Gang Green Nation
How to build a team part 1
The New York Jets are nearly starting from scratch AGAIN, with a new group of people. Some we know, while others we were just introduced to. I have always liked Aaron Glenn from his time with the Jets as a player. As a defensive coordinator I have been uninspired by the results in recent years. That doesn’t mean he can’t be great as a head coach. There is a world of difference between a coordinator and a head coach. Rarely does a great coordinator become a great head coach. It happens, but the failure rate is much higher than you might expect. I am willing to give Aaron Glenn a chance. I never wanted Adam Gase and I was proved right by his ineptitude on a weekly basis. If Glenn can be a Mike Tomlin type of head coach and let his coordinators work while he takes care of the players, he will have a chance to be the best head coach the Jets have had since Bill Parcells.
Darren Mougey is the new Jets general manager. He was hired only a couple of weeks ago after spending the last 12 seasons with the Denver Broncos. It’s not like Denver was a powerhouse during his tenure, but that doesn’t mean he is doomed to failure like the past few Jets general managers.
I was elated when the Jets hired Joe Douglas. His opening news conference was a revelation, as he stated he was going to “enforce his will” on other teams by dominating in the trenches. He talked a great game, but it was all hyperbole as he never used his assets to realize his vision. His failure was in poor drafting (except for the 2022 draft) and poor scouting of players he chose to bring into the organization. My elation over the hiring of Joe Douglas was poorly placed. He failed miserably.
If Darren Mougey wants to succeed where so many others have failed it might be smart to look at the Super Bowl champions as a model of success. Howie Roseman has been with the Eagles organization since 2000, but he wasn’t elevated to the general manager position until 2010. Roseman started as something of a figurehead, subservient to head coach Andy Reid, who had the final say in all things relating to the team. In 2015 Roseman was promoted to executive vice president of football operations as Chip Kelly became general manager. When Kelly was fired Roseman returned as de facto general manager in 2016. Since then he has won two Super Bowls (LII and LIX), which are the only Super Bowl wins in Eagles history.
The Blueprint
The key to competing for championships is to control the line of scrimmage. The rest of the team must mesh, but the offensive and defensive lines are crucial to success in the NFL. I have preached this fundamental truth for years.
Offensive line
You want a proficient offensive line that has the...
