For Jets, Hard Not To Wonder What Might Have Been

As the Jets prepare to play the Patriots, with the former basically playing out the string and the latter playing for home field advantage in the postseason, it’s hard not to wonder how we got here -- and what might have been.

Fifteen years ago this week, the Jets and Dolphins were both atop the AFC East while New England was close behind under a promising second-year QB named Brady, who was only playing because Gang Green LB Mo Lewis knocked Drew Bledsoe out of action a few weeks before.

The Pats were coached by Bill Belichick, who at that time was on shaky ground. In six and a half years as an NFL head coach -- not including the 90 seconds he spent as HC of the NYJ -- his record was an unsightly 47-60, and he’d enjoyed only one winning season to that point.

I’d now say the rest is history, only it’s not, because it’s also the present and at least the foreseeable future. The Pats have set a new standard of excellence over the past 15 years, with 14 playoff appearances, 13 AFC East titles and six Super Bowl berths—emerging victorious in four. Brady has started more than 90 percent of the franchise’s games over that period, even after sitting out the first four games of the current campaign because of his deflategate suspension. Belichick, meanwhile, will likely have his own wing in the Hall of Fame the moment he retires.

The Jets haven’t been too bad over the last decade and a half. Eight winning seasons, one AFC East crown (which should really count as at least five since they have to play in New England’s division) and six postseason appearances. They even made it to the conference championship two years in a row, with -- yes, that’s right -- Mark Sanchez at quarterback.

Remarkably and frighteningly, Sanchez started more games for the Jets during that period than any other signal-caller, at 62 -- just one ahead of both Vinny Testaverde and Chad Pennington. In all, the Jets have had 12 different starters under center since 2001, including such immortals as Brook Bollinger, Quincy Carter and Kellen Clemens. And no, Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick, we haven’t forgotten you, though we’ve often wished we could.

Perhaps -- OK, not perhaps -- it’s no coincidence that the Jets also haven’t had much stability at either GM or head coach: they’re on their fourth and fifth, respectively.

Of course, it could be much worse. In Cleveland, they’ve had eight coaches, eight GMs and -- no typo here -- 23 starting QBs.

But when you’re looking to the Browns to make yourself feel better about the situation, you only end of feeling worse.

The Jets have been OK for the past 15 years, while the Pats have been phenomenal. Would it have been different if Belichick stuck around in the Big Apple? Would have have found a franchise QB to lead New York to the promised land?

Would’ve been nice to find out.

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