Jets Desert Revis Island

So I guess it’s time to change my blog’s banner picture, eh?

Where to begin?  First off, welcome back!  It’s been awhile.  Has anything happened with the Jets while I’ve been on hiatus?  Let’s quickly get up to date…Since the last time I wrote,  the Jets have:

-Fired their GM and hired a new one

-Cut nearly half of their starters from last year

-Signed a number of “value” free agents

-NOT cut Tebow or Sanchez

But today’s trade was clearly the big bombshell.  It had been predicted and speculated on for weeks, but it doesn’t make it any less painful.  Any time you trade a player of Revis’ calibre, it hurts.  Players like him don’t come around very often – just look at the Jets’ recent draft picks to prove that.

But unfortunately, it was a deal that had to be done.  When the Jets signed Revis to the now infamous “band-aid” contract 4 years ago, they set themselves up for today.  Lacking the ability to franchise Revis, and promising to come back to the bargaining table in year 2 or 3 of the contract (which they never did), the Jets left themselves with very little recourse.  You can blame that on Tannenbaum and Woody.  Couple that with the horrendous contracts that were doled out to Sanchez, Holmes, etc. and a roster that is severely lacking in talent, and you are left with very few options.  And on top of all of that, Revis didn’t make life any easier by making it clear that he needed to be the highest paid defensive player in the league.

So all things considered, I think today’s trade is just fine.  Idzik was not exactly dealing from a position of strength here considering  that a) Revis is coming off the worst injury for a CB (torn ACL), b) the Jets made it clear that they had no interest in resigning him and c) they are in full rebuilding mode.  The Jets got their extra 1st round pick, and next year’s pick will become a 3rd pick as long as Revis is on the roster in March – which is almost a lock, unless he blows out his knee again.  There was speculation that the Jets were also to receive a 5th round pick, but really, are we that upset  that we didn’t receive an extra 5th round pick?  Name me 3 impact players that were drafted in the 5th round recently…

So the compensation was fine.  And all signs point to Idzik trading down for further picks, which is smart.  The Jets need as many picks as they can get.  But the bottom line is this – it’s a sad day for the New York Jets fans, and more importantly, Jets fans.  No longer do we get the pleasure every Sunday of watching one of the best players ever to play the position.  And despite the nasty contract disputes, he was a guy you loved rooting for and a great locker room presence for a team badly in need of leadership. No amount of draft picks can ever make up for that.  It’s a crappy situation, any way you slice it.

History won’t be able to judge this trade for at least a year or two – not until we see how Revis’ knee holds up , and not until we see what the Jets do with these extra picks.

So for now we will close this ugly and sad chapter in Jets history (one of many). That is, until Week 1 of the NFL season, when the Jets open up at home against….yes…the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

(And if you have any suggestions for a new blog banner pic…send them my way!)

Week 14 Recap: Sanchez Survives, Barely

Another week, another poor Sanchez performance, another win.  The Jets squeaked out a win against a terrible team for the 2nd week in a row.  I know they say a “win is a win,” but this is nothing to get excited about, Jets fans.  At 6-7, the talk of playoffs will now only get louder, but its laughable to think this team has any shot.

Sanchez did just enough to not lose.  But he tried his best when he had his league-leading 11th fumble.  Combined his INTs, he on his own has more turnovers than about 6 or 7 TEAMS, according to the announcer.  He made one- really, one – big play, the entire game, and that was the throw to Cumberland on the last drive.  A throw he almost overthrew.  And the Jets showed how much confidence they have in their $20MM QB on that last drive, by handing the ball off on 3rd and 8, which put them in the desperate situation which almost resulted in a loss.

Rex and co. proved time and time again this game that they have no confidence in Sanchez when they needed a big play in the air.  Why start him if that’s the case?  Even more puzzling, they made McElroy inactive, and listed Tebow as the 2nd string.  Can someone please explain that to me?  You energize your team and fan base last week with McElroy, only to make him inactive this week?  What if Sanchez really, really struggled?  You then go to Tebow – a guy you’ve already demonstrated that you also have no faith in as a starting QB.  It’s a mind-boggling decision from an organization that has no clue right now.  This is 1980s Jets stuff, people.

You will hear a lot this week about the decrepid offense that the Jets are rolling out.  And I don’t disagree.  With Keller out and Stephen Hill hurt early on, the Jets were playing a number of guys on offense who could barely crack the practice squad early in the year.  Sanchez isn’t exactly surrounded by pro-bowl talent.  But that said, he’s still missing receivers, holding on to the ball too long and making terrible decisions.  And that has almost nothing to do with the players around him.

