Everything seemed to be going according to plan. The Jets had brought in Brett Favre to lead a team coming off a 4-12 season to the playoffs, and after they beat the Patriots and Titans on the road in consecutive weeks to raise their record to 8-3, that plan was soon to be marked “mission accomplished.” People throughout the sports world were talking about the possibility of a Jets-Giants Super Bowl.

Then it all fell apart. The Jets missed the playoffs after going on a 1-4 slide against four teams that ended the season with losing records.

So what happened? Favre simply didn’t finish what he started. He ran out of steam, throwing just two touchdowns against nine interceptions in the last five games. Coach Eric Mangini was sent packing, and Favre, the unsuccessful hired gun, headed off into the sunset for another alleged retirement.

Enter new coach Rex Ryan, the man primarily responsible for the return of the Baltimore Ravens‘ defense to elite status. His style — he’s an aggressive, never-stop-blitzing attacker — is well-suited for the hustle and bustle of New York and lies in stark contrast to Mangini’s more laid-back approach to the game. But although the Jets ranked 29th in the league against the pass, as compared with the Ravens, who finished No. 2 in that category, they actually outsacked the Ravens 41 to 34 on the season. Imagine what they’ll be able to accomplish in Ryan’s 3-4 scheme, especially because the new head coach didn’t come to the Jets alone. He brought with him Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard and Marques Douglas — three players who already know what Ryan expects and who can help bring a positive attitude to the rest of the Jets’ defensive unit. This unit should be vastly improved from the get-go.

The offense, on the other hand, might not come together as quickly. Laveranues Coles is gone after signing a four-year deal with the Bengals, and the team doesn’t really have a true complement at wide receiver to go with Jerricho Cotchery. Even if it did, who will be the guy charged with throwing the ball downfield? The quarterback position is a huge question mark, and we might not have the answer until the coin gets tossed in Week 1.

Via ESPN, article written by A.J. Mass – http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/football/ffl/story?page=nfldk2k9jetscamppreview