Final Score: Jets 31 - Dolphins 23
By The Numbers :
Passing
Sanchez : 15/28 - 256 yds - 3 TD - 120.5 Passer Rating
Rushing
NYJ : L. Tomlinson - 15 car 70 yds 4.7 ypc 1 TD
B. Smith - 3 car 41 yds 13.7 ypc
S. Greene - 10 car 36 yds 3.6 ypc
Receiving
NYJ : D. Keller - 6 rec 98 yds 2 TD
B. Edwards - 2 rec 87 yds 1TD
J. Cotchery - 2 rec 20 yds
Efficiency
1st Downs - NYJ - 20 - MIA - 24
3rd Down Efficiency - NYJ - 6-11 - MIA - 7-15
Turnovers
NYJ - 0
MIA - 1
Penalties
NYJ - 9-81
MIA - 6-52
So much for the low scoring defensive affair I expected to see. I should have known better. The Jets and Dolphins never play conventional games and this one falls right into that category. In fact, this game was almost an instant replay of the Monday night match up last year. The Jets were coming into Miami on a roll. The game was expected to be a defensive contest but turned into a slugfest on offense. The highly touted Jets "D" was gassed then torched by the wildcat and Chad Marino.....oops I meant Henne.
The only difference was this time....THE BETTER TEAM WON!!!!!!!!
This game had a lot riding on it considering how early in the season it was being played. After beating the Pats in Week 2, it was vital for the Jets to take this game against the Fins since they were the only undefeated team left in the division and the winner would control 1st place. It was important for the Jets to get off to a good start on both sides of the ball which is exactly what happened.
The Jets got the ball to start the game and proceeded to march 72 yards down the field in 10 plays for the games 1st score and a 7-0 lead highlighted by a tremendous catch by Dustin Keller and a better throw by Sanchez. This drive was huge on several levels starting with the play of Sanchez. He was 2 for 2 on 3rd down on that drive. On both plays, the Dolphins came with pressure and Sanchez stood tall and found the hot receiver for the 1st down each time. This gave the "O" and Sanchez momentum. They picked up right where they left off last week.
Now it was up to the defense to follow the offense's lead. 1st play of the night, Henne fires a bomb deep over the middle for Brian Hartline that was just a bit too long. All the "experts" figured that Cromartie would get picked on first going up against Brandon Marshall. Nope. They went after Kyle Wilson and he was beaten down the field. Thankfully, Henne put too much on the pass and Hartline couldn't come up with it. The Dolphins would not gain another yard. A sack by Ellis and another incomplete pass set up 4th down and a great start for the Jets.
As the 2nd quarter got underway, the Jets went ahead by another score. Sanchez once again found Keller in the end zone for a 12 yard strike. This was another perfect throw by the kid. Middle linebacker Bobby Carpenter was crowding the line of scrimmage faking a blitz. Sanchez saw that Carpenter was out of position and realized that Keller had the inside part of the route so he fired a laser right to Keller's outstretched hands.
Jets up 14-0.
The way the game started it looked like the Jets were headed for blowout city but the Dolphins showed some fight in their house and started to take it to the Jets defense. They would engineer a 9 play 69 yard drive for a touchdown cutting the Jets lead in half. So now the Jets get the ball and Brad Smith proceeds to take the kickoff to the 43 yard line. Great return. The Jets had to capitalize on the great field position and they went 3 and out giving the ball right back to Miami. Not good. The Dolphins got the ball back and was able to manage a field goal to cut the Jets lead to 14-10 and went into the locker room with all of the momentum leading into the 2nd half.
The fish would get the ball to start the 3rd quarter and in my mind it was HUGE for the Jets to get a stop. They weren't dominant in the 1st half and they showed some leakage in the secondary. Well Miami once again exposed the misaligned "D" and scored on a 12 play 74 yard drive. This gave the Dolphins a 17-14 lead and 17 unanswered points. The crowd was back in the game and you got the feeling that the Jets were going to let this one slip away.
Then comes one of the plays of the game. After the kickoff, Sanchez went under center at the 33 yard line. He drops back to throw, scans the field and fires a pass toward the left sideline for Braylon Edwards. Braylon makes the catch, The CB Jason Allen makes a pitiful tackle attempt, Braylon spins away and takes off down the sideline for a 67 yard TD. Jets now back on top 21-17. Great play, great result but now the defense has to go back on the field after being gassed on Miami's last possession. This is where some "gamesmanship" came into play.
During the Miami kick return, linebacker Jamal Westerman came up lame away from the play. He collapsed to the turf grabbing his right leg complaining of some kind of injury. At the time things seemed normal until the NBC cameras caught Westerman on the sidelines looking fit as a fiddle. They then go to a replay of the kick return and you can clearly see Westerman eyeballing the play and the minute the tackle is made, he goes down in pain. This clearly was a planned "injury" to give the defense a chance to rest after the previous long drive and the quick score by the offense.
Pretty clever. Did it work? Sort of.
The Dolphins continued to pick apart the secondary and get all the way to the Jets 7 yard line. The defense was able to keep them out of the end zone forcing the fish to go for 3 allowing the Jets to keep a very slim 1 point lead. We now move to the 4th quarter where things got very interesting.
The Jets drive down the field pretty methodically. They get inside the Miami 10 yard line. On 3rd and goal from the 5 yard line, Schottenheimer made the call of the game. He called a QB draw, the defense never expected that and Sanchez was able to sidestep a defender and dive forward for the TD.
Until....Holding.....Offense #68....10 yard penalty.....repeat 3rd down.
Left Guard Matt Slauson got called for his 2nd holding penalty ON THIS DRIVE and this one was the killer because it took the TD away and forced the Jets to go for 3. 24-20.
Both teams would trade possessions until the 9:59 mark of the 4th quarter. The Jets have the ball backed up at their own 5 yard line. Here is where the game took a gigantic swing. Instead of being conservative with the ball, Schottenheimer runs the ball on 1st down for 2 yards then calls a pass on 2nd. Incomplete. Now the clock is stopped and it's 3rd and 8 at the Jets 7 yard line. Sanchez in the shotgun fires a pass down field for Cotchery that sails a little too high and goes off his fingertips into the diving arms of CB Jason Allen for an interception. Allen gets up and runs the ball back to the Jets 5 yard line.
Unbelievable.
If there was ever a time for Sanchez to not throw his 1st pick of the season that was the time but.....the replays showed that the ball hit the ground before Allen actually had control of it. Ryan fires the challenge flag and the call is overturned to an incomplete pass. 4th down, Jets punt.
WHEW!!!
The Dolphins get the ball at midfield and drive to the Jets 32 yard line setting up a 50 yard field goal attempt. The kick is good and the Jets once again have their lead cut down to 1. 24-23.
There's now 6:42 left to play and the Jets have the ball at their own 20. They needed a score of some kind but at the very least had to kill some clock on this drive. Well they did both and did it perfectly. The key play on this final drive was a 3rd and 10 play from the 50 yard line. It appeared that the drive was going to stall and end at midfield. Sanchez dropped back to throw and fired a terrific back shoulder throw to Braylon Edwards for 20 yards and a 1st down keeping the drive a live. This was another play of the day. Sanchez tossed that ball anticipating Edwards would be at the right spot and he hit him right in the mitts with the ball. Edwards thankfully held on and we were still rolling.
The Jets would get the ball to the Miami 3 yard line where Sanchez and Edwards hooked up again for another big play. On 3rd and goal, Sanchez tossed a fade pass to Edwards, he leaps over CB Jason Allen who's back is to the ball and snatches it out of the air. It looked like he had scored but as he's coming down, Braylon loses his grip and drops the pass. From euphoria to disbelief when all of a sudden a yellow flag comes flying into the picture. Allen gets flagged for pass interference. Jets get the ball 1st and goal at the 1 yard line. 2 plays later they punch it through for an 8 point lead.
It's now time for the final drive of the game. Dolphins ball....down by 8....1:55 on the clock and 2 timeouts remaining.
That's a lifetime left in the NFL. Confident was one thing I was not, especially considering how easily the defense let Miami stroll up and down the field all night. Well guess what, they did it again.
17 yard pass to Ronnie Brown. 1st and 10 at the Miami 43 yard line.