The defense played a stellar game again.  But one has to wonder about the last 2 weeks – was that great defense or terrible competition?  Probably both.  Cromartie and Landry continue to be the defensive MVPs, and today was Quinton Coples’ coming out party.  He absolutely levelled Chad Henne in the 4th quarter, and his pressure on the last play of the game caused the last INT.  With he and Wilkerson coming on strong this year, and the return of Revis next year, the Jets have the makings of a very, very good defense for 2013. And they will need it.

This win shouldn’t give you any additional confidence that the team is improving.  For the 4th time this year, the Jets were shutout in the first half.  Shut out by a team that has won 2 games this year, and who’s defense ranks near last in the league.  The offense has been reduced to one that can’t do anything, but run.  And at the end of the game, when the Jags were stacking 8 guys on the line, we couldn’t run the ball.  Why they didn’t do that earlier makes no sense.  You can be sure Tennessee will do that next week.

So Sanchez will be the starter again next week.  And the offense will struggle, mightily.  Tennessee is a tougher team than Jax, and it’s not an easy place to win on the road – on Monday Night Football, no less.  If the defense gives up more than 10-14 points, I don’t think we have a chance.  And they have two big-time playmakers in Chris Johnson and Kenny Britt.  Sanchez is going to have to make plays.

What’s most depressing about all of this is that it is 100% guaranteed that Sanchez will be back next year, and will be the starter.  Rich Cimini of Espn.com did his usual phenomenal analysis of Sanchez’ contract in this article.  Bottom line – he is uncuttable and untradeable.  The cap hit is enormous.  Unless Sanchez decides to take a massive pay cut to get out of the cauldron that is New York, he’s here next year.  So I hope you like a lot of what you’ve been seeing the past few weeks…

6-7, one win away from .500.  The Jets, who had the most difficult schedule in the NFL across the first 12 games (still, no excuse), now have the easiest schedule the rest of the way.  9-7 is conceivable, but something tells me that they will find a way to lose at least one of those games.  And that “they” is our starting QB.

Week 11 Recap: Right Where We Want To Be

Final Score:
Jets: 27
Rams: 13

4-6.  Right where we want to be.  The Jets will talk a lot in the coming days about the fact that they were 4-6 in 2009.  And you know what happened after that – they went on to win 5 of their next 6 en route the AFC championship game in Indy.  But that was a very different Jets team – one with a top 5 run game and a top 5 defense.  And while we looked like we had both of those things today, I don’t necessarily see the Jets replicating this performance each week for the rest of the year.

But a win is a win is a win as they say. And while the Rams are a bad, bad team (I wonder which team Schotty wishes he was still coaching?), there were a few encouraging things to take away from this game.

Offense

• QB – A very efficient game for Mark Sanchez, and his first turnover-free game in a long time.  He was shaky early and sacked 3 times in the 1st half, but he steadied and made some nice throws.  The throw of the game in my opinion was when he looked right, and then checked down to the left for a 25 yard pass to the TE Reuland, which set up the 1st of Powell’s TDs.  He showed patience and poise on that throw and it left me wondering, where has that been all year? And it’s no coincidence that Sanchez had one of his best games while Tebow had a season-low in snaps.  I think this game proved once again that the Tebow experiment has been a colossal failure.
  

  Hey Kid, I Used to be Tim Tebow!

• RB – Forget about a QB controversy; might we have an RB controversy on our hands?  Unlikely, but it was really nice to see Powell and McKnight have an impact.  Powell had career TDs no. 1 and no. 2 and showed some nice burst in the 4th quarter.  McKnight seemed to make things happen every time he touched the ball – MORE carries please!  And Greene was solid, but not spectacular – typical Greene.  Solid blocking by the O-line as well.  A game to build on for sure.
  

  Your New Starting RB?

• Receivers – Despite a number of key drops by Stephen Hill (it’s crazy to think the Jets thought this guy would have an impact in his rookie year.  He will be a stud in 1-2 years, but he is RAW), the receivers had a solid day.  Kerley continues to make big, clutch plays, and Schillens had his best game as a Jet with a beautiful 25 yard TD.  They still miss Santonio’s game-breaking abilities, but this squad is coming along nicely.
  

