Jets head coach Rex Ryan started the 2013 season on the hot seat. New York was coming off a rough season and the team’s draft had been panned for its inability to address the team’s lack of offensive skill position talent.
But a funny thing happened on Ryan’s way to the unemployment line. The Jets defense gelled and the team started finding ways to win games. The 8-8 finish wasn’t stellar, but it surpassed expectations for the season and bought the coach another year to continue moving the team forward.
Expectations are higher heading into 2014. Eric Decker was signed to shore up the wide receiver position and Michael Vick was added to push second-year signal caller Geno Smith. So once again, in New York, the future is now. So what will it take for Ryan to again earn another season? And how far is this Jets team from pushing the Patriots and Broncos for division and conference supremacy? David Wyatt, a writer and editor for Gang Green Nation, took some time to share his thoughts on the state of the New York Jets.
Zoneblitz: The Jets finished 8-8, one game out of the playoffs in a year when expectations were low. What is your overall assessment of the season? (more…)
Few teams had a better opportunity to capture a division last year than Dallas in the NFC East. Washington and the New York Giants fell off the table and Philadelphia, with a new coach and system, got off to a slow start.
But the injury bug hit and a once proud defense put up some of the ugliest numbers in team history, dooming the team to another 8-8 season and keeping the Cowboys out of the playoffs.
This offseason, Owner Jerry Jones has again shaken up the staff of assistant coaches. But hampered by salary cap issues, Dallas has been relatively quiet, staying out of the running in most of the high profile free agency races. So can this team make the necessary fixes to become a contender again in the NFC? Steven Mullenax, editor and head writer for The Landry Hat, shares his thoughts. Here’s what he had to say.
Zoneblitz: Dallas went 8-8 with a loss the last week of the season eliminating them from the playoffs. What is your assessment of the season? (more…)
After winning the Super Bowl in 2012, cap issues and a retirement-driven roster overhaul caused the Baltimore Ravens to slide to .500 in 2013. So Baltimore sat and watched the playoffs from home for the first time in several years.
But those issues may be a thing of the past. The team has made Ozzie Newsome-like strategic additions to strengthen the offensive line and the receiving corps and the defense in 2013 was actually statistically better than it was during the Ray Lewis-led Super Bowl run.
So have the Ravens done enough to recapture dominance in the AFC North? And can Joe Flacco regain form and lead another deep playoff run? Kyle Casey, a contributing writer for Russell Street Report, shares his thoughts.
Zoneblitz: Coming off of a Super Bowl win and a large roster turnover what are your thoughts on the 8-8 season? (more…)
Pittsburgh crawled out to an 0-4 start in 2013 with three of those losses coming to non-playoff teams, a quarter-pole mark that left the Steelers behind the eight-ball right away. But the team rallied, finishing 8-8 for the second consecutive year and playing the season’s final week with playoffs on the line.
So what are the Steelers right now? Are they the bottom feeder that got off to the terrible start or the up-and-comer that finished 8-4? And how far are they from making another run into the postseason? Neal Coolong, managing editor of Behind the Steel Curtain, says the team has put some salary cap issues behind it and might not be far from getting back in that mix. Here’s what he had to say.
Zoneblitz: The Steelers got off to a rocky 0-4 start but rebounded to finish 8-8, just a game from the playoffs. What is your assessment of the 2013 team? (more…)
In 2012, Chicago finished 10-6, one game out of the playoffs. The Bears fired head coach Lovie Smith and hired Marc Trestman, who led the team to an 8-8 season – one-half game from making the playoffs.
There was a lot to like about the Bears’ direction in 2013, particularly on offense, where the combination of QBs Jay Cutler and Josh McCown teamed with RB Matt Forte and WRs Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall to create a dynamic threat. But Chicago was uncharacteristically putrid on defense, with injuries and age tearing down a typically strong unit.
So what is it going to take for the Bears to get back to the postseason and make a run at bringing the Lombardi Trophy to Chicago? Jake Perper, founder and head writer at Bears Backer, shares his thoughts.
Zoneblitz: The Bears were in the race until the final week but couldn’t close it out and ended 8-8. What was your overall assessment of the 2013 season? (more…)
team’s draft had been panned for its inability to address the team’s lack of offensive skill position talent.
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@Brian - I don't think the Vikings lowballed Darnold as much as told him up front "We'd love you back,…
100% agreed Paul with what you said and BTW appreciate the clarification on plunkett
I don't think we bring up Plunkett that often but Raiders fans online certainly do! LOL Winning SBs is a…
Good Enough answer for me Brian i can see the logic behind your use of plunkett in certain cases, Your…
Haha ... messing with Paul. Because winners always get discussed for the HOF, Robert. It helped get Warner and eventually,…