"The sentimentalists say it's a tragedy that Joe Namath will not be a New York Jet in 1977. The realists say it's a good thing Namath is gone. The real tragedy, according to them, is that Tony Dorsett won't be a Jet in 1977. The New Yorkers could almost see him in green and white before Seattle made that silly trade that allowed the Dallas Cowboys to draft the Heisman Trophy winner.
Despite failing to get Dorsett, the Jets did appear to have a good draft. But the new coach, Walt Michaels, is building one step at a time. All but one of the premium picks were used for offensive players.
The defense will have to wait a year.
The No. 1 pick was the finest offensive lineman in the draft, possibly in the last five drafts, Southern California tackle Marvin Powell. If he doesn't start for the Jets there should be an investigation.
The No. 2 pick was Wesley Walker, the California comet who was the highest rated of the college receivers until he tore up a knee last November. The knee is supposed to be healed. If it is, he may beat out David Knight to give the Jets some breathtaking receivers.
It would not be a shock to see the fourth-round pick, Purdue fullback Scott Dierking, starting. The Jets just aren't that deep in ball-carriers.
The X factor in any improvement by the Jet offense is quarterback Richard Todd, who played a lot as a rookie but may not have benefited from the exposure. The former coach, Lou Holtz, couldn't seem to make up his mind what he wanted to do with Todd. Holtz used some veer formation, some shotgun, a little of this and a little of that before fleeing south to rejoin the collegians at Arkansas.
Michaels will make or break Todd from the pro set.
Todd's rookie statistics were not thrilling. He he had a 40.1 per cent completion average, 870 yards and three touchdowns and 12 interceptions. But he kept looking over his shoulder and seeing Namath.
If he can stabilize, he'll have some fantastic catchers. Jerome Barkum spent most of last season on the injury list, but when well he'll terrorize any cornerback. Richard Caster may be the most dangerous pass receiver among NFL tight ends, even though his '76 stats don't testify to it. Knight averaged 20.2 yards on his 20 catches, but Walker is a flyer with good hands who could chase him back to the bench if Wes is healthy and ready to go.
Powell will go directly to right offensive tackle. The left tackle is improving Robert Woods. Left guard Randy Rasmussen still has plenty left at 32. If Darrell Austin doesn't get nicked again, he can beat out Gary Puetz at right guard. Joe Fields is the center- which doesn't excite- and there's little behind him.
Ed Marinaro had consecutive 100-yard games before getting hurt last year. He's a sound runner if the foot he hurt gets better, but it continued to trouble him well into the off-season. Free agent Clark Gaines picked up 724 yards and made the All-Rookie team in Marinaro's absence. Former Steeler Steve Davis is another experience back, but he is the soul of inconsistency. Little Louie Giammona and Bob Gresham are also available, with the latter probably the greatest preseason runner in NFL history.
Defensively, last season's Jets have to get better on their own.
The best bet for improvement is at linebacker, where three top rookies were developed in 1976. The cream of that crop is Greg Buttle, whom Michaels characterizes as a 'future All-Pro.' Buttle is listed as an outside linebacker, but he'll take over in the middle if Larry Keller, a special teams ace, proves he can start. The third kid, Bob Martin, did excellent work on the weak side. If Buttle stays on the outside, veteran John Ebersole will man the middle.
The Jets had one of the lowest sack totals in their history, 16. The only hope for improvement lies in a bunch of 'ifs.' If Billy Newsome comes back from injury; if Carl Barzilauskas regains his rookie form; if kids like Lawrence Pillers and Larry Faulk continue to improve; if Richard Neal has something left; if third-round rookie Tank Marshall proves to be of immediate help.
With a pass rush, the secondary could be decent. The safeties are decent, with Burgess Owens at free safety and Phil Wise on the strong side. Ed Taylor, a hitter, and Shafer Suggs, who showed moxie when he started as a rookie, are the cornerbacks.
The kicking isn't bad. Pat Leahy tried 16 field goals and made 11. Punter Duane Carrell, the ex-Cowboy, averaged 39.7 yards, but Coach Michaels hopes to find more efficiency at that spot. It could come from Mike Burke, who'll get first crack at the job."
-Larry Felser, Pro Football 1977
OFFENSE
"Quarterbacks: In his debut, Todd didn't look up to making Jet fans forget about Joe Namath. Steve Joachim can't play at the pro level.