  You Know It’s a Good Day When There is a Chaz Schillens Pic

Defense

• D-Line – This was the defensive line’s most impressive game of the year, primarily due to another studly performance from Mo Wilkerson, who is quickly becoming one of the best D-lineman in the game.  He’s established himself as a dominant force on the edge, and the rare lineman that can stay in on rushing and passing downs.  And with Coples coming on strong, it’s clear the Jets will have a pair of beastly defensive ends the likes of which we haven’t seen since John Abraham, Jeff Lageman and the New York Sack Exchange days.
• LBs – Bart Scott is slow.  Great recovery of the fumble by Wilkerson, but man is he slow.  You are seeing the last few games of Scott in a Jets uniform.
• CBs – Another great game by Cromartie – he’s really stepped up since Revis his been hurt.  The hit he levelled on Pettis was bone-crushing.  And Laron Landry continues to be a force in the defensive backfield – one of the few great offseason moves by Tanny and hopefully someone we can resign.  Ditto for Yeremiah Bell.

Special Teams –  What happened to the days when the Jets were one of the top units in the NFL?  A blocked FG – the 4th this year! – and a botched fake punt, just in the 1st half.  And if it weren’t for a holding call, they would have given up a 100 yard KO return for a TD.  Nick Folk continues to be solid in the kicking game, but this unit is a shell of its former self.

Coaching – Credit to Rex for pulling the team together after a brutal start to the game. The team stayed focused, and they executed a very efficient game plan on offense and an opportunistic one on defense.  It was especially impressive given all of the distractions during the week.  This would have been a very easy game for the Jets to lose, and with that, the season would be over.  But now they have a glimmer of hope.

And now the Pats come to town on Thursday Night – Thanksgiving.  This has the makings of either being the win that truly turns around the Jets’ season and catapults them into the playoffs (look at the rest of the schedule) or a beatdown of epic proportions that exposes the team for what they really are.  If history repeats itself, we are unfortunately in for the latter.  Just look at the last 2 seasons when the Jets played the Pats in a big spot (excluding the playoffs) – it usually doesn’t end well.  I hope I’m wrong, but this has destruction written all over it.

But at least we have a reason to watch as we digest our turkey and stuffing (here in London my Dad and I will be watching over a cup of coffee at 7am – no spoilers!).  This win should quiet down the critics for a week, and should definitely quiet down the Tebow talk.  In fact, he might be the only guy that’s not excited about this win.  But that said, we shouldn’t get too excited about things – this was a win over a very bad team (lots of parallels between these two teams with Bradford being drafted no. 1, just 4 spots ahead of Sanchez in the 2009 draft).  Next week is a much truer test.  We will find out for sure if this team is “close” as Rex would have you believe each week, or on their way to a 2nd straight playoff-less season.

Confident, At Least For 1 Week

Week 8 Recap: Franchise Altering Loss

This was not just another loss.  This was a loss that will change the fate of the Jets franchise for the next few years.  Mark Sanchez wasn’t just bad, he was incompetent. The preparation wasn’t just bad, it was completely missing.  The execution wasn’t just bad, it was embarrassing.  Everyone in the franchise had a hand in this loss, and if I’m Woody Johnson, major changes have to happen.

Where to start?  The offense was putrid.  Sanchez looked lost from the start and did nothing to make you believe that he can still be the franchise QB that we thought he’d become.  Today marked the beginning of the end of the Sanchise era.  No question. Many of the fans, including me, were clamoring for Tebow to enter the game.  But I do understand why they didn’t put him in.  The controversy that would create would be overwhelming, and you don’t just institute a Tebow offense in the 4th quarter.   But if he (or Greg McElroy) is not the starting QB after the bye week, then something is wrong.  Take the 2 weeks and make the change that has to happen.  Nobody, I mean nobody can have confidence in Sanchez at this point.  If I’m a Jets RB or receiver, I’m quietly hoping for this change.  Tebow time in New York has arrived.

His Last Time as the Sanchise?

The defense was not much better.  The only player that showed up was Laron Landry (he’s a guy they should definitely re-sign, although I’m not so sure he would want to be back).  They were flat from the start, committed stupid penalties (welcome back, bad Cromartie) and were beaten by a backup QB and a bunch of 2nd string receivers.  They have the players, but don’t have the heart, the execution or the prep.  A lot of that falls on the coaches.  I’ve never been a Mike Pettine fan and he may be one of the first coaches to go in the offseason (that is if Rex survives).

And Special Teams?  This was supposed to be Mike Westhoff’s swan song – his yearlong victory lap.  Instead it’s turning out to be a nightmare.  An onside kick recovered by the Dolphins, a blocked punt for a TD, a blocked FG and poor coverage on kickoffs.  What used to be a unit that the Jets could always rely on, has now become a liability.

