Super Bowl XLVI is here. We can’t avoid it, Jets fans.  Regardless of all the promises made and past AFC Championship appearances, we need to get through this Sunday.

Super Bowl 42, the Giants’ historic upset of the then undefeated Patriots was a bit easier to swallow for Jets fans.  I don’t recall many Jets fans, if any at all, cheering the Patriots to cap off the first unbeaten season since the ’72 Dolphins.  Especially since Eric Mangini selling out his former boss in the Spygate scandal sent the Pats on the destroy everything and take no names streak that brought them to the precipice of 19-0. If it took our city rival Giants to knock them off?  So be it, I guess.  Would have been better if it was the Jets, huh?

I may not have been one of the only Jets fans who wasn’t exactly enamored with the fact that the Giants won that game. Here was my rationale: by about Week 14 or so when the Patriots were steamrolling the NFL, I kind of made up my mind that the Pats were going undefeated and winning the Super Bowl. Who thought the Giants, or any NFC contender for that matter,  had a chance?  I had plenty of time to digest it so that when it happened, it wouldn’t have really mattered all that much.  And then when Plaxico Burress caught that pass in the end zone, I thought to myself “Now I have to hear about this from Giants fans the rest of my life.”  The fact the Giants defeated the undefeated Patriots instead of the Jets.

But this year isn’t as clear cut. After the Giants won that Super Bowl, it kind of became a Jet town. I know, I know, the Giants WILL ALWAYS OWN NEW YORK YOU STUPID JET FAN. But, the Jets signed Brett Favre for one weird season (they were Super Bowl faves at 8-3, then collapsed) and the Giants lost in their first playoff game after a great regular season. Then the Jets hired Rex Ryan, drafted Mark Sanchez and made two straight AFC Title games while Big Blue missed the playoffs.  Not your typical New Y0rk football seasons, huh?

And while the Jets have no one to blame but themselves for this most recent debacle of a season, everything was made worse by the Giants making the Super Bowl. Not only have the Giants made it again, their run started by essentially ending the Jets’ season in Week 16. Victor Cruz’s 99-yard touchdown reception sent the Jets one way and the Giants the other. The Giants two Super Bowl appearances basically takes everything a Jets fan could hang their hat on these past few seasons and demolishes it.

Then of course there are the Patriots. The last thing I want, as a New York sports fan, is for another Boston team to win a championship. Any agony of the Red Sox’ hilarious September implosion would be softened with another Patriots Super Bowl win. The Pats are the Jets’ chief rival, no matter if they share a city with the Giants. Had the Jets beaten the Patriots in both of their meetings this season, the Jets would have made the playoffs, so they have no one to blame but themselves for not knocking off New England (as Rex Ryan pleaded for the rest of the league to do). And what makes New England being back in the Super Bowl so unbearable for Jets fans is that the Patriots were so beatable this year.

The breaks both the Giants and the Patriots got on Championship Sunday are breaks that us Jets fans seem to never be on the right side of.  Ask any Jets fan and they’ll tell you that if Tynes was wearing green and white, he would have Cundiff’d it. Billy Cundiff is the new Ray Finkle.   Had Ahmad Bradshaw been a Jet, they would have never called his forward progress stopped, and that surely would have been a fumble. There’s no way a punt returner is muffing a kick and fumbling another one against the Jets in a title game. Of course it sounds like sour grapes because that’s exactly what it is. That’s what us Jets fans have been used to for so long.

There are millions and millions of people who would never not watch a Super Bowl, no matter what. For those fans of the Jets who will still watch on Sunday, who do you root for? There’s no such thing as watching a game just to watch it. Sports fans, no matter what they say, have a rooting interest in every game they watch. You either get a pit in your stomach when you watch a player celebrate a victory or your stomach turns. When Sunday’s game is over and either Tom Brady or Eli Manning is raising the Lombardi trophy, you’ll either wish it was the other guy or you won’t. So who do you cheer for?

