By Tom Rock
By now you know the Jets lost to the Patriots on Sunday. But the bigger question remains this: Did the Jets make progress?
I think so. I know there are no moral victories, but this was pretty close. To play what was, for the most part, a sub-par game, and come away with the knowledge that they rattled the cage of the big bad Pats, has got to count for something in Jets minds. Of course now, the Jets face Buffalo in a game between two teams that ALMOST beat the Pats. Buffalo looked better than I thought they would against the Dolphins on Sunday, and their defensive line will no doubt give the Jets protection some fits (no matter who lines up for the Jets). I think the Jets can say they kept the momentum of the season moving forward despite the loss. But they definitely need to beat Buffalo to keep going in that direction.
All of a sudden, what seemed like a really tough early schedule has a few glimmers of hope for the Jets. After Buffalo is the Colts game, which does not fit in the category of “hope.” That’s a loss. But then there is Jacksonville, Miami, Detroit (which has already guaranteed 40 points and a win for the game) and Cleveland before the bye. The Jets COULD be 5-3 at the break. They could also easily by 2-6. Three or four wins at the bye is a more likely scenario, and I think that would be an accomplishment.
I went 8-7 in my Sunday picks against the spread. Picked the Jets to cover the six points, but obviously came up short. It was a tough week to pick with a lot of huge spreads. I went against a few of them and it hurt thanks to blowouts by the Colts, Bears and Chargers. Tonight I have Jacksonville taking 1.5 points from the Steelers.
Comments (8)
For a team that is "rebuilding" to play like that against a superbowl contender is pretty inspiring. Chad and the passing game was decent..running game stinks..and the D fell short. Maybe if we played decent football in the first half we could've been the Pats.
I would've liked to see Mangini beat that smug SOB Belicheck..I think the Jets might get the best of them next time they play
But being where the Jets are at, you got to like what you saw in the final 20 minutes of the game
Tom -- Do you have any insight into why they're not giving Houston a look?
I know he fumbled a couple of times, in pre-season, but the way Blaylock looks - - I don't get their fascination with him - - Houston deserves
an opportunity.
My concern has been more about the D. And so far, in crucial situations, they haven't made many big stops... and when they have, they've made the foolish penalty.
I don't want to take too much from yesterday's game. Bottom line, they were dominated at the line of scrimmage all day on both sides of the ball, and, while I'm very happy with the job Mangini and the staff are doing, they need to figure out some way to stop that damn 8-yard out the next time they play the Pats. Yeah, it was reasonably close at the end, but they were two fluke plays - high effort plays, but flukes nonetheless - from getting blown out. That said, I agree with Tom Rock that they made progress yesterday. They could have folded their tents down 24-0, but refused to do so and, regardless of how they did it, they chipped away to the point that the Patriots were very, very nervous at the end. I'm starting to think that my expectations for this team may have been too low, and that they may be capable of a wild card berth if things break their way and they can improve both their run offense and run defense. Some competent CB play would help, too.
P.S. I admire Belichick as a football coach, but I agree with the various commentators who say that his act is wearing thin. He really behaved like a classless jerk this week. Sounds like it may even be wearing on his own team a bit (e.g., Brady on the Branch situation).
Like many, I appreciated the effort shown by the Jets on Sunday. But the overall reality behind this team is that they have very few playmakers. Pennington (if he can stay healthy), Coles and Cotchery. On defense, Vilma is not nearly as visible, Rhodes appears good, and maybe Shaun Ellis. Robertson is a bust. And the offensive line is a JOKE. They got MANHANDLED. The play that summed it up was when Adrian Jones got pushed backwards by a Pats DL and tackled his own guy. Why does it always seem like the Jets are a Divison I-AA team going up against USC in the trenches? When are we going to have the maulers like Ted Washington and Steve Hutchinson on our side?
If you really look at the Jets game Sunday against New England, there was a huge 6 or so minute stretch where the game's complexion really changed. It started with Ben Graham's shank 10 yard punt that gave New England the ball near midfield. I truly believe that had Graham hit the punt like we all know he can, and pinned New England back deep, New England just runs out the clock and goes to the half up 10-0.
Then, on our first drive of the 2nd half, we get stuffed on 3rd and 4th and 1, and give the Patriots the ball again near midfield. They drive again and score, making it 24-0.
If you look at that 6 minute stretch, and while I am not visionary in terms of what could have happened, you have a game that was 24-0 that may have been no worse than say 10-3 had the Jets done anything with the ball on their first drive of the 2nd half.
At 24-0, even if you are a Jet fan, you know your chances of coming back against New England are slim.
I have been a die hard jets fan for so long. At first i didnt like Mangini the way he was acting to much like belicheck at first. But after that first win you seen a different side to him. I like some of the imagination there showing on offense with No huddle/Hurry up and Throwing downfield more. I tell ya seeing chad during preseason and seeing him in first two games is like two different guys his arm looks better then ever. But i do believe we should Use brad smith more on offense and not just for trick plays. I think the blaylock experiment is over hes not starter caliber. He has been a carreer back up for a reason. We should also use leon washington more in blaylocks role of catching screens and being a 3rd down back. He has way more speed. Plus Leon should be back there with Justin Miller returning kickoffs It would give him more touches and make Ko Return game even more Dangerous. Also i believe Kevan Barlow was a waste of a trade. I rather See Cedric Houston back there. He runs hard and with Attitude. And once in a while he can break a long one. Also we need to find Chris Baker some Catchs as well. Also i know he loves the 3-4 but we just dont have the size on Dl to play 3-4. That guy Rashad Moore was a good pick up hes more suited to play 3-4 nt spot but our ends are not big enough. So i say go back to 4-3 it would benefit our 3 best front 7 guys. Ellis Robertson and Vilma. I think a 4 man line of Ellis, Robertson, Moore and Thomas could do more damage then a line of Kimo,Ellis and robertson. also with vilma back in the middle of 4-3 he can be that heat seeking missile thats he is So amazing at being.
Also we traded for Cj Mosely i have not seen him on the field once. Rotate him with Robertson and Moore and Slide Kimo in the Middle as well. The two young Hawaian kids are sorely missed both 6-3 and one is close to 350 lbs they couldve helped in 4-3 defense as well. Our secondary has been very pleasing. Eric Coleman has not found his Touch of his rookie year but hes been solid. Kerry Rhodes has been a steal. Andre Dyson is the Veteran leader that Ty law didnt want to be. and Justin Miller has amazing gifts, I always liked Derrick Strait. David barret is a fighter but he def gets picked on the most.
Hey Thomas,
That's very interesting that you went 8-7 in your Sunday picks against the spread and all. But, what I want to know is this- Whose elbows are the strongest at the buffet table, yours or Cannizarro's?
the problems mangini inherited from herman, bradway and tannenbaum left him with a tremendous handicap when he came in. it was like the rookie headcoach was given a car that had been totaled and asked to drive it.
he clearly has the knowledge of how to drive the car (unlike herman) and he knows what parts he needs to get it going again-- but he's still stuck with two mechanics (bradway and tannenbaum) in the repairshop. bradway doesn't know a fender from a muffler and tannenbaum's is an apprentice (maybe he once built a model airplane or fixed a flat on his bicycle). The owner of the garage (woody) better hire the right mechanics or mangini will die trying to drive an expensive car that will remain dangerous, if not inoperable.