This is officially the low point of the Rex Ryan era.  It was all fun and games for the first 2 years, and a dominant running game and defense masked the many deficiencies that our supposed franchise QB had.  The disappearance of that running game and defense has exposed Sanchez, and more alarmingly Rex, for the player/coach they really are.  This was one of the most poorly played games of the Rex Ryan era – on all sides of the ball.  The fact that it happened in a “must-win” divisional game at home is beyond comprehension.

Rex will have a lot of questions to answer this week.  How could a team be outplayed this badly at home – for the second time this season?  As a season ticket holder, I demand answers and changes.  If you were one of the fans there today, who came out (and spent hundreds of dollars) despite the fact that Frankenstorm is looming just hours away,  you should be livid.  It’s one thing to lose, it’s another thing to be outclassed and flat out embarrassed.  There was NOTHING positive you could take from this game.  I repeat – NOTHING.  The team was undisciplined, unprepared and flat.  The yapping all week proved to be that – talk.  This team is all talk and no action. And that falls on the coach.  When they were winning, you could deal with that.  Rex has lost this team and for the first time, his leadership and future as coach is in question.

And of course, Tannenbaum should get as much of the blame as anyone.   The Tebow trade has been a disaster.  You trade 2 draft picks for the guy and then never use him?  This was the week that the Jets were going to “empty the tank” when it comes to Tebow.  His stat line?  1 rush for 2 yards.  ONE RUSH.  That’s emptying the tank?  If we had a true “backup” QB, he would have been in there by now.  The offense is lacking too many playmakers and there is almost no depth on this roster.  I would be shocked if he’s back as GM next year.

And so the agony that is life as a Jets fan continues.  Another week, another low point.   Anyone want to buy some tickets?

A Picture Speaks…

Squish the Fish

That was always one of my favorite pre-game chants for the annual Jets-Dolphins showdown at the Meadowlands.  I haven’t been back for one of these games since they moved to the new stadium, but if the trash talk this week is any indication, the pre-game scene in the parking lot should be just as intense and fun.

Much has been written about how improved the Dolphins are since the Jets last faced them.  And while they have evened their record at 3-3, those wins have come against the Raiders and Rams (a game they barely won) at home and Cincy on the road.  I don’t doubt they are an improved team, but this should be a winnable game for the Jets.  Our run D has improved every week since the Dolphins’ game, and if we shut down Bush, we should be able to force rookie QB Ryan Tannehill into mistakes.  Sanchez will have to make some big throws, just like last week, and he’ll be under more pressure.  But with Keller back (he missed the last game) and Kerley playing like a #1 receiver, I expect another solid performance in the air.  Let’s just hope they get the game in before Frankenstorm arrives…

Another New York team made big news this week: the New York Islanders.  I grew up in a family of diehard Islander fans – my parents had season tixx throughout the 80s and were lucky enough to watch four Stanley Cup victories in a row – one of the few true dynasties in sports.  Since that time however, it’s been pretty much misery.  Numerous owners, over 10 head coaches, and a lot of bad hockey.  Making matters worse, they played in one of the worst arenas in all of sports – Nassau Coliseum.  And while I have fond memories of the place, it’s fallen apart in recent years and was generally regarded as a dump (much like the former home of my beloved Mets – Shea Stadium).

So it was very welcome news this week to learn that the Islanders would be moving to Brooklyn.  While the news was surely met with mixed emotions by many Long Island fans, this move is a great one for the franchise.  They get the stability and world-class arena they’ve been craving, and the team stays in New York (there were serious threats of a move to Kansas City, etc.).  The team will now be able to attract marquee free agents and with a young and promising core, this will be a team to be reckoned with again in the near future – if the lockout ever ends, of course.

Somewhat coincidentally, a fellow Jets and Islanders fan (but alas, Yankees fan) this week sent me this clip – it hit a little too close to home.  If you are a Jets/Islanders/Mets fan, you must watch this:  Are You a JIM?

Kick-off is in 4 hours….Let’s Go Jets!

Week 7 Recap: It Still Goes Down As a Loss

Final Score (OT):
Pats: 29
Jets: 26

Reading all of the analysis in today’s papers and on the web, it would be easy to lose sight of the fact that nobody – NOBODY – gave the Jets even a remote chance of winning.  The fact that we are even talking about how close they came to winning this game, needs to be reflected upon for a moment.

Okay, enough reflection.  The reality is that the Jets blew a golden opportunity to pull off a major upset, and take sole possession of first place.  They had every opportunity to win this game at the end of regulation, but instead played very conservatively on both sides of the ball, and it burned them.  So much for Rex’s proclamation that you always “play to win the game.”  Last night at the end of the game, they played not to lose, or to tie at best.  It was a valiant effort, but there are no moral victories.  And at the end of the season, it still goes down as a loss.

