Remembering, ranking the 10 greatest New York Jets teams of all-time

Since their days as the Titans, the New York Jets have played football since 1960. Which teams rank as the greatest in franchise history? Sixty---the number of seasons the New York Jets organization owns under its belt since 1960. Known as the Titans, the Harry Wismer-owned franchise entered the upstart American Football League (AFL). The success rate, although not pretty, still trumps a solid collection of other National Football League (NFL) organizations. Sixty years, a 408-500-8 record, 14 playoff appearances, four division championships and one monumental Super Bowl that changed the face of football forever. There it is in a nutshell. That's the quick line that'll surely not impress any reader. Thankfully, stories cannot be told from a quick sentence filled with a few quick numbers. Jets franchise history showcases much more than one Super Bowl and a win-loss record that ranks 27th for active teams. (Only the Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers put forth a worse winning all-time winning percentage.) But hey, that's the bad news. The good news features some of the best teams the NFL has enjoyed through the years, and today, Jets X-Factor ranks the greatest New York Jets teams of all-time. Notables: 2004 (10-6, Lost DIV) 2006 (10-6, Lost WC) 2001 (10-6, Lost WC) 1991 (8-8, Lost WC) 2015 (10-6) 1967 (8-5-1) 2008 (9-7) 1997 (9-7) 1988 (8-7-1) 1999 (8-8) Immediately, the Jets fan is slapped in the face with a reminder of 1999. The overwhelming preseason Super Bowl favorite immediately crashed down to Earth the moment Vinny Testaverde's Achilles' tendon snapped. If not for that injury, who knows where the 1999 Jets end up on this list. It's a shame the 2004 version could not sneak into the top 10. The lasting image of Chad Pennington's strong-arm pose in San Diego (after he bombed a beauty to Santana Moss) burns in fans' minds today. If not for Doug Brien's far-from-strong right leg, New York had a date with the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game that tournament season. The 1997 season ended in heartbreaking fashion while 1967 was a preview of what was to come. The 8-8 1991 team battled tough in Houston against the Oilers, but could not quite shock the world in the wild-card round. The Brett Favre year of 2008 could have been something special (starting out 8-3 after a dominating win against the undefeated Tennessee Titans), but an injury to the quarterback destroyed everything. Todd Bowles's 2015 squad should go down as the most overrated Jets team of all-time. 10. 1986 (10-6, Lost DIV) It's a tough chore to chose between the teams of the 1980s, more specifically, the 1986 and 1985 teams. While the 1985 team finished with one more win, it could not capture a playoff win. More on that later. The '86 version had New York fans dreaming of a Jets-Giants Super Bowl. The green side started 10-1, winning nine-straight at one point. They squeezed into the playoffs after losing their last six and surprised many with a first-round victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at home. Oh yeah, starter Ken O'Brien, who threw for 3,690 yards and 25 scores that season, was benched in favor of Pat Ryan for that wild-card matchup. Jets fans know the rest. Up 20-10 in Cleveland against the Browns with just over four minutes remaining in regulation, the defense gave it up and an eventual 23-20 double-overtime loss sent them home. Yes, the defensive gave it up in unimaginable fashion. What firmly places the '86 team 10th on the list is the defense, a unit that finished tied for second to last in yards allowed. Imbalance ruled this Jets squad from every angle (high-flying offense to poor defense, hot start to bad finish). If only moments such as the O'Brien-Dan Marino (Wesley Walker three-touchdown game) shootout could have lasted all season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vEsv2ZJpl_jQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?vlRuE6NgFRPk https://www.youtube.com/watch?vZ6jEVpXoga4 9. 1981 (10-5-1, Lost WC) For the first time in 12 seasons, Walt Michaels led the Jets back to the playoffs. It took him five years to finally get there, but once they did, it kickstarted one of the two best decades in franchise history. From 4-12 to 10-5-1, the '81 Jets were led by their defense (fifth in total yards allowed), more specifically, the New York Sack Exchange. Joe Klecko, Mark Gastineau, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam were those four men, and it's a shame the sack didn't become an official sack until the 1982 season; these guys would have added to their already solid numbers. (Klecko finished with an unofficial 20.5 sacks in '81 while Gastineau put forth 20 of his own.) The New York Sack Exchange finished with a total of 66, one shy of a then-NFL record. As far as the '81 team was concerned, they caught fire after losing their first three of the season. The finished 10-2-1 and lost a wild-card matchup to the Buffalo Bills at home (Shea Stadium). (Remember, only five teams from each conference qualified for the tournament with the two wild-card teams squaring off in the first round and the three division winners waiting at home.) If not for the first-round playoff loss and an average offense, this squad would be much higher on the list. Bruce Harper's opening kickoff fumble returned for a Buffalo touchdown was a sign of rough things to come for the home team. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vQEO5RC02t80 https://www.youtube.com/watch?vUIhvR9GcSRI 8. 2002 (9-7, Division Champs, Lost DIV) The 2002 New York Jets were as good as any team in franchise history at a certain point. After losing four of their first five games and five of their first seven, Herm Edwards's club finished 7-2 over its last nine to win the franchise's fourth (and most recent) division title. It was the "you play to win the game" line coupled with Chad Pennington's emergence that set it all up. For this team, the statistics aren't pretty, mainly thanks to the start. But the three-week stretch consisting of New England in Week 16, Green Bay at home in Week 17 and a 41-0 obliteration of Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the wild-card round puts this team at No. 8 all-time, and might be the most satisfying and relaxing stretch for fans ever. If only they could have figured out the Oakland Raiders. Those early Herm teams could have done something incredibly special. "Hello." https://www.youtube.com/watch?vb5-iJUuPWis https://www.youtube.com/watch?voRpKq3tV5Bc&t https://www.youtube.com/watch?vX2HJQMcaBC4 7. 1985 (11-5, Lost WC) How could a Jets team that fell flat in the wild-card round finish No. 7 all-time? Well, this 1985 squad was much more dominant than anybody thinks. With a +129 point differential, only two Jets teams top this '85 club in that category. They also finished third all-time in point differential when strength-of-schedule is taken into consideration, via Pro-Football-Reference. Both the offense and defense were both top 10 units and O'Brien's sophomore campaign was his finest (3,888 yards, 25 touchdowns, 8 interceptions). The tremendous 11-win season came crashing down against the Patriots at home in the wild-card round. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v-Y-ZmxBolro https://www.youtube.com/watch?vwC3h9JKlcKE 6. 2009 (9-7, Lost AFC championship game) Seven wins, seven losses and nowhere to go is where the Jets found themselves after a disheartening loss to the Atlanta Falcons. But as was the case in 2002, an angel was on this team's shoulder. Rex Ryan's team won its final two games and shocked the world in the playoffs, reaching the AFC championship game for the first time since 1998. Interestingly, it was the Jets who closed down Giants Stadium. A one-shoe-wearing Brad Smith returning kickoffs helped knock off the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 only to repeat the performance against the same team the following week. After stunning the San Diego Chargers the following week, the very same team who presented Rex with his first NFL head-coaching gift, the Indianapolis Colts, took it away in the AFC title game. It would not be the Jets if they didn't rope the fan in to the max. At one point in the second quarter, they led the Colts 17-6 before it all came crashing down. Although this team needed a miracle and only won nine games, they were much better than folks remember. A +112 point differential, good enough for fourth-best in franchise history helps prove that point. What Rex did to open his NFL head coaching career was nothing short of amazing. His designed blitzes got them off to a rabid start while hiding the fact they did not employ a pure edge rusher. Darrelle Revis's NFL Defense Player of the Year-caliber season (he was robbed) helped some, no doubt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vkD_DdSz7PjE https://www.youtube.com/watch?vym0Q30klg1M 5. 1982 (6-3, Lost AFC championship game) The strike-shortened 1982 season was a kind one to Gang Green. Finishing 6-3 and riding the high of the 1981 resurgence, the '82 campaign featured the Jets' first AFC championship game ever (as 1968 and 1969 were still the AFL days, of course). With a +79 point differential, this squad ranks sixth all-time. More impressive is the fact this squad ranks second all-time by way of point differential including strength-of-schedule. Richard Todd led the fourth-best NFL offense who also finished fourth in rushing, thanks to All-Pro Freeman McNeil leading the charge. Defensively, the team was led by the New York Sack Exchange and was as dangerous as ever. After destroying the Bengals in the wild-card round on the road and barely squeezing by the Los Angeles Raiders out west, everything about '82 suggested it was the Jets season. It didn't happen. Instead, A.J. Duhe and an intentionally sloppy field happened. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v0zS06u625qU https://www.youtube.com/watch?vFDbSytaNYtI https://www.youtube.com/watch?vcfqgD7LA8s8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?vDrNSzhosmbg 4. 