What to expect from Sparano
by Can'tWait on Jan 11, 2012 9:15 AM EST
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PrintI also wonder at some fan reactions I'm seeing so far. I see alot of apprehension and even hatred towards this move. This dissapoints me for alot of reasons. This fanbase was almost comically of the "anybody but shotty" opinion and now that the team has made a move we are all still not happy? What does it take to appease a Jet fan these days? Are we all doomed to be miserable because Shotty's axing didn't happen on day one when we demanded it? This isn't the guy we all wanted so some of us are pitching mini fits? We all have such a problem with the team letting Shotty leave in a quiet maybe respectful manner that we seem to be transferring frustration from situation to situation? Who the hell cares how it was done? It's done! The team got rid of the cancer and looks to move on in a vastly different direction. That should have you all excited enough to at least hold your outrage until preseason.
Lets all have a deep breath and realize christmas may have come a little late but it still came. Maybe you didn't get what you wanted kid but damnit if I'm not gonna make you happy that you got something! Sorry. A little flashback to ol CW's past holidays. The old mad really didn't ever get me that Battletoads game I wanted and I'm still holding it against him. Anyway. Lets get into Sparano as a play caller and what to look for and be excited about.
To start with, I and anyone else who kept a glancing eye on Miami will notice that Tony has a fire about him. The fist pumps and the running around and so fourth... He's emotional to say the least and that is obvious from his demeanor and comments from many players he has coached. Not unlike our head coach. I get the feeling that Sparano and Rex are going to have an interesting relationship. Tony was a head coach with questionable results but still a "head coach" none the less. He comes with a presence that Rex is going to have to make room for. I see that as a good thing. Rex's personality is going to start being challenged by Tony and I bet we start to see a more reserved Rex when it comes to speaking to the media. I'd also be willing to bet the NY media is going to give a little bit of the spotlight to Tony after games as well. Thats fine with me. Frankly, Rex sucks with the media. The cheap jokes and cheesy one liners have to stop and maybe a guy with a bold personality can start to level out the character that Rex has become.
On the field, I get the distinct impression that we are going to swear that we all see 2 head coaches on the sideline. One coaching the offense in an animated, fiery way and the exact same thing with Rex on Defense. Rex's brash ways have been sold on us for a while now and we have had success with it. It only seems right that we booted a very eratic and manic playcaller in Shotty with a stable yet intense guy like Sparano who almost mirrors Rex's enthusiasm for the game and his team. It's going to be interesting to say the least but I have healthy expectations for the direction the offense will be going in and I'm fine with Rex and Tony having to resort to a little power grab in camp. Someone needs to challenge Rex and Tony will do that.
My next point is a little bit of a difficult one to put into words so try to stick with me.
One of the most important things to have in your back pocket as a playcaller in this league is unwavering confidence in the run blocking of your offensive line. When your consistantly calling the game 50-50 like Tony does what your doing is feeding the life line of the team and keeping the most important cog in the machine happy. Linemand block the passing game and running game very differently. As a lineman you block the passing game with your brain. Everything is about pointing out pressure and recognizing defensive alignment. That gets tedious and boring. In layman's terms pass blocking is alot like playing defense in basketball. Stay in front of the guy and make sure that if he goes one way that he'a at least going away from the QB (the basket) and not towards him. On the other hand blocking the running game is done with your heart and soul. It's all about dominating the guy infront of you and moving him more than he moves you. A true match of wits and strength. Lineman need that consistently because their confidence waivers as they pass block in key situations.
Shotty was destined to loose his line sooner or later with his erratic playcalling and refusal to stick with running the ball when it was working. I attribute many of our problems on offense to Shotty's refusal to lay on the running game when it was clearly needed and it has more to do with actual player performance then some realize. When you don't show the running game consistent faith on 1st and 2nd down you loose the faith of the line all together. He lost his line and then lost the rest of his offense. Lineman feed off of the run like animals. They need to assert themselves in the running game to keep momentum going until the final second of the game. I can promise you that Tony will have this fan base seeing a return to offensive line dominance with little more than his fiery nature and his level, even playcalling.
Be encouraged Jet fans. It's time we stopped the circus we have been feeding into and realize that this hiring promises exactly what we have all been complaining about with Shotty. Consistency.
Remember when our running game showed signs of dominance early in games only to have that dominance turn to weakness as we saw Brian demand that Mark drop back for a pass 45, 50, 60 plus times during a game. Never again Jets fans. I can promise you that.
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Good Post
When I think about the Dolphins season………Sparano realized what he was doing was not working and changed it and his team played better. He was willing to do what needed to be done to make his team effective. This is a good hiring, as you said a firey coach on offense to go with a firey coach on defense. The only thing I don’t know about is if he is a disciplinarian or a friendly type; it is quite obvious we need a disciplinarian with this group. Maybe someone can advise on that.
Thank you
I have seen Sparano get into it with the offense before. And when I think of how little Shotty delt with the offense as a whole I can’t help but think this will be a nice suprise. I’m sure we have many moments ahead of us where the sideline camera pans to Tony talking things over with groups of offensive players around him. Not just Mark. Thats just another key to Tony’s success here with the Jets. Doing exactly the opposite of what we are used to will make us all feel very good about the future.
As a disciplinarian, I can’t really speak to that. I can assume however that his nature lends me to believe that he’s no push over. Another positive.
To my mind...
Sparano may be a friendly guy, but what are the odds that he gets to the level of friendliness with Mark and Rex that Schotty had? I loved Hard Knocks as much as the next person, and I’m sure Schotty was a hard worker, but I felt at times throughout HK, as well as during the season when the WRs were complaining to the press, that Schotty was too much of a buddy to Rex and to Mark.
You have a QB that needs discipline and polishing. You have a HC who knows ZERO about offense. The person who fills the OC’s shoes has to not only have an opinion on how to run things, but needs to do so in a way that’s authoritative and with a firm basis.
I can’t see this same thing happening with Sparano. He may not be a “disciplinarian,” but it’s got to be a move in the right direction compared to Schotty.
Without a doubt.
