by jose calderon III

The big moment of the offseason is upon us, the NFL Draft. It's the weekend when teams pick up the league's future stars, and GMs have the chance to change the course of their franchises for years to come. This year's draft is loaded with offensive talent alongside pass rushers and a stacked cornerback unit. I expect most of the top QBs to be drafted in the top 5 and lots of team reaching to make ends meet with team needs. It will be a fun few days leading up to the draft, with some of the biggest NFL draft storylines drawing to a conclusion.

1. Chicago Bears: QB Caleb Williams, USC

Starting with Mr. First Overall himself, Caleb Williams. This feels like the worst-kept secret in the NFL since the Bears traded away QB Justin Fields. Am I skeptical about the prospect, Caleb Williams? Yes, very much so. I'm not bought into the show he's brought to the draft concerning his combined status, crying after a game on live television, demanding ownership, and all the antics surrounding wherever he'd land. However, he has a great surrounding cast, including Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. I'd personally sit Caleb for a few games to start the season, but Chicago will likely be pressured to start him due to the hype in taking him. The Bears seem all in. I hope they don't regret the Fields trade.

2. Washington Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

This may come to many as a surprise due to the QB2 Drake Maye talk, but Jayden Daniels could come out as the best quarterback of this draft. The Heisman trophy winner had an incredible season with LSU and has proven excellent at the dual-threat game for any team looking for a QB. He's on the older side, at 23, but given the tools, he might be the most pro-ready QB in this year's draft. Washington may have another shot to succeed with a tremendous dual-threat prospect at QB.

3. New England Patriots: QB Drake Maye, UNC

The Patriots have gone to hell and back searching for Tom Brady's successor since he skipped town for sunny Tampa Bay. They've drafted QB Mac Jones and QB Bailey Zappe, but neither seems to be the long-term solution for the position. They have to strike now with a top-3 pick and select a quarterback. However, I am not as high on Drake Maye as other scouts are. The number looks great, with nearly 8,000 passing yards in the past two seasons for UNC, but that's the problem... it was at North Carolina in the ACC. There was not much competition, and the team finished the season at 8-5. They were not the best, considering they were 6th in the division. He's got a huge ceiling but a steep floor. If New England were smart, they'd sit the kid behind QB Bailey Zappe and let him develop accordingly. Meanwhile, tanking another season while drafting another playmaker for Maye. Let's see how the new coaching staff manages this situation.

4. Minnesota Vikings (mock trade with ARI): QB JJ McCarthy, Michigan

My first mock trade of the draft includes a huge deal between the Cardinals and Vikings. The rise of JJ McCarthy on the draft board is the type that makes the team make an absurd trade to get the "QB of the future." And I suspect Minnesota will be the team to make that trade. It could be the Giants, but Minnesota has the most to give. They currently hold two first-round picks in 2024 and would bring JJ into a great situation. He needs to sit out his first year to develop under Sam Darnold, and he'll be set with Justin Jefferson the year after. I like JJ, and I think he's a winner, but he's very green and needs time to develop. It will be a tragedy if he starts week one.

5. Los Angeles Chargers: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., OSU

Coach Harbaugh is the luckiest man on planet Earth. His boy from Michigan, McCarthy, is flying up the charts, which makes this move available. The combination of QB Justin Herbert and a prospect like WR Marvin Harrison Jr. will feed families for years to come. Marvin will fall with the rise of the desperateness for Quarterbacks in this year's draft. He also didn't do much favors for himself by opting out of the combine and Ohio State's pro day. He'll be a great fit for the Chargers, and Coach Harbaugh gets a steal here. 

6. New York Giants: WR Malik Nabers, LSU

Although many suspect a quarterback for the Giants, I don't see them taking Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. this high. Instead, get a playmaker in Malik Nabers; this kid has stud written all over him. New York finally gets a playmaker on offense to make up for the loss of RB Saquon Barkley...

7. Tennesse Titans: OT Joe Alt, ND

Tennesse is in a weird position: a young team with a young, developing QB but not quite tanking. What's a better way to help a quarterback develop than by building a wall in front of him? Replace longtime LT Taylor Lewan with a young beast like Joe Alt. Joe would go higher if it wasn't for QBs and superstar WRs.

8. Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama

The Falcons have some holes on defense that need addressing, like edge and cornerback; the best defensive player on the board should go here. The team was ranked 11th in defense, and adding a player with the talent of Dallas Turner would take them to that next level they needed. The offense is set with WR Drake London, RB Bijan Robinson, TE Kyle Pitts, and veteran QB Kirk Cousins. This upcoming year should be a revival season for the Falcons.

9. Indianapolis Colts (mock trade with CHI): TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

Another big trade in the top 10 is the Colts trade up with Chicago to take the guy they're in love with. It is no secret that the Colts have attempted to move into the top 10 to acquire Brock Bowers' talent. They haven't made a draft trade under GM Chris Ballard, but I think that ends this year, and they acquire a playmaker to match with QB Anthony Richardson. I'm not huge on Brock Bowers because I don't believe in first-round tight ends, and I see flaws in his blocking and receiving game. He can be used as a utility/slot guy, but you don't draft those in the top 10. However, I could be wrong. 

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (mock trade with NYJ): WR Rome Odunze, Washington

I can see back-to-back trades going down here. The Jets have loved the prospect of Brock Bowers, but with him off the board, they could get a second-rounder in return for a trade back. The Jaguars need a playmaker after losing Calvin Ridley and "replacing" him with Gabe Davis... With Rome Odunze falling here, I can see him landing with Trevor Lawrence and making a splash for them in his rookie year. Jacksonville could also go OL here, but a trade-up for Rome, I believe, will be the most beneficial, as there are many OLs in the draft.

11. Arizona Cardinals (mock trade with MIN): OL Troy Fautanu, Washington

This was supposed to be Minnesota's selection, but with a mock trade with Arizona, I see this going to the Cardinals. Troy Fautanu is the perfect OL prospect for the Cardinals. With a QB of the size of Kyler Murray, he needs elite guards. What better than one of the most flexible offensive linemen in this year's draft? He mostly played tackle in college, but many assume he'll play guard in the pros due to his size. No weapon is available with Harrison Jr., Nabers, and Odunze gone. This is the Cardinals' chance to solidify an OL for Murray to avoid these injuries.

12. Denver Broncos: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

Unless they reach for a Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. selection, I don't see many options here for Denver. Get a lockdown CB like Quinyon Mitchell and fortify that defense.

13. Las Vegas Raiders: CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa

The Raiders find themselves in a similar situation to the Broncos, but luckily, there are a few great talents at cornerback this year. Coop should be a great selection for the Raiders. 

14. New Orleans Saints: EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA

The Saints could go offensive line here, but missing out on a talent like Laiatu Latu could bolster up the defensive line and continue to be a top defense in the league. 

15. Chicago Bears (mock trade with IND): WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU

The Bears don't lose much of their draft position with a mock trade down with the Colts. I can see them pairing Caleb with another premier receiving talent in Brian Thomas Jr. This selection promotes the depth of the wide receiver position. Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, and Brian Thomas Jr. could be a nasty trio.

16. Seattle Seahawks: EDGE Jared Verse, FSU

The Seahawks need help on the defense, and although an interior lineman may be preferable, Jared Verse is one of the top players available. He, alongside Leonard Williams, would be a formidable crew.

17. New York Jets (mock trade with JAX): OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu

The mock trade down with Jacksonville would bring the Jets to 17, and it will be a blessing in disguise that they miss out on Brock Bowers. They recuperated a second-round selection and now have no choice but to select a tackle to defend Aaron Rodgers. And Olu Fashanu falling to 17 is a steal for the Jets. Sitting some games behind Tyron Smith until the inevitable injury could be crucial to his development. There are some flaws in the big man's game, but with the right development, he'll transition just fine to the pros. If I'm GM Joe Douglas, I get as much OL depth as possiblesibly can. 

18. Cincinatti Bengals: OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

How can we avoid Joe Burrow dying behind center? You build him a wall. The Bengals OL was nearly atrocious last season as Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending injury due to the lack of protection. It's time to do right by Joe and get him the protection he needs.

19. Los Angeles Rams: CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

The Rams need defense, mostly everywhere. After losing Aaron Donald, I could see them going interior DL, but Kobie Turner has been a good get. Losing Jalen Ramsey has had its effect, and I can see them replacing him with Terrion Arnold this year. 

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

The Steelers need linemen badly. RT Broderick Jones has been a beast, but the rest of the line, not so much. Drafting Latham doesn't make much sense because he primarily plays at right tackle. However, drafting Powers-Johnson gives you flexibility due to his ability to play center and guard.

