Jets Franchise a Jets Franchise on Madden '13

[JeriousNorwood]

I figured I would give this a shot. My last attempt at a CCM before the new Madden comes out. I started a Jets franchise because they have the most to work on and I simmed the first season to get to the offseason so I could start building my team. We'll pick up right after the draft.

NFL Draft - Round 1 Recap
Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt
1	Cardinals	Austin Duncan	QB	6'1"	236
2	Jaguars	Andre Jackson	DT	6'4"	304
3	Raiders	Asa Davidson	LOLB	6'4"	241
4	Vikings	Jamal Bonner	WR	6'5"	243
5	Giants	D'Cota Bell	HB	5'11"	192
6	Rams	Jordan Norwell	QB	6'3"	234
7	Bears	Keenan Vincent	LT	6'6"	319
8	Chiefs	Justin Paskorz	QB	6'2"	224
9	Patroits	Demetre King	LE	6'6"	272
10	Jets	Willie Burns	ROLB	6'6"	280
11	Steelers	Jamel Ramsey	HB	5'9"	217
12	Buccaneers	Dylan Brown	TE	6'5"	262
13	Patriots	Josh Morgan	C	6'1"	295
14	Bills	Keith Malone	DT	6'4"	308
15	Browns	Kain Wilcoxson	LG	6'5"	308
16	Lions	Leonard Washington	LOLB	6'2"	227
17	Jets	Bull Griggs	HB	6'1"	247
18	Ravens	Arik Casher	FS	6'2"	205
19	Titans	Jamille Buchanan	LE	6'5"	271
20	Falcons	Kendall Jones	DT	6'4"	308
21	Buccaneers	Darian Robinson	RT	6'6"	303
22	Chargers	Mike Gates	SS	6'0"	210
23	Colts	Zachary Rotenkolber	C	6'3"	308
24	Seahawks	Eric Derise	TE	6'4"	255
25	Broncos	Austin Amerau	DT	6'2"	329
26	Rams	Jeremy Whiteside	RE	6'5"	317
27	Texans	Chris Lockhart	RG	6'4"	306
28	Packers	Andrew Smith	CB	5'10"	185
29	49ers	Sean Oduh	WR	6'4"	224
30	Broncos	Tercel Dean	WR	6'3"	221
31	Saints	Andrew Brown	CB	6'1"	205
32	Chargers	Montell Barnard	CB	5'10"	186

--
Correction: MY draft is below.

NFL Draft - Round 1 Recap
Pick	Player	College	Pos	Ht	Wt
1-10	Willie Burns	Arizona	ROLB	6'6"	280
1-17	Bull Griggs	UCLA	HB	6'1"	247
2-10	Akia Green	Utah	WR	5'11"	187
2-17	Jerald Grant	Kent State	DT	6'3"	308
2-26	Rodney Maye	Oklahoma	CB	6'2"	204
3-10	A.J. Mims	USC	CB	6'1"	201
3-24	Jalen Williams	Rutgers	WR	5'10"	190
4-10	Adrian Jackson	Northwestern	TE	6'7"	260
5-10	Earl Williams	Ohio State	MLB	6'1"	240
5-12	Danny Martens	Butler	QB	6'4"	229
5-19	Bar'ee Venable	Grambling State	RG	6'3"	304
6-10	Marcus Rigsy	Townson State	WR	6'2"	226
7-10	Kooper Cosbert	Idaho	LE	6'4"	290

The reason I had so many picks was that I traded away many starters so I could completely rebuild my team. Those players I traded away include: D. Revis, D. Keller, S. Pouha, B. Moore, D. Harris and B. Scott. This left me with a bevy of picks which I will describe in my next post.

[JeriousNorwood]

(1-10) Willie Burns, ROLB: How often can you score a 6'6" 280 linebacker that is as fast as cornerbacks? Yeah, it's rare, and that's why the Jets took the leap grabbing Burns here. Granted Burns being designated as a ROLB should be taken with a grain of salt. He played defensive end his entire college career and was expected to be taken as the first or second defensive lineman taken in the draft. Why he switched positions right before is anyone's guess. Maybe he fancied standing up and rushing the quarterback in a 3-4 defense. That's exactly what he'll have to do because he is downright horrible in coverage and would be hard pressed to see the field in a 4-3 defense. He fell into the perfection situation in New York, and New York found their perfect match. The Jets may finally have a dynamic pass rusher.