Looking back on the game, there were I think a few critical decisions & plays that came back to haunt them:

• On 3rd and 1 at the 2 yard line, they decided to throw a quick slant to Chaz Schillens, instead of running it up the gut.  This was an absolutely perplexing call.  For starters, your workhorse back, Shonn Greene, has been nearly perfect on 3rd and 1 situations all year long, including a previous conversion in that game.  Secondly, you have Tim Tebow – one of the best in the game in these situations.  This is why you traded 2 draft picks for him – for this very situation.  Finally, if you are Rex/Tony and you really think it calls for a pass, why in the name of Leon Hess are you passing to your no. 3 receiver, and a guy who has about 10 catches all year at this point?   Somebody please answer these questions.
  

  The Closest He’s Come to “Tebowing”

• The final drive of the game – obviously there was the drop by Stephen Hill.  That was an absolute killer.  Santonio Holmes makes that catch.  But even so, the Jets were very conservative on much of that drive, which started at the Pats’ 20 yard line.  The Jets clearly felt that a 3 point lead with only 1 timeout for New England was a lower risk scenario vs. going for the 7 points, not getting it, and then leaving more time and timeouts for the Pats.  What happened next?  Tom Brady marched down the field in 90 seconds and set up a game-tying FG.
• Employing a 3-man rush – On the last two drives, the Jets went heavy in pass coverage, and light on their pass rush.  Big mistake.  Brady carved up the Jets all day when they rushed 3 passers.  When they rushed 4 or more, his completion percentage really dropped.  How did the coaches not know this by the 4th quarter and make the appropriate adjustments?
• Sanchez’ turnovers – all 3 were killers.  The 1st quarter fumble & safety was only partially his fault, and they survived it.  The INT in the 2nd quarter was one of those throws that just leaves you shouting at the television (apparently there were Boston area beat writers in the press box who were publicly saying that he was the “worst QB” in the league right after that), and then of course, the fumble in OT.  That was his 3rd turnover in OT since 2009 – 2 more than any other player in the league in that timeframe.  That’s called “not clutch.”
  

  The Definition of “Not Clutch”

A quick recap on the performances:

QB: As I wrote earlier, you live with Sanchez and you die with Sanchez.  His performance is so inconsistent, it’s maddening.  Get this: he went 16 for 20 with 190 yards and a TD after halftime, including that beautiful game-tying 92 yard drive in the 4th quarter.  Those are insanely good numbers on the road against New England.  But then of course there were the killer turnovers, including the game-ender.  How do you coach for this?  How do you know which Sanchez you can rely on in a given drive, let alone an entire game? Some will say these are growing pains.  Many, like me, increasingly believe that he’s no longer the answer.

I Wish I Were You

And the Tim Tebow experiment continues to fail miserably.  Just when you thought the Jets figured out to use him last week, they regress.  He was on the filed for less than 10 snaps and he wasn’t used on that key 3rd down situation at the 2 yard line.  Wasn’t this the reason you brought him here?  And while I love the 3 and 4 yard pick-ups he gets, can we please let the guy throw the ball?  Just once, to keep the defense honest.  I know I’m no expert here, but doesn’t everyone in the building know he’s going to run?

RBs:  A solid showing against a very tough run D.  Give credit to the Jets – they found a way to pick up tough yards when they needed it.  At the end of the game they were down to one healthy RB – rookie & former practice squad player, Jonathan Grimes.  Not exactly ideal.  Greene and McKnight put in gritty performances and I’m liking Lex Hilliard more and more.  It’s no surprise that with the return of a respectable run game, the Jets offense has looked better the past 2 weeks.

Receivers:  Hello Jeremy Kerley!  I think we’ve found ourselves a starting WR for years to come.  He was everywhere yesterday, making big play after big play including many key 1st downs.  I like his game.  And welcome back Dustin Keller.  7 receptions for 93 yards and a TD – yesterday showed how much we missed him.  As for Stephen Hill…we knew there would be days like this.  He’s going to mature into a big-time receiver in this league, but there will be growing pains along the way.