16 yard pass to Brian Hartline. 1st and 10 at the Jets 41yard line
30 pass to Brandon Marshall. 1st and 10 at the Jets 11 yard line.
In 3 plays the Dolphins got inside the Jets 15 yard line and the last play would have ended in a TD if safety Brodney Pool hadn't tripped Marshall up and pushed him out of bounds. At this point I'm wondering how much time will there be left for the Jets after the Dolphins tie the game. Well I was wrong because after all the throws and yards and scores, the "D" manned up on the last play of the game. On 4th and goal at the 5 yard line, Henne dropped back to throw and fired the ball towards TE Anthony Fasano. Brodney Pool jumped the route and tipped the ball away. CB Drew Coleman caught the deflection intercepting the pass and officially ending the game.
An unbelievable stop by a unit that was being lit up all game long. The Jets came a way with a hard fought, hard earned victory on the road in a hostile environment to move into 1st place in the AFC East and more importantly be 2-0 in the division.
That's a wrap on the recap. Now it's time for some quick hits.
1) Is the Sanchise back? For the second straight game, Sanchez tossed 3 TD's and more importantly no interceptions. He's gradually showing signs of improvement from last season. He's looking down field and making better decisions with the ball in his hands. He's developed a great relationship with Keller that will only mean good things for the team and the offense.
2) So much for the wildcat. Here's a breakdown of both teams stats when using the Wildcat formation.
MIA Wildcat : 6 plays for 2 yards
NYJ Wildcat : 3 plays for 25 yards
I found it funny that the Jets out wildcat'd the Dolphins who were the supposed "masters" of this style of offense. Now was this a result of the Jets shutting down the wildcat or was it because they really didn't need it since the conventional passing game was so successful. We'll never really know the answer until game 2.
3) You gotta love Rex. If there was ever any doubt that Rex Ryan truly cares about his players, look no further than at the end of the game when he gatorade dunked Jason Taylor in celebration of the victory. Rex remembers his history and it was no secret how the Dolphins just kicked Taylor to the curb after 12 years of service. Ryan uses that as motivation and then allows that player to enjoy the victory in style. He did the same thing last year in the playoffs when the Jets beat the Chargers. He gave Brian Schottenheimer a game ball to give to his father Marty as a memento for the ass kicking the Jets gave his former team who also kicked him to the curb after a 13-3 season the year before. He also found a way to honor his brother. Last year when the Jets played the Raiders, the Jets had the game pretty much well in hand but Ryan didn't call off the dogs. They beat Oakland 38-0. This was in response to his twin brother Rob Ryan being fired as defensive coordinator back in 2008. The guy will go out if his way to make sure that if you were wronged by a team that you have every opportunity to get some payback.
4) The offensive line had another up and down game. The up was that Sanchez stayed clean all night. No sacks given up. The down was the costly penalties. Too many false starts and holding calls. That needs to get cleaned up and I mean right now. Matt Slauson has got to get it together. His pass blocking continues to be a weak part of his game. He's lucky that Vladimir Ducasse isn't close to being ready to see some real NFL action otherwise we might be talking about a changing of the guard.
5) Braylon giveth and Braylon taketh away. Braylon Edwards once again finds away to make bonehead plays on the field. After he gets into the game following his 1st quarter benching, he gets flagged for a tripping call right when the Jets were in position to score a TD. The penalty moved them back and they had to settle for a FG. What makes the penalty even more frustrating is that he tripped a guy that NO CHANCE to make the tackle. He was on the other side of the field. A stupid decision from a VERY STUPID player. Mark my words, he will cost us a game this year because of his antics.
6) The Jets miss Revis. Make no mistake about that. The "D" was able to shut down Moss and the Pats in the 2nd half of Week 2. It was not the same story against Miami. Brandon Marshall laid the smack down on Cromartie and Kyle Wilson is showing signs that the speed and power of the NFL is too much for him to handle right now. I still believe that he will be a good corner but right now he's being baptized by fire and it may serve as a confidence killer. Seeing the seconday suffer as much as it has really gives you an appreciation of how valuable Revis really is.
That's it for Quick Hits now it's time for King Rex's Quote of the Game.
Question:
"Can you talk about your pass defense. Without Darrelle and what Marshall was able to do, Hartline, Bess. They were able to do pretty much whatever they wanted....
A visible annoyed King Rex cut off the rest of the question and responded with this.
"Yeah except score when it counted.."
BOOYAH!!! Take that you dumb ass reporter. In your face!
All told, this game was a character builder for the Jets. Coming off a high after the Patriot win it would be easy for this team to lay an egg on the road against a team that always plays them tough. You could also have seen the Jets give the game away after squandering a 14 point lead but the team showed some fight and heart and was able to pull it out. All the Jets need to do now is get healthy and keep this up.
Next up is another divisional game against Buffalo. Two words come to mind......Trap Game!!!
That's all I got....Now Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
Week 3 Preview: Jets at Dolphins
Now that the Braylon Edwards saga is over, I have 1 final question for you.
Are you ready for some football!!!!!!!
It's time to focus on the upcoming game between the Jets and fish. Gang Green is coming off their impressive and emotional win against the Patriots but came with a hefty price. Several key players suffered injuries that will either keep them out of the game or limit their participation.
Darrelle Revis CB - Out (hamstring) This one is going to linger on for a couple of weeks.
Calvin Pace LB - Out (foot) Though recovering nicely from surgery, he will not play.
Jason Taylor LB - Limited participation in practice (elbow) Taylor hyper extended his left elbow last week and re-aggravated it when he sacked Brady late in the 4th quarter. He's listed as Questionable but I seriously doubt he will miss the chance to play against his old team.
Nick Mangold C - Did not participate in practice (shoulder) This one scares me. Mangold is the best center in the NFL and the rock of the O-Line. He was able to return to the game last week after getting hurt but the fact that he's not practicing tells me that he's not 100%. He's listed as Questionable but like Taylor, unless he's told by a physician that he can't play I'm pretty sure he'll suit up and ball.
Wayne Hunter T - Did not participate in practice (shin) Though not a starter, Hunter is a valuable asset to the offense in jumbo and goal line packages. He's also listed as Questionable.
These are all significant injuries to very significant players on the roster. It will be very interesting to see how these guys deal with their boo boo's over the course of 60 minutes.
Now onto a breakdown of this divisional match up.
At first glance the strengths of both these teams is defense. The Jets and Dolphins have established themselves as a stingy bunch. I however add a "not so fast" when it comes to the defensive dominance of the Dolphins and you need look no further than their opponents. They opened the season against a Buffalo Bills team that can't get out of their own way let alone find the end zone. Next up was a Vikings team with a rusty Brett Favre, no Sidney Rice, a banged up Percy Harvin and swiss cheese offensive line. These are not world beaters on "O".
Now you look at the Jets, they had to go up against a Ravens team with considerable more firepower than Buffalo. Anquan Boldin lit up the secondary for over 100 yards but Baltimore only managed 10 points. We all know who the Jets played last week. Tom Brady and company. What did they do? Oh not much except pitch a shutout in the second half and hold the vaunted Pats passing attack to 80 total 2nd half yards.
Quite a difference in competition if you ask me.
I think it's pretty clear that both defenses should hold their own. The real test is which offense will break through first and to be quite honest the Dolphins offense doesn't scare me at all. Even without Revis. This could be a very ugly game. Maybe even a Jets/Ravens part 2. Special teams might play a huge role here.
This is a big game for the Jets. It would put them in 1st place and give them a leg up in the division. With Buffalo up next, the Jets have a real opportunity to put a stranglehold on the AFC East.
I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens when these 2 lace 'em up and hit the field Sunday night.
That's all I got....Now Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
Are you ready for some football!!!!!!!
It's time to focus on the upcoming game between the Jets and fish. Gang Green is coming off their impressive and emotional win against the Patriots but came with a hefty price. Several key players suffered injuries that will either keep them out of the game or limit their participation.
Darrelle Revis CB - Out (hamstring) This one is going to linger on for a couple of weeks.
Calvin Pace LB - Out (foot) Though recovering nicely from surgery, he will not play.
Jason Taylor LB - Limited participation in practice (elbow) Taylor hyper extended his left elbow last week and re-aggravated it when he sacked Brady late in the 4th quarter. He's listed as Questionable but I seriously doubt he will miss the chance to play against his old team.
