Jets 26 Buccaneers 3: Flying High Again
The Jets are somehow back in the Playoff mix after their 26-3 victory today over the Bucs in Tampa. Gang Green is riding a 3 game winning streak and is back over .500 at 7-6. The last month of this season could get very, very interesting. This performance rivals the Houston and Oakland games in terms of domination.
More after the jump.
The Good:
The Defense: We'll definitely profile some of the outstanding individual performers, but this was just an excellent defensive effort. Tampa's only 3 points came as the result of a personal foul on Bart Scott on which the officials arguably should have thrown an offsetting flag on the Bucs. The blitz packages had Josh Freeman's head spinning and overwhelmed Tampa's offensive line. Freeman was 14 for 33 with 93 yards and 3 interceptions. The Bucs didn't have a first down until the third quarter. They ended with 6 and 124 total yards. This was domination.
Jay Feely: Feely was money today. He hit 4 out of 5 field goals. One was from 40 yards, and a pair were from 49. Feely's kicking helped the Jets put the game away even as their offense struggled to advance deep into Tampa Bay territory.
Calvin Pace: He was constantly running free and finished with 7 tackles and a sack.
Darrelle Revis: Another dominant performance by the game's best corner. Antonio Bryant had 2 catches for 22 yards. Revis had an interception that just about iced the game and broke up a few passes.
Mike Westhoff: A fourth successful fake punt this year deserves kudos. It was the third variety of fake punt the team has run. Apparently the Bucs didn't pick it up on film.
Danny Woodhead: 3 catches for 35 yards. I'm really liking the idea of having him as a third down back and replacing Leon Washington a bit as a receiving threat out of the backfield.
The Tiger Formation: I made that name up, but it's what we'll call the Wildcat package for Brad Smith. Smith only had 16 yards on 5 carries, but getting the ball into the hands of a playmaker in the open field is a good idea and at least gives upcoming opponents something to notice on film and spend time preparing for. Smith had a 21 yard punt return. I'd like to see him out there instead of Jerricho Cotchery. He's more apt to make guys miss. I know he doesn't have great hands as a receiver and would seem to be more of a turnover risk, but catching a punt is different from catching a pass.
Thomas Jones: Another big stat line against an opponent that was gameplanning to stop him. TJ had 99 yards on 24 carries and 2 touchdowns.
The Bad:
Kellen Clemens: The best thing you could say is that he avoided a catastrophic mistake, finishing with no turnovers. In other words, he was lucky that Tampa Bay's offense was no inept because he didn't make any plays. This was bad any way you slice it. This is a bad defense that was loading up to stop the run. Kellen only hit 12 of 23 passes for 111 yards and looked lost aside from a brief period in the second half. He left plays on the field. He wasn't making decisions quickly enough. When he found a receiver, his throws were wildly inaccurate. His mechanics were a mess. He struggled with all but the most basic throws, and even some of them were an adventure.
A lot of us (and I include myself in that number) have been making excuses for Kellen for four years. He was young and inexperienced. He wasn't supposed to play. His offensive line was terrible. The team never gave him a chance. He's out of excuses. By this point, if he was ever going to be a player in this league, he would have shown some sign of it. It's sad to say because from what I hear you'll never meet a more genuinely good person. However, I don't see how Kellen finds a job in the NFL after this season.
Shonn Greene: That would be three fumbles in six games. When the ball is getting punched out from behind like that, it's a sign you're carrying it way too loosely. The Jets are going to have to start taking carries away from him. Even though he's been productive, it's becoming too much of a turnover risk.
Mike Westhoff: Westhoff got credit for the fake punt. He also has to take heat for the onside kick. It's been obvious the up men have been leaving too early all year. It almost cost them against Jacksonville. It hasn't been corrected at all. The Jets had no shot of recovering that kick because their men were so far down the field.
Three down, three to go. Nobody can say for sure how this thing will end. One thing is for sure. The Jets have shown a lot of character this year. It would have been easy to pack it in after the midseason swoon. The way they have continued to fight and get themselves back into this position says a lot good.
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The Tiger Formation!?