Welcome Back

Defense:  Despite the last two drives, you have to give these guys a lot of credit.  Everyone thought that this unit would get torched by the Pats, but they hung in there.  It was a frenetic pace, and the Pats did everything they could to keep them off balance.  Wilkerson and Coples had another solid game – these two will get better and better.  I loved rookie LB Demario Davis’ game (did we see the end of the Bart Scott era last night?) – he’s fast and a solid tackler.  And the secondary had a really solid game – no major blown coverages and they kept Welker (Isaiah Trufant?!) and Lloyd in check.  It was inevitable that Gronkowski would get his catches (the man is just unreal – a person that big should not be that fast with the ability to make diving catches in the end zone), but they did a decent job containing him and Hernandez.   Cro dropped a game-changing INT and Wilson was flagged for a questionable pass INT call in the 4th quarter, but overall solid performance.

Beast Mode

Special Teams:  I really thought Mike Westhoff was going to destroy someone on the sideline.  The kickoff return for a TD took away any momentum the Jets had after their first TD.  That team did atone for that mistake with the fumble they recovered at the end of the game.  And while he had a great game receiving, I’m not sure what Kerley is thinking when he fair catches the ball inside the 5 yard line – isn’t the golden rule that you let it go if it’s inside the 10?  Nick Folk was money – someone remarked he’s the most consistent player on the team.  Sad, but true.

Coaching:  First off – credit to Rex and co. for a great game plan and phenomenal preparation.  This team was not intimidated, and they had a plan to attack the defense and stop Brady.  And that plan, despite some shoddy execution by Sanchez and others, worked well for 3 1/2 quarters.  They Jets were aggressive on offensive and selectively aggressive on defense.  But then they got scared.  Scared of turnovers, and scared to get burned by Brady.  So they went conservative on offense and defense.  And they paid for it.

I know it’s easy to second guess – everyone is an expert on Monday.  But as a Jet fan, you’ve seen this happen so many times.  The team fights and claws its way back into the game, only to get conservative when victory is so close.  Rex has to know that while he has a very good defense, it is not a great defense.  It’s not a shutdown defense.  And asking any defense to limit Tom Brady – the master of the 2 minute drill and an offense built around that very scenario – to just 3 points when the game is on the line, is frankly asking too much.  Rex should have known better.

So, where does that leave us.  3-4, which is where I thought we’d be after the post-Revis predictions.  All in all, not terrible, especially when you consider that there are just three – yes, three – teams who are over .500 in the AFC right now.  That’s crazy.

It does make a victory next week pretty darn important.  Division game, at home, against the Dolphins.  A sweep of the season series would give them a huge advantage and would put them at .500 going into their bye week.  The Jets then hit the road for two tough road games against Seattle and St. Louis, before returning home to see the Pats on Thanksgiving evening.  That is going to be a fun one.

Who are these Jets?  Are they the “same old Jets” that we often cite and refer to?  Or are they a team of fighters who are just starting to come into their own, as Rex would have you think?  While, I still don’t think we can answer that, I think it’s safe to say that they still have a lot of work to do if they have any serious hope of making a real Super Bowl run.  Still too many mistakes, especially by their “franchise” QB, and too many holes on the roster.  But at least they are making it interesting and fun to watch on Sundays.   Because hey, it could be worse – you could be a Cleveland Browns fan.

Hi, I’m Evil. Thanks for Playing!

Just Another Reason to Hate the Pats

You live with Sanchez, you die with Sanchez

It’s 12:50am here in London, which means the full post will have to wait until tomorrow.   But what a heartbreaker.  Ultimately, it came down to the fact that the Patriots have a Hall of Fame QB and we have a QB who, despite a valiant effort in the 4th quarter, proved that he’s not capable of the big win anymore.  Too many missed throws, terrible decisions, dumb INTs and lots of points left off the scoreboard.

Nobody gave the Jets much of a chance in this one, so big kudos to Rex and the defense for keeping them in this one.  There is some hope left in the season.  But unfortunately a lot of the hope still has to rest on the arm of one Mark Sanchez, and he proved once again that he’s the thing holding this team back.

Full recap to come tomorrow…

Negative ‘Tone to This Jets Season

First it was Revis, now Santonio.  Another week, another star player out for the season. Things are not looking good for Gang Green at the moment.  The “weapons” that Sanchez can now throw to include Chaz Schillens, recently signed Jason Hill (yes, the same Jason Hill who last year said Darrelle Revis was “overrated”), and Jeff Cumberland.  Not exactly an all-star crew.

This Sums It Up

The media have been feasting on the Jets all week.  I’m pretty tired of the “I told you so” articles that are appearing everywhere.  I didn’t realize how many people had so astutely predicted the Jets’ demise weeks ago.  And of course the calls for Tim Tebow have begun.  I think this is pretty ignorant stuff.  I know I’ve been one of Sanchez’ most consistent defenders, and even I’m starting to waver on him, but I still think he’s the best man for the job.

