As Gang Green Turns: Euphoria Limited in NYC After Tebow Trade

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Euphoria Limited in NYC After Tebow Trade on Blogcritics.


The announced trade of Tim Tebow from the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets has not sent crowds running through Times Square in joyous celebration. Jets fans know the score: Tim Tebow is no Peyton Manning - not by a long shot. Manning gets to go to the Mile High city and soak up the big bucks, and we get the detritus of this deal in a trade that takes two draft picks and cash.

There is another side to this story too, one that all fans of the soap opera As Gang Green Turns can appreciate: Mark Sanchez, the newly signed to an extension Sanchez, now has to fester in his own brooding way until training camp to see what this all means. If this is not a good reality show what is?

I guess the Jets could not resist the headlines this deal would give them. Headlines here in New York have kind of been rare for Gang Green, while Big Blue sucked up all that ink and screen time on the TV news with winning a little thing called the Super Bowl. I guess this is the Jets' way of grabbing back the spotlight - but how long can this last?

There is one other truth to consider here - Tebow may not be Peyton Manning, but neither is Sanchez. One can run and one can throw; one can pray and one can play, but the truth is that both of them have come up short and have a long road ahead to become anything resembling a Manning brother.

We Jets fans will have to just sit back and see how this all works out. We can only wonder what King Rex is thinking now, and I am sure his mouth will roar in the days ahead. Stay tuned because there will be more to come in the best soap opera in sports.

Photo Credit - AP

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Sanchez Extension Means Manning Turned Rex Down

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Sanchez Extension Means Manning Turned Rex Down on Blogcritics.

In my previous article I indicated that Jets head coach Rex Ryan had to change his spots if the Jets had any chance of landing superstar quarterback Peyton Manning. One day later we learn the Jets have given current quarterback Mark Sanchez a three-year extension worth $40.5 million, meaning now we have five years more of the Ryan-Sanchez era. Excuse me, but the silence in New York is deafening this morning.

We Jets fans have to know what this means: we are stuck with King Rex and his brand of football, kind of the way we Mets fans are stuck with the 2012 team that is already beaten up and destined for .500 ball or less. I guess we should be kind of used to this by now, but it gets old pretty fast always waiting for next year.

Now don't get me wrong, there is a snowstorm's chance in July of me ever switching to Giant blue or Yankee pinstripes. I have Jets green and Mets orange and blue in my blood, born from losing and the hope that once sprang eternal from the mists over Ebbetts Field, the Polo Grounds, and Shea Stadium. Still, I think we Jets fans all woke up this morning, saw this headline about Sanchez, and wondered how things can go this way.

Quickly clicking on the radio to listen to my favorite sports stations (WINS, WFAN, and ESPN here in New York), I switched back and forth to get more details. One thing I heard really hit me hard: Jet icon Joe Namath advised Manning not to get into the Jets soap opera. If good old Willie Joe thinks Ryan and company are toxic, the prospects for the future (as long as Ryan reigns) are dismal to say the least.

You can imagine that Peyton was seriously considering the Jets chances for a trip to the Super Bowl, but with Namath's advice and his legacy to consider (no doubt also realizing how well things worked out for Brett Farve here) he decided it was not worth it. This is what Rex Ryan has done to the Jets; instead of attracting the best players the way he thinks, he is turning them away.

Some may feel that this extension confirms the Jets belief that Sanchez is their man for now and the future, but don't be fooled: this is strictly damage control. They are saying "Sanchez is our man; and this is Ryan's team." In reality this is pure desperation because the team was backed into the corner by Manning's decision to say no to Rex.

So Jets fans you know what we're in for now and for the next five years: more of the same, mediocrity disguised as a game plan. Better get used to it because Rex and Sanchez are here for there long haul on the road leading to nowhere.

Photo Credits - Daily News

As Gang Green Turns: Manning Up - Rex Has To Prove He Has the Right Stuff

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Manning Up - Rex Has To Prove He Has the Right Stuff on Blogcritics.


The old adage is that talk is cheap, which means in Jets head coach Rex Ryan's case that he has a 99 cent store full of throw away quotations. Most notable is stuff along the lines of promising his team will win the Super Bowl, anyone wanting to win a Super Bowl should be a Jet, and so on. Obviously, none of these things are anything that you can take to the bank to earn interest (or to make the great quarterback Peyton Manning want to wear Jet green).