If you hate all things Boston no matter what, you root for the Giants. If you have nothing but annoying Giant fan friends who you just want to shut up, you pull for the Pats. Maybe you want former Jets Shaun Ellis & Danny Woodhead to win a title.  Maybe you want Eli to win a second Super Bowl so that Peyton can’t stand the idea that anyone will think Eli is better than him, so he decides to come to the Jets to try to upstage his little brother. Maybe you’ll throw some money down and root for that — totally acceptable.

Either way, if you watch Sunday’s game, you’ll have a rooting interest. It’s a no-win situation for Jets fans. I will cheering on the Giants since my wife and her family are Giants fans.  Plus, I’d rather see a team from New York beat a team from New England.  Or you can be like some and not watch. That’s also acceptable.

The New York Jets controlled the big apple during the post season over the last two years. In fact, Jets fans like myself anticipated that the team would finally be the Kings of New York instead of the Giants. After all, since 2008 the Giants hadn’t come close to returning to the Super Bowl, while their former weak sisters nearly went there twice.  The Jets had control for once in New York.

But a whole new season can make a really big difference, considering where New York’s two teams are right now. Not only have the Jets free fallen into the murky abyss, they may have lost their chance to seize control of New York permanently at this rate while the Giants approach another Super Bowl.  Both teams were in control of their destiny this season.  The Giants took control while the Jets let control slide from their hands.

The beginning of the end can be traced back to the Jets-Giants showdown on Christmas Eve, when both teams were battling for the playoff fate.  A win for the Jets would have put them back on track for a postseason berth and another road run towards the AFC championship – while the Giants would have been doomed with a loss and probably cost Tom Tom Coughlin his job.

But the second that the Giants wrapped up a 29-14 victory, the two haven’t stopped going in the opposite direction. The NFC’s New York team won the NFC Championship & a win away from another Super Bowl victory that would give the Giants control of New York.  Meanwhile, the AFC’s New York squad has been revealed as the most dysfunctional in the NFL and is staying home during its utter collapse.

While the Giants prepared to face the San Francisco 49ers for  the NFC championship on Jan. 22, the Jets were dealing with yet another headline on their horrific chemistry in less than two weeks time. This time LaDainian Tomlinson, who already is halfway out the door, told Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” that the Jets had as bad a locker room as he’d ever seen and put the fault on both Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum.  It seems Rex is not the only one who wants to let their voice be heard.

Now, Giants fans proudly wear their NFC Championship merchandise.  One more win and they have their Super Bowl merchandise as well.  Giants fans proudly support their NFC Champs while Jets fans have been waiting too long to be able to wear any form of championship merchandise.  Promises have been made but no delivery date has been set for Jets fans.  Somewhere in Kenya people are wearing Jets AFC Championship merchandise from 2010 and 2011.

Fortunately for them, New York is getting numb to all these ramblings about how bad the Jets were behind the scenes and it has the Giants to focus on. Right now, the Jets are the weak sibling and virtually irrelevant as anything but gossip fodder and a punch line – just like they have been for most of the last few decades. Ryan looked ready to finally turn it all around in the last two years, but now he is imploding right as Tom Coughlin and the Giants have rescued themselves from the brink.  Something the Jets have tried to do but never accomplished.

The Giants had no rally before their first post season game, which was a home game.  Something the Jets have done the past two seasons.  The media hype for the Giants was not as prolific as it has been for the Jets the past few seasons.  The Giants know their mission and what they need to accomplish on the field.  Big Blue didn’t need as much media hype or public events like the Jets have had in order to rally fan support.

The Jets made a nice run at New York supremacy, but it is a Giants town because it actually delivers championships and doesn’t fall to pieces quite like their cross-town rivals do. Right now, the only thing that can turn it around for the other New York team is if they actually land Peyton Manning (Vegas odds have it astronomical), or if the Giants get blown out by the Patriots. Other than that, it seems like the natural order is right back into place in the Big Apple.

