Football Jets

Head Coach Rex Ryan has put a defense in place that is good, very good. The defense shut down the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter as the Titans tried twice to get even. After stopping the Titans 2008 undefeated season with a shocking win last year, many of the talking heads thought that a team playing for their season would come in with revenge on their mind. Maybe the Titans did. But the 2009 New York Jets had 3-0 on their mind as well. Rising superstar quarterback Mark Sanchez threw for two touchdowns and had a highlight reel 15 yard touchdown run to lead the NY Jets to unexpected 3-0 start to the season. The three wins have come against high quality opponents and have given the NY Jets great momentum heading into next week’s game against the potent passing offense of Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome in New Orleans.

The defense looked OK for the first  three quarters. But when the thousands of Jets faithful needed the defense to rise to the occasion in the fourth quarter the Jets defense obliged by shutting down the Titans. Lineback David Harris had a sack and an interception during the fourth quarter to lead one of the NFL’s best defenses.

Head Coach Rex Ryan is 3-0 and sitting alone on top of the AFC east division. ”I’d like to say that this is exactly what I predicted, but we played three outstanding football teams”. The coach has a swagger about him that the players seem to be following. Some claim Rex Ryan has a big mouth, but when you can back it up with wins then it is easy to be confident. ”We’re 3-0 right here. Maybe that says something about us.”

Jerricho Cotchery caught both touchdown passes from Mark Sanchez and is quickly becoming his favorite target. The fourth quarter touchdown put the Jets in the lead for good giving the Jets their first come from behind victory of the season.

Mark Sanchez has got all the “its” that he needs to be successful. But on opening day on the road at the Houston Texans Mark Sanchez showed the world that he was ready to bring “it” as the Jets start out the 209 NFL season with a huge road victory.

Mark Sanchez threw for 272 yards and a touchdown. The first 7 third down conversions were made by the Jets with the poise of Mark Sanchez moving around in the pocket, checking down, and finding the open receiver time and time again. 3rd and 10, no problem. 3rd and 10 again, no problem. 3rd and 8, no problem. 3rd and 10 again, no problem. Over and over Mark Sanchez silenced all his doubters and all those USC coaches (Pete Carroll) who thought he wasn’t ready for the NFL. Pete Carroll maybe if you had not sat Mark Sanchez on the bench for three years while John David Booty played maybe Mark would have been more willing to give you another year. As it is, John David Booty couldn’t beat out Sage Rosefels for the backup job in Minnesota and Booty is playing on their practice squad.

Colin Cowherd on ESPN radio called the performance the greatest first game performance by a rookie in the last ten years. Let us all remember that Peyton Manning won 3 games his rookie season.

Besides the greatness of franchise quarterback Mark Sanchez, head coach Rex Ryan also shined during his first game as a NFL head coach. The Jets defense was stifling causing the much hyped Texans to go 3 and out over and over again. A strong defense and a solid rushing game can be huge benefits to rookie quarterbacks and with the defense playing superb and Thomas Jones rushing for over 100 yards our rookie quarterback got plenty of support.

This was a great road win for the New York Jets which sent a message to the rest of the football league that the 2009 New York Jets are for real and their new quarterback really has “it”.