Nick Mangold C - Did not participate in practice (shoulder) This one scares me. Mangold is the best center in the NFL and the rock of the O-Line. He was able to return to the game last week after getting hurt but the fact that he's not practicing tells me that he's not 100%. He's listed as Questionable but like Taylor, unless he's told by a physician that he can't play I'm pretty sure he'll suit up and ball.
Wayne Hunter T - Did not participate in practice (shin) Though not a starter, Hunter is a valuable asset to the offense in jumbo and goal line packages. He's also listed as Questionable.
These are all significant injuries to very significant players on the roster. It will be very interesting to see how these guys deal with their boo boo's over the course of 60 minutes.
Now onto a breakdown of this divisional match up.
At first glance the strengths of both these teams is defense. The Jets and Dolphins have established themselves as a stingy bunch. I however add a "not so fast" when it comes to the defensive dominance of the Dolphins and you need look no further than their opponents. They opened the season against a Buffalo Bills team that can't get out of their own way let alone find the end zone. Next up was a Vikings team with a rusty Brett Favre, no Sidney Rice, a banged up Percy Harvin and swiss cheese offensive line. These are not world beaters on "O".
Now you look at the Jets, they had to go up against a Ravens team with considerable more firepower than Buffalo. Anquan Boldin lit up the secondary for over 100 yards but Baltimore only managed 10 points. We all know who the Jets played last week. Tom Brady and company. What did they do? Oh not much except pitch a shutout in the second half and hold the vaunted Pats passing attack to 80 total 2nd half yards.
Quite a difference in competition if you ask me.
I think it's pretty clear that both defenses should hold their own. The real test is which offense will break through first and to be quite honest the Dolphins offense doesn't scare me at all. Even without Revis. This could be a very ugly game. Maybe even a Jets/Ravens part 2. Special teams might play a huge role here.
This is a big game for the Jets. It would put them in 1st place and give them a leg up in the division. With Buffalo up next, the Jets have a real opportunity to put a stranglehold on the AFC East.
I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens when these 2 lace 'em up and hit the field Sunday night.
That's all I got....Now Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
The Verdict Is In But Does the Punishment Fit The Crime?
By now you all have probably heard that Braylon Edwards will not be suspended for the game against Miami. He will dress but not start. When or if he plays will be Rex Ryan's call. This decision by the Jets has been met by many in the NY press with disgust and disappointment. I am in agreement with the majority but not for the reason that you might think.
While I still believe that Edwards should sit the entire game on Sunday, my previous blog on this issue was very knee jerk. After having some time to really digest the facts of the incident and the potential discipline that is involved with such a case, I started to see things in a different light. In fact, I heard an opinion yesterday on the Michael Kay Show yesterday which was not only contradictory to almost everyone else, it actually made some sense.
He basically said that both the Jets and the fans knew exactly what they were getting into when they made the trade for Edwards. The fact that it took until now for him to screw up should not come as a surprise to anyone and that we all should stop being hypocritical and holier than thou. The handwriting was on the wall and we as fans and media alike chose not to see it. So just because we were proven wrong and Edwards showed us his inability to make smart decisions, we are not allowed to dump on him for this.
I found this view rather interesting and to be quite honest, with some merit. Speaking only for myself here, I chose to go through last season and this upcoming season with very small but visible blinders on regarding the "character" issue guys the Jets acquired. My feeling like most fans is as long as you give us a championship, everything is peachy. That frame of thinking though comes with a price. If you choose not to care about the potential bad stuff a player does off the field, then you can't go nuts when the player actually does something bad off the field.
I know I kind of went off track but I thought that was an important aspect to throw out there. Now let's get back to the reason why I'm disappointed with the Jets decision to play Edwards. According to reports, the Jets made their decision based on the fact that they would have violated a rule in the current collective bargaining agreement if they had simply decided to deactivate or bench Edwards on Sunday night. The clause was instituted after the Eagles deactivated T.O. who was unhappy about his contract, for the final nine games of the 2005 season.
This is what disappoints me. The Jets had a chance to show the team in the wake of ALL the negative press that has been surrounding them before Edwards arrest that there will be a zero tolerance policy against this kind of behavior. They chose to hide behind the CBA in an attempt to avoid any further backlash from the union. Instead of setting a strong example of discipline they basically told the team that getting arrested for drunk driving will only be met with a slap on the wrist.
Here's another way to look at it. As reported, Edwards participation in the game will be determined by Ryan. That could mean anything. They never said exactly how much time he will miss. Will it be 1 quarter, 2 quarters, 3 quarters or 2 plays? For all we know, if the Dolphins score early and the Jets go 3 and out with their 1st possession, Ryan could put him in the game to try and get the offense going. What kind of message does that send? This is not a good sign for a team that has already made the front page for all the wrong reasons.
I now pose these questions to all of you. Do you think that Edwards should play the entire game? Should the Jets have deactivated him entirely? Should Ryan just sit him out anyway? Are the Jets cowards for hiding behind the league and not taking charge of their own house.
That's all I got......Now Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
While I still believe that Edwards should sit the entire game on Sunday, my previous blog on this issue was very knee jerk. After having some time to really digest the facts of the incident and the potential discipline that is involved with such a case, I started to see things in a different light. In fact, I heard an opinion yesterday on the Michael Kay Show yesterday which was not only contradictory to almost everyone else, it actually made some sense.
He basically said that both the Jets and the fans knew exactly what they were getting into when they made the trade for Edwards. The fact that it took until now for him to screw up should not come as a surprise to anyone and that we all should stop being hypocritical and holier than thou. The handwriting was on the wall and we as fans and media alike chose not to see it. So just because we were proven wrong and Edwards showed us his inability to make smart decisions, we are not allowed to dump on him for this.
I found this view rather interesting and to be quite honest, with some merit. Speaking only for myself here, I chose to go through last season and this upcoming season with very small but visible blinders on regarding the "character" issue guys the Jets acquired. My feeling like most fans is as long as you give us a championship, everything is peachy. That frame of thinking though comes with a price. If you choose not to care about the potential bad stuff a player does off the field, then you can't go nuts when the player actually does something bad off the field.
I know I kind of went off track but I thought that was an important aspect to throw out there. Now let's get back to the reason why I'm disappointed with the Jets decision to play Edwards. According to reports, the Jets made their decision based on the fact that they would have violated a rule in the current collective bargaining agreement if they had simply decided to deactivate or bench Edwards on Sunday night. The clause was instituted after the Eagles deactivated T.O. who was unhappy about his contract, for the final nine games of the 2005 season.
This is what disappoints me. The Jets had a chance to show the team in the wake of ALL the negative press that has been surrounding them before Edwards arrest that there will be a zero tolerance policy against this kind of behavior. They chose to hide behind the CBA in an attempt to avoid any further backlash from the union. Instead of setting a strong example of discipline they basically told the team that getting arrested for drunk driving will only be met with a slap on the wrist.
Here's another way to look at it. As reported, Edwards participation in the game will be determined by Ryan. That could mean anything. They never said exactly how much time he will miss. Will it be 1 quarter, 2 quarters, 3 quarters or 2 plays? For all we know, if the Dolphins score early and the Jets go 3 and out with their 1st possession, Ryan could put him in the game to try and get the offense going. What kind of message does that send? This is not a good sign for a team that has already made the front page for all the wrong reasons.
I now pose these questions to all of you. Do you think that Edwards should play the entire game? Should the Jets have deactivated him entirely? Should Ryan just sit him out anyway? Are the Jets cowards for hiding behind the league and not taking charge of their own house.
That's all I got......Now Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
Hey Braylon.....Nice Knowing Ya!
I decided to look up the word moron in the dictionary and surprisingly, they added 3 new definitions. Here's what they added.
mo·ron
[mawr-on, mohr-]
–noun
1. a person who is notably stupid or lacking in good judgment.
2. Braylon Edwards
3. Braylon Edwards
4. Braylon Edwards
At approximately 5:15 this morning, Braylon Edwards was stopped by the police at the corner of 34th and 12th for overly tinted windows. The night ended with Edwards in handcuffs because this brain surgeon had a blood alcohol level of .16 which for you novices is TWICE THE LEGAL LIMIT.