21. Miami Dolphins: DL Byron Murphy II, Texas

Losing Christian Wilkins isn't something you easily recover from. However, getting a premium rookie interior lineman like Byron Murphy can fix that problem. Interior lineman is an issue for Miami, but they can address that in later rounds; possibly getting a steal like G Zak Zinter from Michigan could be in the cards.

22. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson

Philly, Philly, the Eagles desperately need to improve the defensive back position, and snagging a top talent like Nate Wiggins at the position will improve the room drastically.

23. Cleveland Browns (mock trade with ARI, prev. MIN):   DL Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois

This pick would be part of the trade involving Minnesota and Arizona. The Cardinals holding three first-round picks gives them flexibility to trade back and collect future selections. The Browns get their pick back that they traded to Houston for Deshaun Watson, which made its way to Minnesota. They do this because one of the best defensive talents in this year's draft, Jer'Zhan Newton, is still available, and he will be a steal in this year's draft for the Browns. Cleveland continues to build a top defense.

24. Dallas Cowboys: OT JC Latham, Alabama

The Cowboys enter the draft with various holes in the team as they lost many vets and uncertainty surrounding the QB, WR, and OL positions. This is a must-win year, and you must protect Dak. Build that line and pick up the Bama beast, JC Latham.

25. Green Bay Packers: OL Graham Barton, Duke

The Packers had an incredible season, and they need to continue rebuilding the line for quarterback Jordan Love. You lost Bakhtiari but never had him for much of the season. Graham Barton is another very flexible lineman. He played his whole collegiate career at LT, but many speculate a switch to center or guard. The Pack could use help at all those positions.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State

The Bucs lost star pass rusher Shaq Barrett, so you replace him with CHOP Robinson. What a name. Maybe a reach at round 1, but he'd be a great fit.

27. Arizona Cardinals: WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

Continue to build around Kyler Murray and give him zero excuses to not ball out this upcoming season. They got this pick from Houston from the trade-up last season to select Will Anderson Jr. Select Adonai Mitchell and get Kyler a playmaker.

28. Buffalo Bills: WR Xavier Worthy, Texas

Stefon Diggs is not a man you can replace. However, you can attempt to fill the void with young and exciting talent like Xavier Worthy, the new 40-yard line record holder. Get Josh Allen some help. He's going to need it desperately in the AFC East.

29. Detroit Lions: CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

KOOL-AID, what a name. One of Detroit's only flaws at defense was the cornerback position. Just a year or so ago, Kool-Aid was always ranked as a top prospect. And he is a great talent to get at 29th overall.

30. Baltimore Ravens: OT Amarius Mims, Georgia

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are coming off a hot year, the revival of MVP Lamar. They practically lost the entire OL, with Kevin Zeitler, John Simpson, and Morgan Moses departing in the offseason. And Amarius Mims would be solid at RT with Ronnie Staley still at LT. This whole draft should be dedicated to rebuilding the OL and getting more depth at edge and WR.

31. San Francisco 49ers: OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma

The Niners need a few positions filled, being linebacker, cornerback, and possibly depth at WR with Brandon Aiyuk in a contract dispute. However, above all those positions, the need for linemen has affected the entire NFL, even the reigning NFC Champs. On the opposite side of Trent Williams' line, Tyler Guyton could be a great duo to help Brock out.

32. New York Giants (mock trade Kansas City Chiefs): QB Bo Nix

A team has to trade up in the late first round for a QB due to the absolute need for it in this year's class. The Chiefs primarily need a WR, and there's not much first-round talent left in the WR department, so I can see them trading this selection. The likely suitors for a trade-up would be the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos, but there's no logic in helping a division rival acquire the franchise's new face. So, a deal to New York seems likely. The Giants have clearly shown their doubts about Daniel Jones as their QB1, so a replacement feels inevitable. The Vikings jumping them at 4th overall ruins the JJ McCarthy plan. However, the interest in Bo Nix has been reported... develop him under Daniel Jones and then play him. Get that 5th year option.

Where could Michael Penix Jr. land?

I suspect Michael Penix Jr. will drop in this year's draft due to his sustained injury history. Penix has gone through two torn ACLs and two shoulder injuries in his collegiate career. This isn't the ideal injury history for a franchise quarterback. On top of that, he's almost 24 years old. A little old for a top-tier QB draft selection. However, I think Penix will be a steal and is one of the most pro-ready quarterbacks alongside LSU QB Jayden Daniels. I see the Raiders, Rams, Seahawks, or Falcons as a home for him. Rams would be the ideal candidate as he can serve as Stafford's successor. Someone should take a chance on the kid, and it'd be a tragedy if he fell out of the second round.

by jose calderon III

I don't think this is much of a secret, it is just a matter of realization for NBA fans. The ratings, starpower and lack of personality in the NBA has led to a steady decline and inevitable demise. The sport is struggling to find its next big star since LeBron James came on the scene in 2003. Before James, they had Kobe. Before Kobe, they had Michael Jordan. Before Jordan, they had Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Before Bird and Magic, they had the 70s and 60s. Which were two of the hardest decades for the NBA. 

The Rise from the Ashes:

The reputations of players were ugly and the games were on tape-delay. It was estimated that about 75% of the league used cocaine on a regular basis, during the games and practice. It gave the NBA a tainted reputation and players would also get into open brawls mid-game. Although there were all-stars like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving and much more. It wasn't enough to defeat the rising debut of the NFL and dominance the MLB had on the American audience. NBA Commissioner David Stern needed something big. Then came along the showtime Lakers with newly purchased owner, Jerry Buss, and superstar rookie Magic Johnson. However, to every Superman and Batman there has to be a Lex Luthor and Joker... that job would belong to the nasty Boston Celtics led by Larry Bird. This era of the sport would spring them to stardom and give a new life to the sport. Then in 1984, the most-influential player in NBA History was drafted 3rd overall to the Chicago Bulls... Michael Jeffrey Jordan. He would sign a generational shoe deal with NIKE and give birth to the infamous Air Jordans. He would go onto win six championships wearing the number 23. After his dominance, a young man accompanied by Shaquille O'Neal would run the league for years to come in the early 2000s on the Lakers, that being Kobe "Bean" Bryant. After the Lakers dynasty, a young kid from Akron, Ohio would take the High School basketball scene by storm in 2003. He would be compared to the Michael Jordan and be considered the greatest basketball prospect... ever. His name was LeBron James. The year is now 2024, 21 years later, and LeBron James is still the biggest name the NBA has to offer. Now that I've reviewed the legacy and rise of the NBA, this is why it could all be in jeopardy. 

What's the plan?

The next star of the NBA was deemed to be Zion Williamson, superstar college athlete out of Duke University, the last gift from Coach K to the NBA. He would be selected first overall to the New Orleans Pelicans, with lots of hype as he was considered one of the greatest prospects since LeBron. Which is a peculiar statement because he plays power forward and the avergae height for a power forward is, 6'8".... Zion stands at 6'6". That'd be considered below average, he'd also come into the league weighing at 280 at 19 years old. Many compared him to Charles Barkley because of the size but Charles played at 250 and was one of a kind, also never was able to win a championship. Five years since his selection, Zion has had loads of controversy. He's played only 152 games out of 376 possible games played, which isn't even half. Zion has also lost the trust of the organization as leaks came out that the team was upset with his eating habits. Lastly, which is the worst, was his scandal with adult film star, Moriah Mills. She went to social media and dragged his name in the mud. It is safe to say he hasn't lived up the "Next LeBron James" hype.

Another player would be Ja Morant. He was the second players selected in Zion's draft class and has been on a tear. Morant had put Memphis on the map with back to back 50 win seasons and it looked like the NBA had maybe invested all their chips into the wrong 2019 draft prospect. That was until 2023. Ja Morant went on Instagram showing off a gun and after so many warnings and slaps on the wrist, the NBA decided to suspend Ja Morant. He's made his return from suspension and immediately suffered a season ending injury, the Grizzles now sit at third-to-last in the Western Conference. 

Lastly, Anthony Edwards was the first player selected in the 2020 draft class. First of all he plays in Minnesota. However, he's led Minnesota to the top seed in the Western Conference. Ant is on a run of his life and has shut lots of doubters up, including myself. Yet, midway through this run he was also called out by an Instagram model. She claimed he paid her to have an abortion and that has now tainted his "model for the kids" reputation.

For players like Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Haliburton, Paolo Banchero, Victor Wembanyama, Joel Embiid, Chet Holmgren, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum. It's hard to call them "superstars" because either they play for a team like the Pistons, Pacers or the Magic. Also they might have little to no personality or just do not have the hardware to say they're the best in the league with no MVPs or championships.

