play eventually and the Jets just won’t do it. Petty is in his third year and Hack in his second. The Jets philosophy is to play the vet QB regardless. A QB that hasn’t proved he could win with the other seven teams he was with but he’s the best chance for us to win? This tells me the Jets are either idiots for thinking this way or Hack and Petty are just the worst. It doesn’t appear to be the latter, atleast not with Petty so I guess the Jets are just a bunch of idiots.

 

[butterscotch]

Very simple my friends

1) Win every game you can

2) A franchise QB is huge.

3) But a franchise QB is not a must to win.

4) Chad "Paddington" was a nice guy but his arm would not take us to a SB.

5) We have been looking since Namath

6) Get rid of all the qb's on our staff for next year providing they each get a few starts this year. (feed them to the Lions) but in this case these lions would not even take them lol