(1-17) Bull Griggs, HB: Griggs was apart of the absurd 1-2 punch of him and the Giants' D'Cota Bell. While Bell was universally praised as the top running back prospect in the nation due to his great speed and quickness, Griggs wasn't that far behind. He was the thunder to Bell's lightning that had UCLA storming to a national championship. The interesting thing was that the Jets', according to sources, had Griggs rated as the top HB in the draft and they liked him so much that they actually traded up from the 21st pick in the draft to make sure they got their guy. Many feel this 6'1", 247 pound mountain of a man could be the next Marshawn Lynch, but those who are high on this prospect think his ceiling is the next Earl Campbell. We wouldn't get that crazy about him yet, but the kid can definitely run through defenders.

(2-10) Akia Green, WR: Touted as the best wide receiver in college football, it was a surprise to see him fall so far. The two things working against him were his small size for a wide receiver (5'11") and the small school he came from (Utah). Scouts were quick to realize that he was the most pro-ready prospect and that he was the best receiver in the draft, but he lacked the ideal size needed to go in the first round. The Jets weren't complaining. Many scouts compared him to Carolina's Steve Smith. Never a bad comparison there. He should compete for a starting job right out of the gate.

(2-17) Jerald Grant, DT: Grant is one of those players where his combine really helped his stock. Coming from a small MAC school, it would take a lot for Grant to get noticed, but that he did. He posted a 4.8 forty time, best for any DT in the class along with doing an average amount of reps for his position. He's got an absurd amount of athleticism for a defensive tackle and the Jets were willing to look past the fact he hasn't faced any big school competition in his collegiate career.

(2-26) Rodney Maye, CB: My how the mighty have risen and fallen. Coming into the season Maye was ranked as a fifth round pick. However, after exploding onto the scene with Oklahoma after injuries to other players, he took advantage of his time and was speculated to contend with the Ravens' Arik Casher to be the top picked corner in the draft. Then the breaking down of the tape as well as the combine and interviews happened and Maye fell, and fell hard. Many scouts feel he just got very lucky in college and will be just a one hit wonder. Maye does, however have incredible size and amazing strength for his position. The Jets are taking the chance that he can produce at his collegiate levels again.

(3-10) A.J. Mims, CB: After drafting a 6'2" corner in Maye, the Jets went right back to the well drafting the 6'1" A.J. Mims at corner. While he may not be as physical as Maye, Mims is more athletic and can guard one on one just as well. The only concern with Mims is that some teams were beginning to get the thought that Mims is a bit aloof and has a hard time comprehending the playbook. Some fear what may happen once Mims gets that contract. Can he stay motivated? The Jets sure hope so.

(3-24) Jalen Williams, WR: Another undersized wide receiver, but he's one where the size is just fine. Unlike Akia Green, Williams isn't trying to be a receiver on the outside, at least not yet. He will undoubtedly be New York's slot receiver due to his exceptional ability to make catches in traffic and most importantly his incredible elusiveness. Many compare him to a Dexter McCluster, just a better wide receiver. He should be a great playmaker over the middle for whoever ends up being the team's quarterback.

(4-10) Adrian Jackson, TE: Jackson is an absolute freak. He may not be quite what Jimmy Graham is, but his abilities are absurd. Standing at a towering 6'7" and 260 pounds, Jackson is a match up nightmare. He's too fast for most linebackers and definitely too large for corners to guard him. Sure his blocking leaves something to be desired, but the problems he will cause for defenses will be immense. Pairing him up with the other tight end on the roster, Hayden Smith makes for two 6'7" tight ends. Talk about the twin towers. Why he fell so far is odd to us. It could be because he came from a small school and faced inferior competition. Sure he might not be the most pro ready player out there, but he definitely has the highest ceiling of any tight end drafted in this class.

(5-10) Earl Williams, MLB: Williams was a combine star. Not only was he one of the fastest linebackers in the draft class, he was also one of the strongest. He hits like a brick and is actually decent in coverage. He dropped this far because he never actually got to start at Ohio State. He played great in spurts, but he was stuck behind other players at the position. Coming into the NFL he may get his chance to shine since his main competition is Demario Davis, and reports indicate that the Jets may not be ready to hand the keys over to him yet. It should be a battle in the pre-season.

