After the Jets’ loss to Pittsburgh I found myself wondering how they could have let such a perfect opportunity slip through their fingers. After beating New England I was convinced they had what it took to get to the Super Bowl and for the first time all season, was sure they would get there. So what happened?

Rex Ryan had devised two brilliant game plans to beat the Colts and Patriots and I believed he had something in his bag of tricks to take down the Steelers. Although there were some flaws in his game plan, it was good enough to get the win but it was the poor execution by his players that lost the game.

After a freak collision with wide receiver Patrick Turner, Jim Leonhard was carted off the field with what would later be identified as a broken right tibia. This is a tough blow for Gang Green.

Leonhard is one of the most respected players on this team and was one of the first brought in by Rex Ryan when he took over, and for obvious reasons. Leonhard is smart, athletic and knows Ryan’s defense inside and out.

It is never too early to start looking at potential draft picks and with the Jets’ 2010 season almost halfway over, their areas of need are becoming clearer.

Mike Tannenbaum has already developed a reputation for wheeling and dealing on draft day but this year’s crop of young talent may make him think twice about dealing away picks.

While watching the conclusion of Hard Knocks with my family, my brother commented, “HBO couldn’t have asked for a better ending”. He was right. With Darrelle Revis signed, sealed and delivered, the Jets were able to put a bow on their preseason and wrap up an enormously successful reality series.

We waited 36 days for this?

After weeks of demanding an annual salary that exceeded the $15 million paid to Nnamdi Asomugha, Darrelle Revis and his agents settled on much less. The Jets’ talented corner will receive $46 million over 4-years, an average of $11.5 million per year - well below the $16 per year average he was seeking.

The first three episodes of Hard Knocks were a playful romp through Jets training camp. Rookies were taped to the goal post and Rex Ryan was holding court on his personal sun deck. But now the show is much more serious.

Wow! Hands down the best Hard Knocks so far.

Episode 3 showed football fans why they love this show so much. This week we got to see the behind-the-scenes action – coach’s meetings, player evaluations, brawls and good old-fashioned rookie hazing.

The Jets’ signing of Nick Mangold represents another victory for management as it tries to lock up its “Core Four”.Rich Cimini confirmed the Jets’ shift in strategy toward signing Mangold after negotiations with “Team Revis” unraveled.

Mangold was all of a sudden a priority and the Jets’ brain trust sent a clear message to their players: “Act like a pro and we will take care of you”.

This week’s Hard Knocks took on a new dimension as HBO showed the other sides of the show’s star – Rex Ryan. There was the usual horsing around that is his trademark but we also got to see his game face.

The back ups on defense did a terrible job in the team’s preseason opener against the Giants and the head coach let them have it in the locker room. This is a side fans have rarely seen but it is nonetheless important to witness in order to understand his style and how it sets the tempo for the team.

Watch episode 1.

Submit questions to the "Ask a Jet" promotion. The following week HBO will post videos of the players and coaches answering the best questions