The New York Jets did not make it into the postseason, yet they are a hot topic in the NFL this past week due Mark Sanchez, Tony Sparano in place of Brian Schottenheimer, Matt Higgins leaving,  and their slow decline.  Jets fans like myself are looking puzzled at Sanchez’s behavior in December and how Jets players are speaking out anonymously about him and locker room situations.

Anonymous statements from teammates to the New York Daily News on Jan. 11 give some proof that Sanchez’s tenure with the Jets is in jeopardy, or so the players should want it. If Mark wants to find inspiration, now is the time.  With all the Peyton Manning talk that should light a fire under him, even if he won’t come to NY.  The fans have spoken and so have the players.  This is his 4th quarter two minute warning.

At the same time that some Jets are trying to put Sanchez on a Jet himself, the Giants went up to Green Bay and defeated the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers. As Sanchez regressed in 2011, Manning had his best statistical year and finally seemed to prove that he is New York’s QB. Sanchez needs to take note and learn what it means to be a QB in New York.  .

Sanchez and the Jets looked ready to take over New York in the last two seasons while Manning and the Giants regressed. However, New York is the Giants’ and Manning’s town all over again and they may not have real competition for a while at this rate. That really should inspire the Jets and Sanchez in a number of ways to get back on track and do what their cross-town rivals have done.

With all the woes Sanchez has provided, some are looking at the change from Schottenheimer to Sparano with mixed feelings.   In typical New York Jets fashion, the franchise decided to part ways with one of the most ineffective offense coordinators in the NFL and replace him with an even worse one.

The hiring of former Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano will not repair the rapidly descending Jets, nor will it bring fans the coveted Lombardi Trophy.  This action, including the departure of EVP Matt Higgins might not look favorably in the fans eyes.

Instead, the move may halt all possibility of Mark Sanchez developing into a franchise quarterback, and it may actually lead to a regression on the offensive side of the ball.  Sparano loves to run the ball. And by this, I mean he hates to throw the ball. In his four years as head coach, the Dolphins ranked no higher than 3rd and no lower than 12th in rushing attempts per game in his tenure with the Dolphins.  .Plus, the Dolphins did not have a definitive quarterback to build a passing game around.

Many may think that the Jets are attempting to get back to their “ground-and-pound” roots. However, the team has too many holes to successfully return to that strategy.  Unless New York can solve their major offensive line problems and find a faster running back, then Sparano’s offensive game plan will be just as noneffective as this past season.

The hiring of Sparano also shows the Jets don’t have faith in Mark Sanchez as the franchise quarterback. The team looks to be going out of their way to keep the ball out of his hands.  The Jets feel they need to have the ground and pound offense so Sanchez can relax and feel more comfortable in his passing game.  Which could be a drawback if you need your quarterback to mature and know how to throw the ball.

Tony Sparano is also not shy about voicing his opinions. Sounds like a man after Rex Ryan’s heart.  Will a locker room that consists of a diverse group of players and a bombastic head coach be a good fit, or will it lead to another media blowup?  Either way, it spells drama and attention.

Most importantly, Sparano has not won with this conservative approach. He had a losing record with the Dolphins, while appearing in just one playoff game. Many Jets fans wonder how a coach who was not successful in Miami will help a Jets franchise that has had moderate success.

Too many factors point toward the Sparano hiring being made a giant error.  His mistakes on offense will make the defense work harder than they should.  Tony Sparano will not just lead to the demise of the Jets passing game, but he will lead to the demise of New York as a winning team.  Something the Jets fans are quite used to.

With everything the Jets have had happen the past week, taking the attention away from the other New York team who deserves it seems to be fitting for the Jets.  They seem to garner more attention for what they do off the field rather than on it.  The last seven days seem to be filled with more questions than answers for the Jets.