This pisses me off to no end for a number of reasons.
Last season the Jets were desperately in need of a big play WR. They knew that Edwards was available and that the price wasn't going to be too expensive. The "catch" no pun intended was his off the field baggage and there was a lot of it. The Jets rolled the dice and took a shot that the change of scenery would give him a new lease on life.
Clearly, that didn't happen.
You were a former 1st round draft pick with all world talent and potential and you chose to piss it away with lack of focus and this misguided sense of entitlement. You get a second chance to turn your football life around and you just piss it away AGAIN!!!!!!This incident proves 1 thing and 1 thing only.
This guy JUST DOESN'T GET IT!
Now comes the endless wave of reaction and damage control by the Jets. Rex Ryan and the team will be forced to deal with answering questions about their soon to be suspended teammate. Make no mistake about that people. This guy is going to be gone for at least 1 game for this. Which is another frustrating aspect of all of this. From the fan's perspective, one of the Jets better weapons in the passing game will be gone for a quarter of the season for something that COULD have and SHOULD have been avoided.
Another reaction will be against Rex Ryan. We have all read the reports about his loose style of coaching and how he acts like "one of the guys" and how that's frowned upon by some in and out of the league. Some will start to blame Rex for this saying that if he was tougher on on the players they would be more in line.
I have 1 word to say for that thought.......Bullshit!!!!
This is by no way, shape or form Rex's fault. Once again the press, fans and talk radio will develop a case of convenient amnesia. They are all going to forget that the atmosphere around the team was EXACTLY the same last year. The only change was some of the personnel. If you want to complain about who they acquired over the offseason then you have that right but you can't start attacking Rex for the mood of the locker room. There is no difference whatsoever between this year and last year. The roster became much higher profile mixed in Rex's bravado thus creating a bigger spotlight on the team. The Jets knew what they were getting into when they traded for this doofus and they still went in with both feet. The blame falls 100% on Edwards. He has to know that this opportunity in NY came with some conditions which obviously meant NOT GETTING ARRESTED FOR DRUNK DRIVING!!!!
This may remind people of the Paxico Burress incident. There are some similarities. A diva WR who has had run in's with his organization but that's where it ends. Unless I'm forgetting and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but Plaxico's baggage was team related until the gun incident. I can't recall any off the field stuff he did to get him out of Pittsburgh or with the Giants. Edwards has had off the field issues in Cleveland and head butting with the Browns brass.
OK. So what happens next? Well Edwards is going to be at least on a 1 week vacation and in my opinion it should be longer. It's time to cut bait and just be rid of him. His talent is not worth the headache that he has given the team and will continue to give to them. The Jets will probably hang on to him and see what he can give the franchise when he eventually comes back. I don't like that idea. I have had enough with this guy.
Here's the bigger picture. With the inevitable departure of Edwards comes the return of Santonio Holmes from his suspension. He's another "character" guy the Jets are rolling the dice on. If you're Mike Tannenbaum I hook up a lojack to this guys leg and NEVER LET HIM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. Pittsburgh shipped him here for only a 5th round pick. That tells me that the Steelers couldn't wait to get him out of town. This guy comes with just as much baggage if not more. I just hope and pray that he behaves and plays well because the Jets now need him more than ever.
T-Rich.....Break Us Down......And The Home of The JETS!
Now Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
mo·ron
[mawr-on, mohr-]
–noun
1. a person who is notably stupid or lacking in good judgment.
2. Braylon Edwards
3. Braylon Edwards
4. Braylon Edwards
At approximately 5:15 this morning, Braylon Edwards was stopped by the police at the corner of 34th and 12th for overly tinted windows. The night ended with Edwards in handcuffs because this brain surgeon had a blood alcohol level of .16 which for you novices is TWICE THE LEGAL LIMIT.
This pisses me off to no end for a number of reasons.
Last season the Jets were desperately in need of a big play WR. They knew that Edwards was available and that the price wasn't going to be too expensive. The "catch" no pun intended was his off the field baggage and there was a lot of it. The Jets rolled the dice and took a shot that the change of scenery would give him a new lease on life.
Clearly, that didn't happen.
You were a former 1st round draft pick with all world talent and potential and you chose to piss it away with lack of focus and this misguided sense of entitlement. You get a second chance to turn your football life around and you just piss it away AGAIN!!!!!!This incident proves 1 thing and 1 thing only.
This guy JUST DOESN'T GET IT!
Now comes the endless wave of reaction and damage control by the Jets. Rex Ryan and the team will be forced to deal with answering questions about their soon to be suspended teammate. Make no mistake about that people. This guy is going to be gone for at least 1 game for this. Which is another frustrating aspect of all of this. From the fan's perspective, one of the Jets better weapons in the passing game will be gone for a quarter of the season for something that COULD have and SHOULD have been avoided.
Another reaction will be against Rex Ryan. We have all read the reports about his loose style of coaching and how he acts like "one of the guys" and how that's frowned upon by some in and out of the league. Some will start to blame Rex for this saying that if he was tougher on on the players they would be more in line.
I have 1 word to say for that thought.......Bullshit!!!!
This is by no way, shape or form Rex's fault. Once again the press, fans and talk radio will develop a case of convenient amnesia. They are all going to forget that the atmosphere around the team was EXACTLY the same last year. The only change was some of the personnel. If you want to complain about who they acquired over the offseason then you have that right but you can't start attacking Rex for the mood of the locker room. There is no difference whatsoever between this year and last year. The roster became much higher profile mixed in Rex's bravado thus creating a bigger spotlight on the team. The Jets knew what they were getting into when they traded for this doofus and they still went in with both feet. The blame falls 100% on Edwards. He has to know that this opportunity in NY came with some conditions which obviously meant NOT GETTING ARRESTED FOR DRUNK DRIVING!!!!
This may remind people of the Paxico Burress incident. There are some similarities. A diva WR who has had run in's with his organization but that's where it ends. Unless I'm forgetting and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but Plaxico's baggage was team related until the gun incident. I can't recall any off the field stuff he did to get him out of Pittsburgh or with the Giants. Edwards has had off the field issues in Cleveland and head butting with the Browns brass.
OK. So what happens next? Well Edwards is going to be at least on a 1 week vacation and in my opinion it should be longer. It's time to cut bait and just be rid of him. His talent is not worth the headache that he has given the team and will continue to give to them. The Jets will probably hang on to him and see what he can give the franchise when he eventually comes back. I don't like that idea. I have had enough with this guy.
Here's the bigger picture. With the inevitable departure of Edwards comes the return of Santonio Holmes from his suspension. He's another "character" guy the Jets are rolling the dice on. If you're Mike Tannenbaum I hook up a lojack to this guys leg and NEVER LET HIM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. Pittsburgh shipped him here for only a 5th round pick. That tells me that the Steelers couldn't wait to get him out of town. This guy comes with just as much baggage if not more. I just hope and pray that he behaves and plays well because the Jets now need him more than ever.
T-Rich.....Break Us Down......And The Home of The JETS!
Now Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
No Revis....No Problem....Not So Fast My Friends!
I was afraid this would happen.
I was hoping this wouldn't happen.
I prayed this wouldn't happened but.....It happened.
Darrelle Revis' injured hamstring is probably going to force him out of the next couple of games. Maybe more. There have been conflicting reports on the severity of the injury and how much time Revis could miss. On one hand you hear it's a Grade 1 tear (which I don't believe for a second) to a strain. The MRI results that Revis took on Monday have not been reported yet so right now everything is speculative. If you go by what the Jets are saying, Revis could be out 2-4 weeks. When this report surfaced the press was already trying to rationalize the impact Revis' absence to the team with their upcoming games.
Here's an excerpt from ESPNNEWYORK.COM
The good news for the Jets (1-1), coming off an impressive 28-14 win over the New England Patriots is the schedule. The Dolphins are a run-oriented team with only one threat at receiver, Brandon Marshall, who probably will be covered by Antonio Cromartie. Marshall, the former Denver Bronco, has 12 receptions for only 124 yards and no touchdowns.
The following week, the Jets face the Buffalo Bills (0-2), who aren't doing much of anything on offense.
I have just 1 thing to say to this kind of logic. ARE THESE PEOPLE CRAZY!!!!!!!!!
