Just when we had it all figured out...

So as my first post here in the sports blogging world, I've decided to go past the introduction and straight into the team that has caused me so much heartache in the past few years...

By few, I mean 16 to be exact. Damn you Mark Rypien.


So here we are, entering Week 9 about to play a Jets team that is starting a 2nd year QB over their lightly-seasoned veteran. But hey, all of New York wants him so he must be good right?

Lets hope not. I hate to say 'must-win' but this game is a must-win as the Eagles game back in Week 2. If we lose, we fall to 4-4 in a tough NFC East division, but hey, you should know that right? Right.

If you asked me minutes before the Patriots game, I would have said that the Skins would have steam-rolled the Jets. But now I'm not so sure. We lost Carlos "Stone-hands-but-with-one-pick-six" Rogers, and regardless of how much many 'Skins fans hate him, he has been an integral part of our defense this year, performing a lot better in one game than he did all last season.

But he's gone now. Dammit Kenton Keith, I blame you for his torn ACL, and then I blame Heath Shuler for his torn MCL. #$%#ing Heath Shuler. So that leaves us Fred Smoot, Leigh Torrance, David Macklin and now John Eubanks to pick up the slack. Smoot was injured last week, but has been burned quite a bit this year. Torrance and Macklin looked like blind bats (as opposed to non-blind bats) trying to cover the personal creations of God up in New England - Randy Moss, Donte' "Thank God I'm Not and Eagle" Stallworth and Wes "Good Freakin' Lord, Who Actually Knew I Was This Good?" Welker. Granted, these guys are perfect and we can't rate Torrance and Macklin based on their performance in the Game-That-Must-Not-Be-Referenced. How our second and third Cornerbacks perform will be huge in determining whether we win or lose games.

Lets say that again for emphasis: How Smoot + Torrance/Macklin/Eubanks play will determine how effective our Defense is. That's huge. But why do I assert that? Simple.

Lets start by taking a look at our D-line, arguably one of the worst last year but all of a sudden really good. Furthermore, they are now the entirety of our pass-rush. They've so far done an effective job stopping the run (sans the Game-That-Must-Not-Be-Referenced) and getting to the QB. And all that's changed? Anthony "I'm a freaking Mack Truck" Montgomery. That and...

Our LB corps has had a huge upgrade this off-season. And to think we only signed one player. London Fletcher has been outstanding. Like, I'm okay that we let go of Antonio "BLOW HORN" Pierce now. Furthermore, we don't need Lance Briggs, we got Rocky McIntosh. Both of these guys are playing phenomally, that and the always reliable and not-often-injured-until-lately Marcus Washington together form a solid LB corps, possibly the best that we've seen this side of the millenium. We also have solid depth with H.B. "Greatest name, greatest steal" Blades, who could end up being the heir-apparent to Mr. Fletcher and Randall Godfrey provides veteran experience off the bench. These guys are complimented by our...

Safeties. Sean Taylor and LaRon Landry. Meast and Terminator. Area 51. Either way you put it, these guys are solid with Landry playing in the box and being solid in coverage and Taylor going for the big plays as well as the big hits. These guys do their job well because...

Our Corners are finally (well, were) solid. Springs is healthy (and my thoughts are with his dad) and we finally have some solid depth. But wait, didnt I say that our depth will be tested? And our successes depend on them? Why yes, astute reader (hey mom), I did. But lets be honest right now. Who would we trust more, the CB's from last year, or the CB's from this year?

We finally have some solid depth off the bench, and yeah they got burned in New England, but what kind of test is that? An unfair one, in my opinion.

So my prediction? Yeah, we won't be as good as we were with Carlos, but we won't suffer immensely. A full break down of the Jets is coming later this week, as well as an article about how God hates the right side of our Offensive Line.