Day 118

Fresh Start_118: Building your team from the ground up (part 1)
I talked about rebuilding in major sports yesterday, and while writing that piece yesterday, it gave me an idea later on in the day. That idea was how to build a NFL franchise from the ground up. While watching the abysmal performance by the Jets yesterday I got to thinking what really needs fixing and why we aren’t one of the best teams in the league with the talent we have on the field. As time wore on in the game, and my thinking process drifted more to this topic rather than the play on the field, I examined everything about the team and what we lacked that the great teams in the league had. Now some casual fans might say, well a quarterback to start. I’d say to them, look at Kansas City or Washington—their quarterbacks aren’t the best in the league and yet they are winning ball games.

So looking up and down the field, I figured out how the Jets should manage their team and move the franchise forward starting in this offseason. The team I would personal try to emulate is the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys have enough in place to win ball games and a lot of them. What the Cowboys have that the rest of the league doesn’t have is strong line play on both sides of the football. While all the other teams in the league focused on other positions—the Cowboys past on those specialty players they drafted and signed lineman on both sides of the ball. The offensive line is arguable the best o-line in the entire league, and it shows when Ezekiel Elliot rushes all over the field on any given Sunday. Having that strong line allows any running back to find holes in the defense and rush the ball at the highest rate in the league. Dallas has the most efficient rushing attack in the league over the past 3 years and that tremendous effects to a team’s overall offense. The offensive line is the reason that Elliot might win both Rookie of the Year and the MVP, while also having a fourth round rookie quarterback in Dak Prescott have an impressive rookie campaign. The reason Prescott has played so well throughout the season is because the team is top 10 in sacks allowed. The Cowboys in 2016 are 8th in the league in allowing sacks. Prescott hasn’t had pressure in his face and that has allowed him to look like a 4-year veteran.

Moving to the defensive line… while it isn’t the best in the league, it gets the job done. The Cowboys are second overall in rush defense and that has a lot to do with how well the front 4 have played this season. The Jets have arguable the best defensive front in the entire league, so they have that category done. But, having a strong defensive for the Jets allows upper management to go after the glaring hole in the secondary. There will come a time that gang green has to fork over the cash to the big boys up front on the defensive line, but you can cross that bridge when it comes.

The last thing that Cowboys have that not many teams in the league do is the special teams. Their kicking, punting, and return game are extremely consistent. While they might not be the best special team’s unit in the game, they get the job done. The Jets need to focus a little more attention to the special teams and get their foot in the door and make some noise and score some points on special teams.

So the Jets need to build on the offensive line so they can allow their second year quarterback develop and make the plays that he has to make to win the Jets ball games in the future. That will also allow Fortè and Powell to run loose up and down the grind iron on Sunday’s. It isn’t usual for a team to model themselves after “America’s Team” but in this case, it might win you a championship.
Sources:(nfl.com, teamrankings.com, profootballfocus.com)

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