No matter how you spin it, losing Revis for any amount of time is a BIG deal. I know they did extremely well without him in the 2nd half against New England and that's encouraging but that was just 1 half. Can the secondary survive an entire game without Revis Island? This man is the Jets BEST defensive player and the heart and soul of the defense. I don't care who else you got, you need Revis on the field.
There's something else to consider here. What if the injury takes longer to heal than previously expected. Hamstrings are very tricky to treat, diagnose and more importantly return from. They are very similar to groin injuries. The slightest push when the muscle isn't 100% and you're toast. It's vital that Revis is babied in his rehab. The next time he steps on the field he has to be in tip top shape. It's not worth the risk of sending him out there and then he makes himself worse. Then he's no good to anyone.
I don't want to sound like a kill joy here but I think it's important that people take this injury seriously because it is serious.
Now to play the other side of the coin here. I truly feel that the defense though weaker without Revis can still be a force this year. The team prepared all training camp and pre season under the assumption that Revis wasn't going to be here anyway. Now it's time to find out how good Cromartie Island really is because the opponents best receiver will be there until Revis is back at full strength.
It all starts this Sunday in Miami. Cromartie vs Marshall. This matchup should be interesting. Stay Tuned.
Until Next Time......Now Let's Eat A God Damn Snack!
I was hoping this wouldn't happen.
I prayed this wouldn't happened but.....It happened.
Darrelle Revis' injured hamstring is probably going to force him out of the next couple of games. Maybe more. There have been conflicting reports on the severity of the injury and how much time Revis could miss. On one hand you hear it's a Grade 1 tear (which I don't believe for a second) to a strain. The MRI results that Revis took on Monday have not been reported yet so right now everything is speculative. If you go by what the Jets are saying, Revis could be out 2-4 weeks. When this report surfaced the press was already trying to rationalize the impact Revis' absence to the team with their upcoming games.
Here's an excerpt from ESPNNEWYORK.COM
The good news for the Jets (1-1), coming off an impressive 28-14 win over the New England Patriots is the schedule. The Dolphins are a run-oriented team with only one threat at receiver, Brandon Marshall, who probably will be covered by Antonio Cromartie. Marshall, the former Denver Bronco, has 12 receptions for only 124 yards and no touchdowns.
The following week, the Jets face the Buffalo Bills (0-2), who aren't doing much of anything on offense.
I have just 1 thing to say to this kind of logic. ARE THESE PEOPLE CRAZY!!!!!!!!!
No matter how you spin it, losing Revis for any amount of time is a BIG deal. I know they did extremely well without him in the 2nd half against New England and that's encouraging but that was just 1 half. Can the secondary survive an entire game without Revis Island? This man is the Jets BEST defensive player and the heart and soul of the defense. I don't care who else you got, you need Revis on the field.
There's something else to consider here. What if the injury takes longer to heal than previously expected. Hamstrings are very tricky to treat, diagnose and more importantly return from. They are very similar to groin injuries. The slightest push when the muscle isn't 100% and you're toast. It's vital that Revis is babied in his rehab. The next time he steps on the field he has to be in tip top shape. It's not worth the risk of sending him out there and then he makes himself worse. Then he's no good to anyone.
I don't want to sound like a kill joy here but I think it's important that people take this injury seriously because it is serious.
Now to play the other side of the coin here. I truly feel that the defense though weaker without Revis can still be a force this year. The team prepared all training camp and pre season under the assumption that Revis wasn't going to be here anyway. Now it's time to find out how good Cromartie Island really is because the opponents best receiver will be there until Revis is back at full strength.
It all starts this Sunday in Miami. Cromartie vs Marshall. This matchup should be interesting. Stay Tuned.
Until Next Time......Now Let's Eat A God Damn Snack!
Week 2 Recap: New England Patriots at New York Jets
Final Score: Jets 28 - Patriots 14
By The Numbers :
Passing
Sanchez : 21/30 - 220 yds - 3 td - 124.3 Passer Rating
Rushing
NYJ : L. Tomlinson - 11 car 76 yds 6.9 ypc
S. Greene - 15 car 52 yds 3.5 ypc
Receiving
NYJ : D. Keller - 7 rec 115 yds 1 td
B. Edwards - 5 rec 45 yds 1 td
J. Cotchery - 4 rec 26 yds 1 td
Efficiency
1st Downs - NYJ - 23 - NE - 20
3rd Down Efficiency - NYJ - 6-13 - NE - 5-11
Turnovers
NYJ - 0
NE - 3
Penalties
NYJ - 6 - 58
NE - 6 - 79
I look at these numbers and I just have 1 question......
Where the HELL was this last week?????
If the Jets were half as aggressive against the Ravens, we would be talking about a 2-0 team and not pushing the panic button after the Week 1 loss. Anyway, enough about the past. It's time to look back on what was a tale of 2 halves for Gang Green.
The 1st half had a back and forth feel. Both teams were sizing each other up seeing what they could and couldn't do. The Pats employed a ball control style of offense keeping the ball for almost two thirds of the 1st quarter. The Jets on the other hand ran only 3 plays giving the fans and yours truly a very restless feeling. Despite the lack of production from Sanchez and Co. the quarter ended with no score.
The 2nd quarter had some fireworks. The Pats ended a nice drive with a TD to Welker. Welker beat Cromartie on a nice out route to the corner of the end zone, Brady put the ball in a perfect spot and you got 6 for New England. The TD comes with an asterisk though. On that same drive, on a 3rd and 12, Brady fired a pass to Welker that was too high for him to handle but Eric Smith for reasons beyond imagination cracks Welker on the top of the head and gets hit with a personal foul for hitting a defenseless receiver. 15 yards and an automatic 1st down on a 3rd and 12. UNACCEPTABLE. These guys have got to control themselves, especially Smith. He's a decent safety with good athleticism. He's a better blitzer than he is a cover guy but he's a bit of a loose cannon and that reckless abandon cost the Jets on that drive and may cost them more down the road. Rex has got to reign these guys in.
The Jets responded with a TD of their own capped by a nice fade pass from Sanchez to Edwards. That was the good. The bad was Braylon getting flagged for taunting after the play. He stared right at the CB and did some motion with his hands and dropped the ball by his feet. This is another bonehead play by another talented but boneheaded player. This guy is the last person to be taunting and talking shit to people. He's made more news about his dropped passes than his TD's. Just SHUT UP AND CATCH THE BALL!!! You're not elite enough to get in people's faces and dance in front of them when you catch a 11 yard fade pass. Do that every week and MAYBE you might have earned the right to yap.
Towards the end of the 2nd quarter, the Jets were driving with a chance to put more points on the board but the drive stalled giving the Pats the ball with just over 2 min to play. I didn't even have to look at the TV.....I knew the Pats were going to score. You can't give Brady the ball with that much time on the clock with all the weapons he has at his disposal. What happens.....a 46 yard catch and run by TE Aaron Hernandez to be followed by the play of the day. Brady fires a bomb to the end zone for Moss who beat Revis on a fly route and snatches the ball out of the air with 1 hand. An amazing catch. 14-7 Pats.
Now everyone remembers the catch and Revis grabbing his leg after the play but I saw something else on that play that should be noted. The Jets were not set defensively before the snap. Players were out of position, still trying to line up, moving all over the place. Brady saw the confusion and did the smart thing, he took advantage of it and snapped the ball. It was clear from waching the "coaches film" that Revis was supposed to get safety help from Jim Leonhard over the top but he followed TE Aaron Hernandez going across the middle who was already covered by Eric Smith. The broken coverage allowed Moss to go single up on Revis and once he got the outside position it was just a simple game of pitch and catch. This play should never have been run. Ryan should have called time out to get the right defensive alignment in place and give Revis help on Moss. That didn't happen and the Pats scored.
With the Jets now down by 7, things looked bad. There was still over 1:30 on the clock and 3 timeouts for the Jets to play with but you just had that feeling that Ryan and Schottenheimer were just going to take a knee and go into the locker room. Well that didn't happen. The Jets showed some balls and drove down the field using mainly Keller in the seam to pick up nice chunks of yards and getting into FG range. Now it was time for Folk to kick a 49 yard FG. Hold your breath........It's good!!!!!!! A HUGE score before the half.