Still, a compelling possibility exists for Ryan and the Jets: Manning is free and available and is looking for work. Manning currently has more opportunities than a kid in a candy store, but you have to know that he wants to connect with a winner: not a team that looks good on paper, but one that can get the boots on the ground drive all the way to the Super Bowl.

One of my vices is listening to sports talk radio shows here in New York, and everyone is buzzing about Manning and the possibility of him in a Jets uniform. As a Jets fan I couldn't say that doesn't get me excited, but I have also learned over the years that nothing is easy in the soap opera known As Gang Green Turns. While this should be a simple equation: Manning + Jets = Super Bowl, there are so many cooks ready to spoil the broth, and chief among them is Ryan and his mouth that roared.

Manning doesn't want promises of a Super Bowl: he wants to be there. From what I've heard on those radio shows, Peyton has no desire to play in the NFC and face his brother more than necessary. He wants to be in the AFC and hopes that he gets to the big game, and then facing his brother would be the stuff of legends. If you think New York got crazy for the Yankees and Mets in 2000, the New York Giants vs. Jets with the Brothers Manning opposing one another would send this metropolis into sheer lunacy.

Still, getting Manning to sign on the dotted line is going to be a challenge. I think Ryan and the Jets have to court Manning, prove they are winners, and Ryan has to change his style quite a bit. If he goes from big mouth to a more measured and methodical approach (similar to Giants head coach Tom Coughlin), Manning might be more secure in coming here.

People calling into the radio shows question Manning's health. If the Jets get him, will he be the superstar he was once, or will he suffer a mid season breakdown and burst everyone's bubbles? We know Manning didn't play a game last year, and there has to be some concern about his ability to throw a ball, his velocity, and his endurance. Certainly, even a compromised Manning might be better than Mark Sanchez, but medical tests will determine his health and we can take it from there.

The Jets have to go for Manning, and perhaps Mark Sanchez gains a mentor and will learn to be the same kind of player. Will it be hard for Sanchez to take a step backwards? Of course, and maybe even the Jets trade him to drop payroll to accommodate Manning's salary. That would be sound financial planning and investment to be sure.

I want to see Manning in Jets green next year. If Ryan and company want to see him there too, they have to show they are ready to win - not just talk about it. Ryan is the key here, and if the whole thing doesn't work out, you have to wonder if Manning figured he would avoid the dubious pleasures of being Rex Ryan's quarterback. If that would be the case, Ryan has to get out of town faster than you can say "Mangenius." I'm sure former Jets head coach Eric Mangini will welcome him to the club.

Photo Credits: Manning - lifenews.com; Ryan - Boston Herald.com

As Gang Green Turns: The Party Is Over for Rex and His Men

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: The Party Is Over for Rex and His Men on Blogcritics.


It really matters very little what happens against Miami next week; the party is over for head coach Rex Ryan and his minions. His kingdom is fractured, and if he hasn't fallen off the wall yet it's only because he's holding on for dear life. My advice is "Let go, Rex." It'll makes things easier in the long run, and then all your horses and men can scatter to the far corners after next week's game instead of worrying about putting you back together again.

Ryan is his own worst enemy. He is reminiscent of Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden character in spirit and in person. While Rex never seems at a loss for words or embarrassed by what comes out of his mouth, Kramden often recognized that his got him into lots of trouble, hence the famous "I've got a BIG mouth" line from The Honeymooners. We can only wish Ryan had such awareness.

The Jets were playing what could ostensibly be called a mini-Super Bowl against the Giants at MetLife Stadium. It had the aura of it building up the week before, with Rex shooting his mouth off, saying the Jets were a better team, and the rest of his blather. Compared to Ryan, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin comes off like a Harvard professor. All week the buzz in New York was that Coughlin needed the win against the Jets or would lose his job. Perhaps the talk should have been about Ryan losing his, and after that debacle on Christmas Eve against the Giants, it seems reasonable to me to indeed bring that possibility into discussion.

Ryan has made nothing but promises (empty ones it seems for the most part) for the last three years. He is supposed to be a master of defense, but the team seems shaky in that department, especially this year. To make matters worse, the offense is sputtering like a Model-T Ford of late. Sanchez is always under the gun, seemingly without more than a few seconds before he has to throw the ball. When he does throw, the competition licks its lips because chances are pretty good for an interception.

