Jets Making Moves, Should Patriots Be Scared

You have to give Rex Ryan and the New York Jets some credit. Even if you're not a fan of Gang Green. Even if Ryan just rubs you the wrong way with his cockiness. You have to give them a pat (no pun intended) on the back. It would be easy for the Jets to just stand pat after playing for the AFC Championship a season ago. Return the nucleus of your squad and challenge once again. But Ryan and J-E-T-S, didn't do that. Instead they've been aggressive in the offseason, signing LaDainian Tomlinson, and trading for Santonio Holmes and Antonio Cromartie.

On paper you would think (apologies to Patriots fans) this makes the Jets the favorites in the AFC East. The Pats have been the gold standard of the division the last decade. But with the injury to Wes Welker and the organization's failure to make a big free agent splash I have to give a slight nod to New York over the Patriots. New England nose tackle Vince Wilfork was asked about the Jets moves and had this to say,

"The game is played between those lines out there. On paper, (the Jets) are making great moves. But you know what, at the end of the day, it's played between the lines. It don't mean anything to us one way or the other. We see each other twice a year. Sometimes three. It don't bother us whatsoever. We can only control what the Patriots can control, we can't control what some other team is doing. Hey, more power to them."

What Wilfork is saying is true. Championships aren't won in the offseason. Ryan and the Jets still have some question marks. But as far as offseason moves go, the Jets are the clear winners.