Pats 14 - Jets 10
We now move to the 2nd half which in a nutshell was just an ASS WHUPPIN by the Jets. The defense held the Pats to 80 total yards and 0 points. That's just domination and here's the kicker.....They did it without Revis. His hamstring kept him back in the locker room for the 2nd half. Antonio Cromartie played like a man possessed in Revis' absence. They put him on Moss and he locked him down. The rest of the "D" followed suit and got the job done. This is a testament to Ryan's gameplan. He abandoned his all or nothing blitz schemes for a more coverage based scheme that played more like a bend but don't break approach and it worked. The defense was more contain than attack which I wasn't expecting to see. It shows me that King Rex is not as stubborn as he appears. He's always coached with the kill the QB mantra and this time he realized that Brady can and has beat that style so he went a little more conservative and it paid off.
Of course none of this matters without the play of QB Mark Sanchez. In what was his best game as a Jet, Sanchez did more than run the offense....he LED them. The kid showed poise and presence. He also reintroduced himself to all of the critics that he deserves to play with the big boys and that he can be a franchise QB. How quickly people forget that Sanchez was no different on Sunday than he was early in the season last year. In fact, the Jets had to slow him down because he was too risky with the football. Everyone needs to chill out and let the kid grow. He's going to mess up but he's also going to make plays. On Sunday he made plays and acted like a leader. It's just a matter of keeping that momentum.
That's a wrap on the Recap. Now it's time for some quick hits.
Quick Hits:
1) The Jets once again won the turnover battle. This is an encouraging sign. Historically, when you win the turnover margin, you win the game. Last week was one of the rare occasions that it didn't happen.
2) Special Teams has been solid. Folk is 4-4 kicking FG and Weatherford has been clutch punting. I would like to see Folk kick more balls in the end zone though. Otherwise so far so good.
3) There was a Dustin Keller sighting. The Jets finally put their gifted TE to use. And they used him where he's the most lethal....in the seam against slower linebackers and smaller safeties. He had a breakout game. Keep feeding him the ball. Only good things can come from it.
4) Kyle Wilson had a nice bounce back game. He wasn't picked on as much but his technique was better and he made some nice plays. He does need to work on his blitzing technique though. Early in the 1st quarter, he came on a blitz and had Brady for a sack. To his credit, Brady made a nice move and very subtly ducked and avoided Wilson. However, Wilson still would have had him if he just controlled his path towards Brady. He was so aggressive that he ended up over running past Brady taking himself out of the play entirely.
5) The offensive line needs to do better protecting Sanchez. He was sacked 3 times Sunday. 2 of those sacks came from the guy that D'Brickashaw Ferguson was blocking. For a guy that's being touted as a pro bowl LT, he's not playing like one right now. He's getting beat on inside rushes. That's a byproduct of poor footwork. Instead of shifting his feet he's using his hands and by that time it's too late and Sanchez is eating grass. He's got to step it up.
6) The Jets have got to stop the stupid penalties. I mentioned them before but it bears repeating. 2 personal fouls, 1 taunting and 1 unnecessary roughness. Both UNACCEPTABLE! These guys have got to get it together and play aggressive but SMART football.
King Rex Quote of the Game:
Question: "What did you learn about your team this week coming off the loss last week?'
King Rex's Response: "I never learned a whole lot. I think other people learned that this team is tougher than people think. They got great resolve. We don't make excuses. We just go out and try to compete and that's what we did today."
Bottom line.....This was a big win for the Jets. Not because of the schedule. It was a chance for them to get back to playing the kind of football that we all know they are capable of. Is this a Super Bowl caliber team? I don't think so but they are on their way and that's all you can ask for when you are a fan of Gang Green.
Next up is another divisional showdown in Miami. This one can be tough. The Dolphins have a stingy defense and the loss of Revis could be big but I don't see the Jets laying an egg against them like last year. We'll have to wait and see.
Until Next Time......Now Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
By The Numbers :
Passing
Sanchez : 21/30 - 220 yds - 3 td - 124.3 Passer Rating
Rushing
NYJ : L. Tomlinson - 11 car 76 yds 6.9 ypc
S. Greene - 15 car 52 yds 3.5 ypc
Receiving
NYJ : D. Keller - 7 rec 115 yds 1 td
B. Edwards - 5 rec 45 yds 1 td
J. Cotchery - 4 rec 26 yds 1 td
Efficiency
1st Downs - NYJ - 23 - NE - 20
3rd Down Efficiency - NYJ - 6-13 - NE - 5-11
Turnovers
NYJ - 0
NE - 3
Penalties
NYJ - 6 - 58
NE - 6 - 79
I look at these numbers and I just have 1 question......
Where the HELL was this last week?????
If the Jets were half as aggressive against the Ravens, we would be talking about a 2-0 team and not pushing the panic button after the Week 1 loss. Anyway, enough about the past. It's time to look back on what was a tale of 2 halves for Gang Green.
The 1st half had a back and forth feel. Both teams were sizing each other up seeing what they could and couldn't do. The Pats employed a ball control style of offense keeping the ball for almost two thirds of the 1st quarter. The Jets on the other hand ran only 3 plays giving the fans and yours truly a very restless feeling. Despite the lack of production from Sanchez and Co. the quarter ended with no score.
The 2nd quarter had some fireworks. The Pats ended a nice drive with a TD to Welker. Welker beat Cromartie on a nice out route to the corner of the end zone, Brady put the ball in a perfect spot and you got 6 for New England. The TD comes with an asterisk though. On that same drive, on a 3rd and 12, Brady fired a pass to Welker that was too high for him to handle but Eric Smith for reasons beyond imagination cracks Welker on the top of the head and gets hit with a personal foul for hitting a defenseless receiver. 15 yards and an automatic 1st down on a 3rd and 12. UNACCEPTABLE. These guys have got to control themselves, especially Smith. He's a decent safety with good athleticism. He's a better blitzer than he is a cover guy but he's a bit of a loose cannon and that reckless abandon cost the Jets on that drive and may cost them more down the road. Rex has got to reign these guys in.
The Jets responded with a TD of their own capped by a nice fade pass from Sanchez to Edwards. That was the good. The bad was Braylon getting flagged for taunting after the play. He stared right at the CB and did some motion with his hands and dropped the ball by his feet. This is another bonehead play by another talented but boneheaded player. This guy is the last person to be taunting and talking shit to people. He's made more news about his dropped passes than his TD's. Just SHUT UP AND CATCH THE BALL!!! You're not elite enough to get in people's faces and dance in front of them when you catch a 11 yard fade pass. Do that every week and MAYBE you might have earned the right to yap.
Towards the end of the 2nd quarter, the Jets were driving with a chance to put more points on the board but the drive stalled giving the Pats the ball with just over 2 min to play. I didn't even have to look at the TV.....I knew the Pats were going to score. You can't give Brady the ball with that much time on the clock with all the weapons he has at his disposal. What happens.....a 46 yard catch and run by TE Aaron Hernandez to be followed by the play of the day. Brady fires a bomb to the end zone for Moss who beat Revis on a fly route and snatches the ball out of the air with 1 hand. An amazing catch. 14-7 Pats.
Now everyone remembers the catch and Revis grabbing his leg after the play but I saw something else on that play that should be noted. The Jets were not set defensively before the snap. Players were out of position, still trying to line up, moving all over the place. Brady saw the confusion and did the smart thing, he took advantage of it and snapped the ball. It was clear from waching the "coaches film" that Revis was supposed to get safety help from Jim Leonhard over the top but he followed TE Aaron Hernandez going across the middle who was already covered by Eric Smith. The broken coverage allowed Moss to go single up on Revis and once he got the outside position it was just a simple game of pitch and catch. This play should never have been run. Ryan should have called time out to get the right defensive alignment in place and give Revis help on Moss. That didn't happen and the Pats scored.
With the Jets now down by 7, things looked bad. There was still over 1:30 on the clock and 3 timeouts for the Jets to play with but you just had that feeling that Ryan and Schottenheimer were just going to take a knee and go into the locker room. Well that didn't happen. The Jets showed some balls and drove down the field using mainly Keller in the seam to pick up nice chunks of yards and getting into FG range. Now it was time for Folk to kick a 49 yard FG. Hold your breath........It's good!!!!!!! A HUGE score before the half.