I don't need to see next week's game (I predict the Jets will lose 21-14 by the way) to say that I think Rex's big mouth has taken a toll on this team. He needs to either learn to shut up and take some notes from guys like Coughlin, or maybe it is time for him to go. As for Sanchez, it has been a three year experiment that seems to have fizzled: no smoke and mirrors are going to make him a better QB. He is looking more and more like a back-up quarterback to me, but I am sure he will not want that and will go elsewhere.

Yes, we Jets fans are bitter after that loss on December 24. It ruined our Christmas worse than a stocking full of coal. We have to blame Ryan and Sanchez, and even a partridge in a pear tree would do nothing to make us feel better. So please, Jets fans, don't start thinking about if the Bengals lose or if this team or that wins, because it is over.

Deflate the blow-up Jets player on your lawn, throw all those green cups and plates into a bag, and hang up your Jets jerseys and hats in a dark closet. Tom Coughlin and the Giants taught us all a terrible lesson on Saturday, but Ryan may be the only one who learned nothing from it.

There will be no playoffs this year and a long time before next season. Hopefully, Ryan will take some classes on public speaking, start rethinking his offense and defense, and maybe owner Woody Johnson will do what needs to be done and offer as much money as possible to a new QB who can really lead this team. Can anyone say "Peyton Manning" without picturing him wearing a green uniform? Now THAT would be a great belated Christmas present for Jets fans.

Photo Credits: Gleason - hark.com; Ryan - Daily News

As Gang Green Turns: The Ryan Express Continues to Derail

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: The Ryan Express Continues to Derail on Blogcritics.



The once hallowed Jets defense, head coach Rex Ryan's version of The Maginot Line, is looking more and more like Swiss cheese. How did Tim Tebow lead a 95-yard drive (and carry the ball for a 20-yard touchdown run)? The answer is the same as how the Germans overcame that supposedly impregnable French barrier in World War II: they simply went around it.

Ryan has made many promises to the fans and his players, but now it seems he just has miles to go before he sleeps - the promises have already been unkept. The 5-5 Jets are in no position to take the division and probably have very little chance of making the playoffs.


Yes, the defense didn't do its job on Thursday night against the Denver Broncos (5-5), but the more important story is Mark Sanchez and the offense. Sanchez still seems like he is treading water out there, while Tebow is doing his best Fran Tarkenton impersonation and making his fans believers. In fact, when Sanchez starts looking around for someone to catch his pass, the opponents are probably happier than the Jets' wide receivers. Chances are just as good for Sanchez to throw a ball that will be intercepted rather than a completed pass. It is starting to get that bad.

A great quarterback can be a game changer. Look at Indianapolis this season. They are 0-10 without the services of Peyton Manning. No one can underestimate how important that great quarterback is, for if he were playing in full health that team would no doubt be 8-2 now. It goes without saying that Manning is that terrific; however, the Jets with Sanchez are 5-5, and at this point it would be hard for us to say they would be doing much worse without him.

Yes, the Jets' offensive line has been taking a lot of blame for this Sanchez meltdown, but most Jets fans should see the truth by now. Sanchez is no great quarterback and struggles to be even moderately good. Ryan always gives him support and that is all well and good, but when does the coach finally face the fact that Sanchez still doesn't seem to have his head in the game? Maybe when he is sitting home watching the playoffs.

The great Ryan defense, the supposedly unstoppable express train to the Super Bowl, has been derailing this season. Ryan's offense is not much better, and the truth is that this train is probably not making it into the station. So for all Rex's promises and all his bluster, we face the reality of what will probably end as an 8-8 (or worse?) season.

If this happens again, Jets fans are going to be grumbling all the way through the playoffs. We then have to face the facts and perhaps Ryan will too: maybe Mark Sanchez never becomes the next Joe Namath, and then we have to start thinking about who is QB in 2012? Chances are that the Colts will not sign Manning and he will be a free agent? If Woody Johnson's deep pockets can pull out thirty or so million dollars, the Jets may indeed have a great quarterback again, a game changer, who could finally lead them past the Patriots to take the division. Wouldn't that be a great way to get the Ryan Express back on track?

Photo Credits: Ryan & Sanchez - Daily News; Peyton Manning - ESPN.com

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Get Saturday Night Fever and Beat Colts 17-16

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Get Saturday Night Fever and Beat Colts 17-16 on Blogcritics.

