Prior to 1997 my allegiance didn’t belong to any team, although I did root for the Giants when I was 8 years old in 1990 when they won the Super Bowl, but quickly gave up on them when Parcells left and Ray Hanley came around. I blame Ray Hanley for all my misery, if it wasn’t for him, I probably still would be a Giant fan. I did dabble in rooting for the Cowboys for a few years, since both my big Bro’s were diehard Cowboy fans, but they never fully had my endorsement.
Then in 1997, with Bill Parcells heading the Jets and Vinny Testaverde, Curtis Martin, Keyshawn Johnson all in NY, I took a seriously liking to the Jets. After 97, I decided this was my team. 98 was a great season, and we had great hopes for the 99 season until Vinny Testerverde went down and was out for the year. Parcells left, and Herm Edwards came in and I liked Herm from the day he came in until the day he left. He was a good coach in my opinion who won a division title and brought us to the playoffs multiple times. I never did like Eric Mangini, but he did build up our offensive line and brought in Darelle Revis, so maybe he was onto something and we should have kept him. He probably deserves a lot of credit for Rex’s early success. But after 4-12 and 9-7 seasons without seeing the playoffs I was happy to see him go. Then along came Rex Ryan, who I thought was a terrific hire and with him came Mark Sanchez who I thought would be a good QB for this organization. The first two seasons were absolutely incredible with the Jets reaching the AFC Championship game in back to back seasons and we even beat the Patriots in the playoffs. It was a pretty good feeling to be a Jets fan, our defense was pretty dominate, our run game was strong and we had what appeared to be a very good coach, a young emerging QB and a bright future ahead of us. I was proud to be a Jets fan, and despite them not winning a Super Bowl, I was still experiencing a lot of success. That would soon change.
Last season was not the season I expected, Sanchez regressed, the defense got worse and our running game dwindled as well. We finished at 8-8 and my confidence in this team and in Mark Sanchez was shaken. In the offseason we brought in Tim Tebow and I thought it was a great move on a few levels. First, it would show Sanchez that he had some competition, hold him accountable and possibly raise his level of play. If Sanchez couldn’t handle the pressure and couldn’t respond to the challenge then it would show that he doesn’t belong in a NY Jet uniform. We would then have a backup QB in Tebow who showed he could lead a team, come through in clutch moments and win games. But my allegiance was always to Sanchez first, he deserved to be the starter, but if he faltered about halfway through the season I was ready for Tebow to come in and take the reins. Unfortunately, Tebow never got a shot and even though it was obvious that Mark Sanchez could not lead this team anymore, Rex Ryan time and time again refused to turn to Tebow.
After Sanchez ran into Brandon Moore’s ass and the Jets got demolished on Thanksgiving night against the Pats, I was truly sad and embarrassed to call myself a Jets fan. Yet up until last night, this team actually still had a chance to make the playoffs. Despite their offense being totally inept, this team still had a chance. Yet even though it was clear Sanchez’ confidence was shaken and he should have been benched weeks before Rex Ryan started Sanchez last night with the Jets playoff hopes on the line. While the Jets defense battled continuously and admirably throughout the night and Sanchez threw interception after interception, Rex refused to go to Tebow who could have possibly saved the Jets season. How could you in your right mind after Sanchez had thrown his fourth even third interception, not bench him? Wasn’t it clear he was completely incapable of winning the game? Wasn’t it clear that he needed to be benched? If there was ever a time for a QB to be benched, last night was it. But Rex Ryan did not go to Tebow, the question is why?
Over the past two seasons I’ve lost respect for Ryan, but I might have lost all of it last night. He showed he has no guts, no balls or maybe no sense at all by refusing to go Tim Tebow. Is Tim Tebow so bad that he couldn’t have played better than Mark Sanchez last night? No, of course not and I think deep down, Ryan wanted to go with Tebow he was just simply afraid to do so. Since 95% of the media, sports fans and the majority of his team most likely believe Tebow can’t play QB at all, Rex stayed with what was safe. He could stick with Mark Sanchez and not be bashed for doing so. Your pretty much seeing it today, nobody is calling him out for keeping Sanchez in. Steve Young and Trent Dilfer made no mention of benching Sanchez last night, which is absolutely pathetic. Instead Dilfer made excuses for Sanchez and blamed the Jets for not grooming him properly. Listening to Sports radio this morning, they are saying go to Greg McElroy? No mention of Tim Tebow, despite what the guy showed last season. He turned one team around already why couldn’t he turn around another. He has the track record, might as well see if he could do it again, no? Yet people are skipping over Tebow and saying go with McElroy? But you know what, going with McElroy would be better than sticking with Sanchez for another game. However at this point with just two games left you need to see what you have in Tebow. WE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING!! GIVE HIM A SHOT!!! But most likely, regardless if the Jets play Tebow or not, he will probably not be back and go on to have success somewhere else. Because this is the Jets and yes they are that pathetic.