Their will be no buddy buddy crap going on with this offense with Sparano. That ended the second he was hired and It’s fantastic for many different reasons.
The security Mark has had up until this point has totally evaporated and now he will have to earn his spot as a starter.
I have no doubt that a veteran with decent to considerable ability will be brought in to challenge Mark and there is nobody left for him to play favorites with.
Tony has varied
Many of the players used to hate him until he eased up a bit in 2010. They said he had two volumes, yelling and whispering, and he didn’t have the respect of the locker room. He eased up last year and gained respect of more players. Still, he’s a very conservative coach by nature, often misused personnel like Reggie Bush, and was maddening at times. The team would often breakdown in the red zone and settle for FGs. He seemed to disrupt the rhythm of QBs as well by injecting Wild Cat plays when the QB was doing very well.
You may get more consistent play calling from Sparano, but he’s been very hard to change in his philosophy and would continue to try what wasn’t working. Plus we’d have a lot of run plays on a 3rd and long.
- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.
Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider
I also heard Bush was vehemently praising Sparano to the press when they let him go.
Is this because he learned how to use him? Or just because he gave Bush a chance when others wouldn’t?
It is because Ireland and Sparano gave Bush the chance to be a featured back.
- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.
Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider
This is exactly why I hate this move:
Still, he’s a very conservative coach by nature, often misused personnel like Reggie Bush, and was maddening at times. The team would often breakdown in the red zone and settle for FGs.
The last thing I want to see is long disjointed drives that end in FGs and Sparano “COME ON” fistpumping screams.
This is typical Rex. We go from one extreme to the the opposite extreme. And the personnel will be misused all the same.
So let me get this strait
Your expecting this team to go from first in the league in the red zone to… what 20th? Last? Just because of the guy calling the plays?
Isn’t it more likely that personel has more to do with redzone efficiency than playcalling?
It sounds like your argument is misplaced.
If your worry is faltering at the end of drives then I might think your blame should be pointed at the players that don’t execute.
Like Mark for not being able to lead a WR or Wayne for blowing a block or getting a penalty at the wrong time or even Greene for missing an obvious cut of dropping a pass.
Red zone scoring is totally subjectional and can be argued either way but it sounds more like your a proponent for placing soul blame on the playcaller.
Is Rex Ryan the reason we were so effective in the redzone this year? No. So why was Sparano so liable for redzone failure in Miami?
The talent in Miami hardly serves as an even test case for you to place so much blame on one factor let alone a factor thats not even wearing a helmet.
I’m kind of confused right now. You were the guy screaming right next to me about “Run on first, run on second and if the still don’t stop you, run until the kids wheels fall off.”
Crack, this is your guy. He’s one of the few who will do exactly what you have been demanding the team to do.
by Can'tWait on Jan 11, 2012 12:02 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I’m worried that our team is going to go from overly complicated and predictable to overly simplistic and predictable. And I’m worried that we’re going to turn into the FG machine that Miami was this past season.
What about Miami’s offense is supposed to excite me if we applied here? What? They Brandon Marshall and Reggie Bush and some other good talent that can make plays, but they did squat with them.
Yes, I’m a proponent of running the ball. But I don’t want to revert to ‘09, where thats all we did. I want a guy that will recognize the talent we have here and will figure out ways to creatively use it. I want a guy that will run first, but that will run it with an eye towards opening up things for our other weapons. Not as the be all end all. I saw absolutely no creativity out of the Miami offense when we played them. I thought they were very vanilla in how they used Marshall. I didn’t any real attempt to get Clay into space and matched on a backer. I don’t recall seeing Marshell and Bess twinned up all that much (if at all). I thought their running game was simplistic. What did they do with Fasano that will get me pumped up about Keller?
And don’t take an in-game quote and apply it as my general philosophy. I said run it until the wheels fall off with regards to our ripping off 7 yard chunks against Philly and then abandoning it for no apparent reason. You’re trying to make it seem like thats my philosphy.
Sparano stinks. And this offense is going to stink with him at the helm.
Would you rather have Schotty?
And if Sanchez is a liability like many think, what better coach to bring in. Our O line sucked last year directly because of our playcalling. They were put in positions to fail with too many formations and schemes, as well as predictable sets (Empty backfield and shotgun) where DLs and LBs were just 100% pass rushing.
I think when we actually see the ground and pound back, you’re going to get improvement from every offensive position. Sanchez will also be put in better spots, IMO, where the defense won’t know who and when he’ll be throwing to.
Yes, I'd rather have Schotty.
Schotty had some fantastically called games. So much so that I have no idea whether it was him or Sanchez. My beef with Schotty is that he seemed to be system-oriented, rather than personnel-oriented. But at least Schotty’s system was creative and he got guys involved. They system was good. He was just a bad play-caller.
Sparano is also a system-oriented guy. But his system sucks. It lacks creativity and aggression. Its overly simplistic and safe.
I will give you that point.
When Tony gets creative he sucks. His wildcat sucks and I hope it doesn’t come with him at all.
"Yes, I'd rather have Schotty."
Nothing I can say to that. Doesn’t sound like a rational statement at all. So if you’d rather have Schotty, what was the fix for this team? Because if it’s Sanchez, then you probably shouldn’t rather have Schotty because he used Sanchez more then any other coach in the NFL would. In your opinion then, did our offense just have bad luck, because they didn’t exactly light up a very easy schedule.
"I'd rather have Shotty"
Thank goodness nobody with this POV was involved in the decision making process this off-season. No offense, you’re entitled to your opinion, but give I say let Tony call at least one game before you crucify him.
by Clarke W. Griswald on Jan 11, 2012 1:09 PM EST up reply actions
Really guy?
Saying I’d rather have Schotty is not an approval of Schotty, but rather an indictment of Sparano.
Schotty’s offense is much more creative than Sparano. At least he attempted to utilize his weapons. Sparano’s offense is going to be 3 yard and a cloud of dust, just like Rex wants it to be.
Schotty’s offesne was well designed, but poorly executed. When things worked, it worked well. Sparano’s offense is poorly designed. When things work, it still sucks.
