FanPost

It's the Pennington ghost...

A lot of things have already been said about the Jets dodgy start to the season. Its the offensive line. It's Sanchez. It's Schottenheimer. Or all combined.

To me, so far this season, it's been like watching the Jets in the old Pennington days. And ok, Chad didn't have the arm so we were doomed to short passes forever back then. But is that the case with Sanchez? Why is it that we constantly face 3rd and long? Because the run isn't working? That's part of the reason, sure. But, it's ridiculously obvious that the short passing is designed play-calling. And since it is, this tells me there is no full-hearted trust on the QB.

Now, if that is the case, we have a far more serious problem than "just" the play-calling. If Rex Ryan agrees with the play-calling (assuming Schottenheimer does not have complete autonomy) it means that the mistrust in Sanchez is unanimous among Jet coaches. That's shocking for a QB that has been given a lucrative franchise contract, even more shocking since Ryan has to have played a role in that decision. How else to explain the preposterous play-calling on offense?

Some people are mysteriously convinced that Schottenheimer is calling bad plays. Why would he do that? Why would he not let the QB go long on those 3rd and 8s instead of the meek 5 yard pass? Why be so ridiculously conservative even when facing a rather mediocre defense like that of the Patriots? Schottenheimer is blind? He doesn't want his job? He somehow fails to see what everyone else is seeing? I somehow doubt it and no, I'm not convinced at all by his play-calling but i still suspect this has to do with Sanchez as well. The OC is responsible for the Jets being way too predictable. There's zero surprises, everybody knows what's coming, and if it works it has to be done perfectly otherwise it's yet another 3rd and 8.

Now, Sanchez, to me, he is a mystery. He might be an average QB or he could be still developing. I dont know, because every time he drops back to pass i cringe my teeth. It doesn't look confident, it doesn't feel like it's done with authority. Some Jet fans point out that "yes, but he's been to 2 AFC championship games". I believe that a very good Jets team achieved that and Sanchez was part of the ride but not necessarily a pivotal part. At this point, and 3 years into his career I have no idea if Sanchez is the QB the Jets need and this is worrying because the "inexperience argument" is long gone. I guess a different OC would solve at least part of that mystery. But it seems that may not happen until next year, if it happens at all. And by then the Jets may have missed their window to a Superbowl.

The season is of course not lost yet. The defense is too good for the season to be lost. And since I mentioned the defense, the reason we cash in so many points is because our D is constantly on the field. And on offense, even with the Sanchez looming question marks there's enough talent to take us in the playoffs. I'm not predicting we will make the playoffs. I'm saying we are still very much in it, but there are serious issues.

I'll wait for at least 2-3 games before I reconsider all these thoughts.

P.S.- It's been a long time since I've bothered with the refs, but we were butchered on Sunday. The no-fumble call was murderous. It would have been a massive momentum-shifter and it clearly was a fumble. The pass interference call was atrocious as well. We could have won had we gotten those calls. But it still doesn't change the fact that the Jets have some thorny issues to deal with with their performance.

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