Realistic Expectations for the 2013 New York Jets

Even if Holmes is healthy, the Jets may have issues at the wide receiver position

Now if you read my last article, you will see some of my expectations for the 2013 New York Jets. Now as a fan, I am sure some will find my expectations to be a little extreme. Going in to each season, every fanbase has very high hopes for their respective teams. But where should the line be drawn when talking about a crazy prediction, or one that actually makes sense?  Here are what I believe are realistic expectations for the Jets coming into this season.

1 The Quarterback will struggle– Lets face it, we are going to be hearing about this all year. The Jets will either enter the season with Mark Sanchez, or rookie Geno Smith as the starting quarterback. No matter who it is, I believe both will struggle. Why do I think this? Simple. Whoever wins the job will be constantly reminded that one mistake could land them on the bench for the rest of the season. Lets face it, if Sanchez throws an interception at home, the crowd is going to be chanting for Geno to come in. It is a tough position for both of these to be in this year. Also, the Jets have very few weapons on the offensive side of the ball. This leads me to my next expectation.

2. The Wide Receiver group will be the biggest weakness– The group as a whole is a bunch of question marks. When healthy, Santonio Holmes is a true number one receiver. But is he healthy? Up to this point Tone has not even started running, and we are just a week away from training camp. Then there is Stephen Hill. Hill has all the potential in the world, the question is will he be able to put it all together in just his second season in the NFL. Jeremy Kerley is a solid weapon who the Jets do not need to worry about, but the depth behind these three is relatively weak. I still expect John Idzik to bring in another veteran receiver at some point, but I just do not think this group will ever be looked at as “strong” this season.

3. The Defense will keep the team in games– While my first two expectations were relatively negative, I have high expectations for the Jets defense this season. With Muhammad Wilkerson, Quinton Coples, Sheldon Richardson, Demario Davis and many others, the Jets defense has the potential to be top 10 this season. I think the speed and youth will really stand out this season. With so many questions still needing to be answered on the offense side of the ball, I think the defense will be the reason the Jets hang tough in many games this year.

These are just some realistic expectations I have heading into this season for the New York Jets. With all of this said, I think the Jets will be better than many people think. What do you think?