We'll see, you haven't seen one snap of him as an OC yet.
You’re talking about the 1-15 Dolphins he took over as the head coach. I’m sure he does some things well and one thing is for sure, his team up until the day he was fired never quit on him, or came completely unglued, like this team happened to. I’ll side with absolutely anyone one over another season of Shotty. At least let me yell at someone else for one season, if it doesn’t work out, they move on. I’m just happy the son of Marty days are finally in the past where they belong.
by Clarke W. Griswald on Jan 11, 2012 11:58 PM EST up reply actions
His team though...
Did get statistically worse every year on offense. And the team did quit on him in 2010. Reports came out saying that some players would advise FAs not to go to Miami with Sparano and Ricky Williams publicly criticized him. It wasn’t until 2011 when they started to back him because he changed his style. If he keeps his style that he had this year, he’ll be fine. If he goes back to pre-2011, who knows.
- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.
Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider
The owner of the Fins blew this guy up and ruined him
The owner publicly courted his replacement then kept the guy. Add to that he was brought in by Parcells then Parcells left… the guy never had a feeling of support. In fact, quite the opposite.
by CervezaVerde on Jan 12, 2012 7:50 AM EST up reply actions
He had all the support until just prior to 2011.
Yet even before 2011, he still saw his offense get progressively worse over 3 seasons. The only year in which Sparano had little support from the FO (2011) happened to be the only year he had support from his players.
- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.
Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider
Crack if I have you wrong then I'm sorry.
But to be honest. Anything any of us says gets attributed to our personal philosophies. I don’t think I’m so off when I say that the impression you have given for the direction of this offense seems to fit in with what Sparano does.
If I’m wrong then so be it but perhaps I’m not the only one who might be suprised by your hate of this move.
Lets hope for the best I guess and we will see in a few months if the pendulum swings too far in the other direction.
this is what i'm afraid of also
we needed someone that really knew the ins and outs of offense and playcalling like Sean Payton.
Granted as long as Sparano has some common sense and isn’t as predictable and stupid as Schotty I think it will be an upgrade. I really hope we stop seeing all these pass plays underneath and short of the 1st down marker on 3rd and 5’s etc.
Much of the red zone struggles for Miami were directed at Sparano
Because Sparano would stop running the ball inside the opponents 10 and 5 yard line. He also had RBs not known for passing backgrounds, like Ricky Williams, attempt a RB pass at the goalline. A lot of it, especially passing in the red zone, is the players, but much of the criticism was directed at the play calling.
- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.
Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider
Valid points.
His use of the wildcat was poor. I am worried about that to be honest.
Other than that. I’m hoping his level playcalling serves to even out Marks progress and give some balance to an offense that seems to excel in it.
I wouldn't be too worried about the Wild Cat
He has always used it at terrible times, but he hasn’t used it as much in 2010. I don’t see NYJ using it that extensively either.
- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.
Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider
We have kinda trashed it to be honest.
But since Kerley is a rookie and seems to be the heir apparent to Smiths crown. Next year could tell a different story as he gets more comfortable with the team.
Kerley threw the only nice pass the Jets had against the fins.
Also, now Sporano won’t be the HC, so maybe having less responsibility will be a good thing for him.
by Clarke W. Griswald on Jan 11, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions
Many Dolphin fans hated Sparano's fist pumping.
For a few years now they’ve been yelling at him to stop fist pumping for FGs. Personally, I believe that is overblown and he hasn’t fist pumped for them as much as many say, but still, the breakdowns in the red zone are just incredibly furstrating.
- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.
Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider
...
We had the best red zone efficiency….fine….HOW ABOUT GETTING THEIR MORE!. We definately did not rank high in that category enough
I feel like this stat is dumb. If a team gets to the red zone 1 time, and gets a TD. they are perfect. I much rather be the team who gets there 100 times and has a 75% percentage. Just saying
by BringBackNamath on Jan 11, 2012 12:26 PM EST up reply actions
I don't know if the stat is dumb but you make a fair point.
We do need to hit the redzone more often and the stat may be skewed because of how seldom we were there.
Its not a dumb stat…..but I just think its really skewed as you noted. Honestly, if we win games, I can care less about any stats.
what did best red zone get us this year? an 8-8 season…..So i’ll pass
by BringBackNamath on Jan 11, 2012 12:45 PM EST up reply actions
I'm with you on that one.
How bout a few over the top right? like scoring from outside the redzone for once? lol
Sparano brings Passion, Simplicity and Accountability
Schotty was more interested in out scheming and tricking defense rather than just winning.
IMO Sparano’s game plans will be simpler and Sanchez’s execution will improve dramatically
Give him a chance
He will probably have Todd Haley as the Assistant Head Coach so his ply calling will be different. I’m just happy that schotty is gone, anything is possible now
good post buddy
i wonder with all the changes with the coaches on offense will that impact our thinking going into the draft ?
if its for you it won't pass you
Thanks man
But don’t stop there. What if we loose Clinks and we really need to start over? We could see a whole new direction for the offense from drafting to FA and on an on.
Things could get really interesting.
it could be a more offensive draft than we expected.
maybe WR and RB move up in importance with the clearout . i suspect we could even look at a QB in the 3rd or later .
most new coaches get a new player or 2 from the draft to show what way they can influence a new team
if its for you it won't pass you
Your right. I think it's totally possible that Tony get a high draft pick to play with.
I would hope he goes with a nice line prospect but he could easily go WR or RB.
Which brings us back to our RBs
Are we confident in Greene? McNight? Getting back to the running game is great we just need a #1 back.
by mangold'sbeard on Jan 11, 2012 12:06 PM EST reply actions
Matt Forte. lol
Sorry I couldn’t help it. I have been on him for a while and I get chills when I think of what he could do here.
Forte would be great, how about Marshawn Lynch? I've been petitioning for him lately
I just think of that touchdown run he busted in the playoffs last year
by Clarke W. Griswald on Jan 11, 2012 12:47 PM EST up reply actions
I love that play.
But every time I think of him I think of his rap sheet. The guy is legit trouble. Not the Holmes kind either. Like real trouble.