There is only one question Jets fans want answered from Rex Ryan: Where is the Super Bowl you promised us?

New York Jets fans were not sure which Jets would be on the field against the Miami Dolphins on the first day of 2012 received a response to which we have seen time and time again..

The New York Jet faithful deserve to see a return on their investment.  With high prices come high demand to deliver.  An AFC title game appearance last year and taking control out of their own hands this year has not been looked favorably looked upon by season investors. Rex Ryan had everyone believe they were Super Bowl bound in the preseason.  If Rex was investing in futures and offered advice, everyone would have lost this season.

There will be plenty of time in the weeks to come for the blame game to start as to the downfalls during the Jets season. But in Game 17, the thorns were Santonio Holmes and, once again, Mark Sanchez. its beyond reproach to call out Brian Schottenheimer for Sanchez, who has not proven his high NFL Draft status since he first started as a professional..   The team has been corralling Sanchez long enough he can not fight out of situations he is unprepared for, it has finally crippled the team.

Younger fans and season ticket holders are not used to seeing their team implode like this.  They are used to seeing a team go to the playoffs, players step up to make last minute clutch plays for wins, and a coach who likes to show his bark is worse than his bite.  But these are the real Jets, the ones your father told you about.  They team they spend their hard earned money to see to be disappointed at the end of the season as well.

Holmes’ actions during the Dolphin game should not be overlooked, especially since he was designated as a Captain. But, frankly, his frustration is understandable. Remember, Holmes resume involves experience with a clutch, Super Bowl quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger…and he caused trouble there anyway. Here, he must be stunned to play on a team that was supposedly poised for a Super Bowl run under the field leadership of a completely clueless, inconsistent, less than professional standard QB in Sanchez. He’s right. In a game this important, how does he go completely ignored by the hack under center?

This team is unfortunately descending in the wrong direction once again. There should be a litany of changes this off-season, but nothing will effectively reverse another brewing Jet catastrophe.  The Jet fans have seen this and are accustomed to it.  The Jet investors do not want to hear promises from its board that can not be backed up.  If the Jets fans were true investors, imagine the leadership changes they would be able to vote on.

Every public company makes a push by the end of the year or their fiscal year.  The Jets did not do that this year.  They made no push to guarantee their stockholders a return going into the playoffs. With no dividend  paid this year, analysts might conclude there will be a repeat performance next year.  That is, unless management makes the right decisions and boosts the moral of their stockholders.  Only way to find out is to see who show up for kick off in 2012.

This past Sunday I had the pleasure of watching the Jets face the Eagles at the home of Steve Renner.  Steve is one of the founders of the Jet Nuts tailgating group.  You could always spot them from their bus and Jet Nuts logos.  Now the game may not have been the best, but the afternoon with the Nuts was very enjoyable.  It was easy to see why many enjoyed tailgating with the Jet Nuts for over 20 years.

The core group of the Nuts were there for the game.  Even the eldest, Bill Borm who had been attending games since the then Titans of New York.  The Nuts are a warm, friendly bunch who have been attending games together even before the Jet Nuts name came about.  Always willing to welcome others, they all treated me as if I had been a Jet Nut for years.

The Jets/Cowboys game was the only game they brought their bus to this season.  With a drop off in participation, they were losing money and not covering their costs.  They ended up selling the bus to a Jets fan group in Virgina.  They use the bus for whatever games the Jets go to in Washington, Baltimore, and other surrounding NFL cities the Jets travel to.

They do have a plethora of memorabilia to remind them of their days as Jets Nuts.  From pictures and parking passes to the original Jet Nuts sign they had on their first bus.  Many autographs, stickers, shirts, and other merchandise with the Jet Nuts logo on it remains with them all.  Steve even has his original seat back from Giants Stadium.  How he got them, I can not tell.  They even have a wall size Jets banner from the stadium lot.  That story will be left for the documentary.  Let’s just say Steve’s wife acted fast and got it down before any security noticed.

