Sprint Game Ball: Brian Schottenheimer
by John B on Dec 20, 2010 7:54 PM EST
in Sprint Game Ball of the Week
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PrintI have been very critical of Brian Schottenheimer when I thought his thought process was flawed. That has happened often during his five year tenure as offensive coordinator. I must give him credit for his approach yesterday. I thought it was one of the finest jobs he did.
Unlike other times this year, he did not make things overly complicated. He gave Mark Sanchez simple throws to build the confidence of a struggling quarterback. The plays were well designed and created space underneath.
Changing his approach, he gave a backup tackle pressed into action plenty of help against an aggressive attacking defense.
He figured out how to attack his opponent's tendencies by calling bootlegs on sell outs in short yardage situations and well timed delayed runs on third downs to get blitzers caught up field.
Was the game he called perfect? No, there were things I didn't like. However, there was a coherent theme that played to his guy's strengths. Even on the last offensive play the Jets had, which was a questionable pass call, Schottenheimer rolled Sanchez out and moved the pocket, which kept his young quarterback out of a situation where he might get pressured and panic.
It's easy to credit the offensive coordinator when things go well and blame him when things go poorly. Think of the criticism that he calls too many runs on first down. That seems to me like people are just critical because something doesn't work. Nobody had a problem with run heavy calls last year. I think with the Jets this season, however, the coordinator and success are connected. He has largely not put his guys in a position to succeed through the season. He did yesterday.
This doesn't really change my mind about his overall job performance on my opinion on what his 2011 status should be. However, for the terrific game he called, Brian Schottenheimer gets my Sprint Game Ball.
Who gets your game ball?
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My favorite call of the year was the Sanchez bootleg.
My dad and I were complimenting how good a call that was on 4th and 1.
"Don't give up, don't ever give up."
My game ball goes to Troy Pomalalu’s medial collateral ligament in his left knee
"My lasting image of Lemieux interacting with an Islanders defenseman is of Mario getting knocked on his ass by Darius Kasparaitis in 1993." - rmblifn #VolekStatue
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Schottenheimer must have been so thrilled with not only the bootleg, but also the direct snap to LT, typical curve ball calls from him, and they complimented the success they were having on the outside with the WR short pass. A neat and tidy game plan, probably schemed ahead of the time from game film.
What worries me are the adjustments. The Jets were fortunate that they were able to run the ball, and PItt was giving the WRs outside space. NE was all over this kind of short pass, crowding the line and the first move. What happens when the run isn’t happening and the WR short outside passes are covered? Is the offense able to move to the next level of the field without throwing sideline fly patterns?
I give all kinds of credit to Schottenheimer (and by extension to Sanchez who was able to regain his feel with the short stuff). But what I seriously worry about is the ability to adjust when the scheme isn’t working.
Yes, I do wonder how things would have worked had the Steelers started jumping those routes. Their secondary is suspect even with Polamalu so I’m thinking LeBeau was afraid of gambling against good receivers. Other teams will certainly be more aggressive.
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A lot went right
The OC did a good job with play calling. The receivers ran the routes well and caught the ball a lot better than the last few games and Sanchez delivered the ball on target very well. Hope this is a sign of the next 4 games
Clock Management
I’m not quite sure why everyone is ignoring the fact that Shotty also almost lost the game. it was 2nd and 10 with 3:30 left and Pitt had 3 timeouts. The jets punted, got the safety, and punted again, and there was 2:45 left on the clock and Pitt had a timeout left. Had the Jets lost the media would have been all over him. Maybe Shotty needs to play some more Madden because he has no basic football sense.
3rd and 3
Why would he call for a pass in this situation? Doesn’t he realize Detroit did this and helped the Jets get a win?
by arrowshockey16 on Dec 20, 2010 9:50 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Great game but a few questionable calls
Im not sure exactly when it was but there were about 3 minutes to go in the game and the jets were running the ball fairly well… First down the Jets get 4 running to make it 2nd and 6… Then shottenheimer inexplicably calls 2 passing plays that were both incomplete saving atleast 50 seconds of clock.. That could have cost us…
I'm still calling him BS...
I’m going to echo what some others have said: BS’s clock management blows. The Steelers should NEVER have had the kind of time they had at the end of the game. NEVER. It’s not like the Steelers had cut our run game to down. These are the kinds of mistakes a guy with his experience should be making.
On top of that, I don’t know that I’d call the play calling “fantastic.” It was good. It’s just that BS has set the bar SO LOW that when our offense doesn’t look completely impotent he gets mad props. He did his job, finally. Gimme 6 or 7 games like this and I’ll change my tune, but BS is still BS.
Also, how much of this is a result of Rex being a little more hands on with the offense this week?
(Oh, and since I’m watching MNF, let me add again that Jon Gruden is douche and I hate him.)
wow. a game ball for not sucking?
Can’t we just slap him in the back and say “hey, you didn’t suck as much as your normally do. Thanks for using the smaller anvil to tie to our feet before tossing us in the river”
I wonder if the brad smith td never happened if we’d be singing the same tune. I doubt it. That td lifted off all the pressure and gave schotty and sanchez a mistake to play with. A get out of jail free card, if u will. I’m guessing schotty and sanchez would have been much much tighter if not for that little bit of breathing room.
Thank you brad smith for clearing the air and letting everybody breathe.
by Crackback on Dec 20, 2010 11:32 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Game ball to the fans
who stayed positive and believed in Gang Green through the NE debacle and the loss to the FIns. I have to admit that I thought the Jets would lose in a close game at Heinz (Sanchez turnover) so I guess I get no part of the ball. But for those of you who kept their eye on the prize, mad props to you. Long time fan, and for those of you out there who remember and sufferred through the 1-15 season, this ball’s for you.
Who ever is picked him for the game ball is smoking crack
WTF???? We barely won the game with those dumb ass plays towards the end of the game!!! We should have ran the clock!!!!
braylon
i thought braylon edwards deserved the game ball – made some tough catches in traffic and held onto the ball…
game ball goes to Weathford
but he should let the OC touch it, maybe have his picture taken with it, let him call his dad and tell him he’s actually holding the game ball
Hate to say it, but Jason Taylor...
However, I am totally biased here. My favorite score in football is a safety and I don’t get to see the “good” variety that often. It’s usually a botched snap or a penalty in the endzone. Taylor’s was… well… there’s no single play I enjoy more. So he gets MY game ball.
Not impressed with Schotty
Gadget and glamor plays aside, the way the game is managed on offense hampers the defense too much. Field position and time places too much responsibility of the defense, while the offense does nothing but rest on the sideline.
JB wow giving scotty the game ball, that’s really stretching it. But we all have our own opinion I guess. Did call a decent game but game ball for only 1 offensive TD and bad calling towards the end. At half time had 2 time outs with like 15 seconds. But almost ran the clock down thinking of a play. Call a TO throw 2 passes if you get lucky enough the get in FG range call the last time out. Was so stupid I was freakin frustrated.
If I didn’t know you better I would think your initials JB was for Just Born. lol
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