Loaded guns on his person and abuse cases off the top of my head.
NY would be a bad place for him but hey, when has that ever stopped us? lol
Good point he is a bad dude, but maybe a one year thing.
And then draft a runningback high, the following year.
by Clarke W. Griswald on Jan 11, 2012 1:16 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed! I had a post advocating for Forte to come here weeks ago but everyone agrees that’s remote. Too bad, that would be outstanding.
by mangold'sbeard on Jan 11, 2012 1:20 PM EST up reply actions
A couple weeks ago I was talking with my buddies and said,
“If we promote Callahan or hire Sparano at OC, this team will pull a complete 180 from last year offensively.” I’m so glad I get to find out if I was right. I’ve been saying “run the ball” all season. It’ll be fine if we have long drives that stall, because it will keep our defense rested. I’d like to see us keep Tom Moore as an advisor as he would be a perfect compliment to Sparano, especially in the red zone playcalling.
It’s going to be fun to see how Rex and Tony mesh, I thinks it’s going to be all spades for sure.
Good read,
I was one of the people, that wasn’t a huge fan of this move. At least until I read this post, I think at the very least things he has going for him
A.) He is not Shotty
2.) He’s consistent, he runs th3e ball.
C.)he’s a line guy (good for us since Callahan is gone)
by Clarke W. Griswald on Jan 11, 2012 12:29 PM EST reply actions
The reason I wasn't the biggest fan at first
I wanted to see them bring in somebody from NO or GB, or some powerhouse offense, but the truth is, this probably makes more sense, for this team at least. We need to run the ball. I’m definitely happy we didn’t go with Mike Martz, Sanchez will at least come away with his life, next season.
by Clarke W. Griswald on Jan 11, 2012 12:40 PM EST up reply actions
Let me tell you why I don't like this move-
First I should say that like everyone else I thought Schotty’s time was up. However you are never going to be a decent offense in the NFL with a run-dominated attack, especially if you don’t have explosive run personnel. We don’t-we have an O-line that is 60% different that it was at the height of 2009, and Shonn Greene, who is a fine power back but not a special runner. Second-you need to have a good passing game to score points in today’s NFL. You can’t hide that. That is the way it is. Despite my doubts in Sanchez, given the investment it would have been wise to bring in a group that can help get the most out of Mark. Then in 2013 if 2012 was a bust for Sanchez, we could move on with a new QB. In fact I thought that was required-if it worked, then great we have the offense we need, if not-then at least we know it is time to move on. I simply don’t see how an ultra-conservative Hackett-type is magically going to fix our biggest problem-the passing game-and get us out of the bottom third of offenses.
It's hard not to see Sparano,
not using McKnight like the Fins were using Bush toward the end of his tenure there. I think he will get a great opportunity to pick the brain of a defense that handled him this season. If Tom Moore is kept on as a consultant I think it’s going to be a great compliment and learning opportunity for Sparano as well.
IMO, getting Schotty’s terrbile play calling out of our organization will help our offense more then you can imagine. We had new WRs for the last 3 years and in Schotty’s nonsensical schemes they never really had a chance to do anything. If we get a base run foundation, I’m confident that it will open up the possibility of throwing downfield. Won’t it be great to actually set up the play action instead of either not using it or using it after not running it for 2 quarters?
Also, I wonder where LaMichael James is getting drafted,
that would be an excellent RB to trade up for and add that explosion.
He's small but if he could bulk up and retain speed he'd be beast.
Watch how he runs, even when he’s running at stronger backs he keeps his legs churning, something Greene doesn’t do at all. He can catch out of the backfield, and runs with vision. Buzzy was looking at our lack of an explosive RB, James is just that. Plus we could actually trade toward the 2nd round, pick up a pick and get him.
The other RB, who is available around our pick is Trent Richardson, who isn’t exactly explosive, will crack some helmets in the NFL.
I think he's too much like McKnight really.
If the Jets want someone to split carries with Greene, I would suggest someone like Montee Ball if they want a 2nd or 3rd round RB or they could go for someone like Isaiah Pead with a later pick.
- Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.
- Defeat isn't bitter if you don't swallow it.
Contributing Writer to the The Phinsider
Montee Ball would be a good choice too, if he wasn't staying in school.
The reason I don’t like Pead is because he came out of Cinny’s spread system. It’s easy to misinterpret a players vision in this system as a RB. I think at his draft position he would be a less of a risk then James.
I wonder who they hire as the new QB coach?
That move might help with Sanchez’ development, which in turn would help our pass offense.
by Clarke W. Griswald on Jan 11, 2012 12:43 PM EST up reply actions
I Think You Are Overreacting
to some Jets’ fans reactions. Not ALL Jets fans reacted negatively. Those that did have good reasons for reacting that way or at least with reservations.
To begin with, the whole thing was handled in a confused way with Tanny and Rex saying one thing, but obviously thinking another. I think the best way to have handled the situation was decisively by firing Schotty the day after the season ended, then being careful and thorough in the search for his replacement. That decision shouldn’t have been rushed. Whether it is true or not, the appearance is that the Jets did it backwards, dawdling over Schotty leaving then rushing the hire.
Second, the Jets didn’t openly conduct any interviews. For that matter, we don’t even know that they interviewed Sparano. They just hired him. Sparano has little experience as an OC, and even then was quickly replaced. That justifies concern and questions among Jets fans. Is he competent? Will he be any better than Schotty?
Some of us felt like there were better candidates out there as well, and the Jets seemed to have no interest in them.
It’s also not like this franchise doesn’t have a sorry history of botching these kinds of decisions and moves.
I think you also underestimate the amount of angst and frustration that had built up in Jets fans because of Schotty and the team’s struggles this season. I think it is natural that people would complain about such a quick and seemingly careless decision about his replacement.
Personally, I don’t like Sparano because he was associated with the Dolphins, and I hate them more than any team not named the Raiders.
