In this episode we take a look at the AFC East.  We start off getting prescription drugs from Nick Kaczur with the New England Patriots and then smoke weed with Kevin Faulk move onto the rest of the division.  Of course a look at the AFC East wouldn’t be complete without illegally taping other teams signals talking about the new poster boy for the New York Jets.   You might be interested to see us wear crappy gray hoodies hear our predictions about how this division will play out, they seem to go against the common trend now.

Hosts: Kevin, Rich, Ryan

 

 AFC East [25:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Thank God this is over.  I can’t tell you how happy I am that this month long circus is over.  Mr. “I don’t want to be a distraction” did everything possible to make his situation a complete and total disaster and finally got his way by being allowed to play football in 2008.  The Packers worked out a deal with the New York Jets to send Favre to the Meadowlands for a conditional draft pick.  Of course once Favre reports to camp, it’ll be another zoo with him practicing.  Not to say that Vernon Gholston won’t be a great player, but I have to wonder whether or not the Jets wish they would have taken Darren McFadden instead because the prospects of an offense with Favre and McFadden is boner-inducing.

I’m not one to jump on the bandwagon of “the Jets are a team on the rise” because finishing above 4-12 and doing anything competent this season in the division would be considered an improvement.  They did, however, go out and sign defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and offensive lineman Alan Faneca to do work in the trenches.  Does the addition of two lineman and Brett Favre take this team from it’s dismal 4-12 depths to a decent record?  I’m skeptical.

One thing we’ve seen from Favre in the past is shaky play when the guys around him are less than stellar.  Favre is a guy who tries to make things happen and when they don’t he tries harder and forces the issue.  How many times have you seen him throw an interception and all you can ask is “What the hell was that?” after the ball gets picked in triple coverage or is thrown so hard it sails and hits the free safety right in the numbers.  Countless.

There’s no way anyone in their right minds thinks this team is going to win the AFC East.  I don’t even see this team being good enough to make the playoffs.  Lets not forget how stingy the AFC is with teams like Jacksonville, Clevelenad, and Cincinnati who are all good enough to win a division but might settle for a wild birth given teams like Indy and Pittsburgh stake claim to the division titles before the season starts.  Sure Favre will win this team a few games and do some crazy things that you’ll double take on and say “he did what?” but at the end of the day, this Jets team is still on the outside looking in, Favre or no Favre.

Ladies and gentlemen, Bill Callahan has made his way back into the NFL. Callahan was hired Friday as the assistant head coach/offensive coach for the New York Jets. Callahan most recent coaching stint was in Nebraska where he turned a proud program into a borderline embarrassment. Callahan even pissed off the king of Nebraska, Tom Osbourne, who stepped in and took the reigns to find a new coach.

I look back on what was arguably the most disastrous/hilarious part of Callahan’s NFL career; his 2003 season with the Raiders. Just a year after getting punked in the Super Bowl, Callahan was demonized by most of the Raiders players and even accused of sabotaging the season by Charles Woodson. This fire burned all season and the Raiders finished with just four wins and a bunch of controversy surrounding Callahan. Callahan, of course, would not return the next season and moved on to Nebraska to sabotage their program.

Maybe he can regain his good name in the NFL by being successful with the Jets. Some people just aren’t cut out to lead a team and are better suited to play supporting roles as coaches. Bill Callahan just might be one of those people.

For the entire month of August, the Sportable Staff will look at one National Football League team a day. We?ll look at their offense, defense and in the end, assess their playoff chances. Previews will be done by division, starting with the NFC East. Each new division will also feature a new podcast devoted entirely to that division.

Mangenius Has Jets Flying High
We’ve all heard the story by now. Jets coach Eric Mangini, criticized for his young age and experience as Cleveland Browns ballboy, rises through the ranks and turns the Jets into a playoff contender. After being criticized for being too young (and for being Belichick’s lifelong bitch), Mangini silenced the skeptics, helping restore the Jets into their old selves. Now comes the difficult part. Doing it again.

Offense
Fresh off a four win season in 2005, not much was expected of Mangini’s troops in ‘06. But all that changed when quarterback Chad Pennington played a healthy season. The last time he did that? 2004, when he led the Jets to the playoffs. We know all about Pennington’s non-existent arm strength but yet, the guy gets it done. He has zero velocity on most of his throws but it’s still strangely effective. After suffering through the likes of Vinny Testeverde and Brooks Bollinger in 2005, having a healthy Pennington was a huge lift for the team. Provided his rotator cuff doesn’t spontaneously combust, he should be even better in 2007.

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Hosts: Sonny, Ryan, Kevin and Rich.

In this episode, the entire Sportable staff discusses the AFC East. With Adalius Thomas and Randy Moss now in the mix with New England, are they a lock to win the Super Bowl? Or will Moss run his mouth? Will an aging defense have enough left in the tank to survive San Diego, Indianapolis, Baltimore and other AFC contenders. In Miami, what will Ted Ginn Jr.’s impact be? All of this and more in the latest episode of the Sportable Spot.

You can find Episode 32 here. (Download mp3)

Note: At the time this podcast was recorded, the Jets hadn’t signed their first round pick, Darrelle Revis. They’ve since signed him.

Unlike other teams in the league, the New York Jets time for team building purposes came when coach Eric Mangini called off practice to spend time at Fort Bragg interacting and meeting military personnel. The Jets spent time meeting and talking with solidiers and even spent some time in the afternoon doing drills along side the soldiers.

I see this interaction and experience as yet another great move by the Mangenius, Eric Mangini. The guy has taken that football team that was disgustingly bad two years ago and made them into a perennial playoff contender. Not only that, but Mangini has this team put together well and has them doing things outside of the football field that are benefitting the community. So while LaRon Landry is sitting on the trainers table wrapping up his leg from getting bunkered by Sean Taylor, the Jets are out interacting with soldiers and the military and serving purpose in the community. Ultimately the way that sports are seen as an escape from the realities of war that these soldiers face everyday is something that benefits them when teams like the Jets take time out of their practice schedule to visit and meet with military personnel.

And while I’m on the topic of the Jets, I’d like to point out that Curtis Martin still hasn’t retired yet. Theres no doubt in anyones mind that he’s done, so why not just hang it up? If Martin thinks he can give the media and fans the Roger Clemens/Brett Favre run-around treatment he’s sorely wrong. Hang it up already Curtis and go find yourself an anchor job on one of the million NFL pre-game shows.