And for my Giannis truthers, he still plays in Milwaukee and when he made his NBA Finals debut the series averaged a mere 9.9M viewers. Not the best.

The best two players in the NBA are arguably Nikola Jokic and Luka Dončić who are both coming from an NBA Championship and 73-point game respectively. They are both also overseas players which is embarrassing for the NBA because they can't find a star in the states. Both also don't have much of a personality to intrigue the regular fan. Jokic is a great player but goes back to Serbia every offseason to watch his horses. 

The Ratings:

It hasn't been pretty and this is no secret. Only a few years ago the NBA was synonymous with Christmas, you had Christmas and basketball all in one day. The NBA would give us all-time matchups like the Warriors and Cavaliers in the prime Curry-LeBron Era. However, the NFL has entered the Christmas broadcast circle and has taken it by storm. The legendary matchup of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtice were not able to help the NBA in Christmas 2023 with only a mere 5 million viewership rating, which was a 18% drop from last year's window. Meanwhile the NFL would draw 29 million viewers for the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants matchup, which was at the same time as the Celtics-Lakers game. So head-to-head on Christmas wasn't a good look for the NBA, but neither was the biggest series of the year... the NBA Finals. Going by the average of the ratings in the past 5 years, there has been a significant drop. In 2019, they averaged roughly a little over 15M viewers. Since, the NBA has averaged 7.5M (2020), 9.9M (2021), 12.4M (2022) and 11.64M (2023). It's gotten better the last two years but hasn't seen their best days. 

To conclude, the NBA is missing the "it" factor. The referring has also been a problem alongside the lack of starpower, no excitement and the sad personalities in most of the NBA's best players. The Women's NCAA National Championship drew in over 18M viewers, so there is a crowd for basketball but just not the current NBA. We won't have the legend of LeBron James for much longer. It is desperate times for the NBA to find it's next big star, is Victor Wembanyama the answer? Only time will tell.

The 2023 College Football season has come to an end. It culminated with a showdown between the only remaining undefeated teams in the country, the Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies. The road to the final for both teams was a challenging one. Both faced tough challenges this season, especially in the conference championship and bowl games. 

The Michigan Wolverines began the season with high expectations after failing to reach the championship final in the last two years. The Wolverines lost against the Georgia Bulldogs and TCU Horned Frogs in the semifinals in 2021 and 2022. With devastating losses in the semifinals, the question has been: Can they get over the hump? There was also looming controversy as Head Coach Jim Harbaugh would start the year with a 3-game suspension because of recruiting violations from 2020. Months later, he would face another 3-game suspension due to sign-stealing violations from one of the coaches on his staff. That coach was immediately fired. Coach Harbaugh would return for the Big Ten Championship against Iowa in a blowout win, 26-0. It was a controversy-filled and emotional season for the Wolverines as offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore would show his emotions on TV after beating Penn State, the first landmark win for the 2023 Wolverines. After convincing wins against three ranked teams, Penn State, Ohio State, and Iowa, the Wolverines would go undefeated and be ranked the #1 team in the country. They would be matched up with Alabama in the semifinal. The Tide has been known as college football's powerhouse, especially with Nick Saban as their coach for the past two decades. This game would be Harbaugh's biggest test, and they passed it with flying colors as they'd take a 27-20 win in overtime. The Wolverines have made it to the final for the first time since 1997.

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

Oh have the turn tables turned... what a game. In Bill Belichick's last game with the New England Patriots, he teed off the New York Jets one last time. Coach Belichick has expressed his feelings on the Jets, especially after resigning as their coach on his first day and then signing onto be the rival Patriots' head coach. Fast forward to the last game of the 2023 season, this would be his last game as the Patriots' Head Coach and would be sent home with a loss. RB Breece Hall would have a career day and give us all hope for next year. Great way to start 2024 and end the 2023 season, it's time to put this season behind us and focus on upgrading this offseason...

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

Not much to say here, the Jets failed to keep up with old-man QB Joe Flacco. Too many turnovers and terrible offensive playcalling to get anything going. The Jets offense came out strong but it render into nothing. The defense finally let up and Browns' TE David Njoku had an all-star performance, he torched the defense. It was a sad performance, only one game left till we can kiss this season goodbye. Let's send Bill home packing with a loss next week...

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

I have finally witnessed the Jets winning a football game, it is not a myth... they actually win games. The Jets had a commanding 27-7 lead and then blew it in the 4th quarter, 28-27. On the last possession, the Jets got downfield to give K Greg Zuerlein a chance to win it and he did exactly that. It was a miracle and a great way to enter the holidays with a Jets win. It will likely hurt our draft selection but even with a top pick, the Jets have a bad history with top selections. I'll take a Jets meaningless win over better draft position, you play to win the game. 

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

Another must-win against Miami in December. If we win we stay in the race, you know what that means... The Jets had a firesale of turnovers being handed out to every Dolphin defender. Reminiscent of Oprah Winfrey: you get a pick, you get a fumble, you get a pick and you get a fumble. The game started with a good defensive stop until it was met with QB Zach Wilson getting rushed by multiple Dolphin defenders and fumbling. That would begin the huge momentum shift and Miami would take a strong lead and grow on it. Right before the second half, QB Zach Wilson would exit the game with a "head" injury and it would be the last we'd see from him this game and likely the entire season. Disappointing end for the former second-overall pick but he's risen his stock in trade talks. He had a great game against Houston and was given a horrible offensive line in this game. The Jets would put in QB Trevor Siemian and he'd throw two interceptions. The Dolphins shut the Jets down and took a dominant 30-0 victory against this sad, sad Jets team. The Jets have been officially eliminated from contention with this loss. On the brightside, we've put ourselves in a better position in the draft to take a young offensive lineman.. LT Joe Alt from Notre Dame, LT Olu Fashanu from Penn State or RT JC Latham from Alabama. Now we will return to Metlife for the last home game of the season against Washington... we will likely win this one to destroy our draft position. 

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

With little to none hope left in the 2023 season, the New York Jets hosted the Houston Texans in a 1pm showdown in Metlife Stadium. Star rookie QB CJ Stroud was coming to town and looking for their 8th win of the season to solidify themselves in the playoff race. The Jets were coming off a week of pure controversy after reports came out that QB Zach Wilson had declined the offer to start this week. After lots of he said, she said, Zach was announced the starter and it was reported that they would let him sling it. Being 4-8, the Jets weren’t yet eliminated from playoff contention but it is really… really unlikely. That did not stop this Jet team as they went out on a rainy Sunday afternoon and left it all on the field. 

After a defensive war and 11 combined punts, the Jets entered halftime. Even with a scoreless tie, the offense had more life in it than any other game this season. They received the ball first in the second half and Zach took the team down field. He was making impressive off-platform throws to star wideout Garrett Wilson and ultimately leading to a touchdown pass to veteran Randall Cobb. The Jets had scored a touchdown and took a 7-0 lead against the 7-5 Houston Texans… someone wake me up. The defense forced a punt and the Jets went downfield and scored ANOTHER touchdown, this time a run from undrafted rookie WR Xavier Gipson. Even down, 14-0, the Texans weren’t going to go out quietly. They forced a fumble and capitalized a touchdown off of it but missed the extra point. The Jets still held a 14-6 lead, until they responded with another touchdown of their own? Zach took the team downfield and ended the drive with a pass to RB Breece Hall for the touchdown. The Jets came alive in Metlife and took a two possession lead, 21-6. The Jets forced a turnover on downs and scored a field goal off of it, 24-6. On the following drive, star rookie QB CJ Stroud, went down with a concussion and was taken out of the game. The Jets forced a turnover on downs then scored another field goal, 27-6. With Stroud now declared OUT, this was a walk in the park with only a few minutes remaining. The Jets defense forced yet another turnover on downs and ended the game with a 30-6 win over the playoff-contending Houston Texans.

My analysis:

This was not only a great team win but restored some dignity in that locker room. Zach Wilson showed what could happen when the leash is off and he was slinging it. He compared it to his time in BYU and played the best game in his career. Could this be the beginning of a new era for the young and struggling QB? I know all Jets fans hope it is, at least for the remainder of the season. The Jets defense was finally able to show its dominance and potential when they have a lead, just makes you think how special could this defense had been if we had a competent offense in 2023. However, this makes the rest of the season an awkward time. Now standing with a 5-8 record, the season gets complicated as we enter Miami. We play the Dolphins, Commanders, Browns and Patriots. If we win out, we go 9-8 and MAYBE could enter the playoffs race. With Rodgers’ return looming around the Christmas Eve matchup against the Commanders, the team feels confident in that last 3 game stretch. The only problem, Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill in Miami next week. That game is not a guarantee to be an even playing field. After presenting the playoff aspirations, I must present the tank for picks consolation. If they lose out, they could end up with a top 5 pick and select WR Marvin Harrison Jr., one of the many talented QBs in the class, OTs Joe Alt or Olumuyiwa Fashanu, or lastly they could trade out for a massive haul of selections. With that being said, I much rather make that run at the postseason because this season has been an abysmal four months. We finally broke this atrocious 5-game losing streak and it was thanks to Zach Wilson’s illustrious performance. Miami is a must-win, not only for the playoff race but for dignity. It’s Zach Wilson vengeance time, confidence has been restored. It will be an interesting week but as always… J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!

