How Top 100 are the NY Jets?
Most want to know who is the number one player from the NFL Top 100 but the better question for Jets fans is how did the team fare on the list? We know that no Jet is the best player but how many even cracked the list?
The NFL Network has broadcasted this list of the top NFL players since 2011. It is voted on by players so it gives an impression that the players themselves will know which player are the best. Votes from people who do not play in the NFL are excluded. In essence the Top 100 list can be a pure ranking of NFL talent. As the saying goes: “real recognize real.”
Looking back on the 2015 season, the New York Jets finished 10-6 and missed the playoffs. Some might say that the Jets still had a good season and have the players to be competitive this upcoming season. Well, lets see how many of these Jets players made the Top 100.
Four Jets players made the 2016 Top 100 list which consists of two offensive and two defensive players. They are CB Darrelle Revis (24),WR Brandon Marshall (25), DE Muhammad Wilkerson (39), and RB Chris Ivory (78). It reflects the fact that the Jets were a balanced team last year and had talent on both sides.
While the Top 100 list does reinforce that the Jets have talent, I noticed that it’s quarterback did not make the list and that only 1 out of the 4 players isn’t past his prime. This is disconcerting because there is no young talent on the roster that is being developed. Most likely Revis, Marshall, and Ivory won’t make the list this upcoming year. Which other Jet would then make the list? More especially if there isn’t a talented, top 100, QB to lead them.
I am not sold on any of the quarterbacks on the Jets roster. Last year Ryan Fitzpatrick was good enough feed Marshall and Eric Decker the ball. Notice how I said good enough and not great. That’s why Fitzpatrick didn’t make the Top 100. But with Fitzpatrick unsigned, I doubt that any of the other unproven quarterbacks can inflate the stats for Marshall or Decker. This will in turn make the running game more difficult and that also affects Ivory’s chances of making the list next year. Lastly, I also thing we’ve seen the last of the vintage Revis Island. His age just dictates that he cannot be as dominant as before. If he does make the list again it’ll be a surprise for me.
All things considered, though, last year was a good team. Since the start of the NFL Top 100 lists, a total of 11 Jets players made the list. Four in 2011 (CB Revis, Center Nick Mangold, WR Santonio Holmes, LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson), one in 2012 (CB Revis), one in 2013 (CB Revis), two in 2014 (DE Wilkerson, DT Sheldon Richardson), and three in 2015 (CB Revis, DE Wilkerson, DT Richardson ).
The Jets had talent last year and ended up with a go0d 10-6 record. The talent reflects their record. Lets hope that this upcoming year more young Jets find themselves on next year’s Top 100 list. Preferably on both defense and offense; and especially including a quarterback.