(5-12) Danny Martens, QB: Many draft pundits were wondering why the Jets hadn't taken a quarterback up until this point. It was clear that the new regieme wanted to do away with the black hole that was Mark Sanchez and Time Tebow at quarterback. Erase all ghosts of those pasts. New York, however, felt there wasn't anyone worth taking that high after they missed on super prospect Austin Duncan who ended up going number one to the Cardinals. There was a reason they waited so long, they were intrigued by Danny Martens. Reports say that the Jets had him ranked as their number two quarterback in the draft. Martens is an interesting prospect. He had probably the strongest arm and prettiest deep ball in the draft, but he didn't become a big prospect until late in the season and he was passed on so much because of his background. He had a very troubled past and many wondered if he could ever lead a locker room. At this point in the draft the Jets felt the risk was worth it.

(5-19) Bar'ee Venable, RG: The Jets thought they were getting good value here with Venable. He is an absolute mauler and put up a top five score in the combine with bench reps. He should be great depth for the Jets at the guard position.

(6-10) Marcus Rigsy, WR: Three wide receivers in one draft may be overkill, but the Jets felt that it was worth it, sifting for talent. This far down in the draft, a wide receiver with Rigsy's size and polish is rare to find. The problem with him, besides him playing in a non-BCS school is the fact that he's just average at everything and doesn't excel at any one thing. We'll see how he plays out this coming season.

(7-10) Kooper Cosbert, LE: New York's most interesting pick may have been their last. Cosbert has one of the most intriguing story of this draft. This 26 year old rookie was once an professional wrestler, but after the league collapsed, he had to look elsewhere for work. This lead him to him trying to get a shot in the NFL. The year he spent in Idaho playing collegiate ball gave scouts hope he may play on Sunday's. He displayed a real blue-collar attitude on the field and never quit. Being a wrestler he brings a nice combo of speed and strength. Whether or not he will be able to stick onto the Jets' roster and this fairy tale story continues is another story. He's someone that everyone is rooting for.

[JeriousNorwood]

I simulated the preseason. Here's some stories leading into the start of the season:

Say Hello to "Smash and Smash"


Smash mouth runner Stevan Ridley joins rookie Bull Griggs to form one of the most intimidating backfields in recent memory.

Remember the duo Smash and Dash? Aka LenDale White and Chris Johnson? Well running back Bull Griggs and newly acquired Stevan Ridley have begun calling themselves "Smash and Smash". Yes, you heard that right, newly acquired Stevan Ridley. Word was that Ridley got into coach Belichick's doghouse after fumbling too much along with the emergence of running back Shane Vreen. Thus, he was put onto the trade block during the pre-season. The Jets' offered up a 5th round pick, and to their surprise, it was accepted.

What does this mean? The Jets and Rex Ryan finally have that "ground and pound" running game they have wanted for so long. This is the first attempt at a platoon with two bruising running backs since the Steelers had Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis. After rounds of cuts, the Jets also lucked into being able to sign the diminutive Jacquizz Rodgers as their 3rd down back. He may fight for touches too. After a major overhaul to their running back position the Jets ended up cutting Bilal Powell and Joe McKnight, leaving zero running backs on last year's roster on this year's.

Matt Moore to Start at Quarterback


Known as one of the top back-up quarterbacks in the league, he finally gets his opportunity to shine as a starter.

Formerly at the top of everyone's list of "top back-up quarterbacks in the league", Matt Moore will finally get his chance to start NFL games. In light of him winning the quarterback competition in the pre-season and not wanting to have to constantly deal with the media discussion their back-ups more than their starts, the Jets have parted ways with Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez. Colt McCoy and rookie Danny Martens will back him up.

Moore was very to the point in his interview saying that he was "very grateful for the opportunity and is looking forward to winning in New York." His time to shine is here and prove that he's not merely a good back-up but a legitimate NFL starter.

Cromarties' Unite!


Dominique will be joining his cousin Antonio in New York.

After the departure of Derelle Revis to the 49ers, Antonio Cromartie was expected to start along side Kyle Wilson, that is, until the Jets got their hand on Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie who successfully usurped Wilson on the depth chart. Thus, there will be two Cromartie's starting for the Jets. That means there will be an absurd amount of athleticism on that field and quarterbacks will have to think twice before throwing in their direction.

---

You guys OK with my writing? I'm trying to give a more personal experience to my franchise by making up all of these back stories. Helps me relate to my franchise more. I hope you enjoy reading.