The Evil Empire is back! The New York Yankees acquired 25-year old superstar OF Juan Soto and OF Trent Grisham from the San Diego Padres in exchange for RHP Michael King, RHP Jhony Brito, RHP Randy Vasquez, pitching prospect Drew Thorpe and long-time Yankee catcher Kyle Higashioka. The worst kept secret in baseball was finally exposed this past week when trade talks intensified between the Yankees and Padres for Juan Soto during Winter Meetings. After having their worst season since 1992 and going 82-80, it was apparent that they needed to make a splash to return to old form. Fans kept calling for the firing of GM Brian Cashman due lack of championship production. Knowing that the fanbase was disappointed, GM Brian Cashman needed to make this trade. 

Acquiring the young superstar solves many problems the Yankees have. They have little-to-none left handed hitters, outfielders and old players. Soto is left-handed, an outfielder and 25 years old. This trade was a no-brainer for both sides and was only just a matter of time. The Padres needed to off-load contracts as the payroll was too high for the upcoming season and Juan Soto will demand around $30M in arbitration this year then will need a contract renewal next year. Soto could demand around $40M-$50M in annual money, which the Yankees will seemingly be willing to pay. Soto’s agent is the legendary Scott Boras, who likes going to free agency with his clients and loves making big money deals with the Yankees. He negotiated the Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and infamous Jacoby Ellsbury contracts. So with that being said, this contract renewal will likely take lots of negotiating. Mets Owner, Steve Cohen is one of the richest owners in sports and is known for his spending habits. So, GM Brian Cashman will have a heavy competition in negotiations next year in free agency if a contract isn’t signed off on by the end of the season. The Yankees also acquired OF Trent Grisham, who is a really good defensive player. He will likely serve as the team’s 4th outfielder until rookie phenom Jasson Dominguez returns from injury. Grisham is also set to hit free agency next offseason, many contracts coming up for the Yankees as newly-acquired OF Alex Verdugo from the Boston Red-Sox and 2B Gleyber Torres are set for new contracts. 

The Yankees traded RHP Michael King, who was turning into the pitcher that all fans wanted him to become. He has a promising future but you have to trade good players to get great players and the Yankees did exactly that. They also traded the pitching prospect of the year, Drew Thorpe, who was on a tear in the minor leagues. This will likely be the biggest hit in this trade but there was no way he wasn’t going to be included in this deal. They also traded RHP Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez, who both have promising futures and showed flashes of talent. Lastly, they traded long-time fan favorite catcher Kyle Higashioka… this one stung for many fans. With Austin Wells taking over at catcher, the necessity for Higashioka significantly decreased and led to him being included in the deal as the Padres demanded a catcher. 

IF the Yankees extend Soto, then this deal can be viewed as a win-win. IF not and he leaves without winning a World Series, then this will be viewed very negatively. GM Brian Cashman is playing with fire and risking a lot but this acquisition is the revival of the evil empire. The Yankees are also set to meet with free agent Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Monday in the US. He’s won championships, MVPs and pitcher of the year awards in Japan. They are reportedly high on the Japanese superstar pitcher and are in competition with many teams including the Mets and Giants. If they pull this off… is it World Series or bust? Is the Evil Empire regime back in business? Only time will tell… The Yankees are back in headlines and are taking baseball by storm!

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

Another must-win, another loss. This one I experienced live in-person, and did not expect at all. The Jets were facing a low-tier Falcons team with QB Desmond Ridder behind center. It was a rainy game with a swampy field. The first score of the game finally came when the Jets forced a safety, 2-0. The defense has been the only good part of this team, so good they've become the offense. The Falcons responded with touchdown, and the Jets responded with a field goal. What a terrible score, it felt like a baseball game, 7-5. Right before the half, the Falcons went downfield for a field goal and took a 10-5 lead. Both teams opened with a field goal in the second half to draw a 13-8 score and that would be it for scoring. The Jets kept playing hard but shooting themselves in the foot, too many bad plays to recover from. It got so bad that QB Trevor Siemian would come in for QB Tim Boyle which would lead to Boyle's release. It was too late and the Jets would turnover on downs on their last possession. The most upsetting part of the loss was the lack of play for star WR Garrett Wilson. He broke free so many teams and it was always either over/underthrown or not even noticed. It was extremely upsetting and disappointing. The Jets will now host the Texans next week in what could be another loss for the New York Jets. The Texans have become one of the AFC's division leaders led by rookie QB CJ Stroud, so we will have to wait and see. I hope we see Zach back soon, oh the irony.

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

It is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. The Jets had a firesale of disappointment as every Jet fans' Thanksgiving leftovers would get spoiled on a frustrating Friday afternoon. Just an absolute terrible game for the New York Jets in a must-win game against the Miami Dolphins on the first ever, Black Friday game on Amazon Prime. It was a 34-13 game that the Dolphins had won every second of. What made the loss frustrating was the mere incompetence of the New York Jets offense and specifically, the offensive coordinator... Nathaniel Hackett. After forcing Miami QB, Tua Tagovailoa, to throw a pick-six with minutes remaining. The Jet defense trotted out to the field to force another interception with seconds remaining. It was a 10-6 game and the New York Jets had a commanding momentum change. That was until the Jets became the butt of the joke again on Thanksgiving weekend, the Jets QB Tim Boyle threw a hail mary to the endzone and it was intercepted. Not only was it intercepted but safety, Jevon Holland returned it for a pick-six and that play was coined as the "Hell Mary" after the safety broke various tackles as no New York Jet was able to take him down. After that, the momentum went directly to the Dolphins and the Fins took a dominant lead to later win the game. It was a day that will live in infamy as the Jets had endured yet another embarrasing play on Thanksgiving weekend reminiscent to the "Buttfumble" against the Patriots that occured in the same stadium in 2012. For those not familiar with the play, the Jets QB Mark Sanchez ran into his offensive lineman's rear end, face first, and fumbled the ball. The Patriots would pick it up and run it in for a touchdown... I do not know which play was worse. The Jets will face Atlanta in another must-win, they should be able to win. However, nothing is promised with this team. I pray for better playcalling, that "Hell Mary" play should have never happened with seconds remaining. How could the offensive coordinator even call that play when the Jets have not shown any ability or competency to complete a play like that? It could've been avoided so easily.

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

After a pathetic loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday Night Football, the New York Jets followed it up with an even more pathetic performance at 4pm in Buffalo. The Jets took game one of their series, but they were marching into Buffalo with an incompetent offense. The Jet defense could not hold the Bills back as they were trotted out there too many times. QB Zach Wilson couldn’t catch a break and this will likely serve as his last game with the Jets. Is it his fault or the incompetent OL or the incompetent offensive coordinator Nate Hackett? I don’t know. The Jets gave up 32 points and scored a lucky 6 points, they were straight up defeated. The best pass on offense was the Jets punter on a fake punt, that’s embarrassing. QB Tim Boyle replaced Zach in the fourth quarter and will likely serve as the starter on Black Friday against the Miami Dolphins, Jets fans… brace for impact. It is about to get very ugly, or this will give new life to the team. I don’t know which it will do, this 2023 has been very predictable with its disappointments but this is also the team that beat the unstoppable Eagles so anything is possible. J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS, I guess. 

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

Pathetic, embarrassing, heartbreaking, miserable and sorry are five words that cannot even reach the magnitude of incompetence to describe the 2023 New York Football Jets. Coming into Week 10, the Jets were faced with many IFs, pertaining to the looming playoff chase the teams were supposed to make. With a loss in the previous week to the LA Chargers, the chase became difficult. They had a chance to write their own fate, however the easy way isn’t the Jet way. So with the Texans, Browns and Steelers all winning their decisive games today… the road became tougher. With a win today the Jets would have a 54% chance at a playoff spot, with a loss it would be 25% according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). Now that I’ve set the stage, let’s dig into this week in Jets football. 

