Football teams take on identities similar to that of the head coach. From Lombardi to Parcells, Walsh to Manigini. Teams play with the same energy level on the field as the coach's persona and demeanor. I mentioned Mangini because when you look at the overall body of work his teams produced here, they were as middle of the road and non-emotional as he was. Aside from the around 500 record overall in his stint, you can just look at the way the team performed on the West Coast and also down the stretch last year. The whole time he was making bland statements about approach and execution, the team played just as flat as his press conferences. Can you imagine what we would have heard from Ryan in the midst of such a collapse. I can guarantee that the team would react differently, if they were to end up in such a scenario, which is highly unlikely.

I mention all of this because this year, the team will rely heavily on the running game. If you doubt that for any reason, look at the drafting of Shonn Greene for proof. When you look at the culture that Ryan is creating in the locker room, you can't help but think that this year, the offensive line will step up to be one of if not the best in the league. They are experienced, highly talented, extremely well coached and more familiar with each other's tendecies. When coupled with the aggressive mentality that Ryan brings, I see the potential for a nasty unit that can dominate.

Damien Woody, Alan Faneca, Nick Mangold, D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Brandon Moore are all pretty darn big. When you factor in that the league as a whole is getting 3-4 happy, resulting in one less big tackle on the opposing defensive lines, I can easily see a season that produces two 1000 yard runners. These guys are not only big, but extremely athletic as well. You start talking about Mangold or Faneca downfield on a linebacker and it creates serious problems for the opposing defenses.

This is becoming somewhat of a hot topic with football minds around the country right now. There is actually a great in depth article by KC Jones earlier this month comparing the Jets and the Giants offensive lines in a highly statistical manner right here http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/15/who-has-the-best-o-line-giants-or-jets/  This shows that I am not alone in my thinking about the potential for this year. Many analysts around the league are actually expecting big things from this unit.

Even with the emphasis on the run, the pass protection will also be a huge factor in this team's success. No matter which QB we go with, neither is a proven Dan Marino back there. Teams will be bringing the heat in passing downs. The "blind-spot" protection for the QB will be a determining factor in games. Teams will not only bring the heat, but likely be ball hungry and swipping a lot when putting the pressure on. I expect to see a huge step up in D'Brckashaw's game this year as from the comments I have heard from him thusfar, he seems to have something to prove.

There is no debating the fact that with all of the high-powered offense, if the QB has no time, the throw can't be made. The game was and still is, won in the trenches.  

Anyhow, I really like the things I am hearing and seeing from Chanci Stuckey. Here is a guy who always seemed to make plays last year. While Favre got the credit, he made a riduclous catch in week 1 to help fry the fish in Miami. The guy got separation time and time again last year in the slot. This year he seems hell bent on getting the job opposite Jerricho Cotchery. I know a lot of folks are really grumbling about the lack of "proven" talent and depth at wideout, but wasn't Cotchery himself unproven a couple of years back. When you really think of it, who was the last receiver who really came straight out of college highly touted and really made an immediate impact and name for himself?

Stuckey started his college career as a quarterback so it really helped with his picking up pre-snap reads and blitzes last year and so far this year in workouts. He is learning from Henry Ellard, the new Jet's receiver coach. I also hear he is going to work out with Terance Mathis for some extra credit homework assignments before training camp starts. This kid is like a sponge and he is finding the best water possible.  

Now I recall Mathis when he was with the Jets. I saw promise there but he wasn't utilized properly in the system (sounds familiar?) as a receiver. He left as an unrestricted free agent and went on to AVERAGE three times his best yearly total up here (28 catches) down there per year (77 catches). His first year there, he caught 111 balls for over 1300 yards! This guy constantly made toast out of DB's and was always one of the top options for the QB's Jeff George and Chris Chandler down there. He actually finished his career as THE leading receiver in three categories in Atlanta Falcons history with 573 receptions, 7349 yards and 57 touchdowns from 1994-2001.

Let's look at the big picture here. Stuckey is going to work with the Falcons' ALL TIME leading receiver, outside of training camp on his own time and dime. Then he will come back to camp and have one of the best route runners in the history of the game, who's third all time in yardage, Henry Ellard working with him all year as his coach.

Now, maybe I am missing something, but the last time I checked we are talking about trying to "upgrade" over a guy who seriously studies his craft and already has a year in this system. The options are a guy who was late for his own court case for shooting HIMSELF in his leg (butterfingers), a guy who has hands of stone when it matters (lardfingers), a guy who got caught with more blow than the 86 Mets (blowfingers), a guy who hits his women (weak pimp hand) and all with pretty high price tags in cash and/or future draft picks, as well as quite possibly team PR and even more importantly chemistry. 

