We’re about three weeks away from training camp, and as you might (or might not) expect, Joe Benigno has high hopes for his Jets, possibly even seeing them as AFC East Champions.
The problem? Well, when it comes to Gang Green, he’s been trained to always expect the worst.
“Just your thought here is we're getting set for training camp,” Jerry asked. “The whole Aaron Rodgers thing to me was a lot of nothing other than it wasn't a great look, but I think he's been around a lot so I think all is fine, but are you on the side of what happened last year happened, and you're right back to being excited about the season, or because of the way last year blew up in your face Week 1, you're kind of lukewarm to it now?”
“I expect the worst at all times with the Jets,” Joe said. “They gotta get Reddick signed too, which is a disgrace, but on paper, and of course you have to be healthy, but on paper, there’s no reason this team can’t win the AFC East.”
If the game was played on paper, Aaron Rodgers would’ve had more than four plays last year, of course – and even as Jerry thinks the Jets might be the favorite, and Joe still sees Buffalo and Miami as a tick better (even if ‘Miami is going to fold at some point), it’s still Same Old Jets until proven otherwise.
“Now’s the time; they’ve only two division titles since the merger, which is ridiculous,” Joe said.
“On the outside looking in, you know I'm not a Jets fan, but I looked at this team on paper last year and thought they should be a conference championship type of team – and I look at this team as better this year,” Jerry replied. “But, everything hinges on the quarterback. If he’s not healthy, it all goes to crap real quick, and if he is healthy, I don't think you get Aaron Rodgers when he was 30 years old, but I still think his arm strength is still good enough and the way he sees the field is still there. Just good competent quarterback play, you're gonna win 12 games.”
And, yeah, that’s the rub.
“If I was running this football team, my offense would be going back to the days of Rex Ryan ground and pound,” Joe said. “Run the ball with Breece Hall, who is one of the best backs in football, right up there. I mean I think he's as good as anybody; he can catch the ball out of the backfield, and he can run. So run the ball, and you got this kid you drafted from Wisconsin they’re very high on (Braelon Allen). That’s what I wanna see: throw the ball off the running game. I don't wanna see Rodgers throwing 40 passes a game. I gotta tell you that I don't wanna see it.”