The problem is, you don’t just insert Tim Tebow as your QB.  You have to insert an entirely new offense.  He’s not made to run a conventional NFL offense.  And while yes he’s a playmaker and exciting, do people really think he’s the long-term answer for the Jets?  If you are going to basically wave the white flag, then go with 3rd string QB Greg McElroy. He’s shown some flashes, and despite a lack of size, he’s more of a prototypical NFL QB. But this would never happen as McElroy doesn’t sell tickets, Tebow does.  In addition, Tebow is not going to help develop your young WRs – Kerley & Stephen Hill.  Just look at what Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas are doing in Denver right now with Peyton Manning at QB.  Think they miss Tebow?  Sorry, Tim is not the answer.

In my last post, I said that Rex and Tannenbaum should get much of the blame for the mess the Jets are in.  I’ve read a few reports that agree with that assesment.  But right now, those two guys are probably the Jets’ best hopes for salvaging the season.  This week’s signings of Aaron Berry at CB and Jason Hill probably aren’t the answer, but I do give Tannenbaum credit for not bringing in the sexier, but potentially cancerous options like Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson.  Rex has the coaching challenge of his career in front of him.  First he needs to keep the team believing and motivated.  But then he quickly needs to fix the very sloppy play on defense.  It wasn’t Revis missing tackles left and right last week, that was the Jets’ defensive line.

It’s pretty interesting if you peek ahead at the Jets’ schedule.  They will more than likely lose to Houston on Monday Night, but then have a very winnable game at home against Indy and rookie QB Andrew Luck.  A 3-3 record wouldn’t be terrible all things considered, especially in the AFC East.   They then go to New England and return home to face Miami. You can start to see a 4-4 record pretty easily.  They then have a bye week, before hitting the road against Seattle and then St. Louis.  I’m now starting to see 5-5.   Things then get tougher with home games against NE and Arizona.  I like our chances at home against Arizona in December.  6-6.  After that, 2 road games against the dreadful Jags and equaly bad Titans.  Dare I say 8-6?  It’s then home against San Diego and then away against Buffalo.  9-7?

Okay, perhaps I’m delusional, but I don’t think it’s completely unrealistic that this team can still be competitive.  Yes, they’ve lost 2 of their best players, but the defense is still loaded with playmakers, and if they can find some semblance of a running game, this team can stay competitive.  The schedule isn’t all that intimidating after this week’s Houston game.

A few other random thoughts:

• Can we please, please start using Joe McKnight?  It boggles the mind that this guy doesn’t get a few carries or screen passes.
• The blitz – bring it back Rex!
• Let Tebow throw when he’s in.  Right now, they are fooling no one when he’s in. Keep the defense honest – at least have the threat of a throw.  Right now everyone knows the dude is going to run up the middle for 2 yards.   Get creative – you have nothing to lose Sparano!
• Mike Francesa – for those of you who are from New York, you will know this name well.  He’s one of the most polarizing radio personalities in New York.  I personally am not a Francesa fan – he’s way too biased, and has always been a Jets and Mets hater.  He knows his stuff, but his ego often gets in the way (google the interview he did with Revis last year where Revis hung up on him).  But this article from Grantland, really nails it.   What a fun read. And if you are not familiar with Grantland, bookmark it and make it a daily read.  Some of the best writing on the web is happening there right now.  And it’s not just sports.

Here’s hoping my next post has nothing to do with a major injury…

Week 4 Recap: Jets Hit New Low in Rex Ryan Era

Final Score:
49ers: 34
Jets: 0

Disgusting.  Awful.  Pathetic.  To be honest, those words don’t really do it justice.  I want to invent a new word to describe just how bad today’s game was – any suggestions?  It was so bad, that it’s not even worthy of a full recap.  No pictures, no witty remarks, no breakdown.  Take that, Jets.

For me, this loss should be pinned on 3 people – Rex, Tannebaum, and Sanchez.  And in that order.

Rex gets the blame for clearly not having his team ready to play today.  They were outcoached (and out wild cat’d) and outplayed, and looked disinterested for half the game.  The offensive “gameplan” – if you want to call it that – was non-existent.  I know they had an uphill battle to start and the odds of winning were low, but 34-0?  Perhaps even worse, his vaunted defense (best he’s ever had in New York, supposedly) gave up 245 yards rushing.  245.  Rex should be embarrassed.