You heard it here first. Don't sleep on Stuckey. I can see big things popping for him.

As of an undrafted free agent entering into his tenth year in the league, Douglas is used to being overlooked. After being signed with Baltimore out of Howard in 1999, he has had stints with New Orleans, San Fransico, Tampa, and then returning to the Ravens last year via trade. Mostly used as a reserve, early on, he had a solid year in 2003 starting all 16 games and recording 61 tackles and 4.5 sacks. This is actually a better year statistically than Kenyon Coleman's best year in his career thus far, which was his first with the Jets in 2007 (55 tackles, 1.5 sacks), who he replaces.

He was signed here in New York by Rex Ryan to, for the first time in his career, not be overlooked by his coaching staff and simply shuttled in to keep the starters fresh, but rather to lead the other players. What a lot of people don't realize is that aside from being a key DL player familiar with the system being implemented, he also was a big factor in the trade that got the team Mark Sanchez. Rex Ryan said in a quote earlier this year, "Signing him in the off-season kind of went under the radar, but it allowed us to make a trade to move [DE Kenyon] Coleman, a good football player. Would we have been able to make the trade if we never had the depth at defensive end, at safety? But we felt great about the depth we added, and we know Marques can play. This is the kind of player I want to surround myself with and bring in, guys who are passionate, love to play the game, prepare to play, and when the lights come on these guys really play great and elevate other players' games as well. Douglas is that kind of guy." I tend to see that as firstly, a glowing compliment of the work ethic, on field performance history and skill of Douglas. To a much lesser degree, a subtle knock of Coleman and S Abram Elam (naturally, as they were Mangini players who were let go and replaced with his players).

I feel that while many in the media and casual fans are overlooking him, this will be one of the players who plays a vital role in the Jets succes this year. While two years older than Coleman, he is a nasty, hardhat type, high motor player that will bring a more veteran presence on an established line. We all know that football is won in the trenches. No matter who is throwing the rock and who is catching it, this team will be led by the defensive play first and the offensive line setting up the running game second. To have a player on every level of the defense that is already familiar with the system is a smart move by Ryan and Mike Pettine. To have a smart player like this at the DL, is even bigger when factored in with how smart the other players they brought in are as well.

Let's look closer at the reality of the what he brings to the team.

Passion - Rex Ryan is the polar opposite of Eric Mangini in every possible way. In the past, you got the sense that the team was walking around on eggshells after Coach Herm left four years ago. It's kind of ironic that the same walking soundbyte that was Herm has returned after four years of the Mangini-bots. Many view it as a distraction or fuel for the opposing teams. I find it a refreshing throwback to the days of tough football players and coaches who actually gave a damn. You have not heard a coach this passionate since Herm in this town and this is a town that is all about passion. While I respect the team, you can look at the last few Mets managers as perfect examples. You wonder why the Mets have faded in the last two years, look no further than the head of the horse. There has not been a passionate manager with that team since Bobby Valentine. I don't think it's a coincidence that the last time they were in the World Series was with him in 2000. Having a passionate head coach is key to success. The bravado and confidence that he displays is already starting to trickle down to each and every player. I only hope that it trickles into Brian Schottenheimer's play calling as well.  

Intensity - There is no mistaking the intensity level is up in Jets camp. For the first time in many years, you have a coach who has gone on record as saying that every player on the roster will be actively involved in every game. This gets every player to think to himself, "If I do my job and play well, I may get more playing time." This creates not only the competition amongst all players, but it also creates competition within each player. There is a sense that each player is not only pushing each other, but they are pushing themselves.

Offensive Defense - When you look at the Raven's defense, you see a ball hawking, gang tacking group who swarm to the ball on each play. This energy created a mentality of "we can score on any play" with the team and it's defensive players. If you followed the games, there were times when the offense may falter and the defense would pick them right up with a key defensive stop, turnover or even touchdown. Having a defense with this kind of play making ability and mentality picks up the offense. It's a matter of personal pride and competition amongst teamates. You will not stand for getting outperformed by the other side of the ball for too long if you are a serious professional football player with any pride.

Enjoyment - Say what you want about his cracks and candor, this is a game and it is meant to be fun after all. Watching his demeanor in practice and in press conferences, you can see someone who truly loves what he is doing and those are usually the people who succeed. With this energy at the top, it will spill over into every facet of the team. I can see that the players who were there under Mangini are relaxing and becoming human again. There is more confidence when you are relaxed and enjoying yourself on the football field. The main flaw with that old system is that its main emphasis was on the system and not the players. There is a great emphasis on the system now, but ultimately it's about the players and the people on the staff.

