New York Jets: Will defense be enough to win it all in 2015?

So far this off season, the New York Jets have been making quite the statement in that they are serious in rebounding into contenders again this upcoming season. With a major free agency frenzy that saw them solidify their defense significantly in Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine and Marcus Gilchrist, the Jets’ defense will definitely be a force to reckon with considering the other stars they already had on the team. Throw in their 2015 NFL Draft picks in Leonard Williams, Lorenzo Mauldin and Deon Simon, they are looking like the real deal defensively. Will their defense be enough to win it all in 2015?

No, not quite.

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While their defense will indeed be formidable this upcoming season, the true problems that might arise will be with the offense of the Jets. Without an established franchise quarterback in place, the Jets might not have such an optimistic year as fans believe they’ll enjoy.

Whether it’s Geno Smith or Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starting option for the Jets this upcoming season, either option might not bring the results on offense the Jets need to succeed in 2015. While their regular season schedule won’t be an easy one, should Smith regress to his turnover-prone ways or Fitzpatrick can’t get the job done consistently, things might not go as envisioned.

The Jets made sure to load up on offensive weapons to put their quarterbacks in a situation to thrive in. They also plan to install a new and simplified spread offense thanks to new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. This should bode well for either Smith or Fitzpatrick due to their familiarity with a Gailey’s version of a spread offense but it might not be enough for either candidate.

May 27, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) and New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) during organized team activities at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Only problem is, if they truly stick to an all-out aerial approach with Smith at the helm for example, it could prove to be disastrous. He is known to make dumb decisions on the field and force passes that shouldn’t even be thrown in the first place that seem to turn into interceptions.

Even though Fitzpatrick is familiar with Gailey from their history together in the past, he’s turning 33 years old in November and coming off a broken leg injury. Should the Jets decide to go with him as their starting quarterback to open up the regular season, it shouldn’t be expected that he’s going to be extraordinary right off the bat. He’s a veteran that is sub-par at best with his previous statistics as he’s a bit better than Smith but not exactly on the level of an Andrew Luck or Tom Brady.

Overall, the Jets’ defense will probably help them win a handful of close games but can’t be expected to carry the entire team throughout the course of the regular season, especially if their offense struggles. Perhaps if the Jets launched a balanced offensive attack or even stuck to a dominant running game like in the past, it would help keep them competitive to a degree. If they however stick to an all out passing attack, no matter who is under center they might have major problems all season long.

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