By Tom Rock
Peyton Manning has shown up at Jets practice the last few days.
No, not really. I’m sure he’s busy either practicing with the Colts or filming another TV commercial. But there was a quarterback wearing No. 18 this week who did a semi-respectable job acting like the part-time actor. Jets third-stringer Kellen Clemens (remember him?) has been donning the jersey and pointing at defenses and firing passes just like Manning does.
“He does a lot of checks at the line and has a lot of control out there,” Clemens said of capturing the essence of Manning. “It’s a lot of fun.”
He’s not quite Jaime Foxx as Ray Charles, or Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, but Clemens is doing alright in this latest biopic. Unfortunately his run ends when the real game begins. But Clemens said playing pretend is helping him advance his own career – and not only as a thespian. He said it allows him top see what other starting quarterbacks see, and all of it gets filed away for the day when Clemens will be a starter either here or somewhere else. Then it’ll be someone else’s turn to emulate him.
New FB James Hodgins held court with reporters today, saying he dropped 11 pounds in a week to meet the Jets’ starndards. He said he did it through working out and not eating, admitting it was not a very healthy combination. But it worked and he’s here now. Mangini said someone who was scouting Hodgins said he’s the type of player who “makes linebackers quit.” Ouch. Maybe a little bone-crushing is what the Jets need to get their running game on track.
The Colts are an 8 ½ point favorite this week. Randy Lange, the Czar of Stats here in the press room, said the last time the Jets were this big an underdog at home was when they faced the Dolphins in 1995 and were getting 10 points. The Jets not only covered but won that game, so history shows it can be done. It’ll be difficult to pull out such a victory this time, but covering wouldn’t be the strangest thing. Especially if it rains on Sunday, as was an early prediction last I checked. A soggy field could turn it into a ground game, which would not necessarily benefit the Jets on either side of the ball but it would at least keep the scoring down. Still, I think I’ll take the Colts. The Jets have a much better chance of stealing a victory with a quirky TD on defense or special teams next week in Jacksonville than they do of going stride for stride with the Colts.
Comments (6)
Several points:
(1) I disagree entirely with regard to the way in which rain would impact the Jets' prospects. The Jets are a passing football team (or at least OUGHT to be), so a dry track inures to their benefit;
(2) The Jets need to employ a more realistic approach on offense. Shockingly, they rank 16th in both passing attempts and rushing attempts. Simply put, that needs to change. Although the notion of balance has some abstract appeal, the fact of the matter is that the Jets throw it far better than they run it, so continuing to divide the plays equally between run and pass (54% pass, 46% run) is an enormous of time. I appreciate the desire to keep the defense honest, but when you're getting one or two yards per attempt, you're not achieving the objective anyway, so you might as well concentrate on what you do well.
Hey Jimmy
If the Jets don't keep defenses honest, then the effective passing won't work
Another thing:
Contrary to many, I wouldn't be averse to a shootout with the Colts. If the game were in Indianapolis, I'd be more cautious, but given Manning's history in this stadium and the fact that the Jets are a passing football team, I wouldn't have any compunction about throwing it 40 times.
The ball-control strategy ignores the fact that the Jets don't run the football well. True enough, the Colts have been terrible at defending the run, so the Jets might have some traction on the ground this week, but if it doesn't work early, they need to throw it.
Departing from strength is almost always a mistake.
You missed the point entirely. Unless you are running EFFECTIVELY, you are not keeping the defense honest anyway, so if throwing is what you do best, then the pass should dominate your play calling.
"Keeping the defense honest" means conducting the offense in such a way as to prevent the defense from dedicating a disproportionate amount of attention to one area. My point is plain: unless the Jets are running EFFECTIVELY, the defense is going to overload for the pass anyway. so you might as well stick with your strength, which is the pass.
**********Buzzer***********
Jimmy wrong again! You stay with the running game, keep pounding the rock to keep the D honest. I got your point - you're suggesting the Jets abandon the run. My point - the run&shoot you're advocating doesn't work. Now if this was 1985...
Mature response.
Dividing the plays equally between run and pass when the running game is among the very worst in the entire league is just not smart. It doesn't keep the defense honest because the defense is going to scheme for the pass, anyway.
Second, I'm not suggesting that they "abandon" the run or use a run & shoot. I'm simply saying that they ought to begin to tilt the offense a little bit more toward the pass.