Happy opening-day eve -- a good time for a few fearless predictions on the 2017 New York Jets:
1. All three quarterbacks will get a chance to start. Of this, I'm confident. Josh McCown has started more than eight games only once in the past 11 seasons. Presumably, the organization will shift into evaluation mode at some point. The only question is the order. As crazy as this sounds, Bryce Petty could be the bridge quarterback to Christian Hackenberg. We'll know more Sunday, when the No. 2 choice is revealed.
2. They will set the team record for fewest points in a 16-game season. The 1992 Jets, with Browning Nagle at quarterback, scored only 220 points (13.75 per game). The Jets managed only 275 last year, so, yeah, it's within reach. Our man Trey Wingo said on NFL Live the Jets could challenge the NFL mark for futility -- the '92 Seattle Seahawks (140 points). Ouch.
3. Matt Forte will be dealt by the midseason trading deadline. To create more opportunities for rookie Elijah McGuire, general manager Mike Maccagnan will trade Forte, 31, to a contending team, giving the classy running back a chance to chase a championship.
4. Safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye will make the all-rookie team. If you haven't noticed, these kids can play. It'll be interesting to see how many other draft picks make an immediate impact.
5. They will have a new kicker by Halloween. Chandler Catanzaro is coming off a poor season, and he didn't inspire much confidence in training camp. They will replace him with ex-Jet Mike Nugent, not Ross Martin, who will have a job elsewhere (and I'm not talking about IBM).
6. The defense will score a touchdown. What, you don't think this is a bold prediction? It hasn't happened since 2013, when Antonio Allen picked off Tom Brady and took it to the house. This time, it will be nose tackle Steve McLendon recovering a fumble in the end zone.
7. The individual leaders will be: McCown -- passing, 2,100 yards; Bilal Powell -- rushing, 950 yards, and receiving, 58 catches; Leonard Williams -- sacks, 10; Maye -- interceptions, four.
8. Woody Johnson will have a lot of late Saturday nights in London: The reason is because two of his would-be franchise saviors, Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen, play on the West Coast -- an eight-hour time difference with London. The U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom will have to tune in at 1 a.m. local time on the Pac-12 Network to catch the two young quarterbacks.