The Jets would travel to Vegas to face the Las Vegas Raiders on primetime, Sunday Night Football. The last time the Jets were on SNF, QB Zach Wilson rose to the occasion and almost delivered a shocking upset against the defending Super Bowl champion, Kansas City Chiefs. This time around the team got off to a hot start as the defense would force a third and out and the offense would score on the first 3 consecutive drives. Of course they’d all be field goals because the Jets can’t score a touchdown to save any of their fan’s lives, 9-3. In that third scoring drive, the Jets actually scored a RB Breece Hall touchdown, until that was overturned because of a holding call on TE CJ Uzomah. He would commit two huge penalties in this game that set the offense back. There was no substitution made and he’d continue to play… bad call by Coach Saleh. The defense was able to hold off the Raiders and All-Pro WR Davante Adams at the half to give the struggling Jets offense a 9-6 lead entering the third quarter. 

Knowing this was a crucial game, the Jets continued with the lackluster performance on offense and this sent out a very tired defense in every drive. The defense would eventually allow a field goal and then be torched with continuous elaborate run plays to score a touchdown. The Jets would now be down 16-9 and be forced to score a touchdown. The Jets marched down field and like 9 times out of 10, scored a field goal. Kicker Greg Zuerlein is the best player on the offense, this is no hyperbole, by the end of the season he might lead the team in scoring. On the following defense drive, the Jets would force a fumble. The hope was there, QB Zach Wilson would lead the Jets to a game-winning touchdown victory with 5 minutes left. That was until he threw a heart-breaking interception in the “gold zone” and the Raiders would take possession with a minute remaining. The saddest part being that I told my father right before the play that Zach hasn’t thrown a pick in a minute, I blame myself. The defense would yet again force a third and out and hand deliver QB Zach Wilson another shot at redemption. He would make a few good throws to get the Jets into Vegas territory but this would lead to nothing. He attempted a hail mary into the endzone after running for his life and it would just miss star WR Garrett Wilson’s hands by a few inches. Sad world we live in. The Jets find a new way to “Jet” every single game, this one hurt a lot because it was a big deal. Now we sit under .500 and are 13th in the conference. This will be a tough one. 

My personal experience:

We had a real shot at inserting ourselves into the playoff race and we just made it really hard to get back in it. Aaron Rodgers says he’s aiming for a mid-December return for a playoff push but I don’t even know if we’ll win another game until he returns. We face Buffalo, Miami, Atlanta, Houston and then Miami again. Those teams all have either the same amount of wins as us or more. It’s going to be a gut-wrenching next few weeks for Jets fans. This game was all on Zach Wilson, the offensive line held up and the defense had another stellar performance. After the third drive he flaked out and disappeared. I don’t see how he can possibly be the undisputed Jet QB going into Buffalo, there has to be some sort of level of competition with QB Tim Boyle for the spot. Case in point, Zach Wilson is a bad NFL quarterback. It’s sad to say because I really wanted Zach to work out in New York. Nobody has rooted more for this guy than Jet fans, it’s sad to see it all happen but he’s another infamous Jet QB bust. I pray for Aaron Rodgers’ health and for all Jet fans’ sanity, as usual… J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS.

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

The Jets are back on Monday Night Football since Week 1, when QB Aaron Rodgers tore his achilles. This time they faced the Los Angeles Chargers in a crucial game with major playoff implications on the line, you can already tell how this will go. Jet Nation was amped as on the first drive, the Jets defense forced a 3rd and out. Just for the offense to punt it right back and the special teams allow a punt return touchdown to give up the lead, 7-0. Shortly after, star WR Garrett Wilson fumbled the ball and this would begin a chain reaction. The defense held LA off until the Jets gave it right back when QB Zach Wilson would fumble the ball. LA would capitalize and score a touchdown, 14-0. After four combined punts, the Jets would score a field goal, 14-3. And then right before the half LA would make their own field goal, 17-3. During halftime, HOF CB Darrelle Revis would be honored by the Jets and give a speech. The Jets would clap back with a field goal after the half, 17-6. They decided to stop playing football on offense and the Chargers would continue to score, 20-6. Then on the biggest drive of the night in the fourth quarter, QB Zach Wilson would get a shot at redemption to bring us back in it. He gave the ball right back and fumbled it. At this point it was over, LA scored yet another touchdown and star WR Keenan Allen reached 10,000 receiving yards. The final score was 27-6 and it was the biggest letdown of the year… many more left to come.

My personal experience:

I was at the game. It was excruciating. The pregame was amazing though, the stadium was lit up beautifully and the national anthem pumped me up. However, I should’ve gone home right after. Jet games can be confusing. They’re amazing until the game starts, you get your money’s worth but not during the game. It is very depressing. I enjoyed my chicken tenders with fries meal but this play of football was excruciating to see in person. I hope they get it together before Sunday Night Football in Las Vegas against the Raiders, if we lose then the playoff chase is essentially over. I still can’t believe Zach fumbled twice. I feel terrible for this defense, it is near 85’ Bears level good. However, this offense is Adam Gase level terrible. Sunday Night… Vegas, it’s a must-win. You know what that means… J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS.

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

Every four years, the New York Jets and Giants face off against each other at the Metlife Stadium. The last time the two teams met, S Jamal Adams and QB Sam Darnold were both Jets… it has been a while. The New York Derby was held this past Sunday at 1pm. This year it was scheduled as a “Giants Home game”. The stadium was lit up blue as both teams faced off in what was considered one of the ugliest games this season. The Jets were coming off the bye week with a hot two game win streak at 3-3, meanwhile the Giants were struggling to get going without star QB Daniel Jones holding a 2-5 record. It was a defensive battle as the Jets turned over the ball in their own territory allowing the Giants to score a field goal, 3-0. After six punts with five 3rd and outs, the Jets allowed their best playmaker, star RB Breece Hall, to take the ball in for a 50-yard touchdown reception from QB Zach Wilson, 7-3. At this point, many expected the Jet offense to pick up the pace and increase the margin between both teams. That was not the case as we’d see 9 punts and two turnovers until the next scoring play. In between those drives, Giants QB Tyrod Taylor went down with an injury and was not able to return. This meant it was time for undrafted QB Tommy DeVito to come into the game. It was a rough afternoon for the Giants. However, in the first drive of the second half QB Tommy DeVito ran it in for a touchdown… 10-7. 

This was nerve-racking for Jets fans as they couldn’t believe the Giants had taken the lead with both of their QBs being out and an undrafted rookie playing at QB. After 9 drives of punts, turnovers and a missed field goal by Giants Kicker Graham Gano the Jets were in the hot seat. With just 24 seconds left, the Jets needed to get down field to score a field goal to send the game to overtime. QB Zach Wilson turned up into another gear and led a drive that no Jet fan expected. He made a big throw to WR Garrett Wilson and an offsides penalty was called on Giants defender Kayvon Thibodeaux. The penalty served as a fourth timeout and stopped the clock, this gave Zach time to throw another dime to Allen Lazard. This brought the Jets into field goal territory and they spiked the ball with a mere second left to play. Jets kicker Greg “the Leg” Zuerlein, kicked it in to send it to overtime tied at 10. 

The Giants received the ball first in overtime but couldn’t get anything going with the clear lack of confidence they had in undrafted QB Tommy DeVito. They punted to the Jets and QB Zach Wilson led the Jets downfield again. A pass interference was called on the Giants and it allowed the Jets to comfortably get into Giants territory. The field goal went up and looked ugly but it was good, the Jets won the game 13-10.

My personal experience with the game:

I was a wreck, I couldn’t believe we went down to the Giants. However, even with only 24 seconds left… I never lost hope in my Jets. This was QB Zach Wilson’s sixth game-winning comeback drive. Although he hasn’t been the greatest, he’s still yet to dramatically lose us a game this season. Lot of heart on this team and it’s been a blessing seeing them play so hard week in and week out. I did expect a blowout win because of the lack of offense from the Giants, but I forgot the Jets were coming off a bye. I didn’t add that into the equation. The Jets are historically bad coming out the bye week. However, we got the win and that’s what matters. Onto Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers, it’s a must-win. If we lose, the playoff race gets tricky. We control our destiny this year. I’ll be in attendance, if we can’t protect Zach then I'll go down there myself. We need to win this game, J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

The STREAK IS OVER! The New York Jets hosted the Philadelphia Eagles in America’s Game of the Week on Fox at the exclusive 4:25 slot, and pulled off the upset of the season. Going into this week, the Jets were hot off a 31-21 win over the Denver Broncos holding a 2-3 record. It was the last game before the bye week and the last game of the 6 week gauntlet they’ve opened the season to face. Wins against Buffalo and Denver, and losses to Dallas, New England and Kansas City. They’ve faced some of the best QBs in the NFL this season and Coach Saleh said “we’ve embarrassed all of them” in the post-game press conference on Sunday. The Jets were considered heavy underdogs heading into Sunday as Philadelphia had an ESPN estimated 65% of winning. That all was proven wrong in the most unlikely way on Sunday evening. 

