Who will be X Factor in 2016?

For fans of the New York Jets preparing for the 2016 season, the continued debate as to who will be the teams X Factor is a hot one.

Each year, every NFL team seems to have a player who is the most important piece to their puzzle. The type of player who needs to perform at a high level for his team to have the most possible success. For the New York Jets, there are a few significant names that come to mind when discussing this topic for the upcoming season.

Some initial names that come to mind for the Jets in this category are Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, Darrelle Revis, Muhammad Wilkerson and Matt Forte. It is important to realize that while a team’s X Factor must play a significant role, he does not have to be one of the “best” players on the team.

While all positions on the field are very important in the NFL, it is hard to argue against the importance of the quarterback for each team. For the Jets, quarterback play could end up being the deciding factor for the degree of success that they will have this upcoming season.

Whether it is Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Christian Hackenberg, or Bryce Petty at quarterback for New York, the position will be crucial for the Jets this upcoming season. The team will need a signal caller that at the very least can manage the game, and limit the amount of turnovers for the offense.

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Another place on offense where one would look for an X Factor is at running back.

Forte’s all-around ability will be crucial for the Jets’ offense.

Running back Bilal Powell‘s well-rounded style of play will also be a very crucial part of the Jets’ offense this season.

Powell could become especially important if Forte suffers an injury that keeps him off the field.

At wide receiver, both Marshall and Decker will play some of the most important roles on the team this season. Both players have had their injury issues in the past, so maintaining their health will be extremely important as it was last season.

On defense, the Jets’ defensive secondary contains quite a few players that will be crucial to their success this season. As usual, Revis will need to hold his own against some of the best wide receivers in the NFL today. Defensive back Buster Skrine will also be hugely important as he will have to hold down the fort on the opposite side of Revis.

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Dec 19, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; New York Jets defensive back Buster Skrine (41) on the field before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest question mark for the Jets’ secondary is easily third year cornerback Marcus Williams. Williams will see much more playing time than he did last season as he will more than likely be the third cornerback on the depth chart. Ultimately, Williams could end up being one of the major deciding factors on defense.

Up front on the defense, there are two names that should be major X Factors for the Jets this season. Those players are outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin and defensive lineman Leonard Williams.

Mauldin’s development is absolutely vital to the growth of the Jets’ defense as edge rushing is an area where the team needs to see improvement from last season. If Mauldin can turn a rookie season in which he had four sacks into an even greater impact, the Jets’ defense will benefit tremendously.

Williams is another young player who will need to step up in order for the Jets’ defense to make strides. Williams had an impressive rookie season recording three sacks and 63 combined tackles on the year. His development could help the overall pass rush of the Jets and run defense in a very big way.

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All of the players aforementioned will play a significant role in the success or failure of the Jets this upcoming season, but overall, quarterback play will end up being the biggest X Factor. The Jets cannot have a signal caller who is turning the ball over at a high rate and doing a poor job of leading the offense. The starting quarterback of the Jets will need to be efficient and precise in order for them to win games in 2016.

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