[JeriousNorwood]

Week One Depth Chart

New York Jets Depth Chart - 2013
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	A. Green*	S. Hill
TE	A. Jackson*	H. Smith	L. Paulsen
LT	D. Ferguson	J. Smith
LG	M. Slauson	V. Ducasse	B. Venable*
C	N. Mangold	S. Vallos
RG	G. Schwartz	V. Ducasse	B. Venable*
RT	A. Howard	J. Smith
WR	D. Bowe	J. Williams*	B. Hartline
QB	M. Moore	C. McCoy	D. Martens
FB	V. Brackett*
HB	S. Ridley	B. Griggs*	J. Rodgers	J. Demps
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	M. Wilkerson	K. Cosbert*	W. Young	J. Cunningham
NT	J. Grant*	K. Ellis	L. Fangupo
RDE	Q. Coples	K. Cosbert*	W. Young	J. Cunningham
LOLB	W. Burns*	A. Curry	K. Rivers	C. Carter
LILB	E. Williams*	A. Curry	N. Bellore
RILB	D. Davis	K. Rivers	N. Bellore
ROLB	P. Kruger	A. Curry	K. Rivers	C. Carter
CB	A. Cromartie	K. Wilson	A. Mims*
SS	A. Spivey	N. Allen
FS	L. Landry	B. Underwood
CB	D. Rodgers-Cromartie	R. Maye*	T. Campbell
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	D. Buehler
P	D. Butler
H	C. McCoy
PR	J. Demps	J. Williams*
KR	J. Demps	J. Williams*
LS	N. Mangold

[packersfan4eva]

So dumb that you can't import NCAA classes. But maybe in 14?

[KBLover]

Griggs and Ridley in the backfield? I'm going to like this just for that.

Akia Green and Martens combo can be electrifying. Combine that with play action and stretching the field - the Jets offense could be really dangerous.

Earl Williams is solid, too. I passed on Willie Burns, so interested in seeing how he develops.

Can't wait to see how it turns out for you!

[JeriousNorwood]

Accidentally put the player stats in the wrong boxes. Everything else should be right.

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets
Sep 8, 2013	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Buffalo Bills (0-1)	7	7	0	7	21
New York Jets (1-0)	7	17	3	0	26

Team Stats Comparison
	BUF	NYJ
Total Offense	271	273
Rushing Yards	89	113
Passing Yards	182	160
First Downs	16	15
Punt Return Yards	0	39
Kick Return Yards	0	104
Total Yards	271	416
Turnovers	3	1
3rd Down Converstion	5	4
4th Down Conversion	0	1
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	3/0	2/2
Penalties	1-15	1-5
Posession Time	25:05	26:55

Buffalo Bills PASSING C/A YDS TD INT M. Moore 12/19 168 2 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD B. Griggs 17 67 3.9 0 S. Ridley 12 44 3.7 0 V. Brackett 3 8 2.7 0 J. Rodgers 1 -3 -3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD A. Green 4 82 20.5 2 D. Bowe 3 32 10.7 0 J. Rodgers 3 25 8.3 0 A. Jackson 2 29 14.5 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK N/A DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD E. Williams 11 1 1 1 D. Davis 6 1 0 0 L. Landry 5 0 0 0 A. Spievey 4 0 1 0 K. Cosbert 4 3 0 0 D. Rodgers-Cromartie 3 0 0 0 P. Kruger 2 0 0 0 R. Maye 2 0 0 0 K. Wilson 1 0 0 0 A. Cromartie 1 0 1 0 N. Allen 1 0 0 0 W. Young 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG D. Buehler 2/2 3/3 9 39 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 D. Butler 2 104 52.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD J. Demps 4 104 26.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD J. Demps 4 39 9.8 0

New York Jets PASSING C/A YDS TD INT R. Fitzpatrick 17/28 208 1 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD C. Spiller 15 37 2.5 1 R. Fitzpatrick 3 27 9.0 1 S. Johnson 2 16 8.0 0 F. Jackson 3 9 3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD S. Chandler 6 83 13.8 0 M. Clayton 5 69 13.8 0 R. Thomas 3 26 8.7 1 C. Spiller 2 16 8.0 0 S. Johnson 1 14 14.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK K. Urbik 1 0 C. Glenn 0 2 C. Rachal 0 2 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD J. Byrd 11 0 0 0 S. Smith 7 0 0 0 K. Williams 7 0 1 0 G. Wilson 6 0 0 0 K. Sheppard 6 0 0 0 N. Bradham 3 0 0 0 S. Gilmore 3 1 0 0 B. Thomas 2 0 0 0 K. Lewis 2 0 0 0 D. Smith 2 0 0 0 M. Williams 1 0 0 0 M. Anderson 1 0 0 0 N. Barnett 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG N/A PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 K. Huber 4 165 41.3 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD N/A PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD N/A

Night of the Rookies

• With nine rookies starting for this team, yes, you read that right, nine, there was plenty of room for someone to make an impact. Three stepped up to the plate and made an impact that no one could have expected.
  