The Jets opened with a possession that led to a punt. The Eagles took possession and led downfield with a slow tempo. On fourth and goal, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts took it himself and initially did not break into the endzone. The refs called it Jets ball on the 1 yard line, the defense held them and Jet fans rejoiced. That was until FOX returned from TV break and the referee called it a touchdown with no evidence to indicate to the audience that it was a touchdown. It began a long day of bad refereeing against the Jets. They responded with a mere field goal that almost went left by K Greg Zuerlein. The Jet defense awoke and stopped QB Hurts in his tracks with a BIG MAN INT for Jets DT Quinnen Williams. The Jet offense did not capitalize and turned over on downs. QB Hurts and company went downfield and scored another touchdown to RB D’Andre Swift, 14-3. The Jet offense stayed cold in the red zone or the “GoldZone” in OC Nate Hackett’s terminology, and scored another field goal, 14-6. The defense returned to its primetime caliber and LB CJ Mosley forced a fumble that LB Quincy Williams recovered. The Jets ended the half scoring a field goal, 14-9. The second half looked promising as the Jets were steadily approaching the opportunity to prove doubters wrong. 

The second half began with a defensive war as we saw three consecutive punts, it ended with a Jets field goal, 14-12. On the following drive CB Bryce Hall, filling in for CB’s Sauce and DJ Reed, caught an interception and shifted the momentum. The Jet offense wasn’t able to muster up any points and the Eagles received possession from a punt. QB Hurts and company marched downfield as he threw a 36-yard pass to WR AJ Brown that was ruled complete. This was the second part of excruciating bad refereeing in this game as it was obvious AJ Brown did not have FULL possession of the ball. The Jets challenged but it was in favor of Philly. The Eagles prepared for a field goal and rarely did he miss, but K Jake Elliot went right and the Jets hopes were still there. Even with everything going their way, the Jets couldn’t muster any points. It looked like the end for New York with the Eagles taking possession. That was until the defense dominated and forced a third interception from QB Hurts to Jets breakout undrafted free agent, S Tony Adams. The Jets were in great field position and RB Breece Hall ran it in for a touchdown, 20-14. However, the Eagles had a little under two minutes left on the clock. In previous years, something like this would lead to a heartbreak with the Eagles going downfield to score. Yet this defense stood defiantly and forced a turnover on downs. The Jets went into victory formation and won the game. The Jets ended the Eagles undefeated 12 game winning streak. They’ve never beat Philadelphia in the team’s history until Sunday, a proud day. Now we head into the bye week for a break.

My personal opinion:

I’m feeling great about this team and this defense may be 85’ Bears caliber. They played amazingly with heart and led to an unexpected victory. I have my Jets winning every week but I genuinely felt a winning coming on Sunday and they delivered. The 6 week gauntlet is over and we survived at .500 with a 3-3 record. We have the Giants, Chargers, Raiders, Bills, Dolphins and Falcons next. I like our chances of going at least 4-2. And the rumors are brewing on a possible Christmas Eve return for QB Aaron Rodgers after he sustained a heart-wrenching torn achilles. Everything's looking up for Gang Green and I hope we can get healthy over the bye. No word onC/G Joe Tippman after he went down on Sunday, he’s been incredible for the Jets so I'm expecting the worst. Nonetheless it was a great team win, hopefully it’s nothing but good news for the Jets. We’ve gone through the worst of times in the beginning of this season, we deserve this. Go Jets!

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

Victory Monday! With months leading up to the Week 5 matchup, the New York Jets traveled for a Sunday afternoon game against the Denver Broncos. This would be coined a revenge game for Jets Offensive Coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, as he would return to the city of the team that fired him this past offseason. If that wasn’t enough drama, during the offseason, Denver’s new head coach, Sean Payton, had some words about Coach Hackett’s poor season in 2022. Payton called it “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL” in an interview with USA Today during the offseason and this was immediately met with backlash. Aaron Rodgers would respond by telling Payton to keep his coach’s name out his mouth and the entire Jets organization including players and coaches would show support to the team’s new offensive coordinator. Payton would later apologize for his words, but the damage was already done and this game would be circled on the Jets calendar. The anticipation had ended and the clock striked 4:25 for some football in the Mile High City. 

The Jets would start with a third and out but got the ball back on a muffed punt, this led to a field goal. That field goal would be the first time this season that the Jets have scored in the 1st quarter, interesting stat. The Broncos would march downfield and respond with a touchdown, 7-3. However, on Denver’s next drive they’d lose a safety in their territory. Reminiscent to last week, the Jets would get a flag that benefited them and led to points, 7-5. Both teams would start a chain of field goals and at halftime Denver would lead, 13-8. Coming out of Halftime, the Jets defense would return to prime form and force a third and out. Now coming off of his pitch count, Jets RB Breece Hall would take a hall pass to the endzone and turn in a 72-yard touchdown run. The Jets would march down field and score a field goal on their next offensive possession, 18-13. The defense kept making stops and gave the offense more opportunities to score as they’d lead 24-13. Now with a nice lead, per Jets luck, they’d gotten too comfortable. Lets Ride, Russell Wilson marched downfield and scored a touchdown to bring it to 24-21. On the next drive, Zach Wilson’s good performance took a hit as he threw a terrible interception. This defensive drive would decide how we’ll view them. Are they the elite defense we think they are or a bend but don’t break defense? LB Quincy Williams made the play of the week as he leaped off the edge, sacked and forced a fumble out of QB Russell Wilson. It was recovered by CB Bryce Hall for a TD and that would end the game, 31-21. Back on the WIN COLUMN!

Quincy Williams has been worth every penny,

In the offseason we re-signed LB Quincy Williams to a 3 year, $18M contract. What an absolute steal that deal was. The production, presence and electricity that Quincy has brought to this defense each week has been unprecedented. Nobody saw this coming as we entered the 2023 season. LB CJ Mosley has taken a step back in the big play moments but Quincy has quickly entered the scene and is debatably our best linebacker. Without his 2 sacks, 9 tackles and forced fumble we don’t win this game. Very impressive and hopefully he gets that Pro-Bowl nod this season.

We made it out of Denver somewhat alive:

The Jets’ history in Denver isn’t a pretty one. We have terrible luck in the Mile High City dating all the way back to the 1998 AFC Championship game. They hosted the New York Jets and the winner would go onto the Super Bowl to face the miniscule Atlanta Falcons. Yes miniscule, the AFC Champion would have the best chance of winning that game whether it was the Broncos or Jets. In that game, the Jets would have a 10 point lead and lose the game. They had three fumbles that were all costly and that last win would seal the game for them. That’s trouble in Denver Part One. Last year was part two. It was essentially the beginning of the end for the 2022 Jets as they won the game, but lost the season as star tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker and rookie RB Breece Hall would have season-ending injuries. That would create a ripple effect and the Jets missed the playoffs and Zach was exposed without Breece. This happened again as OL Alijah Vera-Tucker left the game and didn’t return with a… calf injury. Seen this before, and the news has come in with an official torn achillies. Brutal injury, wish the best for the young star. Stop playing him at right tackle, he always gets hurt at tackle due to his body measurements. He’s a guard. LT Mekhi Becton and CB Sauce Gardner both came down with what seemed to be injuries but they returned. Becton left the game twice but he returned both times. Sucks to see another great player suffer a torn achillies, at least Rodgers won't be alone... terrible.

My personal opinion on the game:

The Jets are back, not just on the win column, but the team looked good. It was a rough one, should’ve definitely blown them out this week but that’s the NFL. Nice to see Coach Hack get his last laugh and make Sean Payton look dumbfounded at his team’s performance. They were outscored and beat. However, the downfall of Russell Wilson needs to be studied… like what happened to him? Breece IS BACK! What an animal and I'm glad he made it out of Denver alive. He looks great and poised to get that Comeback Player of the Year award. Eagles Week and then the bye week. If Zach doesn’t get murdered by that defensive line, then I'll consider it a win. Although it’s fair Vegas likes the Eagles on Sunday, it’s football and the sport is unpredictable. Nobody expected us to play premier football against KC, don’t count us out against Philly. We’ve never beaten them but this year is a good year to break down barriers. Rodgers is off the cast, Breece is balling, let’s go into the bye week strong. Take those birds down, Jets Up.

