The Todd Bowles era opens Sunday at MetLife Stadium, where the New York Jets face the Cleveland Browns at 1 p.m. The top storylines:
1. New man in charge: There's always an air of curiosity when a head coach makes his debut. Bowles has been under the microscope for eight months in no-pressure situations, but now we get to study him in the crucible of a regular-season game. So many questions: How will he manage the game? Is he a risk-taker? Will he be conservative? Can he make adjustments on the fly? What about clock management? Bowles might not call the defensive plays -- coordinator Kacy Rodgers handled it in the preseason -- but he'll be directly involved in the defense. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey will call plays from the booth. The dress rehearsals are over. It's showtime.
2. Ryan's hope: Next up on the Jets' quarterback merry-go-round is Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will become the 10th Jets' quarterback to attempt a pass since 2008. Only the Minnesota Vikings (13) and Oakland Raiders (11) have had more during that span. The word that comes to mind with Fitzpatrick is "comfort." There's a comfort level between him and Gailey, and that will help Gailey call the game. There will be no surprises. This isn't their first rodeo together, and that relationship has fueled the confidence level of the players. Fitzpatrick knows his limitations. As he said, "I want to be great for who I am and what type of quarterback I am." His track record doesn't inspire confidence. He's the only quarterback since the 1970 merger to start a game for five different teams and fail to post a winning record with each team, according to Elias. Fitzpatrick believes he has matured as a player. We're about to find out if he's right.
3. Offensive game plan: The spotlight has focused on new wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who appears ready for a bounce-back season, but this game could revolve around Chris Ivory and the rushing attack. Like most defensive-minded coaches, Bowles wants a strong running game. Look for them to run out of spread formations, with three and four receivers -- a Gailey hallmark. Statistically, Ivory is much more productive this way, compared to a standard, two-receiver set. The Browns' run defense was awful last season (32nd), but they beefed up the interior by drafting nose tackle Danny Shelton and signing end Randy Starks. The Jets will test them on the edges. Fitzpatrick & Co. didn't face any 3-4 fronts in the preseason, which could create problems. Mike Pettine's scheme -- think Rex Ryan -- creates confusion.
4. Defensive game plan: Bowles landed this gig, in large part, because of his defensive acumen. He's a blitz-heavy coach whose main objective is to make the quarterback uncomfortable. In two seasons as the Arizona Cardinals' defensive coordinator, he blitzed on 47 percent of the dropbacks, the highest blitz percentage in the league. You'll see a lot of eight-man fronts, with the cornerbacks in single coverage and a safety in the deep middle. This is why they spent big bucks to bring back Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, both of whom can play press-man coverage. The Browns don't present many problems on the outside, so Bowles could be ultra-aggressive, attacking journeyman quarterback Josh McCown. The front seven will be tested in the running game because the Browns have an excellent offensive line.
5. Perspective is important: Win or lose, remember it's only one game. The Jets won their last four openers, and look what happened -- four straight non-winning seasons.