You make some good points about him, however, and I had noticed that under his leadership, the Dolphins seemed disciplined, well-coached and tough. I think you’re right in the things he will bring to this team, or at least I’m very hopeful about that. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and will be rooting for him to be great. I hope that we will see a number of things improve in the offense such as an offense designed to the strengths and abilities of the Jets offensive personnel, better play calling, an offense that is compatible with what Rex wants, better execution, better play design, an offense that uses every possibly pass route so that opposing Ds have to worry about all of them, about getting in plays sooner so that opposing Ds have to worry about when the Jets will snap the ball, and offense that is smarter and tougher, and most an importantly, an offense that shows up at the start of the game moving the ball and scoring points and doesn’t take a half to get going.
"Reality is purely the perception of the individual mind. It follows, that since no two minds are alike, no two perceptions of reality are alike. It further follows, that what reality is to one, may seem complete madness to someone else."
– Yefim Novikov
He we don’t really have a choice but to give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s our new OC whether we like it or not. We can complain or dance all we want… the proof will be in the puddin next season. (:
I think Jim Leonhard should be in the next Nike "Boom" Commercial or at least the next time he makes one of those tackles he needs to jump up with a can of Kool-Aid and shout "Oh yeah".
I don't think anyone knows what the Jets do behind the scenes.
Some organizations say nothing and everything happens behind the scenes, like the Patriots, and others do everything out front. I think, looking back on the last few weeks, that Woody, Tanny and Rex had a plan and they stuck to it. They were trying to talk up BS hoping someone would take him, like Atlanta did with Mularkey, only with more success, but I think everyone in the building, including Schotty, knew the game. This is nothing more than the same type of double speak we get from our Presidential campaigns, so why get so excited? The end result is what most of us wanted, and let’s move on.
Given the available OC coordinator talent out there I think we did well. McDaniels was never coming here, Clements will probably get a promotion and stay in GB or move to Oakland as OC with some of the other GB coaches if that process goes as expected. Sparano has shown the ability to work with his talent.. For everyone jumping about his use of the Wildcat, remember that Miami only employed that strategy at the start because all their WR’s went down that year, Henne was even worse because he was a first year starter, and their best offensive talents were at RB with Brown and WIlliams. I’ll take a guy that looks at his roster and tries to get the best out of it any day over a guy who insists on planning for games within his system no matter who he has to play and who he is playing. If we can add Haley as the QB guru/passing game coordinator, then we will finally be able to put the Sanchez discussion on the plane where it belongs – about his talent and abilities, not whether he or the OC is at fault for his mistakes and lack of positive development.
by Traveling Man on Jan 11, 2012 1:46 PM EST up reply actions
Your second point, about run blocking vs. pass blocking, sounds good, but...
The numbers don’t bear it out.
The Top five offenses in the NFL this year were, in order, NO, NE, GB, PHI, and DET. They ranked 20, 17, 26, 12 and 31 in rushing attempts. In other words 4 of 5 ranked in the bottom half of the league, and even Philly only ranked higher because of the running of Vick, most of which came out of pass blocking, not run blocking situations. None of those teams typically followed your run on 1st and 2nd down prescription.
The top five offenses in the NFL in rushing attempts per game this year were, in order, DEN, HOU, SF, JAX, and KC. They ranked 23, 13, 26, 32 and 27 in total offense. Only Houston escaped the bottom 40% of offenses.
Of the five teams with the best chance of winning the Super Bowl (GB, NE, BAL, SF, NO), only 1 ranked in the top 5 in rushing attempts, while 3 ranked in the bottom half.
The truth is, this has become a pass first league. Running on first and 2nd down is a prescription for numerous 3 and outs. Offensive lines don’t need a “run first” mentality to thrive. If they did, NE, GB and NO would have terrible problems on offense. Instead, they are the top 3 offenses in the league.
Now it may well be that the Jets need a “run first” mentality to thrive. But if so, that speaks far more to the shortcomings of our QB and passing game than it does to the need to feed the O Line its favorite running plays.
I didnt say offensive lines need to be run first to thrive.
I said they need to be consistant with the playcalling it to keep it effective.
The direction that this head coach has for this team is supposedly “ground and pound” and I’m not here to debate if that is correct or not for this team. All I’m saying is if this is the teams direction then need to very simply make sure the lineman are allowed to be consistant in their chances to maul.
It has nothing to do with stats. In fact quite the opposite.
Your right in that this is a pass heavy league. But thoes lineman on pass heavy teams would be hard pressed to blow the doors off a team in the running game if it were called upon them at a moments notice.
Thats why I like Tony’s balanced approach. Balance on both sides of the game allows for even amounts of familiarity with both sides of an offense. And familiarity breeds confidence for when something is called upon.
The best teams don't have "even amounts of familiarity with both sides of an offense."
The best teams light it up in the passing game. It is a rare Super Bowl winner these days that wins with “ground and pound” . Passing wins.
If we stick with “ground and pound”, it will only be because Sanchez remains near the bottom of NFL QBs. The only way to win a Super Bowl then is to have a dominant Defense like in 2009. It can be done, but it’s a hell of a lot harder to find 11 guys who dominate on offense than 1 guy who does at QB.
Sparano’s 50/50 approach may indeed be right for this team, but if it is that’s an indictment of Sanchez’s abilities.
Better to find a new QB than revert back to yesteryear’s brand of football.
I have never been opposed to bringing in a new QB.
It would be fine by me.
But I highly doubt Tony or even this team for that matter would stick to ground and pound if we found a Rodgers or a Brees somewhere.
Again to the point or 50/50. At least if you start down the middle you can go a long way towards deciding what the ceiling is for some of your skill players including QB.
Ya gotta start somewhere. Why not call it even in the beginning to see what the kids got under new reign and go from their.
I realize that lends itself to the idea that we are starting over in a sense but hey we might just turn over half our coaching staff after all this. Somethings are starting over for this team.
I hope you're right that Sparano would adjust to fit the QB.
If so, then I agree with everything you said here. If not, then we’re bringing in a new OC just to fit a QB who may or may not even be here in a year or two, depending on his progress.
If we get a passing coordinator/QB coach with a solid approach that works well with Sparano
I think that would go a long way to cure his lack of pedigree with good QBs.