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

The Jets have finally made it back to Sunday Night Football after a 12 year hiatus, this week we face the defending Super Bowl Champions, Kansas City Chiefs. All expectations were riding low for the New York Jets going into Sunday Night as they were heavily favored against and the backlash faced from the media all week. After their disappointing week 3 loss to New England, HOF Jets QB Joe Namath went on the Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio and ripped the New York Jets front office, coaching staff and starting QB Zach Wilson. Which is a rarity because in the past Joe Namath has never spoken so negatively regarding QBs like Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Sam Darnold and all other Jets draft busts. They also had the attraction of Taylor Swift coming to town and nobody cared to think about them. The Jets were second fiddle to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s romance. Coming out of the scornful media attack, the New York Jets looked poised to make doubters wrong including their HOF QB Joe Namath. The beginning of this game looked bleak for the Jets, as the Chiefs ended the 1st quarter leading 17-0. Then, the Jets awoke and realized if they wanted to make a statement it had to start with the defense. And they did exactly that by forcing a flag against Kansas City in the Chiefs’ own end zone that turned into a safety. They finally put points on the board in the 2nd quarter and gave the team momentum. With possession, the Jets went down field and took a field goal to shorten the defending champions’ lead to 17-5. On the following drive, Chiefs MVP Patrick Mahomes threw an interception to Jet safety Ashtyn Davis and the crowd erupted as there was a chance in this ballgame. QB Zach Wilson was poised to make a statement and threw a touchdown to TE CJ Uzomah, 17-12. Mahomes responded with a field goal, 20-12. Then, here came, in my opinion, the most crucial drive of the game. The Jets went downfield and were forced into a 4th and 1 with an option to go for it or attempt a 52-yard field goal. With our all-time Jet luck most fans knew what would happen if we kicked the field goal… a miss. If we went for it, who knows. Coach Saleh went with the safest option and attempted that field goal, in classic Jet luck it hit the post. This would be costly as those three points could’ve been useful down the line. The Chiefs got the ball back but before MVP Mahomes could do anything, LB CJ Mosley intercepted it and we went into Halftime. 

The Tale of Zachary Kapono Wilson:

The Jets are down by one possession coming into the second half and they’ll receive the ball. QB Zach Wilson has had the hot hand and has been showing flashes of the guy we drafted second overall in 2021. He went downfield when the Jets needed him most and went 5/5 for a touchdown to put the Jets back in it. Then, Coach Saleh called for a 2-point conversion and Zach ran it in. Zach was having his breakout game and “Jetlife” erupted. Both sides cooled down as we saw four straight punts and the Chiefs put an end to it with a field goal, 23-20. Now with nearly 11 minutes remaining, Zach comes in with an opportunity to win it. He has been having an incredible game with no mistakes at all, an absolute complete game. Now before we talk about the next step, allow us to go back to 1991. It was Week 4 of the season and the Jets entered Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears. Struggling second overall pick, RB Blair Thomas was having a breakout game. He had over 100 rushing yards and a perfect game. That was until the end of the 4th quarter, he fumbled the ball and it led to Chicago scoring a game-tying touchdown to take the game to overtime. Which Chicago won. See where I’m going here. Blair Thomas also ended being a notorious Jets draft bust. Reminiscent to RB Blair Thomas’ disaster in 1991, QB Zach Wilson fumbled the ball and Chiefs DT Tershawn Wharton fell right on it to practically seal the game for KC. The parallels sound unreal.

Not only does God Hate the Jets, but the refs do too:

With about 7 minutes remaining, it looked bleak for the Jets but it wasn’t over yet. The Chiefs held possession and MVP Mahomes was in the midst of a poor performance from his standards. The Jets forced a 3rd and 23… the rarity of a team converting a first down in this setting is low, unless you're playing the New York Jets. MVP Mahomes scrambled for a 35 yard gain, meanwhile Jets EDGE Jermaine Johnson II was being illegally held by OT Donovan Smith. It was a no-call and there was a call against LB CJ Mosley for illegal contact, oh the irony. However, there’s more. The Jets forced another 3rd and 20. MVP Mahomes threw an interception to CB Michael Carter II but there was a penalty for pass interference on CB Sauce Gardner, which most can agree was an over exaggeration and unfair call on the Rookie All-Pro. The Chiefs proceeded to cowardly chew clock and put themselves in victory formation as they burnt seven minutes on being saved by the referees. 

My personal opinion:

Life isn’t fair in the first place, but catching a break isn’t even in the cards if you’re a Jets fan. What we had to witness on Sunday Night is the absolute definition of a tease. Just when Zach is playing well, he fumbles and shoots himself in the foot. I don’t totally blame him for it as the OL did him no favors on that play but damn Zach. As well as Coach Saleh playing safety first on the decision to kick a field goal instead of going for it on 4th and 1. Personally, I rarely disagree with Coach but that was a bad call. Lastly, the refs should be imprisoned for those calls and miscalls at the end. Just an absolute embarrassment on all ends. At least we didn’t lose by 50 but this stings. I still think clocking out the game and victory formation should be banned from the NFL, it’s a cowardly and dishonorable way to play the game. It takes the thrill out of the end of games. However, off to Denver this week, if we lose… tank. Washington QB Michael Penix Jr looks damn good. This season has became such an embarrassment, get well soon Mr. Rodgers.

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

New week, new disappointment. Back to Sunday brunch, the New York Jets took the CBS spotlight against the New England Patriots at 1pm with Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on the call. Weeks prior, I watched the Jets from TV. This week, I witnessed them in person. The aura in the building was filled with pure optimism as Jet fans were ready to see their team end the Patriots’ 14-game winning streak against the Jets for the past 7 years. The Jets’ last win against New England was in 2015, when QB Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a game winning touchdown to Jet Legend WR Eric Decker in overtime to send the Jets to Week 17 with a 10-5 record. Despite winning 10 games that season, we still missed the playoffs… Jet luck. However, this is still the early dawn of the 2023 NFL season and the Patriots come into “JetLife” Stadium with an 0-2 record. The celebrities were out as the Jersey Shore Cast made an appearance and so did Liev Schreiber, the voice behind Hard Knocks and the star of ShowTime series, “Ray Donovan”. Sitting in section 202b made me feel the absolute oozing, electricity coursing through the stadium. When the players walked out the tunnel, the crowd was deafening. And everybody's patriotic side was rock-hard when the star-spangled banner was sung. 

It was a beautiful scene as the predicted Tropical Storm, Ophelia, did not rear its ugly head. Off and on showers, but nothing drastic to affect the outcome. Everything was set. The stage was there and an opportunity to bring life to this rivalry was there. The Jets received the ball and immediately the momentum was lost. They went third and out, and the Patriots responded with a field-goal. Then began a series of punts between both sides of the offense, as they both struggled to gain any momentum on the field. With time dwindling in the first quarter, New England elected to kick a field-goal and missed it wide-right. There was an opportunity for the Jets to gain momentum and they responded with a third and out. Coach Belichick of the Patriots knows when to take advantage of a weak team and his offense ran a 58-yard touchdown to a tight-end that Patriot fans didn’t even know was on the team, TE Pharoah Brown. The Patriots led 10-0, until the Jets offense awoke and went down 66-yards to get a field goal. With only 1:20 remaining, the Jets were down by 7 and New England took back possession. Most teams would run out the clock, but Coach Belichick isn’t the coach of most teams. The Patriots went down field and got into field goal range but another bad snap led to another missed field-goal. The Jets went into Halftime, down 10-3 with momentum. Coming out of halftime, Coach Belichick made adjustments and those bad snaps were fixed. The Patriots scored a field goal, 13-3. 

The Disappointment:

After a series of underwhelming possessions from both offenses, Zach Wilson led the best possession he’s ever had in that uniform. With quick decision making and no stoppages, the team went down field and made plays we’d been waiting for the whole day. Zach was making quick completions to WR Garrett Wilson and newly-signed WR Allen Lazard. It looked like there was a new hope in the meadowlands as the full-back rushed in for a Jet touchdown, 13-10. On the next possession, the Jets defense stopped New England and put the offense in primed position to win this game. All 80,000+ people in attendance, including myself, got out of our seats and chanted for Zach Wilson like there was no tomorrow. This was the moment we had waited for, this was our shot at ending the streak. On his own 10-yard line, Zach Wilson melted down quicker than an ice cream sundae in the middle of summer break. On third down, he backed up into his own endzone and EDGE Matt Judon crushed him for a safety. At that moment, all 80,000+ fans screamed things that I can’t write because I like writing for my school’s website. However, you can already guess what they chanted. I am no better, I joined along as my father and I walked out the tunnel and headed home. After a few plays of hot potato, the Jets had the ball with a mere second left in the game. At this point, I’m on the train with no service. However, a chance at a miracle was there. Zach Wilson stepped back and arched a hail mary into the endzone. WR Randall Cobb was an inch away from ending the streak, but it was incomplete. The Jets move to 1-2 and are last in the AFC East. Onto Kansas City… on Sunday Night Football. God Hates the Jets.