Performance Quotient: 5 [1 through 5, 1 being best]
Running Backs: Gaines came out of nowhere to win a spot on the All-Rookie team. If Marinaro gets over foot problems, he could contribute. Davis seems unable to make up his mind whether to play or to retire. Giammona can only help as a spot player and kick returner. Gresham has shown that he can't do it, despite preseason splurges.
Performance Quotient: 4
Receivers: Barkum is quality; he should recover from the injury that ruined 1976. Knight is in-and-out; he's not up to the standards of the other starters. The Jet front office avoided disaster by signing Caster after he played out his option.
The drop in quality behind the starters is precipitous. Richard Osborne isn't bad in a double-tight end formation. Howard Satterwhite and Lou Piccone don't matter, though Lou is good on special teams. Clint Haselrig has floated from team to team.
Performance Quotient: 3
Interior Linemen: There should be some shaking up here once training camp gets under way. Woods has the best future among the starters. He's finally settling down to improve his play. Al Krevis never justified his high draft selection (Cincinnati picked him on the second round). Rasmussen is first-rate but he's 32. Puetz is only so-so. Fields, Austin and John Roman are the type usually found on waiver lists. Winston Hill will probably pack it in before the season starts; he's had a distinguished career. Steve King was a prospect last season; there's question whether he can come back from the injury that sidelined him.
Performance Quotient: 4
Kickers: Leahy does a quietly competent job. He connected on 11 of 16 field goals. Carrell was with the team last year; both he and Burke have been around, and neither has proven to be exceptional.
Performance Quotient: 3"
-Larry Felser, Pro Football 1977
DEFENSE
"Front Linemen: If there were any new bodies available, there could be a total turnover among the starters. Patience is running out with Neal. Pillers and Faulk get partial pardons because they're young. Barzo might be salvaged, though he's never played as well as in his first year.
Newsome got hurt last year, Mark Lomas in 1974. Neither of them is counted on this time around. Dave Wasick was a prospect for Kansas City in 1976, then got hurt. At 220, he's awfully light for the line.
Performance Quotient: 5
Linebackers: Coach (and former linebacker) Michaels can hang his hat on these youngsters. He says Buttle is a sure All-Pro, and the kid played very well as a rookie. Martin is small, but he's smart and he'll hit. Ebersole is the man for the middle only by default. Keller came up with up some big plays to help win two games- no small thing on a 3-11 team. If we wins a spot, Buttle goes to the middle and Ebersole to the bench.
Steve Poole deserves a patient look. Mike Hennigan never made it in Detroit. Carl Russ and Don Coleman are long shots.
Performance Quotient: 3
Cornerbacks: Suggs gave the Jets something to pin future hopes until he got hurt. Taylor will hit anything that moves.
Jet fans are getting tired of watching Sowells make mistakes. Len Dunlap, once a Colts's No. 1, gets a last look. He could help.
Performance Quotient: 3
Safeties: Wise does a competent job. Owens is about to become a polished player. These starters' ability makes this the Jets' best defensive area.
Tommy Marvaso, a Redskin reject, hasn't shown much.
Performance Quotient: 2"
-Larry Felser, Pro Football 1977
1977 DRAFT SELECTIONS
"Powell should be a top NFL tackle for the next decade. The Jets have to build a line so that Todd can be protected. Then maybe he can connect with his first-rate receivers, who will include Walker, provided his knee is mended.
Marshall should beef up the pass rush. Dierking and Charles White should play a lot. Perry Griggs, Gary Gregory and Joe Klecko can all make this squad, not so much because of their potential as because of the team's lack of quality.
Performance Quotient: 2"
-Larry Felser, Pro Football 1977
"Having been mired in the lower depths of the NFL in recent years due to inept management, inept coaching and inept player talent, the Jets enter the upcoming season seeking to apply the breaks to their backsliding trend and commence a climb back to respectability. The youth movement, started last season with the addition of 13 rookies, moves into its second phase under tough Walt Michaels, the new field boss.
With Joe Namath no longer on hand, the quarterbacking remains rather suspect. The pressure is on young Richard Todd, a strong and mobile soph who looked good in spots last season; an exceptionally fine runner, Todd should be most effective throwing off rollouts that offer him the run option. Steve Joachim, another untested soph, gets first crack at the backup job; should he disappoint, a trade will be a necessity.