One of the Jets Nuts did not want to keep his tickets past the first season at the new MetLife Stadium.  He felt zig-zagging up several escalators was a hassle, waiting on long lines at the bathroom, and dealing with obnoxious Jets ticket reps was just the tip of the iceberg for him.  The fact he had his seats since 1972 and “records were lost” making him a ticket holder since 1977 was an insult.

He said Steve had to wait on line for the bathroom for about 45 minutes.  One can miss a lot of the game just waiting on line for the bathroom.  I have heard this from several fans.  There was also a complaint about less port-a-pottys in the non PSL parking section.  It is a hard job to keep distance between a man, his beer, and the bathroom.

This Jet Nut even showed me his season ticket billing statement from 1983.  At that time, p[purchasing preseason tickets were optional.  Also, it was optional to purchase parking.  His total bill came to $208 for two seats.  I can remember in 1985 looking at our season tickets with a price of $25 on each ticket.  It seem professional football has skyrocketed in price and inflation over the years.  Professional football tickets have seen inflation and cost skyrocket over the years.

The elder statesman of the Jet Nuts, Bill Bohm, seems content on watching games at home now. Bill began attending games at the Polo Grounds watching the then Titans of New York to watching the Jets play on TV aboard the Jet Nuts bus last season.  As Bill’s knees got worse, he could not walk into the stadium.  Bill seemed pleased just attending the games with the rest of the crew and remaining on the bus to watch the Jets play.  Someone would always stay behind with Bill as everyone else ventured into the stadium.  Bill never stepped foot into the new MetLife Stadium.

Steve and a handful of the Jet Nuts are happy setting up their small grills and tailgating on a small patch of grass.  Steve now prefers buying better cuts of meat for less than in bulk for about 50.  They still enjoy what they do but with less people around.  Steve and the others had hoped the younger generation would have taken over the bus and the festivities, but that never happened.

Steve was given a trophy by the Jet Nuts for attending his 100th consecutive game.  That is over 12 years of attending games without missing one.  I am sure others may have done this, but I do not think their friends would give them a trophy for that feat.  I do not think any players can say they have ever missed a game.  I know in hockey they give out “iron man” awards for those who have gone long stretches without missing a game.  It goes to show how a concentrated group of Jets fans not only care about each other, but acknowledge accomplishments for being a fan.

The Jet Nuts are that rare breed of Jets fan.  They remind of the Jet Pack who I have written about before.  A bunch of friends who decided to get a bus and create something bigger for other Jets fans.  Not only did they include their friends, but whoever wanted to come over and enjoy the party with them.  For over 20 years many have celebrated with them and wanted to be a part of them.  Unfortunately, some things have to come to an end.  Many Jets fans have realized this over the past few seasons.

There are many other tailgating groups still around.  Sal & Carmine still have their usual set up, Dave and the guys in L5, the Flagman Frank Conway over by the Racetrack, the L7 Tailgate which was founded on Twitter, and many others all across the parking landscape.  But the big groups that started at Shea seem to be dwindling.  Even though the Jet Nuts had their first bus 20 years ago does not mean that was when they started as a group.  That was just when the bus attracted enough attention for others to join them for years to come.

We covered other issues this past Sunday.  I do have to save some of it for the documentary, you know.  Not giviving it all away right now.  I was glad To meet Steve, Bill, and the rest of the Jet Nuts back in 2008 and even happier they allowed me to share a game with them at Steve’s house.  Hanging with them did not feel like I was with one of the typical tailgating groups I mentioned before.  With the Jet Nuts, one feels more like family.  That is how they treat each other.  Even though they had their ups and downs dealing the the Jets, PSL’s, and tailgating, the Jet Nuts will always remain Jets fans no matter where they watch a game or or how many of them set a grill up at the stadium.