Haley would truely be perfect for the situation
And I have a good feeling about it happening as well.
The two of them hinting at going somewhere together as a package deal makes me laugh. Like some, old kinda mediocre coaching version of Lebron James and D Wade. lol.
Except… it’s really not. haha.
The only question then is
will Haley be prepared to turn down the job as Cards OC to be an “Assistant Head Coach” for the Jets?
Maybe they’ll promise him more leeway and a more comfortable environment, in addition to any financial concerns?
I'm Not Sure
that if the Jets stick with the “Ground and Pound” philosophy that it will be solely because of Sanchez’ shortcomings. The HC might have something to say about that, since that is what he wants. Let’s face it, Rex knows less about offense than most of us. He wants an aggressive, attacking defense, and an ultra-conservative, safe, smashmouth offense that can impose their will on opponents, beating them down in the process, and sustain long drives to keep their D fresh and rested.
"Reality is purely the perception of the individual mind. It follows, that since no two minds are alike, no two perceptions of reality are alike. It further follows, that what reality is to one, may seem complete madness to someone else."
– Yefim Novikov
Interesting tidbit for you...
over the last 10 years the Superbowl champs for ‘02, ’05, and ’06 had more rushing attempts than passing attempts in the Superbowl (amongst those a Manning and Roethlisberger led team). The ’08 champ was close to a balanced offense with 30 Pass att and 26 Rush att (Roethlisberger led team). The ’07 champ ran the ball better than their opposition in the Superbowl (Giants over Pats). My point…it may be a pass first league on the surface but when it comes down to it there has to be an ability to run and keep defenses honest or vice versa (being able to pass and keep the lanes open to run). We can win as a balanced offense which is what I honestly believe we will be headed more towards than run first. I looked at some postseason stats for Green Bay for last seasons Superbowl run/win and they seemed to be strangely close to a balanced attack with 248 plays called and 132 being pass plays (about 53%)…also strangely close to the playcalling in Miami under Sparano with playcalling that tended to be somewhere in the same neighborhood (I know he didn’t really call the plays but this is more than likely his mentality on how the game should be called). So for all the people screaming “Pass first league” I wouldn’t get too hung up on that idea that it’s the only way to win. With Revis, Cromartie, and Wilson we are set up to try and take that dimension away from teams (of course we have holes at the safety positions). If we can avoid so many 3 and outs with better playcalling then we may be in a way better position overall as a team.
by Mac N Cheese on Jan 14, 2012 7:23 AM EST up reply actions
Good stuff.
I think there is really something to your points.
Good passing teams still need to know how to buckle down and throw the lineman into beast mode.
Flipping the script on your opponents in the playoffs is a great gameplan for getting teams off balance on defense. And you can’t do that if your not ready for it.
Whats more of a point that goes along with yours is how this team is built now. Like you said- this defense is built behind it’s corners to take away the passing game. That makes for alot of three and outs. But when Shotty was at his worst his offense exausted the defense with it’s bad timing in the passing game. That made both team philosophies almost fight each other to disasterous results.
A balanced approach is at least the perfect way to start off this season if not exactly the way this defense will be perfectly suited to compliment the new offense.
Forcing 3 and outs on defense and sustained drives on offense (even if we are settling of FG’s some of the time) does exactly what we have been forced to deal with the past 2 years.
Demoralize their offense by keeping them off the field and keep your defense rested through out the game so we may even have the ability to blitz in the 4th quarter like Rex used to do.
As an added point. you can’t blitz with an exausted defense. This may be why we saw soo little of it at times this year and even last year.
Good Post
I hear Fran Tarkenton say yesterday that teams in the playoffs still have to be able to run the ball and play defense to win. I think all the passing is what gets many teams to the postseason, but then they’d better be able to run the ball when they need/want to and better be able to stop their opponents.
"Reality is purely the perception of the individual mind. It follows, that since no two minds are alike, no two perceptions of reality are alike. It further follows, that what reality is to one, may seem complete madness to someone else."
– Yefim Novikov
One think I like about Sparano
Besides the fact that his name means “they shoot” in Italian
He has the humility to come work under a head coach that he swept.
French fries are really Belgian, sausages and bagels have the same amount of protein, two countries' names mean "turkey", and Santa Claus was invented by the Coca-Cola company. Is life weird or what?
Debe ser verde y volante - Πράσινο και να πετάει - It's gotta be green and it's gotta fly!
what do you mean?
The Jets were 1-1 this year, and I believe they were 1-1 or 2-0 against the Phins last year.
1-1 this year, 1-1 last year, 0-2 in 2009
French fries are really Belgian, sausages and bagels have the same amount of protein, two countries' names mean "turkey", and Santa Claus was invented by the Coca-Cola company. Is life weird or what?
Debe ser verde y volante - Πράσινο και να πετάει - It's gotta be green and it's gotta fly!
great post
rec’d. i guess you would know about offensive lineman. i’m warming up a little to sparano. he gets the best out of his players and he’s a O-Line guy, and our oline didn’t realy seem to have great chemistry this year. this probably was a decent move
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengel
i cant spell a nosebleed
The Official Seinfeld Gif-Man of GGN!!!!!!!!
i'm a moderator for GGN. I will accept tribute.
by rexthejet on Jan 11, 2012 7:15 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I like your post and I like the hire
He’s going to instill more discipline. He’s going to show more passion. He’s going to hold players accountable. People say the Dolphins had a bad offense. They didn’t. They were 11-5 with Chad Pennington at QB. They fell off when the went to Chad Henne. It’s not Sporano’s fault the team didn’t draft offensive players. They trotted out Chad Henne, an old and slow Ronnie Brown, a head case in Brandon Marshall, and Devon Bess? This year they added Reggie Bush, but Henne went down for the season. Sporano never had a chance having to switch starting QB’s and having no real offensive weapons.
Now you take the Jets. They had a pass first OC in Schotty with a balanced playcalling assistant in Callahan. Now they will have a run first OC in Sporano with a pass first assistant in Haley. I think the head coaches will have a great time coaching together with a lot more comraderie. The players will have a better knowing what is expected of them. Your looking at a potentially magnificent season.