Jerome Barkum, the great clutch receiver and power blocker, returns from injury and will likely team on the flanks with prized rookie Wes Walker of California, a little speed-burner in the Cliff Branch mode. Hustling Howard Satterwhite, David Knight, Lou Piccone and newcomer Perry Griggs of Troy State will compete for reserve roles. Barkum and Walker should take the double coverage off tight end Rich Caster, who can be a big play man due to his speed. Rich Osborn has the inside track on the backup tight end job.
Clark Gaines, the unheralded free agent sensation, led all NFL rookie runners with 724 yards rushing and had 41 receptions to boot, a performance that earned him All-Rookie Team honors and the club MVP Award. Dependable Ed Marinaro, burly Steve Davis, shifty Louie Giammona and veteran Bob Gresham are the other returning running backs but a trio of muscular rookies may make one or more of them expendable. Scott Dierking (5-10, 215) of Purdue is a Nottingham-type pinball runner; Charles White (6-1, 215) of Bethune-Cookman could be a real sleeper; Kevin Long (6-1, 205) of South Carolina gets a vote of approval from many pro scouts.
The top draft pick, All-American Marvin Powell (6-4, 270) of USC, was by far the best offensive lineman in the nation last year and will move right into the starting lineup at tackle where he'll team with standout blocker Robert Woods (6-4, 260). Steady Randy Rasmussen (6-2, 255) and hustling Gary Puetz (6-4, 260) will be the guards and versatile Darrell Austin (6-4, 250) the center. Quality depth is provided by center Joe Fields, guards Joe Wysock and Steve King and tackles Al Krevis, John Roman, Winston Hill and rookie prospect Gary Gregory (6-3, 245) of Baylor who doubles at center.
Pat Leahy handles the placekicking and connected on 11 of 16 field goal tries last season; the punting will be the domain of Duane Carrell in light of his respectable 39.7-yard average on 81 attempts in '76. Giammona and Piccone are dependable kick returners if not breakaway threats but both may give way to rookie flash Griggs.
Only Tampa Bay and Seattle allowed more points to opponents than did the Jets last year (383), indicating the prime problem area confronting Michaels this season. The only returning linemen sure of their jobs are Lawrence Pillers (6-3, 250) and Larry Faulk (6-3, 255), both of whom turned in workmanlike performances as novices. Rookie Tank Marshall (6-5, 250) of Texas A & M has the physical tools to be a good one and could win a starting job. Other candidates include massive Carl Barzilauskas (6-6, 280), Richard Neal (6-3, 260), Billy Newsome (6-5, 255) and rookies Joe Klecko (6-2, 255) of Temple and Dan Alexander (6-6, 240) of LSU. Former starting end Mark Lomas (6-4, 250) has missed two seasons with injuries and is questionable.
The linebacking crew is primarily manned by sophomores, all of whom impressed in their rookie seasons. Greg Buttle, another All-Rookie designee, plays the strong side while clever Bob Martin holds down the right flank. Steve Poole may win out over veteran John Ebersole in the middle. Larry Keller, another soph, heads the reserve group that includes Carl Russ, Mike Hennigan and Don Coleman.
The total lack of pressure by the weak defensive line put unfair responsibility on an exceptionally aggressive and hard-hitting set of secondary defenders. Tough Phil Wise and talented Burgess Owens return at the deep posts, with strong Ed Taylor and soph Shafer Suggs the probable starters on the corners. Rich Sowells, Leonard Dunlap and Tom Marvaso come back as reserves, [joined by] rookie Bob Grupp of Duke who can also handle the punting chores if needed.
The Jets, with their abundance of young players and new philosophy, enter the '77 campaign with nothing to lose and everything to gain. 'We are committed to our rebuilding program and to our young quarterback,' states Michaels, explaining the main challenges of the coming season. While they do not loom as any threat to their divisional rivals, they could spring a few upsets along the way, particularly if Michaels is able to put together a defensive line.
'77 Forecast: 5th Place"
-Football Forecast 1977, published by Lexington Library, Inc.
"Now that the Jets have gone through the '76 season without finding out whether Richard Todd can play quarterback in the pros, they'll try to find out in '77. One thing's for sure. For the first time in 13 years Joe Namath isn't expected to be around.