Pats 14 - Jets 10
We now move to the 2nd half which in a nutshell was just an ASS WHUPPIN by the Jets. The defense held the Pats to 80 total yards and 0 points. That's just domination and here's the kicker.....They did it without Revis. His hamstring kept him back in the locker room for the 2nd half. Antonio Cromartie played like a man possessed in Revis' absence. They put him on Moss and he locked him down. The rest of the "D" followed suit and got the job done. This is a testament to Ryan's gameplan. He abandoned his all or nothing blitz schemes for a more coverage based scheme that played more like a bend but don't break approach and it worked. The defense was more contain than attack which I wasn't expecting to see. It shows me that King Rex is not as stubborn as he appears. He's always coached with the kill the QB mantra and this time he realized that Brady can and has beat that style so he went a little more conservative and it paid off.
Of course none of this matters without the play of QB Mark Sanchez. In what was his best game as a Jet, Sanchez did more than run the offense....he LED them. The kid showed poise and presence. He also reintroduced himself to all of the critics that he deserves to play with the big boys and that he can be a franchise QB. How quickly people forget that Sanchez was no different on Sunday than he was early in the season last year. In fact, the Jets had to slow him down because he was too risky with the football. Everyone needs to chill out and let the kid grow. He's going to mess up but he's also going to make plays. On Sunday he made plays and acted like a leader. It's just a matter of keeping that momentum.
That's a wrap on the Recap. Now it's time for some quick hits.
Quick Hits:
1) The Jets once again won the turnover battle. This is an encouraging sign. Historically, when you win the turnover margin, you win the game. Last week was one of the rare occasions that it didn't happen.
2) Special Teams has been solid. Folk is 4-4 kicking FG and Weatherford has been clutch punting. I would like to see Folk kick more balls in the end zone though. Otherwise so far so good.
3) There was a Dustin Keller sighting. The Jets finally put their gifted TE to use. And they used him where he's the most lethal....in the seam against slower linebackers and smaller safeties. He had a breakout game. Keep feeding him the ball. Only good things can come from it.
4) Kyle Wilson had a nice bounce back game. He wasn't picked on as much but his technique was better and he made some nice plays. He does need to work on his blitzing technique though. Early in the 1st quarter, he came on a blitz and had Brady for a sack. To his credit, Brady made a nice move and very subtly ducked and avoided Wilson. However, Wilson still would have had him if he just controlled his path towards Brady. He was so aggressive that he ended up over running past Brady taking himself out of the play entirely.
5) The offensive line needs to do better protecting Sanchez. He was sacked 3 times Sunday. 2 of those sacks came from the guy that D'Brickashaw Ferguson was blocking. For a guy that's being touted as a pro bowl LT, he's not playing like one right now. He's getting beat on inside rushes. That's a byproduct of poor footwork. Instead of shifting his feet he's using his hands and by that time it's too late and Sanchez is eating grass. He's got to step it up.
6) The Jets have got to stop the stupid penalties. I mentioned them before but it bears repeating. 2 personal fouls, 1 taunting and 1 unnecessary roughness. Both UNACCEPTABLE! These guys have got to get it together and play aggressive but SMART football.
King Rex Quote of the Game:
Question: "What did you learn about your team this week coming off the loss last week?'
King Rex's Response: "I never learned a whole lot. I think other people learned that this team is tougher than people think. They got great resolve. We don't make excuses. We just go out and try to compete and that's what we did today."
Bottom line.....This was a big win for the Jets. Not because of the schedule. It was a chance for them to get back to playing the kind of football that we all know they are capable of. Is this a Super Bowl caliber team? I don't think so but they are on their way and that's all you can ask for when you are a fan of Gang Green.
Next up is another divisional showdown in Miami. This one can be tough. The Dolphins have a stingy defense and the loss of Revis could be big but I don't see the Jets laying an egg against them like last year. We'll have to wait and see.
Until Next Time......Now Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
Week 2 Preview: Patriots at Jets
As week 2 approaches, there have been several story lines that have dominated the matchup between New England and The Jets.
1) Revis vs Moss and Revis' gimpy hamstring.
2) The Jets struggling offense. Can they get it together and put REAL points on the board.
3) The ability of the rest of the secondary, mainly Cromartie and Wilson to cover Wes Welker and co.
Those are all valid points but I think people are missing the biggest one. Which is the chess match between head coaches Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past decade you know that Bill Belichick is hands down the best head coach in the NFL. Now some of you may disagree with that but just consider this. It's been said that a head coach is only as good as his staff. That is mostly true. The 1 exception is Belichick. In the last 5 years he has lost several key members of his coaching staff to other endeavors.
1) Charlie Weis : Offensive Coordinator - leaves to coach Notre Dame (2005)
2) Romeo Crennel : Defensive Coordinator - leaves to coach the Cleveland Browns (2005)
3) Eric Mangini : Defensive Coordinator (Crennel's replacement) - leaves to coach the Jets (2006)
4) Josh McDaniel : Offensive Coordinator - leaves to coach the Broncos (2009)
These losses led the so called experts to believe that the Pats would have a hard time recovering. That went double in 2005 when both Weis and Crennel bolted. Here's what New England has done in the wake of their irreplaceable lost coaches.
2005 : 10-6
2006 : 12-4
2007 : 16-0
2008 : 11-5
2009 : 10-6
Wow! They really suffered.
Even more impressive is that the Pats made the playoffs every year except 2008 when Brady went down for the year and they still won 11 games. This is all the proof you need that Belichick is the man. He doesn't need anyone's help. The man is a genius and someone to be feared as an opponent. Do I like Belichick? No. But I respect the hell out of him for this one reason.
The man knows how to gameplan against you. We as Jets fans are accustomed to Revis taking away the other teams best offensive weapon in the passing game. Belichick takes away your ENTIRE team on both sides of the ball. He knows exactly how to mix and match his defensive looks to confuse your offense and knows how to play games with your defense when Brady has the ball. This is what scares me about tomorrow's game. The Jets have enough issues as it is after 1 week and now you have a shark coming into the New Meadowlands with the scent of blood on his tongue. Not a good combination if you are a Pats opponent.
Can the Jets beat New England tomorrow? Of course they can. Should they beat New England? Hell yeah they should. Will they beat New England? I have no idea.
While everyone in the press is paying attention to Sanchez, Revis' hammy, Cromartie and Wilson vs Welker. I'll be paying attention to the men on the sidelines with the head sets on because that is the real game.
Until Next Time....."And the home of the......JETS!" Now let's go eat a god damn snack!
1) Revis vs Moss and Revis' gimpy hamstring.
2) The Jets struggling offense. Can they get it together and put REAL points on the board.
3) The ability of the rest of the secondary, mainly Cromartie and Wilson to cover Wes Welker and co.
Those are all valid points but I think people are missing the biggest one. Which is the chess match between head coaches Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past decade you know that Bill Belichick is hands down the best head coach in the NFL. Now some of you may disagree with that but just consider this. It's been said that a head coach is only as good as his staff. That is mostly true. The 1 exception is Belichick. In the last 5 years he has lost several key members of his coaching staff to other endeavors.
1) Charlie Weis : Offensive Coordinator - leaves to coach Notre Dame (2005)
2) Romeo Crennel : Defensive Coordinator - leaves to coach the Cleveland Browns (2005)
3) Eric Mangini : Defensive Coordinator (Crennel's replacement) - leaves to coach the Jets (2006)
4) Josh McDaniel : Offensive Coordinator - leaves to coach the Broncos (2009)
These losses led the so called experts to believe that the Pats would have a hard time recovering. That went double in 2005 when both Weis and Crennel bolted. Here's what New England has done in the wake of their irreplaceable lost coaches.
2005 : 10-6
2006 : 12-4
2007 : 16-0
2008 : 11-5
2009 : 10-6
Wow! They really suffered.
Even more impressive is that the Pats made the playoffs every year except 2008 when Brady went down for the year and they still won 11 games. This is all the proof you need that Belichick is the man. He doesn't need anyone's help. The man is a genius and someone to be feared as an opponent. Do I like Belichick? No. But I respect the hell out of him for this one reason.