I Saw Something Interesting and Hopeful On GangGreen.com
A poster said that Sparano favors a simpler, more power-type of run blocking. When the Jets were at their best running the ball a couple of years ago, I believe that is the type of blocking they employed. Then Callahan switched them to the zone blocking, which is more complicated. It fit in with Schotty’s more complicated offensive system (and boy, was it OFFENSIVE!!!!). The simpler offensive system that Sparano will employ, plus the simpler, more direct power blocking schemes that he favors, should better fit Sanchez and the Jets’ OL personnel, particularly Ducasse. I think part of the reason Ducasse looked so lost is that he isn’t very bright and Callahan’s system was just too complicated for him. I think there’s a chance that if that theory is right and Ducasse can become a better pass blocker, we could see him starting at RT and be the mauling presence he was drafted to be in the rushing attack.
"Reality is purely the perception of the individual mind. It follows, that since no two minds are alike, no two perceptions of reality are alike. It further follows, that what reality is to one, may seem complete madness to someone else."
– Yefim Novikov
Great point about the blocking scheme.
It’s true that Tony seems to like a power running game.
I didn’t even think of Ducasse. Good point. If there were a guy I would love to try and get through to the big oaf it would Tony and all his line experience. You got me very excited about this.
Now I gotta go to the tubes and watch Vlad in college and try and see where he felt most comfortable.
Zone schemes are supposed to be easier for a player to learn however. It may not be the traditional way a college player is taught but Vlad still should have shown some promise in it’s execution. Where he may be falling short is his rookie jitters coupled with the fact that you kind of need to be a little quicker off the snap. I mean all the kids gotta know is if he has a lineman or LB over him and he should be able to tell if he’s supposed to Block if he’s covered or help double. It’s really simple. I would hate to think he’s been sucking at zone blocking. It’s almost too easy.
as an unbiased observer, the problem is Rex.
Rex wants ground and pound. Well, you’re never going to develop the next ‘Aaron Rodgers’ in a ground and pound offense.
to put it another way, if you put Aaron Rodgers in New York under Shotty, he would look a lot more like Mark Sanchez.
and if you put Mark Sanchez in GB under Mike McCarthy, he’d look at lot more like Aaron Rodgers by now.
you get better at the things you practice. Sanchez will never be able to sling it around like Rodgers without practicing it a lot. but of course he’ll never practice that under Rex.
the NFL game is changing. Rex Ryan isn’t. Predictable results ensue …
For God and country - Geronimo
by Fan in Thick and Thin on Jan 12, 2012 9:28 AM EST reply actions
I've learned not to go too overboard shaping my expectations for this team
or any coach or player on it.
Arm chair GM. Mod/contributing writer at SBN Jets blog GGN.
GangGreenNation.com
It does make it a bit easier to get by when they disappoint,
and it inspires shocked elation when they exceed (nonexistent) expectations. I learned that lesson in the 2010-2011 season after the rollercoaster ride that is the Jets kept making me crazy. The AFC Championship run did take me by surprise, but – because I knew better – I was not caught off guard when they slumped in the 1st half of the AFCCG.
I say I learned the lesson so recently,
because I built up too many hopes and expectations after the 2009-2010 season.
Found on GangGreen.com
By Rich Cimini
What’s it like to play for Tony Sparano, the Jets’ new offensive coordinator? Three current Dolphin players weighed in on their former coach, describing him as “very passionate … very vocal … loves the game … kept the locker room together.” The latter statement is relevant, considering the Jets’ chemistry issues.
Anyway, here are fresh quotes from WR Davone Bess, LT Jake Long and QB Chad Henne, collected and distributed by the Dolphins’ public-relations department:
Bess on Sparano:
“He’s very, very passionate and very vocal. One of the big misconceptions people have about Coach Sparano is that he’s just a hardnosed, tough guy. It’s probably a good thing to a certain extent because it enhances his reputation as a good teacher on and off the field. Whether he’s teaching us about history, something that happened in the past or teaching us about a certain technique on the field, I learned a lot of valuable lessons from him.
“But it’s more than that. He really cares about his players. Like I said, he’s very passionate. You can’t really put it in words; all you can really try to do is match his intensity. He did a great job at motivating the guys every week in getting us ready to play every Sunday even after a 0-7 start. So it speaks volumes about his character. He will definitely be missed around here and we just wish him the best.”
Long on Sparano:
“You can tell he loves the game. He has a lot of passion. He told us that every single day when he came in. We started off slow and a lot of teams could have crumbled but he kept us motivated every week and then we started turning things around. A lot of that credit goes to him because he kept this locker room together and motivated. He came to work every single day with a great passion and excitement and that carried on to the players.”
Henne on Sparano:
"He drafted me in the second round and he had a lot of a faith in me. He was a coach that just cared a lot about his players. He cared about me and obviously being his quarterback and being down here in Miami, we both went through a lot of the same things so we’ve grown together, grown a relationship together, and it was great to have him as head coach.
"He’s definitely inspirational to our players. We cared about him. He believed in us. We believed in him. He never quit on us, which is a big thing for all of us and we kept fighting for him because every day he came to work and always put his hard hat on and didn’t care what people said. We just went to work. We did it our way and his way — the tough way. We had some good times here with him, and it’s a credit to him and the players he coached."
"Reality is purely the perception of the individual mind. It follows, that since no two minds are alike, no two perceptions of reality are alike. It further follows, that what reality is to one, may seem complete madness to someone else."
– Yefim Novikov
I Meant to Add
that this could prevent the team from showing up flat and unprepared to play, which it has done all too often under Rex. If nothing else, at least the offense will show up prepared and motivated to play, then maybe the D will catch on as well.
"Reality is purely the perception of the individual mind. It follows, that since no two minds are alike, no two perceptions of reality are alike. It further follows, that what reality is to one, may seem complete madness to someone else."
