07/11 — It is as logical as a forearm shiver: When you fall off six games from one season to the next, many key indicators are going to fall with you.

So it was with the '07 Jets. One area that underperformed was red zone offense. Once inside the opponents' 20, the Green & White struggled to scored touchdowns.

As Chad Pennington said after the Jets scored only three points in their four trips inside the New England RZ in wet and cold Week 15: "Third downs and the red zone are where you make your money, and we didn't make enough." Conversions or money.

The Jets weren't at the bottom of the NFL in red zone offense in '07. For instance, the Titans had the worst touchdown percentage, and the Bills and 49ers each scored 14 TDs inside the opponents' 20 compared to the Jets' 18. But the Jets still surely scuffled when compared to recent red zone seasons in team history, as this chart shows:

Knowing how important situational practice is to head coach Eric Mangini's philosophy, you can bet we'll be seeing as much red zone work if not more once training camp opens to the public July 24. As WR Jerricho Cotchery famously said after the season finale vs. Kansas City:

"Last year we were great on third down and we were pretty good in the red zone. We just fell off this year. I expect it to get back to where it was last year next year."

One reason the Jets could have more zip in the zone this year? There are no guarantees, of course, but Bubba Franks is on the roster now. The former Green Bay tight end fought through some injuries and an increased blocking role his last three years as a Packer, but from the time he got it cranked up as a second-year man through last season, Franks has been one of the NFL's most dangerous threats not just inside foes' 20-yard lines but especially inside their 10s.

Here is an amazing chart via Stats Inc. showing the NFL's leaders in all games (regular- and postseason) in number of touchdown catches of 9 yards or fewer from 2001-07:

The closest tight end to Franks on that list is the Giants' Jeremy Shockey with 18 TDs.

Franks put on a display during several off-season practices that impressed Mangini.

"Bubba's always been excellent in the red zone," Mangini said after one of those showings. "The other day he had quite a bit of production, which is always good to see. I heard whispers that some people think it might have been staged, but I can tell you, as a defensive coach, you never want to see multiple touchdowns caught on the first group."

Add those brawny new/old linemen (Alan Faneca, Damien Woody) and a Pro Bowl fullback (Tony Richardson) to the returning proven talent and the Jets should be in position to mount a red zone rebound in '08.

These AFC East Radar entries will run twice a week up through the week that the Jets' full squad begins practicing July 24. This is the schedule:

Week of July 1 — Miami Down, New England Up

Week of July 7 — Buffalo Up, Jets Down

Week of July 14 — Miami Up, Buffalo Down

Week of July 21 — New England Down, Jets Up