The man knows how to gameplan against you. We as Jets fans are accustomed to Revis taking away the other teams best offensive weapon in the passing game. Belichick takes away your ENTIRE team on both sides of the ball. He knows exactly how to mix and match his defensive looks to confuse your offense and knows how to play games with your defense when Brady has the ball. This is what scares me about tomorrow's game. The Jets have enough issues as it is after 1 week and now you have a shark coming into the New Meadowlands with the scent of blood on his tongue. Not a good combination if you are a Pats opponent.
Can the Jets beat New England tomorrow? Of course they can. Should they beat New England? Hell yeah they should. Will they beat New England? I have no idea.
While everyone in the press is paying attention to Sanchez, Revis' hammy, Cromartie and Wilson vs Welker. I'll be paying attention to the men on the sidelines with the head sets on because that is the real game.
Until Next Time....."And the home of the......JETS!" Now let's go eat a god damn snack!
Big Jenks vs A Big Problem
By now you all know that the Jets once again lost their big man in the middle. Nose Tackle, Kris Jenkins to a left ACL tear. This is the 2nd tear he's had on this knee in 2 years. In week 6 last season he tore the ligament against the Bills and was done for the year. This was seen as a big blow last year because Jenkins provided a presence on the line with his freakish blend of size and speed. The man simply couldn't be blocked. This gave Rex Ryan some more freedom with his high risk high/reward blitz packages.
As a die hard Jenkins fan, I thought his loss was going to dismantle the defense beyond repair. Thankfully, I was wrong. The "D" not only compensated for the loss, they statistically played better without him on the field. So with his rehab progressing nicely in 2010, things were looking up for the big man. He shed some lbs during training camp and was ready to go then in the blink of an eye it's all over. So now with Jenkins out of the lineup the focus turns to his backup #91 Sione Pouha a 6th year man out of Utah. Last year in 14 games he registered 45 tackles and did a great job against the run. Clearly he's no Kris Jenkins but he's a damn good football player.
But is he good enough to be the man in the middle for a full 16?
With this situation looming over the Jets heads, should they be content with the status quo, or perhaps look outside the organization for help.
Right off the bat 1 name comes to mind......Albert Haynesworth.
Should the Jets roll the dice and make a trade to get the DC crybaby? When he wants to, the man is a force but that's the catch.....WHEN HE WANTS TO. The last thing the Jets need is someone rocking the boat with an attitude. They already have enough personalities on the 53. From Jason Taylor to Bart Scott to Antonio Cromartie to Santonio Holmes to even Darelle "holdout" Revis. Do you really want another high profile player who's been making news recently for his behavior instead of his play?
I say no. Leave him in Washington. He's not worth the time and effort it will take to get him in line. I know Rex can be a good motivator but that only goes so far. Remember when he was supposed to whip Gholston into shape? The "D" will be just fine without Haynesworth. Remember their pass rush is created by their aggressive blitzing. It's very rare to get a pass rush in a 3-4 scheme unless you have freaks on the line which we all know the Jets do not have.
What do you guys think? Should the Jets go after Haynesworth or stay put and just play ball?
That's all I got.....Until Next Time.....Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
As a die hard Jenkins fan, I thought his loss was going to dismantle the defense beyond repair. Thankfully, I was wrong. The "D" not only compensated for the loss, they statistically played better without him on the field. So with his rehab progressing nicely in 2010, things were looking up for the big man. He shed some lbs during training camp and was ready to go then in the blink of an eye it's all over. So now with Jenkins out of the lineup the focus turns to his backup #91 Sione Pouha a 6th year man out of Utah. Last year in 14 games he registered 45 tackles and did a great job against the run. Clearly he's no Kris Jenkins but he's a damn good football player.
But is he good enough to be the man in the middle for a full 16?
With this situation looming over the Jets heads, should they be content with the status quo, or perhaps look outside the organization for help.
Right off the bat 1 name comes to mind......Albert Haynesworth.
Should the Jets roll the dice and make a trade to get the DC crybaby? When he wants to, the man is a force but that's the catch.....WHEN HE WANTS TO. The last thing the Jets need is someone rocking the boat with an attitude. They already have enough personalities on the 53. From Jason Taylor to Bart Scott to Antonio Cromartie to Santonio Holmes to even Darelle "holdout" Revis. Do you really want another high profile player who's been making news recently for his behavior instead of his play?
I say no. Leave him in Washington. He's not worth the time and effort it will take to get him in line. I know Rex can be a good motivator but that only goes so far. Remember when he was supposed to whip Gholston into shape? The "D" will be just fine without Haynesworth. Remember their pass rush is created by their aggressive blitzing. It's very rare to get a pass rush in a 3-4 scheme unless you have freaks on the line which we all know the Jets do not have.
What do you guys think? Should the Jets go after Haynesworth or stay put and just play ball?
That's all I got.....Until Next Time.....Let's Go Eat A God Damn Snack!
Welcome
Welcome to The 5th Quarter NY Jets blog. This is where I break down the latest Jets game and give you my take on what I saw from a detailed fan's prospective. Check it out and feel free to sound off on what you felt about the game or how you feel the season is going.
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Week 1 Baltimore Ravens vs New York Jets
Final Score: Ravens 10 - Jets 9
Ok guys. Game 1 was not the result we wanted to open up our new house. Here are the observations I came away with after going over the "game film"
I'll start with the "O".
We all know that our boys stunk up the joint on offense Monday night.
176 total yards
6 first downs
1-11 on 3rd down
UGH!
I place the blame for that on 3 people.
1) Rex Ryan
2) Brian Schottenheimer
3) Mark Sanchez
In that order.
Both Ryan and Schottenheimer throughout training camp and during this game drilled it into Sanchez's head to not turn the ball over. This was magnified against a very tough and turnover creating Raven's "D".
The end result was a very shaky and at times intimidated QB. Sanchez looked scared shitless at the line while surveying the defense pre snap. Then while in the pocket he never let a play develop. Just checked down to the back running in the flat.
This mindset forced a once confident QB to question his own decision making on the field. This is year 2. I'm not expecting a major improvement in Sanchez but it's time to take the Red/Yellow/Green play sheet off and let him loose. The kid has the skills as raw as they are. He showed that in spots last season and in the playoffs.
If the Jets are truly going to be a contender then they are going to see the Ravens again. You needed to show them that even though they are tough that they aren't invincible. Just the threat of offense will get the point across.
I guess the threat of offense was neutralized once #23 coughed it up. This kid as talented as he is has GOT TO HOLD ON TO THE ROCK! He has fumbled 5 times already in his very short NFL career. This fumble was worse on 2 levels.
1) Nobody hit him. He ran into Slauson's ass and the ball popped out. That's just a lack of concentration. No other way to say it.
2) The fumble came after Cromartie picked off Flacco. When your defense creates a turnover and gives you the ball in enemy territory......YOU CAN'T GIVE THE BALL BACK!!!!
If that doesn't get straightened out then the ground and pound side of the "O" will not be as strong as it should be and it will make people question releasing Thomas Jones.
That takes care of the "O". Now on to the "D".
It's no secret that if the Jets are going to be successful at all this year, their defense will be the focal point of the team. I saw 2 different defenses on Monday night.
1) A dominant one
2) An undisciplined one
The good....The "D" created 3 turnovers and held the Ravens to just 53 yards rushing allowing only 10 points.
The Bad....14 penalties for 125 yards. Baltimore converted 11-19 3rd downs.
Not good enough.
This defense prides itself on not giving up 3rd downs. They were not prepared. Kyle Wilson had his welcome to the NFL moments and that will continue until he learns to not play defense with his hands. Which is something Cromartie did all night long. They guy looked lost out there. This was something that worried me about him when he was in SD. The guy's got all world ability but his effort is not always there. That needs to change right away otherwise we have another Lito Sheppard out there and we all know how well he played last year.
Despite the outlaw nature of the "D", they still kept the team in the game and that's all you can ask from a top flight defense short of scoring.
Bottom line this team was not prepared for the bright lights of opening night and with the Pats on deck, the pressure is mounting. Is the season over if they lose on Sunday? Of course not but if you are going to be elite in this league, talk is cheap. Sooner or later you are going to have to beat the teams that you normally don't have a chance against.
We'll have to wait and see.
Until next week....J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets! Now let's go eat a god damn snack!
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