Things haven't been the same for the Jets since 1970 when they posted a 4-10 mark. Injuries murdered them. Then their stars from the 1969 Super Bowl began to fade and the Jets organization couldn't come up with anybody to replace them.
Jet fans are fed up waiting for Namath to go. As great as he was in his heyday, he's been a hobbled, immobile quarterback for the past few years. And what's the use of having him with a team that is continually rebuilding?
Lou Holtz, who signed a five-year contract to rebuild the Jets last year, was a sham. He's quite a standup comedian and was hilarious as a coach. He cut several good players and picked up worse from the waiver list. He gave the club cheerleading songs. He called plays for Namath, then didn't call plays for Namath. Joe Baby was man enough not to mouth off publicly against this little man with glasses, who quit before the end of the season and now is back in the college ranks.
Walt Michaels, a longtime Jets organization man who was an All-Pro linebacker, finally landed the head job this January. It was a job he was passed over twice for. In 1974 Weeb Ewbank passed the job to his son-in-law, Charlie Winner, who did a bad job and eventually was fired.
'I've known our owners a long time,' said Michaels. 'They know what it takes to produce a winner and they are with Al Ward and me in this challenge.' Both Michaels and Ward received three-year contracts.
After accepting the job as coach of the club with two straight 3-11 seasons, Michaels said, 'Nothing is improbable. We'll try to get the best players as fast as we can. Last year was a building year and I don't think we lost anything. If we can continue with the things we did, we can build from there.'
The Jets are committed full scale with Todd unless they can land a veteran in a trade. Holtz's indecisiveness hampered the former Alabama star's progress last year. The coach seemed to be phasing out Namath for the youngster, but kept changing his mind about the starting quarterback throughout the season. Todd hit on 40 per cent of his passes for 870 yards. He also was intercepted 12 times. Namath made 50 per cent of his aerials for 1,090 yards. He had 16 interceptions and got sacked 16 times as the enemy surged through the porous Jets offensive line with regularity. Namath has spent too much time playing 'catch-up' football and would be helpful to a contender.
In evaluating the season after a 42-3 loss to Cincinnati in which he made good on four of 15 passes for 20 yards, Namath said, 'When a team's been down as long as we have, everyone's at fault. The players need direction. You start rebuilding from the bottom, where the players are, and if that doesn't work, you look somewhere else. We need guidance and leadership.'
Only Tampa Bay had a worse offense last season and the Jets defense was only a little better. One good find was rookie free agent running back Clark Gaines, who gained 724 yards. He moved in for Ed Marinaro, the former Viking in his first year with the Jets. An injury shelved the former Cornell star for the remainder of the season. Steve Davis, who quit summer camp then rejoined the club, was the next best rusher, but he suffered from a bad case of fumble-itis.
Little Louie Giammona, 5-9, and Bob Gresham were the backup running backs. Losing John Riggins, who played out his option, to Washington was another blow.
The Jets do have a dandy bunch of receivers in Richard Caster, who played out his option and may be going elsewhere; Jerome Barkum, who was hurt most of last year; and David Knight, who wasn't his usual glue-fingered self last year.
With Winston Hill retiring after seeing little action last year, his 14th in the pros, the offensive line shapes with Gary Puetz, Randy Rasmussen, Joe Fields and Robert Woods among the leading holdovers.
Defensive linemen Richard Neal, Billy Newsome and Carl Barzilauskas are among those whose production fell short in '76. Tackle Ed Galigher played out his option. There should be plenty of jobs up for grabs, but Larry Pillers, brilliant as a rookie end, should hold on to his. For secondary men, the choice is Burgess Owens, Shafer Suggs, Phil Wise, Rich Sowells and Ed Taylor. John Ebersole, Greg Buttle, Steve Poole, Larry Keller and Bob Martin are the returning linebackers.
Pat Leahy proved to be a capable place kicker. Duane Carrell is the punter. It looks like another long season."
-Dick Joyce, Complete Sports 1977 Pro Football Special Preview
"Aside from the end of Joe Namath's legendary career as a Jet quarterback, the biggest offensive news of 1976 (among the Jets) was a running back whose name is, appropriately, Gaines- Clark Gaines, that is. He's the hero of a very unusual story.