On the other hand had Rex went with Tebow and the Jets lost, he risked being bashed since all the Tebow doubters and hawks would all come out to harp and bash Ryan for putting in the horribleness that is Tim Tebow, the “Gimmick” QB. Did Rex really think that Tebow was going to play worse than Sanchez was playing last night? One of the dumbest things I hear when people talk about Tebow is when they say, ” Good football player, but not a good QB”. How can anybody possibly say that when all Tebow has done is play the Quarterback position! Yes he’s not the conventional QB, but for Denver last season he played QB! So if all he has played is QB, how then could he be a good football player but not a good QB?
Or maybe Rex Ryan has absolutely no faith in Tim Tebow as a QB whatsoever. If that is the case why the heck did they bring him here? Why is he the “backup” QB? If this was a dog and pony show to bring Tebow which I still doubt, that is absolutely just pathetic and Tannenbaum, Woody Johnson and Ryan all need to go, they all need to go regardless. The have all worn out their welcome here after this season which has been an absolute disgrace.
Whatever the reason Ryan chose not to go with Tebow last night, he needs to go. If you can’t have the sense or the guts or the boldness, vision to put bench Mark Sanchez last night and go with Tim Tebow then you need to go. The Jets season could have potentially been saved last night and you ruined it, there is no doubt you ruined it. That loss is on Rex Ryan. I hope that Tannebaum is gone as well and Woody Johnson sells the team. Mark Sanchez will be here next year most likely because he’s guaranteed 8 mil, but he should not be able to start another game unless the Jets are forced to use him. And no, Greg McElroy shouldn’t start the next game, Tim Tebow should start. But if the Jets choose not to start Tebow and do go with McElroy that is at least better than going back to Sanchez. Sanchez can not play another game this season. But I hope Ryan has enough sense to give Tebow a shot, he deserves it after what he did with Denver last year. Start Tebow the last two games, if he does well ,make him the starter next year, if not, move on, draft a QB and have a competition with McElroy and the Rookie. Then Let Tebow go where he can have a true shot, and be treated with respect.
So maybe after this season I can call myself a true jets fan, because I have now suffered deeply and immensely like all the other veteran 20-40 year Jet fans. After a decent amount of success I have seen nothing but misery this year. I wonder how Jets fans stack this year up compared to other seasons, but after the Thanksgiving game and what happened last night, this might be the worst season of all-time.
Lastly, I truly wonder why there is such a lack of faith in Tim Tebow. I know a lot of people doubted him from the start and continue to doubt him because his passing numbers have never been anything of note. Not that he has been given much of a chance. But in an NFL where we are seeing QB’s like RG3, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton, all dynamic QB’s who run the read option play and and are having great success, why can’t Tim Tebow continue the success that we have already seen from him? Yes, he still needs to get better at throwing the Football, but with his work ethic and drive, determination, if anybody could improve, it would be him. In the meantime he could continue to use his legs which he displayed last year which allows him to pick up first downs, avoid sacks, create something from nothing and extend plays. There is no doubt he has the mental game down pat, has the leadership skills and has the physical stature to thrive as a starting QB in the NFL. Tebow is not just a QB who can run, but run with Power, similar to Cam Newton, but maybe even more so. So I’m not sure exactly why so many people are so quick to dismiss Tebow, it could be they just think he will never be able to throw, or their opinions have been shaped by so called “experts” or they are turned off by the fact he wears his Christianity on his sleeve. Whatever the case one thing is clear, Tim Tebow has only had success as a QB in this league. When everyone doubted him he turned a 1-4 team around, got them into the playoffs and the supposed worst passing QB in the league defeated what was statistically the best pass defense in the league in Pittsburgh. For that, I think he deserves more respect, deserves another chance to start and is why I had hoped the Jets would turn to him if Sanchez failed. But being a Jets fan, I guess I should not have expected any good to come from the Tebow signing. I still will hold out hope and keep the faith.
Fantasy Savvy 
Great article.