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New York Jets
@
San Francisco 49ers
Sunday, Dec 7, 2008, 4:05 PM EST
Candlestick Park
AFC East Standings
| W | L | T | PF | PA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New York Jets
|
8 | 4 | 0 | 340 | 268 |
|
Miami
|
7 | 5 | 0 | 253 | 257 |
|
New England
|
7 | 5 | 0 | 277 | 255 |
|
Buffalo
|
6 | 6 | 0 | 276 | 259 |
(updated 12.2.2008 at 2:32 PM EST)
"If I was on a losing team and having to deal with this, that would be something different. I'd probably stomp my foot and say, 'Find a way to get me the ball.' But we're winning."
about 8 hours ago
John B
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49ers TE Vernon Davis vs. Jets secondary
Davis (19 catches for 263 yards and two touchdowns) has been a disappointment, but the Jets haven't shown they can cover the tight end. So he could have a breakout game. Broncos TEs Tony Scheffler and Daniel Graham combined for 13 catches for 149 yards, most coming in key situations.
about 8 hours ago
John B
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The Pressure on Mangini
This article explains what is at stake for Eric Mangini in the next four games, his perception in the media. The author's notions that Mangini was a can't miss commodity when the Jets got him is extremely flawed. There were not exactly a ton of suitors. Most thought he had a bright future having learned under Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells but that he needed more seasoning to run the entire operation. The Jets and their fans both realized that this would take years, and this kind of on the job training would be full of bumps in the road.
The media has forgotten about this, and failing to win this division would be a major disappointment for this Jets team. If it happened, the press would brutalize Mangini, which could be harmful for his future considering how much it sways fan opinions.
about 8 hours ago
John B
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Gholston's Role
by John B
on Dec 2, 2008 10:14 PM EST
To say that Vernon Gholston has been a disappointment would be an understatement. The Jets had to expect more than 12 tackles in 12 games from a top ten pick. Even worse, Gholston has no sacks. This is a bad sign considering his pass rushing skills made him such a high pick. The closest he came was on a play in the third quarter on Sunday when he had Jay Cutler in his sights. Vernon looked like he had cement blocks for shoes as Cutler somehow got off a pass and completed it for a big game.
Yesterday we discussed how the Jets need to upgrade their pass rush. Their use of Gholston should play a small role. Vernon has been used primarily in passing downs. The Jets have often used him as a rush linebacker, blitzing off the edge while either Bryan Thomas or Calvin Pace has put a hand on the ground. The Jets might as well admit to themselves that Gholston is not going to give them anything as an outside linebacker this year. Their best hope is that Vernon's play has a big jump from his first to his second year and that his struggles are due to missing rookie camp as a result of an anachronistic rule that does not allow underclassmen to participate because they are technically still students. If Gholston plays, it should be at defensive end, a position at which he has more experience and had much more success in college. This would make him a one down player since a player that small would be thrown around as a 3-4 end on running plays.
Gholston should get only a short leash in this new role. These games upcoming are too important for him to show no progress. Since David Harris is on the way back, David Bowens would be free to move back outside for a bit to spell Thomas and Pace in addition to his duties backing up Harris and Eric Barton. Bowens moving to inside linebacker this season has turned him into a homeless man's Adalius Thomas. He is versatile enough to play outside, inside, and line up at end on passing downs. The Jets could give him Gholston's time while keeping him as the primary sub at inside linebacker.
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"Obviously, I need to do a better job of coaching, and each individual needs to do a better job getting ready for the games and being able to go out and execute."
1 day ago
John B
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Consistently,Inconsistent
by Pete1020
on Dec 1, 2008 10:08 PM EST
Moved to front page. It's always good for somebody to bring some perspective after a brutal loss. -John B
The New York Jets have once again misled their fans and confused NFL followers nationwide. Sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner with your family in the New Jersey area, you were bound to hear at least twice about the potential Super Bowl match up between the Jets and Giants. This was an immediate reaction after seeing the Jets slay the undefeated 10-0 Titans rather convincingly. But my oh my have those talks seemed to have quieted less then a week later, after the Jets were rolled on by Jay Cutler and the Denver Broncos. But the question is, where do The New York Jets truly stand?
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Mangini Needs to Step In Again
by John B
on Dec 1, 2008 9:50 PM EST
Sunday's debacle was the latest lousy performance by the secondary. After being shredded by luminaries such as Tyler Thigpen and Matt Cassel even during a five game winning streak, Jay Cutler put together a massive game against the unit. The Jets do everything well except defend the pass. They stop the run. They have a Hall of Fame quarterback, two above average running backs, and a deep receiving corps. Their stellar special teams is a byproduct of having the game's best coach in that area, Mike Westhoff. They also rank in the top half of the league in sacks. Upgrading the pass rush even further is the only way the passing defense will improve.