This is a man with great football knowledge and personality to boot. I am extremely glad that he was the choice to lead us into a new stadium as the head coach. You can tell from watching the players practice, that they are as well. This season will be action packed and exciting for all Jets fans. The team will be pretty darn good too. When you have a coach who makes you want to go full hard, you don't go home.  

Some may argue that Gholston should have been the first story. Taken as the number six pick in the first round, he was a much higher pick and thus received more attention overall last year. In Eric Mangini's system (former DB coach), Lowery got more playing time and had a bigger impact last year. Many argued that Gholston was a bust after one year with relatively little playing time. This year, Ryan and Mike Pettine have called out Gholston stating if they can't make him a player, then no one can. Looking at the feedback from Pettine who so far has said that "the signs are there" regarding Gholston's focus and progression from OTA workouts, you tend to think he will answer the challenge this year.  

Ryan and his staff will put the players in situations to succeed. I really don't see them asking Gholston to drop back and cover passes a whole lot this year. For additional depth with coverages, keep an eye on undrafted Jamaal Westerman out of Rutgers making the team. They are the same size and he seems more at ease dropping back in pass coverage than Gholston. Vernon Gholston has the speed skills to play either way, but his game is all about the rush and attacking the QB. He is a classic speedy defensive end in the Julius Peppers/John Abraham mold. I think Jake Long still has nightmares about him and we play Long and the Miami Dolphins twice a year. I like the thought of Gholston, Jenkins and Ellis rushing a QB with our core of LB's behind them. If you line up in a 4-3 or 4-6 with the extra tackle, it will only help create more opportunities for sacks as now teams can't double team any of the three with a Sione Piouha, Howard Green or Marques Douglas (another ex-Raven) also on the line.   

Last year, Gholston missed the early organized team activities and training camp due to a contract holdout. This hurt his development more than people realize. In Mangini's system, he was being forced into a read and react style of play. As a head coach with a highly touted first year player in a new system, this was just asking for problems. This was never his strength in Ohio State, as he was an end who lined up to cause QB pressures, sacks and hurries. The good thing about Rex Ryan aside from him talking more smack than a WWE promo, is that he is a throwback football coach. He's not all caught up in "well our philosophy is to a read and react" and trying to reinvent the wheel with his players. He recognizes his players strengths and works to implement a system that will utilize them. There are fundamental things about football that don't change no matter what year it is. In the trenches, you line up and try to knock the crap out of your opponent.

Gholston and Lowery are two sophmore players who should benefit from the change in attitude and philosophy with this staff. I feel that the natural skill sets of each will be utilized with the new system and additions to the roster. With more experience Gholston will evolve into a more complete DE/LB. For now, the best bet is to line him up and let him loose. If they can get a minimum of five sacks out of him in situational playing time, it would be a good start to a promising career.    

All off season long, there has been talk of TJ gettng shipped out. Especially after the team drafted Shonn "One Man Gang" Greene in the third round of this year's draft. My question to you is, for whom would this be an acceptable move?

There was talk for Jay Cutler before he was shipped to Chicago, then also talk for Anquan Boldin and Braylon Edwards. Is there any reason why you feel he should be traded? I tend to think that it is a way to avoid giving him the contract renegotiation he is looking for.

With the teams in our division, a new makeover yet again with the passing game and the schedule as it is this year, I tend to think that not only do you want an established person heading up the running game, you also want someone who is familiar with the blocking scheme and tendencies of the personnel. The only other player on the roster who is familiar is Leon Washington. I prefer to have a bigger back with experience to compliment him. Perhaps Mike Tannenbaum and the staff truly feel Shonn Greene can get the job done as they signed another RB Craig Kobel today.

It seems every time a player who has ever had any sort of success in the NFL is released by his team, there are always a few Raider fans who insist that the Raiders should make a play for him.

But not every player would be a good fit for this team -- because they don't fit the scheme, they wouldn't be a good locker room presence, or they don't fit into the plans the team has put forth.

Greg Ellis is not a good fit just like Terrel Owens would not have been a good fit and DeAngelo Hall was not a good fit before that. (NOTE: For the record, I said the DeAngelo Hall deal was a BAD idea right when it was made and well before he had his terrible $8 million half season.)

Among the qualities that the Raiders have desperately lacked in the last few years has been solid veteran leadership. Most of the players on this team are original Raiders who were drafted or acquired as undrafted free agents during these six seasons of futility. And while many of those players have grown as players, most of them have seen nothing but losing since becoming an NFL player.

It has been said ad nauseum that winning teams are built through the draft. But in the case of this Raider team, while most of them have steadily gotten better, they have lacked direction and leadership.