 Everything was set in place. With their loss to the Buffalo Bills, the once-troublesome Miami Dolphins were now long gone. A win over the Oakland Raiders would have propelled the New York Jets to a three way tie in the AFC East, and to top it off, it was even Monday Night Football -- prime time television. And as Chad Pennington’s pass slowly sailed away from a wide open Santana Moss, so did the Jets’ playoff hopes.
Granted, the Jets have a respectable 6-6 record in possibly the toughest division in the AFC. But entering the regular season, the Jets were expected to win at least 10 games and possibly even make it all the way to the Superbowl. With their impressive 4-0 pre-season start, the New York Jets started to gain respect as a possible stronghold in the National Football League. It’s a shame that didn’t last very long.
 Perhaps this shouldn’t have come as a surprise; success always seems to be short-lived with the Jets. Last year, Curtis Martin was explosive and strong as the second leading rusher behind Kansas City’s Priest Holmes. This year, slowed down by injuries, Martin is having a sub-par season. Last year, the offensive line was solid; the defense, although shaky at times, never broke down, which is more than what we can say about demoted Vinny Testaverde. But all that seemed good last year has apparently left like Ryan Young & Co. during the expansion draft.
Possibly, the one bright spot this year has brought is the young and accurate Chad Pennington. If former Jet coach, Al Groh, did anything productive, it was drafting an intelligent and winning college quarterback from Marshall University. In fact, Pennington was the same quarterback that Randy Moss quoted as the best quarterback he has ever played with. Moss should know; he and Pennington were teammates for two years at Marshall.
 Nevertheless this isn’t college anymore and Pennington still has to prove that he can consistently win on the professional level. As long as Pennington and Offensive Coordinator Paul Hackett stay on the same page, the Jets should have a bright future. If Ted Cotrell doesn’t leave for a head coaching job in the immediate future, defense should be as much a worry as Wayne Chrebet asking for greater ball action. And if Santana Moss and Chad Morton are returning punts and kick-offs, the Jets’ special teams will truly be, something special.
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