2010 (11-5, Lost AFC championship game) What could Rex Ryan's upstart bunch do as an encore? Well, for one thing, they could welcome in HBO's Hard Knocks and go grab a snack. Other than that, this was a good team. Finishing 11-5, the 11th ranked offense was fourth in rushing. Defensively, Ryan's unit finished third in yards allowed. If not for the Patriots, an AFC East title was deserved. Nevertheless, as this organization has done so often, it went on the road in January and stole the hearts of football fans. Two more road playoff wins---over Peyton Manning and the Colts and Tom Brady and the Patriots, one of the greatest Jets wins in history---increased Mark Sanchez's playoff record to 4-1, all on the road. Mysteriously, they laid an egg in Pittsburgh when so many (including "oh the pain" Joe Benigno himself) thought this was finally their season. The 2009-10 teams were a direct result of the Eric Manini-Mike Tannenbaum era that started in 2006 with the drafting of Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson. It was the last of the Bill Parcells restart of the organization and remains the last tremendous era to date. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v9QPKh13p55Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v0y48nV0UR1E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v5LtwaOl3oOo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v-Hb6sgOEyMk 3. 1969 (10-4, Divison Champs, Lost DIV) Due to the success of 1968, the 1968 team is oftentimes left in the dust. It's natural, but man... unfair, as well. The '69 squad finished with a +84 point differential, good enough for fifth-best in team history. When compared to the 2010 team's +63 mark, the '69 squad gets the nod, especially considering its Super Bowl-caliber quality. Joe Namath continued his game-managing ways and the defense took it upon itself to lead the way, again. Only the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs could knock these guys off, and they did, in the divisional round of the AFL tournament (expanded to four teams), 13-6 at Shea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vVK48GdhawBk 2. 1998 (12-4, Division Champs, Lost AFC championship game) Parcells did it again. Like the Giants and Patriots previously, the Big Tuna prepared the mean with the groceries he was personally responsible for buying. First, he stuns the NFL by transforming a 1-15 team into a 9-7 near-tournament football squad. Then, after an 0-2 start, he takes a Vinny Testaverde-led club to a 12-4 record, an AFC East title and an AFC championship game. In many regards, this was the best Jets team of all-time. They finished with a +150 point differential, 11 more than the 1968 team and best in team history. The offensive line was coached tremendously (with Kevin Mawae leading the way), Curtis Martin enjoyed his first season in New Jersey, and the combination of Wayne Chrebet and Keyshawn Johnson terrorized defenses. In many ways, this team was overrated. Defensively, the talent was not overwhelming. Bryan Cox was the team's best pass rusher---not an ideal situation. Mo Lewis was a Pro Bowler and Jason Ferguson was rock solid, but the secondary was not overly talented. This was the best-coached team in Jets history, by far. The mistake-riddled divisional-round victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars set up a date at Mile High fo the AFC chip. Again, in classic Jets fashion, they toyed with the fans' hearts. A Blake Spence blocked punt helped put them up 10-0 early in the third quarter. You know the rest. You for sure know the rest as it relates to Bill Belichick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?vVIRJGwCz_m4&t https://www.youtube.com/watch?v2Cygnl5M71M&t9s https://www.youtube.com/watch?vXqHpi6wcsYM&t12323s 1. 1968 (11-3, Division Champs, Won Super Bowl 3) Legend has it, a partied-out Joe Namath exited an establishment on the early morning of Dec. 29, 1968, the date of the 1968 AFL championship game. History has it that Namath ate his pride, took fewer chances and led his Jets to a 27-23 victory over the Oakland Raiders on that very same date. He needed a game-winning drive and got it with the big chunk coming in the form of a big Don Maynard go-route down the right sideline. Namath then led the way for the single-most-important game in NFL history. Without this AFC victory in Super Bowl 3, who knows what happens to the NFL moving forward. Perhaps the leagues never merge. The 18-point underdog Jets handled the mighty Baltimore Colts in shocking fashion. No matter your thoughts on Namath or this team, there is no question of its bonafide No. 1 status on this list as the greatest New York Jets team of all-time. Not only did they capture the organization's only Super Bowl, but they also wrote the greatest underdog story in professional football history while spearheading the coming together of the greatest league in sports history (modern-day NFL).