Sunday’s Jets romp over Kansas City was the last Jets home game I will be filming at for my documentary.  Since August 2008, I have attended as many home games as I could to to tell countless fan stories.  Some long time season ticket holders watch the games from home while others still attend with fewer friends beside them.  There have been a few season ticket holders I have talked to who have passed away, leaving voids amongst friends and family at the games.

This last game I ventured over to the Izod Center and the non PSL parking.  I had not heard any perspective from those ticket holders yet and I needed to.  It seemed the consensus was the same from everyone I talked to.

Many non PSL holders seem to prefer parking over by the Izod.  They say it is easier to park and one does not have to wait on long lines to leave the lots.  There is easy access to any main roadway where ever you are going.  One can find a great spot for tailgating with plenty of space and not be disturbed.

Many say the walk over to the stadium takes about 15-20 minutes.  No one seems to mind the walk.  They would rather have that walk over rather than park close and fight others just to get out of the parking lot.  The non PSL lots do fill up closer to kick off as many single game ticket holders park over there.  It seems the more casual fan can find a good spot amongst the tailgaters but may have to arrive early depending on who the Jets are facing.

Even though there is a little walk, some PSL holders will park in the non PSL section.  Why?  To be able to tailgate with friends.  They prefer to keep their tailgate group together rather than break it up because the Jets say they can not park together.

Funny thing about some of these non PSL parking permits.  Some are paying $15 per game where others are paying $20 per game to park there.  I head different stories from several on different prices.  I believe the PSL holders who chose to park there pay the higher rate where the non PSL holders pay a lower ate.  I find that quite interesting.

It just seems no matter where season ticket holders park, there will always be mixed feelings on the situation.  There are pros and cons with everything.  But the bottom line here is everyone has at least one negative comment to say about the organization.  I have yet to meet one person that will say everything positive.

For many years, there was always one constant when it came to tailgating.  That constant were the Jet Nuts.  You could always tell where they were by their bus in the bus parking lot.  When I talked with Steve and the guys last season, they were not sure if they were coming back for the 2011 season.  As it turned out, they didn’t.  The costs did not warrant them to come back with the bus.  They came back in a small group and did casual tailgating, but that was it.

Steve and the guys were putting out more than they were seeing.  When you take that into account with others not purchasing a PSL or any type of season ticket there was less money to rely on.  Like other tailgating groups, they saw a decline in numbers that made it harder to keep a long standing group together.  The Jet Nuts had been together as a group since Shea Stadium.  But when an organization decides to make a change, it does not always benefit everyone.

I will be visiting with Steve and some of the other Jet Nuts before the Eagles game this Sunday.  I am sure the Nuts will have a lot to say about past and current tailgating affairs.  I already know their famed bus will not be there.  Steve sold the bus to a Jets group in Virginia.  So without the bus, a true era for the Jet Nuts has ended.

As more time passes, the long standing committed Jets season ticket holder seems to be fading out of the tailgating scene.  Being replaced by a younger, rowdier, eager to spend season ticket holder.

The make up has changed at Jets games.  The veteran fans see it.  They see less of their friends and fresher faces around.  The changing of the guard has happened.  The Jets have officially lost a seasoned, dedicated group that stuck with them for 40 years for a contingent that seems to care more about spending and  status.

If you do not believe me, check out Twitter and Facebook.

Last year I wrote an article about the Jets and their stock price.  It seems not much has really changed in one year.  Sure the Jets made it to the AFC Championship game last season, but their stock still underperformed according to analysts.  This season, their stock seems to be sliding amongst fans.  Some are ready to dump their stock while others will stay invested.

The question usually asked is “What stock do the Jets have?”.  The PSL’s and season tickets are the stock.  Season ticket holders invest their money in the team in hopes the Jets (the stock) perform to their expectations.  This season has been one of fluctuations.  After this past weekend, analysts are not hopeful on post season performance.  The Jets and some however, will remain hopeful and release reports that state such.