A total of 68 running backs were chosen during the 1976 NFL collegiate draft in New York. Gaines, a six-one, 198-pound speedster from Wake Forest, wasn't among those selected by the 28 NFL clubs. But the Jets were alert in this instance at least, and signed Gaines as a free agent. And what happened? Gaines ran for 724 yards to lead all NFL rookie rushers and became the Jets' Most Valuable Player. Who needs the draft?
Veteran tackle Winston Hill extended his consecutive-games-played streak to 195. He now faces his fifteenth NFL season.
On the defensive unit, there were also some shining moments for the rookies, even though such instances were few. The first year linebacking trio of Greg Buttle, Bob Martin and Larry Keller highlighted an otherwise unimpressive performance as a defense as a whole. The front line, too, had first-year standouts in Larry Pillers, an eleventh-round pick from Alcorn State, and Larry Faulk, a seventh-round choice from Kent State.
The most momentous development for the Jets, however, is the departure of Joe Namath and what that will mean to the club's offensive style. Thirty-three-year-old Joe, as every fan knows, has gimpy knees- knees that have definitely seen better days. The opposition knew the way to get the Jets was to get Joe, and they did.
Unlike most successful modern quarterbacks, Namath has little or no mobility. He takes the ball from the center, fades back and uncorks his arm in a long or short pass- and that's it. If anything interferes with that procedure, like onrushing defensive end types, then it's just a part of the game. Joe is a lot of things, but a scrambler he is not.
There's some question as to whether Richard Todd, Namath's protege in his closing days with the Jets, can step into the breach. The Jets may need more than Todd is able to provide. And the new quarterback, whoever he is, may be much more mobile than Namath, necessitating changes to an offensive line that, for years, has been used to protecting a drop-back-no-scramble passer.
The announcement that Namath was being put on waivers by the Jets brought back a flood of memories. Joe's problems came into focus during a preseason game with the Detroit Lions back in 1971. The contest was played one Saturday night in Tampa. Joe had just thrown a pass that was intercepted by Detroit linebacker Mike Lucci- and Lucci was running for a touchdown with only Namath standing in the way. Namath was ready, but Detroit's Paul Naumoff, another linebacker, blocked him out of the play- and Joe came up holding his left knee and its torn ligaments. He had missed most of the previous season with a broken wrist; now he was facing his fourth knee operation.
Five years later, and it was a long time, a sad-eyed Joe was waving good-bye to New York- for he had just become a waiver himself."
-Norman MacLean and Herbert M. Furlow, The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1977
OFFENSE
"Quarterbacks: Now that Joe has been let out to sunnier pastures, fellow Alabama quarterback Todd seems the likely successor- or does he? Todd's performance as Joe's stand-in hasn't been all that impressive, and Walt Michaels may to rethink the entire situation.
Steve Joachim is an untried second-year rookie who may now get a chance to show his stuff.
Running Backs: See how they run. This group has lots of ball-carrying ability, light and fast as they are. Louie Giammona (and wide receiver Lou Piccone) earned their jobs as 'quick returners' on punts and kickoffs. Bob Gresham carried only 30 times in 1976 for a 3.1-yard average.
Ed Marinaro ran two straight 100-yard games, tying a club record, but then hurt his foot and had to stop for a while. Taking Marinaro's place was rookie free agent Gaines who, at season's end, wound up leading the Jet rushers with 724 yards (and a 4.6 average). He led in pass receptions as well, with 41. Steve Davis didn't slough off, either; he racked up 418 yards in 94 attempts.
Receivers: Jerome Barkum, one of the best, was hampered with a severely pulled muscle all last year, and Richard Caster carried much of the receiving load. But Caster had to struggle with double-teaming defense all season. If both of these speedsters are in good shape, the Jets' passing game will get a big boost. In 1976 David Knight came along fast, then slowed down, but he has potential.
Howard Satterwhite got attention as a rookie, catching seven for 110 yards. Don Buckey gets another chance this year.
Rookie Wesley Walker holds the NCAA mark of 25.7 yards per pass catch.
Interior Linemen: The Jets' offensive unit finished way down the list in 1976. Overall, the club could gain only 252.1 yards per game, so they came out ranking 25th among the NFL's 28 teams. The rushing and passing offenses were equally ineffective. Jet quarterback were sacked 45 times.