There was a crazy notion here in New York all last week that the Ghost of Playoffs Past, played by a ghoulish Peyton Manning, was going to come back and ruin the party for the Jets again. Everyone was talking about head coach Rex Ryan fearing Manning and that it would all turn out so badly, but Ryan's "Hope" was found in a great running game for the offense, a defense that had been engineered in many ways just for this rematch, and a last second kick that hit the right spot.

There was a tough first half of matched zeroes, but the way Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and company were going, it looked like Manning was closed for business. This was the way Ryan envisioned things when he brought Cromartie into the mix. Things did change in the second half, and Ryan had to start worrying that no matter how well he had planned for this moment, Manning and the Colts were just going to squeak away with a 16-14 win.

Then came Mark Sanchez. Yes, he of the hurting arm and having a pretty much off night. When the pressure is on, Sanchez seems to rise to the challenge, and with fifty three seconds left he brought the team down the field and got them to where they needed to be for Nick Folk to have one shot to put it through the uprights. Talk about pressure! But Folk was game and the kick was good.

Unlike last year, Manning goes back home and the Jets move on. It felt good as a Jets fan to see Manning skulking off, defeated by Rex Ryan's crew, the guy he had bested so many times before. After the game Ryan enjoyed the moment and then some, telling reporters that it felt good to see Manning know the feeling that he has known. Rex had the salt and was enjoying rubbing it in Manning's wounds.

Of course, all green-blooded Jets fans were happy last night. It was a magic moment of victory with no time left on the clock. It's the stuff of all kids' dreams when they stand on a field or court: hit the homer that wins the big game, sink the basket at the last second, slap the puck into the net, or kick that ball free and clear. Nick Folk had that moment last night and the Jets rightly celebrated an amazing 17-16 victory.

But make no mistake: Tom Brady and the New England Patriots loom next weekend, and we can bet that Bill Belichick was enjoying this game and licking his chops for the next round. With Sanchez still ailing, and the Jets just barely getting this win, it looks like there could be another big blowout in Foxborough next week.

Still, there is always a miracle that can be had if things align the right way for Rex and his men. Anyone who watched last night's game and saw that ball end things the Jets' way have to be believers. So until next week, channel the late great Mets' pitcher Tug McGraw saying "Ya gotta believe," do a lot of praying, and keep your fingers crossed.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Beat Bills And Will Play Colts Next Week

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Beat Bills And Will Play Colts Next Week on Blogcritics.


All this past week, head coach Rex Ryan made it clear that he wanted to win number 11 real bad, and his team went out and got it for him today, even though many of his regulars sat it out. The Jets (11-5) beat the Buffalo Bills 38-7 at New Meadowlands Stadium, and then they had a victory parade around the field to celebrate. Of course, beating the Bills (4-12 ) with replacements is not terrible but it is nothing to brag about either.



Hurting quarterback Mark Sanchez started and stayed on the field for one series of plays, but then he was gone and Mark Brunell took over and ended up tossing two touchdown passes, and even third string QB Kellen Clemens got in on the act and ran for a ten-yard touchdown. Rookie Joe McKnight carried the ball 32 times for 158 yards, and the defense handled the Bills despite Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie taking the day off.

As fate would enter the picture, the Jets were getting that eleventh win for Ryan while the Kansas City Chiefs were losing to the Oakland Raiders. This set up next week's game against the Indianapolis Colts, reminding everyone of last year's Jets loss to Peyton Manning and company in the AFC Championship game.

Ryan was certainly not letting this rematch get to him as he made his comments after the game. He is still going with his usual "we're the best team out there" routine, but he did qualify it by saying that now the team has to step up and prove it.

All week long people were debating whether or not Sanchez should play, but Ryan obviously took the most cautious path with his young QB. We can question whether or not Sanchez will be prepared for next week, but we know that the team is facing the always tough and prepared Peyton Manning. If they should somehow miraculously survive the Colts, then the next opponent would be Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. These impending match ups should temper the enthusiasm of even the most green-blooded Jets faithful.

Still, Ryan has talked the talk all year long, and his team has taken him into the playoffs for the second year in a row. Now the time for talking is over (but that's not going to stop Ryan) and the team has to walk the walk. The biggest concern for this team is getting guys like Cromartie, Revis, LaDainian Tomlinson, Shonn Greene, and Sanchez back in good shape for the game. If they are still hurting and not up to their full playing ability, then it is likely Gang Green's return to the playoffs will be brief.

Photo Credit: Robert Sabo/NY Daily News