Joe Namath who is probably the Jets biggest analyst has mentioned the same comments two seasons in a row on the Michael Kat Show on ESPN Radio.  He said the Jets are not as great as they think they are.  For two season Joe Namath has seen the Jets stock under perform and overvalued.  Some investors (PSL/season ticket holders) feel the same way.  They are waiting for the day the Jets stock is worth the price they are paying and finally see a return on their investment.

There are some stockholders who could care less.  They will invest as much as they can for years even if the stock constantly declines.  They will invest in tickets, PSL’s, merchandise, and anything else that has the Jets name attached.  These investors will tell those who either stop investing or do not invest as much that they are not as invested as they are.  Because they invest more that they are a bigger shareholder.  It does not matter how much you spend on your stock, all Jets shareholders are equal.  Unless you actually own the team or work in their offices.

The Jets need to win just about every game to ensure they can get a Wild Card spot.  December has proven to be a hard month for the Jets to win in previous seasons.  This is a hurdle they need to overcome and prove they can increase the value of their stock before the postseason.  If the Jets fall short of their goal, some might continue to ponder if the Jets stock will ever be worth more than what the team says it is worth.  Many investors feel they were over charged for an undervalued stock.

As it stands now, there will be no rally for Jets fans to get their team ready for the postseason.  If the Jets look like the team many remember, there may not be a postseason.  The dividend many PSL and season ticket holders hope for are home playoff tickets.  Many wait for that opportunity.  But it is up to the Jets to make sure they play at home as opposed to on the road.  Many fans have gotten accustomed to seeing he Jets on the road in the playoffs.  Sometimes, the tickets are cheaper at other stadiums rather than seeing them play at MetLife Stadium.  With no home game, no dividend.

With the Jets win over Buffalo today they are now 6-5.  Even though they are in the wild card hunt, a lot still needs to happen.  There are still too many unforeseen factors to see if they Jets will make the postseason.  Even if they do, they need the New England Patriots to perform miserably if the Jets have a chance at winning the division and securing at least one home playoff game.  Just like the stock market, no one can predict what the future holds for the Jets and their investors.

Even modest gains and spikes do not mean a stock is a safe bet.  Same goes in football.  The Jets need to do more than just win a game here and there.  They need to outperform the other teams.  If a stock wants to look attractive, it needs to out perform competitors and show gains to a potential investor.  Otherwise, that investor might invest in the competitor.  In the Jets case, the only other team locally are the Giants.  There have been some ticket holders who went from the Jets to the Giants and vice versa.  I have spoken with them during tailgating.

Many Jets investors stand behind their team.  They will be at every game until the end of the season.  They will believe the Jets can pull it out and make a run for another shot at the AFC Championship, and maybe a Super Bowl.  But what seems to be a sure thing sometimes isn’t.  The Jets have lost games they should have won, and won a few thy should of lost.  It all depends on which Jets show up the rest of the season.  There is no predicting the outcome of a game.  As one can not predict accurately a stocks future.

Before anyone can think about putting money aside for that playoff game, the Jets need to do their part first.  Well, other teams need to do their part and lose accordingly as well.  If the Jets performed a bit better earlier on, their postseason chances might be looking brighter.  Just like any public company who offers stock, the better the performance, the better the return.  The Jets need to show that increased performance if they want to give their investors the return they are looking for in the postseason.

This past Sunday night, the Jets had an opportunity.  An opportunity to show not just their fans, but everyone who follows football that they should be taken seriously.  That the Jets are a team who not only want to go back to the AFC Championship for a third straight year, but win and go on to the Super Bowl.  The Jets and Patriots both stood at 5-3.  All they needed to do was win in convincing fashion against their AFC rivals.

But they didn’t

The Jets lost 37-16 and now sit wondering if they can still make the playoffs.  Albeit there are seven games left in the season, but which Jets will show up the rest of the year.  The Jets who claim they are Super Bowl contenders who defeated the Cowboys, Chargers, and Bills in convincing fashion?  Or will it be the same old Jets the fans are used to seeing from years past.  Only the players can determine which version of them will be ready at game time.