New York's secondary is an interesting unit. Kerry Rhodes is one of the top five safeties in football. Darrelle Revis is one of the game's top ten corners. Both are under 27 years old. Beyond that, the secondary is dangerously thin. Dwight Lowery has shown flashes of solid play and good instincts. He is still not an effective starter in 2008, although he might be in the future. Hank Poteat can do an adequate job covering the slot in short stretches but gets exposed when he spends too much time on the field. Abram Elam, Eric Smith, and David Barrett are spotty in coverage at the safety slot opposite Rhodes. The signing of Ty Law reeked of desperation after the team failed to land the guy it needed, DeAngelo Hall to start opposite Revis. There is not going to be another guy like Hall available before the end of the season. High impact players typically do not find their way to unstable franchises who let them go. It is a one in one thousand shot. The Jets may make a low impact signing for the secondary, but this patchwork group is pretty much the hand they will have to play.
The only way to improve the secondary is to cut down on the time it is exposed. That means getting more pressure to the quarterback. One only needs to look at the Giants. They rank tenth in the league against the pass. Aaron Ross and Corey Webster are nice players, but they lack the elite cover skills of Revis. The reason is their defensive line has 26.5 sacks and applies consistent pressure. Remember the Super Bowl. The same average secondary shut down the most dynamic aerial assault in NFL history because its defensive line got to the quarterback so quickly that the receivers had little time to get open and Tom Brady got rattled after taking too many hits.
The Jets may have a lot of sacks, but their pass rush has been feast or famine. When they do not sack the quarterback, they do not generate anything resembling a pass rush. Jay Cutler had all day on Sunday, and a talented Denver receiving corps had all day to get open against a subpar secondary. New York needs to protect its secondary. The only way to do this is to remember the recent past.
In the past two seasons, Eric Mangini took a more active role in the defensive gameplanning after the team's bye week because the pass rush has been so inept. In these games, the Jets showed more variety in their schemes. They came out in exotic defensive formations. The players shifted, and linemen did not put their hands on the ground until right before the snap to limit the amount of time the offensive linemen have to figure out their assignments. Players lined up in different spots, Shaun Ellis at outside linebacker being an example. Again this causes confusion on the line. Offensive linemen have a tougher time figuring out whose guy is theirs if a player only sets up across from him sometimes. The Jets blitzed liberally from every angle imaginable, bringing pressure from a different spot on every play. These schemes worked well enough to compensate for a lack of talent. New York started getting to opposing quarterbacks, and the defensive performances improved. Tom Brady's head was spinning when he faced the Jets in these games.
Mangini now needs to step in again. The Jets have to upgrade their pass rush to protect their secondary. Bob Sutton is not the guy to do it on his own. How he made it to a third year as defensive coordinator when things were going so poorly that Mangini felt the need to step in during the first two seasons is anybody's guess. The reality is that things are not working. If Mangini's aggressive gameplans worked with Victor Hobson, Dewayne Robertson, and Bryan Thomas playing in milk carton worthy form, it should be superb with Calvin Pace, Kris Jenkins, and Thomas playing reasonably effectively. There are only two drawbacks to the blitz. If the opposition picks it up, it leaves room for a big passing play and it is vulnerable to screens. The Jets are already giving up big yardage through the air, and they defended Denver's constant screen passes miserably on Sunday. A change is definitely in order. This team's weakness could otherwise be its undoing.
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Marshall Complains About Fans
Brandon Marshall was not shy about his feelings for Jets fans who booed Denver injuries on three successive plays. It would be interesting to investigate his claim that all Broncos fans are angelic. I'm sure we can find some documentation that this is not true.
Jets fans have gotten a bad rap in recent years, and a few bad apples from this contest will probably make things worse, even though the entire stadium was not booing.
It is also worth noting that this rash of injuries kept stopping play as the Jets were looking to up the tempo by going no huddle. Marshall is a smart guy. He should be able to figure out why this may fail the smell test of some fans,
2 days ago
John B
1 comments
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Broncos 34 Jets 17: Back to Earth
by John B
on Nov 30, 2008 8:02 PM EST
The Jets fell to 8-4 today with a 34-17 loss to the Broncos in the Meadowlands. The only thing worse than New York's play was the weather in the local area. New York remains a game up in the AFC East but now trails Pittsburgh by a game for the second seed and first round bye. Any realistic hope of taking the AFC's top seed is gone. The five game winning streak came crashing down with a thud.
6 comments
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Denver Broncos at New York Jets Game Thread
by John B
on Nov 30, 2008 4:15 PM EST
We are in the home stretch. The Jets are jockeying for Playoff positioning. Can they take care of business against the inconsistent Broncos at a sloppy Giants Stadium? Leave any thoughts in the comments section.
3 comments | 0 recs
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