Sounds like something Tiger did behind Elin’s back. Kellen can still get a job, have you seen some of the backups in this league? As far as taking away carries from Greene, as much as that is the right move, you cant. Who gets the carries when TJ rests? Woodhead? Its a nice story, but he’s not that good. For everybody thinking Chrebet V.2, sorry but Woodhead isnt it.
Tiger's Wood
since danny woodhead is back there too on that formation
and the home of the... JETS!!!
If Rhodes keeps getting picks
he’ll actually have trade value at the end of the season.
Notice I said Revis or Rhodes would get the pick six.
Cant wait
to sink our teeth into a banged up Atlanta squad. Meadowlands should be rockin!
Curtis "my favorite" Martin - 1 of the best!
Criticism for Clemens has been unfair...
His stat line was basically the same as Sanchez’s all season, minus the turnovers. And Sanchez has had more starts and more reps with the starters. If its time to stop making excuses for Clemens, its also time to stop making excuses for Sanchez (whose had ample opportunity to develop a rapport with his receivers and O-line). Its time for Sanchez to be held to account for his bad completion percentage and turnovers.
Shonn Greene has to keep getting carries in his limited role. Maybe he needs a sit-down with Tiki.
Everyones been pretty hard on Sanchez too
Clemens is not a rookie, and has played games. I know we only wanted him to manage he game ( which he did pretty well ), but to show absolutely nothing against the Horrible Bucs. This was his chance to at least prove a little something. Nothing but poor passes, im left scratching my head.
Man, Greene should get a bucket of stick ’em for Christmas.
Curtis "my favorite" Martin - 1 of the best!
You can only run the plays the coaches call
and when the coaches call plays trying to protect you all game, there’s only so much you can do. He looked tentative in the first, far more confident in the second half, the Jets need to get guys vertical on every play so the other team can’t have two safeties bunched short. It isn’t a coincidence that Kellen and Dirty are both more succesful throwing it 10-20 yards then throwing it less then 10 yds.
"It's like the old phrase goes.....The balls in your court now Mr.Church, so you take that ball, you dribble it up the court and....................................... get a layup"
- Keith Hernandez
It's just too bad we don't hold the tie breaker over effing Miami
2009 Dallas Cowboys: 10-6
2009 New York Jets: not 11-5 :(
2009-2010 Dallas Mavericks: 57-25
Yes, the losses to Miami and the Jags suck,
but it is what it is, we are what we are, and this is the situation. If we win out, these tiebreakers don’t matter. So no point in complaining what could have/should have been, let’s take care of business against Atlanta, hope Indy doesn’t care about 16-0 and rests Peyton for most of the game we play them, and then go handle Cincy in week 17 when they will almost certainly sit Palmer, Benson and Ocho. Things aren’t as bleak as they appear. Let’s handle our business and we get in.
"It's like the old phrase goes.....The balls in your court now Mr.Church, so you take that ball, you dribble it up the court and....................................... get a layup"
- Keith Hernandez
Could see this team winning next week
and maybe even in week 16 if Indy rests their starters. Then, knowing Jets history, they’d probably only need to beat Cincinnati to get in the playoffs, and they’ll lose. Because it’s what they do. The annoying thing is, even 10-6 might not get it done.
I was just listening to ESPN radio
and they were interviewing Dwight Freeny. His tone was definitely that they were shutting it down. He said 16-0 was not as important as winning the super bowl.
Didn't our defense play well against the Saints?
I thought we had a chance if not for the 2TDs we gave them.
Even if the Colts don’t shut it down, I’d like to see what we can do against Peyton.
I think Rex believes he is the best QB in the league.
and the home of the... JETS!!!
i hope neither the colts nor cincy shut their players down
id like our team to make it through on account of playing their game and playing it well. if we cant beat these teams with them playing their personnel then what’s the point of making it to the playoffs? i think it’s more important to see what our offense can do against the falcon’s (with their beat up secondary), colt’s, and bengal’s defenses because we already know what our defense can do.
They can shut it down
I would rather make the playoffs, then deal with playing teams at their best. You have to realize, there is no room for error. My head will explode if those damn Dolphins make the playoffs. I would rather see the Pats win the SB than see that piece of garbage Jason Taylor play in another playoff game.
good point
kinda like the cards list year. just get to the playoffs and then make the magic (almost) happen. i really want to see our offense play well against a legitimate defense though. that would make my day.

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