• On the offensive side of the ball, the big playmaker was Akia Green. This doesn't come as too much of a surprise because of the huge impact he made in college and his high draft grade. However for him to step up like he did so early was a huge surprise, especially considering Matt Moore has Dwayne Bowe to throw to as well. This could have been a case of Green catching the defense off guard as they spent most of their time doubling Bowe and allowing Green to get one on one coverage. However, the fact is that Green found himself open often and he was great after the catch. It was clear that he was one of the fastest players on the field. After this game, Green won't be catching anyone off guard.
  
• Earl Williams's impact was much more of a surprise than Green's. After earning the starting job in the preseason, it was a question of whether he could keep his production up in the regular season, and he answered those questions quickly. He has already shown himself to be the leader of the defense. Every single team that passed on him will begin to regret it after his performance of eleven tackles, a sack, and an interception returned for a touchdown. If this wasn't just a flash in the pan and Williams is this good, the Jets just locked down a franchise middle linebacker.
  
• The biggest and most inspiring story this weekend was that of Kooper Cosbert. We've heard his story, the 26 year old defensive end who was a professional wrestler. He barely got drafted and managed to get a back-up position with the Jets. Thanks to an injury to Muhammad Wilkerson, Cosbert was forced into the starting line-up. The rookie responded in a way completely unexpected. He compiled three sacks! Three sacks in one game is amazing enough, but coming from a 3-4 defensive end is insane. The first sack was met with great cheers, the second the crowd went crazy, and the third shook the house. His third sack led to a punt late in the fourth quarter and essentially helped win the game for the Jets. Cosbert represents the hard working underdog that everyone roots for and he has quickly become a crowd favorite. Quinton Coples better watch out, because with his momentum, Cosbert might get the starting job when Wilkerson comes back from injury.
  
• It has quickly become apparent that Matt Moore is merely a game manager for the Jets and that's just how the coaching staff wants it. The less he throws and the more "Smash and Smash" can run, the better for the team.

League News

• The Next Big Thing?: Oklahoma HB Lucious Dufree was a sought after recruit, but after signing with Southern Miss, he lost two seasons to knee injuries and is now simply hoping for a comeback.
• Best LT Ever?: Michigan LT Otto Freese is the most dominant tackle in the country. He's coming off a junior season where he won the prestigious Lombardi award.
• Gift From The Heavens: UCLA's Rob Robonovich is the best QB prospect to come along in 30 years. He's a once-in-a-generation player guaranteed to become an immediate star at the next level.
• Due to a severe injury, Jon Beason will not be able to continue his season. Doctors are hoping he'll return by next season.
• Brian Cushing and the Texans have agreed on a 6-year contract extension worth $48.0M.
• The Ravens made re-signing FB Vonta Leach a priority and succeeded: He's agreed to a contract worth $20.0M over 5 years.
• Contract neegotiations are at a standstill as the latest offer of a contract extension by the Jaguars has been rejected by Greg Jones.
• The Raiders have agreed to a deal worth $13.0M over 4 years with Marcel Reece.
• Sources confirm that contract negotiations have failed between Clay Matthews and the Packers after he rejected the team's current contract offer

[JeriousNorwood]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBLover

Griggs and Ridley in the backfield? I'm going to like this just for that. Akia Green and Martens combo can be electrifying. Combine that with play action and stretching the field - the Jets offense could be really dangerous. Earl Williams is solid, too. I passed on Willie Burns, so interested in seeing how he develops. Can't wait to see how it turns out for you!

Yeah I've actually been following your franchise more closely once I realized you drafted Martens and Griggs. I think it's quite funny thought to look at someone who has had the same draft class like me and you and see just how many of the same players we drafted.

But yes, the prospect of a Ridley/Griggs backfield has me giddy. Good thing Matt Moore's rating of handing the ball off is a 99.