Tannenbaum gets the blame for not providing the offense with the playmakers it needs to be credible.  Jeff Cumberland?  Epps? (I don’t even know if he has a first name).  Patrick Turner?  But Keller and Hill are hurt you say….big deal…half of these guys wouldn’t even start on a college team.  This team’s depth has been exposed in a big way.  And if you look at their last 3 drafts, you would be hard pressed to find non-1st round draft picks that are making meaningful contributions (Kerley is the only one I can think of).

And then finally, to Sanchez.  Even with the lack of weapons, he was still just awful. 13-29 for 103 yards  with 1 INT and 1 fumble.  The fumble was completely avoidable and took away a sure 3 points at the end of the 1st half – that in fact may have been the play of the game as the score went from what should have been 7-3 to 10-0 and the 49ers never looked back.  He was off all day – badly missing receivers, throwing tentatively.  It was a giant step back for a player who was meant to take a giant step forward this year.  They have NO chance of doing anything this year if he plays like that.  I know you will hear the calls for Tebow this week, but this still comes down to Sanchez.  They’ve pinned their hopes to this guy, and it’s looking increasingly like they will go down in flames with him.  Game 1 in Buffalo must have been a mirage because he has been just plain bad since then.  And I’ve been one of his biggest supporters and fans, but this was just not good.

Adding insult to injury, their best offensive playmaker, Santonio Holmes, appears to be lost for an extended period of time with a foot injury.  Another non-contact injury to one of their top players.  The football gods are not smiling upon us my friends (the fact that he fumbled the ball on that play which was then run back for a TD, was just comical.  That could only happen to the Jets)  I don’t see how they can muster any chance of winning without their two best players on both sides of the ball.  This season could be over before it’s really begun, sadly.

It would take a turnaround of monumental proportions at this point to turn things around.  This is a team with no identity, and more alarmingly, little talent.  The injuries have really exposed how thin the roster is.  There is just no depth behind the starters, and in a violent sport like football, that is a recipe for disaster.  It’s not looking good for Gang Green.

But hey, look on the brightside, we get to play the 4-0 Houston Texans on Monday Night Football next week….dare I say it….Same Old….

Revis Island – Population: Zero

That thud you may have just heard was the Jets’ season crashing down to earth.  The loss of Darrelle Revis for the year to an ACL injury can not be overstated.  He means everything to this team – physically and emotionally.  Knowing you have the best defensive player in the League behind you does so much for your swagger and confidence as a defense, and the same for the offense.  Sanchez and co. knew they wouldn’t have to put up 20+ points every game to win, because Revis and the defense could be counted on stop the other team and quite often, score themselves.  That all changed on one very unfortunate (non-contact) play.

Here are a few stats that put things into perspective, courtesy of Rich Cimini at ESPN.com

Last 2 year with Revis – Jets D: 15 TDs, 23 INTs

Last 2 years without Revis in – Jets D: 5 TDs, 0 INTs

This season with Revis: Opponents 54.1 pct completion rate, 1 TD, 4 INTs

This season without Revis: Opponents 62 pct completion rate, 4 TDs, 0 INTs

That about sums it up.   And the predictions are flowing in from everywhere.  James Walker of ESPN says the Jets season is over.  Adam Schefter of ESPN says that according to 10,000 computer simulations of the 2012 season, Revis’ injury drops the Jets’ chances of making playoffs to 37 percent from 54 percent.  One player!   And the odds makers have made them as 3.5 point underdogs at home to SF this weekend.

The optimist in me says that this is one man on a field of 22.  He can be replaced with new strategies and better effort from others.  But this isn’t just one man.  Revis is one of those rare players that fundamentally changes the other team’s strategy.  Nobody in the NFL last year had a lower completion rate of passes thrown his way than Revis.  If you’ve ever watched him, he’s one of those players that just looks better than everyone, even on TV.  He’s quicker, doesn’t miss tackles and is smart.  Beyond the impact he’ll have on the season, I’ll just miss watching the man perfect his craft, week in and week out.

At 27, he’s still in his prime, and seems like the type of athlete that will bounce back.  That said, ACL injuries are tricky, and you never know.  He’s also entering the last year of his contract in 2013, so there will be a very difficult decision to be made by the Jets’ management.  Do you invest 10MM+ a year in a guy who has just come off a major ACL injury?

Rex Ryan has the coaching challenge of his life on his hands.  This team is flawed in many ways, but with Revis, they could still win, as they did yesterday, despite those flaws.  That will no longer be the case.  I’m not ready to throw in the towel yet on the season; there is still a lot of talent on this team.  But the challenge just got a whole lot steeper.

Get Well Soon (like, really soon)!