My takeaways:

I love going to Jet games, they’re honestly my favorite events… even though I’ve gone to six games and witnessed six losses. Miami 2018, Bills 2019, Ravens/Patriots/Jags 2022 and now Patriots 2023. I’ve never seen them actually win. However, the game is perfect until kickoff. When that ball is kicked to the other side, everything changes. The aura, gone. The optimism, gone. The hope of success, gone. Those $200 for good seats, gone. Everything is just gone. That’s this team’s hope with Zach Wilson at QB. It’s gone. The offensive line was much better and it highlighted how bad Zach really is. At least, the kid has shown us who he is. He’s not a starting quarterback in the National Football League. It’s time to cut ties and play QB Tim Boyle or sign somebody. We cannot allow Zach to go on Primetime Sunday Night Football and have his own version of “I See Ghosts” reminiscent of former Jets QB Sam Darnold. It can’t happen. Coach Saleh said they’re sticking to their guy in Zach but how much longer can this go? When we inevitably lose to KC, we play Denver and even though they look terrible, that’s no guaranteed win with Zach behind center. After Denver, we play Philly… another L. That could be 1-5 or 2-4 in the first 6 games; with the Giants, Chargers and Raiders waiting for us afterwards… that’s possibly 1-8 if Zach is the QB. Time to tune into College Football again and scout the next class of QB’s in Caleb Williams, Michael Penix Jr and Shedeur Sanders. The same cycle every year. Embarrassing. Seeing them in person today was so reminiscent of seeing the Mike LaFleur coached offense from last year. The same “run a thousand times until it’s predictable and have Zach throw miniscule passes that’ll get him crushed between his tackles” style of offensive play. The defense, per usual, did their thing. A turnover or sack would’ve been nice but it’s unfair to ask for more considering they played most of the game and only allowed 13 points. I wish we signed Gardner Minshew in free agency but we are stuck with Zach again. Sad world for Jet fans, isn’t it? Chiefs week, may God protect us.

die-hard fan analysis by jose calderon III

On Sunday afternoon, the New York Jets faced off against the Dallas Cowboys in a 4pm showdown on CBS with Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on the call. It was a highly anticipated matchup to see whether the Jets can continue their quality play with Zach Wilson behind center and if the Cowboys can back up their 40-point shutout victory against the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football last week. 

The Jets had history on their side as they’ve beaten the Cowboys in their past three matchups. Many anticipated a good game between the two formidable opponents with both showcasing top defenses in the NFL, yet it did not live up to expectations. Going into the first drive, the Jets had only given up one touchdown in their previous 15 games. This would change when the Cowboys went down field and scored on the first drive of the game. 

Off the bat, the pressure is on for Zach Wilson when the Jets took the field. Could the Jets respond in a convincing fashion? No they could not: the series went three and out. This would become a common trend in the game as former Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons, would have his way with this astonishingly bad Jets Offensive Line. The more quick three-and-out series the Jets offense had, the quicker the Jets defense would be burnt out and allow Dak Prescott and the 'Boys to drive on them. 

The last four possessions of the first half dictated the way this game would be played. Zach Wilson connected on a beautiful pass to Garrett Wilson who scored a 68-yard touchdown to bring life to the team, bringing the score to 10-7 Cowboys, keeping the Jets within one possession before the half. Before the break, the Cowboys marched downfield but were stopped short and forced to throw on a long 3rd and goal. An incomplete pass would become a pass interference call on CB Brandin Echols, giving the Cowboys possession on 1st and goal. In one play, they’d score a touchdown and then hit a 2pt conversion, 18-7. 

That drive dictated the way this would go for both teams. We saw a glimmer of what we thought QB Zach Wilson would look like on the last drive of the first half. With under 2 minutes left, he went downfield and brought the Jets in field goal range. He was making quick decisions and making nice complete throws that looked impossible for him to make in years prior. We went into halftime, 18-10. 

During the first possession after halftime, it looked like we’d be back in this game. That was a lie. For the rest of the second half, the Jets went scoreless and it became the Cowboys Show in Jerry’s World. On the Jets’ last three possessions of the game, each of them were interceptions. Overall, it was a very bad game from Gang Green and they’ve been demoted to 1-1. Next week, they return to MetLife Stadium to face the angry 0-2, New England Patriots.

Nathaniel Hackett.

Yes, this is who I blame for the disappointing Jets offense: the offensive coordinator. Everybody will point fingers and blame the Jet offensive line, defense and even single out CB Sauce Gardner. However, this week’s sacrificial lamb is OC Nathaniel Hackett. 

The reason we fired OC Mike LaFleur last season was because he was horrid and ran a plain offense that had absolutely zero sense to it. This week, I felt like I was watching the 2022 Jets offense with the same horrible play call. It is a notable stat that when running on the right side of the offense, we gained an average of 6 yards on each play with 2 attempts. When running left, we gained an average of 2.25 yards with 18 total yards on 8 attempts with a Dalvin Cook fumble. It makes no sense to run left all the time when it’s most effective going to the right. It just feels like the same old offense. They also struggled by not utilizing standout WR Garrett Wilson, not trusting QB Zach Wilson (who’s actually shown much improvement), and using a terrible system on the offense line. LT Duane Brown doesn’t have much left on his wheels and was abused by DPOY Micah Parsons. A simple fix would be to assign TE Jeremy Ruckert as a chip to help the left tackle. Case in point: Hackett needs to utilize this offense better. We hired him to lure Rodgers and now there’s no Rodgers. His father, Paul Hackett, was despised by some Jets fans in his time as the team’s OC under HC Herm Edwards. However, I think they’d take his screenplays system over whatever we saw on Sunday afternoon. 

Hot Sauce?

After Monday Night’s poor performance against the Bills, the expectation was to see a Sauce Gardner resurgence. Although the tired defense had a poor performance, it did not seem like Sauce was the problem. Statistically, when targeted, Dak was 5/6 for 19 yards and just one touchdown. I don’t see a big problem with that stat. People immediately went to Twitter/X after the game, including Jets “analysts” and beat writers, to bash the All-Pro cornerback for his performance. Yes, Cowboys WR Ceedee Lamb went off for 143 yards on Sunday, but he was targeted once when covered by Sauce. That target was a near pick-6 for the Jets but it was dropped, so just a pass deflection. Sauce has now deactivated his Twitter/X account and acknowledged his critics on an instagram post saying “4 catches for 19 yards is really a “Sophomore Slump” lol WATCH THIS 🤫💼”. He’s clearly fired up and we’ll see how this goes. Give Sauce a break. 

My personal opinion on the game:

This game was disappointing and gave me 2022 Jets flashbacks. The offensive line was horrid, the worst I’ve seen since last year. Even if Rodgers was healthy, he would’ve gotten a season-ending injury today due to the lack of protection this line was giving to the QB position. Still, Zach Wilson has improved on a major scale. His statistics are not justice to the good game management we saw from him on Sunday. Those three late INTs were due to the lack of protection and the “hero-ball” play call the OC was calling in. 

If we can get that offensive line fixed, this offense would be a whole lot better. An easy fix would be playing second round draft pick, Center Joe Tippman, to replace C Connor McGovern. Add a chip to LT Duane Brown in TE Jeremy Ruckert or switch him with RT Mekhi Becton. Let's get this offense fixed. Although we saw some cracks on the Jets defense, it wasn’t as horrible as some will make it. This entire game wasn’t as horrible as people made it out to be. It was disappointing, but nothing to be going insane over. 

Even if Aaron Rodgers was playing, we likely would’ve lost. This Dallas team was really good. We need to see more of our young players. It makes no sense to draft first round rookie, EDGE Will McDonald IV, then place him as a healthy scratch for struggling vets like DE Carl Lawson. We also need to see rookie RB Israel Abandikanda instead of RB Michael Carter. And hopefully we can get rookie LB Zaire Barnes out there with a spot opening up on defense after LB Quincy Williams got hurt. A lot of “mid” experienced players on this team that can be replaced with their young and hungry counterparts. 

Next week versus New England is a must-win game. After Week 3 we face: Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, Denver at 4pm and the Eagles at 4pm to end a 6-week slate of scheduling hell. If we beat New England for the first time in 7 years, and then best Denver, we’ll come out of this at .500 with a 3-3 record. Not too shabby. Hopefully we are back in the win column next week. 

As always, Go Jets!