– Yefim Novikov
true
i never saw schotty as a motivator to sanchez. i always saw schotty as a buddy of sanchez. i remember reading a article in the times about how they are good friends and hang out. sparano is a motivator and will hopefully get the most out of him. hopefully he will help restore the locker room. eople have critisized schotty, people have called out his playcalling. if the players realy cared about him, they wouldn’t take it to the press. i have never heard anyone complain about sparano. this move seems to be more about offense, it seems to also be about helping the locker room. i wish rex would do something, but i think this move is great for the team mentaly. offensivly is another matter, but i also think he’s a nice upgrade there
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengel
i cant spell a nosebleed
The Official Seinfeld Gif-Man of GGN!!!!!!!!
i'm a moderator for GGN. I will accept tribute.
Also, whenever the team came out to play,
it looked as if they were still trying to figure out how they were going to succeed offensively in that game. Even when the first set of plays was scripted.
It’ll be nice to have a more decisive plan of attack and see some confidence and fire.
This is a great post
Thank you.
Being born in New York and rooting for the Islanders, Jets, and Mets. Yeah, I know.
Twitter: cmauceri524
Something Just Occurred to Me
We haven’t heard whether Sparano was Rex’s choice or Tanny’s or both. It just occurred to me what if this is Tanny’s choice and Rex was given little say in the matter? If so, it would seem to indicate that Tanny is sending a message to Rex that unless he gets things turned around and the team more disciplined, that his replacement is already in the wings.
"Reality is purely the perception of the individual mind. It follows, that since no two minds are alike, no two perceptions of reality are alike. It further follows, that what reality is to one, may seem complete madness to someone else."
– Yefim Novikov
I just don't believe it
You’re not gonna stick a guy with someone he doesn’t want right after finally ditching the guy he has been stuck with since he got here. I just refuse to believe he wasn’t part of the decision.
Arm chair GM. Mod/contributing writer at SBN Jets blog GGN.
GangGreenNation.com
Plus, Rex and Sparano are good friends.
www.ganggreennation.com
by bobdolethesnapplelady on Jan 12, 2012 10:41 PM EST up reply actions
I Didn't Say I Believed That
It was just something that occurred to me. Hopefully, you’re right and it was Rex’s choice all the way.
"Reality is purely the perception of the individual mind. It follows, that since no two minds are alike, no two perceptions of reality are alike. It further follows, that what reality is to one, may seem complete madness to someone else."
– Yefim Novikov
I Didn't Know That
That’s good to know. Thanks.
"Reality is purely the perception of the individual mind. It follows, that since no two minds are alike, no two perceptions of reality are alike. It further follows, that what reality is to one, may seem complete madness to someone else."
– Yefim Novikov
Well, apparently, Sparano isn't blind.
On a conference call with reporters this afternoon he said:
He preaches to all his QBs to “get to Square 1” and “bring him back fundamentally” in the offseason. Says he’ll look at fundamentals, game-management with Sanchez, turnovers, everything.
Run run run
doesnt win you Super Bowls in this league. I want a balanced offense with an aggressive throwing attack. Rex and Sparano both want a conservative run run run offense which best case leads to 15 play drives capped off with field goals.
We also needed a coordinator with extensive experience working with QBs. Sparano is an offensive line coach and wont do a damn thing to help our QB which is the most important factor in improving our offense. We had a chance to hire real offensive gurus like Todd Haley and Hue Jackson, guys that realize this is a passing league and guys that can get the best out of Mark Sanchez. instead we ran out to hire a coordinator that no other team would hire for anything other than oline coach.
If we hire Haley or Jackson and they are the main playcaller I will change my tune but if Sparano is really running the show expect an offense ranked in the 20s once again. One other thing I really dont care how emotional our offensive coordinator is; I only care how he runs an offense and this clown is as conservative as it gets. This is what we get for hiring all defensive head coaches for over ten years. These guys all think its 50 years ago and that run based offenses win championships which keeps getting proven year after year not to be the case.
Do we have the QB to be a Pass heavy team?
How about the WR’s even. Is that crew built for a “pass heavy” offense?
I think so
we need improved play from the offensive line and a coordinator that calls pass plays longer than 10 yards. The biggest problem with our offense has been that all the pass plays were short and the defense only had to defend 10-15 yards from the line of scrimmage.
I have said this before and I will say it again; the Jets offense played like it was in the red zone at all times which allowed opposing defenses to collapse all of their defenders to cover 20 yards or less. There was no threat of us going downfield which made it very hard to even complete short throws since the defense ws always waiting for it.
We need offensive coaches that know how to get the best out of QBs. Sparano has no experience in developing QBs and that is a major problem. We need to hire haley and Jackson to get the most out of this offense. Haley should be hired as assistant head coach and most of all the playcaller because he knows how to produce a explosive offense. Jackson should be hired as the QB coach because he has extensive experience working with QBs. If this happens I will lay off Sparano and call it a successful coaching overhaul. If as I expect Sparano is really running the offense I believe that we will once again be one of the worst offenses in the NFL and Sanchez will never get the instruction he needs in order to become the great QB I think he can become.
One other thing what is the deal with Cavanaugh? Why has he not been fired yet and is there a chance that he returns? As bad as Schotty was I think cavanagh was the worst coach on this entire staff and it would be terrible if this is the guy that is kept to help sanchez develop.
History tells another story.
If you could point to anything that would show a glimmer of hope that Mark Sanchez could become more than just a game manager then I would conceed your point but there is nothing to draw from in the slightest. Not one game where he showed excellent ability or accuracy. At some point we would have seen Mark poke through with a performance that showed at least some promise.
Mark Sanchez is a game manager at best. He’s not Drew Brees.
It’s time we at least come to that fact and accept that maybe a game manager for a QB would be best suited (at least for the time being) being paired with an OC that supports Marks present skillset.
Could he grow into to something “like” a vertical threat? Maybe. But the kid needs to be broken down again and built from scratch. He is years away from being where you want him to be if at all. Whats the problem with having an OC that fits what this team is now?
I’ll conceed your point or cavanaugh. He’s done nothing with Mark so far and If the franchise is sticking with Sanchez something else needs to be done with who handles his growth.
Now that the Packers are knocked out,
Tom Clement’s name is being kicked around. That might be an interesting change-up for Sanchez.
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