Hill has played many games since joining the Jets in 1963. He's now 36 and retirement beckons. Randy Rasmussen has put in a lot of time, too, but he's still one of the best guards around. Darrell Austin was bothered last season with a recurring neck injury.
Michaels is already blueprinting the offensive line to make room for Marvin Powell, the USC All-America tackle.
Kickers: Quarterback Todd has also been know to punt a few, but Duane Carrell's 39.7 average was good enough to place him among the league's top ten punters last season. One of Pat Leahy's field goals was a 47-yarder."
-Norman MacLean and Herbert M. Furlow, The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1977
DEFENSE
"Front Linemen: The Jets finished 1976 ranked twenty-fifth in league total offense, and they achieved the same distinction on defense, allowing an overall average of 351.1 yards per game. The passing defense was somewhat more impressive than the defense against the rush, but not much.
On the pass rush, the Jets sacked quarterbacks only occasionally. Opposing passers, it would seem, practically had time to rewrite playbooks if they so desired. Michaels could spend all his time working here. Tank Marshall is reputed to resemble his nickname.
Linebackers: Michaels was a four-time All-Pro linebacker in his playing days with the Browns, so he should know whereof he speaks. And he says Buttle is a future All-Pro. It figures- Buttle is a linebacker out of Penn State, where they have the patent on good ones.
In fact, Michaels is strong here since his three second-year linebackers have come through their rookie seasons in style; the other are Bob Martin and Larry Keller. Keller was especially impressive in the two Jet victories over Buffalo, intercepting a pass that led to a touchdown, blocking a punt for six points, recovering two fumbles and causing a fumble that set up a field goal.
As for Buttle, Michaels declares: 'When he hits people, he buries them.'
Cornerbacks: The Jets' secondary was a disaster area at season's end. Ed Taylor sustained both knee and ankle sprains in late-season contests, and Shafer Suggs was hobbled by an ankle that sidelined him the last two games. In addition, safety Phil Wise's severe knee sprain kept him out of the last two contests, forcing a general shuffling of linebacker and secondary personnel in order to field a defensive unit.
In fact, at one point only three men were available for the defensive secondary- safety Burgess Owens, corner Rich Sowells and swing man Tommy Marvaso. General Manager Al Ward got on the telephone trying to find a fourth ... and not for bridge.
Safeties: The Jets intercepted only 11 passes in 1976, and opposition quarterbacks successfully completed 55 percent of their throws. Injuries hampered both the cornerbacks and safeties as the season ground to a close. There's work to be done here."
-Norman MacLean and Herbert M. Furlow, The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1977
"Gone is Joe Namath, who had only one great season with the Jets, that Super Bowl season of 1968, but the memory of that glorious year made New York fans smile and forget all his mediocre seasons. Without him, the team will be more unified, but unity without quality isn't going to win many ball games.
Gone also is last year's rookie coach, Lou Holtz, replaced by Walt Michaels. Who could blame Lou for fleeing back to a college campus after a look at last season's stats- the Jets ranked 13th of 14 in total offense, 11th in rushing, 13th in passing. On defense they were 12th- 13th against the rush, ninth against the pass.
The official Jet line was that 1976 was a year of learning and building, with 14 rookies on the squad. At best, however, 1977 will be another year of learning and building.
OFFENSE: Young Richard Todd, who completed only 40% of his passes while splitting the quarterback job with Namath, inherits the steering wheel of a rickety offense. Rookies Phil Gargis (Auburn) and Matt Robinson (Georgia) are backup possibilities.
Running back Clark Gaines led all rookie rushers with 724 yards and a 4.6 average. He was the club's MVP. The other running back figures to be Ed Marinaro, out half the season with a bad foot. A high draft choice was Scott Dierking (Purdue). He'll join Steve Davis and Louie Giammona as backups.
'We need strong performances from both Jerome Barkum and Richard Caster to make the passing game go,' says Michaels, perhaps thinking of the inexperience of his quarterback. The other wide receiver is David Knight, with Lou Piccone in reserve. Wes Walker (California) was a No. 2 pick.
The offensive line will look like a musical chair game as Michaels tries to cement a leaky wall that saw its quarterback dumped 45 times. The No. 1 [draft choice] was Marvin Powell, a USC tackle, and No. 5 was Gary Gregory, a tackle from Baylor. Right now Randy Rasmussen and Gary Gregory figure to be the guards; Joe Fields is the center.