The fans are salivating for a championship.  Rex Ryan has made predictions, guarantees, and comments about how this is the Jets year and the team that will bring home a championship.  Maybe it is time for Rex to stop talking and come through on his promises.  Everyone loves how outspoken and confident he is.  But all that bravado does not win game or transfer that attitude to the players.  The players need to believe in themselves and show that on the field, not Rex Ryan.

For the past few season, Rex has reached out to the fans for support.  Season ticket holders get a pre recorded call at the beginning of the season as well as pleas throughout the season.  The fans are always there for the team.  But Rex has not delivered back to the fans.  Rex Ryan also took the opportunity in his postgame press conference to apologize to Jets fans after he challenged them earlier in the week to make this past Sunday’s game difficult for the Patriots.

“I thought we’d play a lot better. I thought we had really improved, I really did. I think we did improve, but when you make those types of mistakes – you fumble a punt, you have a poor timeout … time management was an absolutely critical error. That’s my responsibility. I own that one. You make that many mistakes against that team, there’s no chance. “

The playoffs are not coming up soon, for sure, so the Jets aren’t eliminating themselves from the AFC playoff picture by any means but Rex Ryan recognized, whether it was in jest or not, that the Jets division title chances took a big hit on Sunday night.

“It looks doubtful right now. What am I going to say? Maybe I should guarantee the fact that we’re out of it. The last time I did that, we made the playoffs. Yeah, we don’t have a chance.”

Maybe Rex should not guarantee anything.  Maybe Rex should impose a media blackout on himself.  Maybe he should just coach and let his actions speak louder than any words he can say.  But once again, his words this past Sunday seemed to get him in trouble…..again.  This time, getting caught on tape using profanities at a fan during halftime.

On the video, Ryan and the Jets’ players and staff are seen walking into the tunnel. A fan yells out to Ryan, “Belichick’s better than you,” and Ryan tells him to shut up, adding an expletive for good measure.

This team and their coaches need to resolve any issues they have to make their play playoff worthy.  The fans are tired of the talk and empty promises.  Please back up that talk with convincing play on the field every game.  Show the fans that you REALLY want to go and win a Super Bowl.  Not just say it.  The Jets show flashes of brilliance, but not often enough.  Is this the players fault, or the coaches?

The fans have heard enough.  It is time for the Jets to live up to expectations.  It is time for Mark Sanchez and Darelle Revis to lead the team convincingly.  To show they are a Super Bowl caliber team and not just a playoff contender, which they do not look presently.  If they could not beat the Patriots and the worst ranked defense in the NFL, now do they expect to make it to the playoffs?

Impose a media blackout on yourselves.  Focus on winning and not talking.  Rex Ryan may be a great coach.  But he needs to show everyone he can back those words up with actions.  Will three times be the charm?  Rex said they were going to win even before the season started.  Actions speak louder than words.  Show us you can win, do not tell us.

Shut up and play.

For the past year and a half, New Meadowlands Stadium now MetLife Stadium has been home of the New York Jets. But Sunday will feel like their first game in the new billion dollar stadium.

When the Patriots come to East Rutherford in a gigantic AFC East match against Gang Green,  it will be a test to see if all those years of waiting will make this stadium be home to the Jets and their fans or just another upscale VIP event.

To date, this will be the Jets biggest game they will play in the new stadium.  But to the fans and everyone watching, will it feel like it. More importantly, will the Jets play as it is their biggest game played in MetLife Stadium.

For as long as I have been filming at MetLife, the former New Meadowlands Stadium, no one has enjoyed it.  Fans have had reason to hate the PSLs.  The fans hate the way it looks like a prison from the outside.  It has no life.  The stadium feels like a shell of something that could be grander.