ESPNMAG.com - New York Jets

LAST YEAR: 10-6, lost to Raiders in wild-card game
PROJECTION: 2nd in AFC East


	Curtis Martin's numbers hold up with the best of them.

Martin got a fat new deal ($10M SB). So did Chrebet ($6M SB). The Jets took care of their weapons, and their 10–6 record will take care of their fans.

STRONG SIDE

RB: You don't hear the name Curtis Martin in the same breath as Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James, which is odd considering how breathlessly New York media promote their own. But look at the numbers: seven straight seasons rushing for more than 1,000 yards, which is every season he's been in the NFL. He hasn't missed a game in three years. Marshall and Edgerrin -- and Eddie and Jerome -- can't claim that. With LaMont Jordan (7.5 yards per rush) spelling him for a series or two each half, Martin, who averages more than 330 carries a year, will be fresh late in the season. Maybe then you'll start hearing about him.

WEAK SIDE

OL: Pro Bowl C Kevin Mawae missed camp recovering from rotator cuff surgery. New LG J.P. Machado has started three games in three years. New RT Kareem McKenzie is a second-year player who saw limited action (8 games) as a rookie. Loss of starters G Kerry Jenkins and T Ryan Young is one reason this unit will not match last season's dominance: No. 4 in the NFL in rushing (128.4 ypg) and No. 2 in sacks allowed (19).

AFC East
1. Dolphins
2. Jets
3. Patriots
4. Bills
Scouting Report Index

OTHER UNITS

QB: Vinny Testaverde was handcuffed by O-coordinator Paul Hackett's dink-and-dunk offense last season, throwing for just 2,752 yards. A powwow with Hackett led to a new plan that will let Vinny get the ball downfield. The issue is Vinny's age, 39 in November. No QB that old has won it all.

WR: Laveranues Coles became a No.1 option last season (team leading 59 catches, 868 yards, 7 TDs). Wayne Chrebet goes back to being the league's most dangerous third-down receiver. This group gets scarier if second-year WR Santana Moss becomes a deep threat in three-receiver sets.

DL: A tale of two lines. With 13-sack DE John Abraham getting all the attention, it's a dangerous unit. Without Abraham, who is nursing a sprained left MCL, Shaun Ellis, Jason Ferguson and Steve White are mediocre. Good thing the Jets drafted Abraham clone Bryan Thomas from UAB.

LB: Sam Cowart's 2000 Pro Bowl season got him his big contract with the Jets. But after missing all of 2001 with a blown Achilles, he'll need help to look half that good early. He's lucky. Marvin Jones and Mo Lewis cover enough ground that Cowart can focus on the middle of the field until he's in game shape.

DB: The AFC's third-best passing D cost too much, so the Jets cut S Victor Green and put starting CBs Aaron Glenn and Marcus Coleman on the expansion list. In their places are other teams' cap casualties: ex-Bucs CB Donnie Abraham, ex-Jags CB Aaron Beasley and ex-Giants S Sam Garnes. It's an even swap.

ST: John Hall kicked the Jets into the playoffs. Of course, if he'd been more consistent they wouldn't have needed his heroics. The Jets expect Moss and Chad Morton to provide exciting returns.

This article appears in the September 16 issue of ESPN The Magazine.