DEFENSE: The front four sacked only 16 quarterbacks, lowest in the NFL. A defensive end, Tank Marshall (Texas A & M) was the Jets' third pick in the draft. Larry Pillers, a rookie last season, and Richard Neal are the incumbent ends. Billy Newsome and Carl Barzilauskas are the probable tackles, but Michaels has to make changes here.
The linebacking seems set with Greg Buttle, John Ebersole and Bob Martin, backed by Larry Keller. In the secondary are a capable foursome of Burgess Owens, Phil Wise, Ed Taylor and Shafer Suggs, all crying for a stronger pass rush.
SPECIALISTS: Pat Leahy kicks long and accurately (11 of 16), but Duane Carrell's punts could hang longer. Fleet Lou Piccone and tough Louie Giammona return the kicks.
STRENGTHS: Promising deep backs on defense; reliable field goal kicker; solid linebacking.
WEAKNESSES: Sluggish pass rush; an offensive line lacking both quality and experience; no proven quarterback; glaring holes spotted all through the offense and the defense.
THE CRYSTAL BALL SAYS: In a tough division, last year's 3-11 record may not equalled."
-John Devaney, Schenley Pro Football Guide 1977
OFFENSE
"So bad last year that three plays and punt was considered a good drive. Nobody in the league lost the ball more often on fumbles and interceptions, so all the Jets have to do to improve the 25th best (fourth worst) offense is merely learn to hold the ball.
To call New York efforts with the ball an attack is a misnomer. It's a surrender. But things should get better, if for no other reason than the departure of Joe Namath. He no longer has the ability to carry a weak offense, and now the Jets won't continue to waste time with him, instead turning attention to finding a quarterback of the future.
The first try goes to Richard Todd, who proved little last year. He'll have a tough time because he lacks much of a supporting cast. The Jets have a gutsy runner (Clark Gaines), one of the better tight ends (Richard Caster), a highly rated wide receiver (Jerome Barkum) and holes in most of the other positions. Despite the great future expected from No. 1 draftee Marvin Powell at tackle, the offensive line is mediocre. The fullback position is poor and the wide receiving spot opposite Barkum will be a revolving door unless rookie Wesley Walker can take over. He missed much of '76 with a knee injury. The picture is bleak."
-Rich Kucner, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1977 Edition
DEFENSE
"Like the offense, ranked 25th. Equally adept at yielding yardage to the run and the pass. But when you stir around the ashes, if there's a spark of hope anywhere, it's on defense, where the Jets of '76 came up with a handful of kids who showed promise for the future.
Three of them, Greg Buttle, Bob Martin and Larry Keller, are linebackers, and Shafer Suggs and Burgess Owens hold the promise of some quality in the secondary.
But it's what's up front that counts, and that's where the Jets ain't got it. Nobody, not even Tampa Bay, had less than New York's 16 sacks. Consider that Coy Bacon alone had 26 for Cincinnati, and you get an idea of how weak the Jet rush is. Rush? It's a walk, a Sunday afternoon stroll.
Apparently Jets management believe the fault lies entirely with the players and not the coaching, because defensive coordinator Walt Michaels was rewarded with the head coaching job."
-Rich Kucner, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1977 Edition
KICKING GAME
"Not much here, either. Punt returns and kickoff coverage were poor, while punt coverage, kickoff returns, punting and placekicking were mediocre. The Jets aren't likely to win many on the strength of the kicking game."
-Rich Kucner, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1977 Edition
THE ROOKIES
"The addition of Marvin Powell (USC) to the offensive line is likely to add years to Richard Todd's life expectancy and another 100 or so yards to Clark Gaines' stats. He was the best offensive lineman in the draft. Wide receiver Wesley Walker (California) could also find an immediate starting berth. He's a good one."
-Rich Kucner, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1977 Edition
OUTLOOK
"The Jet problems weren't created overnight and they won't be solved overnight, either. The offense is poor, the defense is poor, the city treasury is poor ... everybody's poor except Joe Namath, and he took the money and ran. The Jets are a solid bet for last place in their division, down from fourth a year ago."
-Rich Kucner, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1977 Edition
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