Bill of not-so-goods
By Tom Rock
Nothing quite like watching Glauber at 20,000 feet. He and his First Take crew were on while I was flying home on JetBlue this morning. And no, they didn’t run out of barf bags on the plane.
Speaking of barf bags: The more I thought about and talked about yesterday’s game, the worse it got. The Bills are a bad team. Bad. And the Jets gave them the win. Not only that, but judging from the buzz in the city last night and this morning, they lifted the spirits of an entire city. Just as they did in Baltimore two weeks ago. It’s the Jets Goodwill Civic Pride Tour, coming soon to an NFL city near you! Next up on the tour is Cincinnati, the next road trip (I won’t consider the Giants a road trip). The Jets will show up and fix the Bengals’ defense for them, possibly propelling Anthony Schlegel to the Pro Bowl.
By the way, the lead story on both the 11 o’clock news last night and the 7 a.m. news this morning was the possibility of a QB controversy for the Bills. Must be fun to live in a one-team, one-sport town.
We didn’t have a chance to put the weekly grades in the paper because, well, it’s baseball season and it’s not Buffalo. So we’ll do that here. They’re not pretty.
OFFENSE – D-minus
The Jets were unable to move the ball with any sense of urgency against the worst defense in the league. How bad are the Bills? Even after putting the clamps on the Jets they are STILL the worst defense in the league. Someone’s making up excuses because Mangini said they couldn’t run the ball because the Bills were stacking the box and Pennington said they couldn’t pass deep because the Bills were sitting back avoiding the big play. Hmm. Jerricho Cotchery was very good. Coles made a nice grab on the TD and the fake spike but had the miscommunication on the first interception. Bad things seem to happen when the Jets throw in the direction of Justin McCareins, who probably could have made more of an effort to knock down that final pass attempt. Thomas Jones was brought in to bolster the running game, but he’s unable to find any holes behind the o-line and isn’t the type of player who can create plays on his own. Leon Washington is, but even he couldn’t manufacture any thrills. And those penalties were dreadful.
DEFENSE – C-minus
We’ll leave the part about the Jets being unprepared for the passing attack of the Bills for the coaching department. They did a decent job of keeping the run under control, but were totally exposed on the 10-yard TD run by Marshawn Lynch. The Bills were the first team to target Darrelle Revis as a breaking point in the secondary, and judging by his performance, they won’t be the last ones. Revis, who played the slot in most of the sub packages, was pretty consistently beaten. He did make a nice play on the final Bills pass to force them to punt and he helped force the fumble, but he was a little exposed. Andre Dyson played well and had an interception in the end zone. David Barrett did not perform as you would expect a reigning defensive player of the week to play. He’ll lose his parking spot out in front of the building. The Jets played some 4-3 schemes, and at one time I even caught a lineup with Shaun Ellis over center and Dewayne Robertson on an end. But not only were they unable to put pressure on a rookie starting his first game (two sacks but little else), they couldn’t even rattle him. David Bowens said the Jets had a pretty simple gameplan. It should have been a complicated one with enough bells and whistles to get Trent Edwards’ head spinning.
SPECIAL TEAMS – D
Mike Nugent missed the FG at the end of the first half and didn’t get a shot at the end of the second half. With 11 seconds left, the Jets were just outside his comfort zone at the 39. It would have been a 56-yarder. When the Jets decided to kick off instead of try an onside kick late in the game, Nugent’s kickoff only reached the 8 and was returned to the 28. Had he been able to put it in the end zone, those eight yards might have made a difference in the final seconds. Ben Graham had a good punt that bounced deep into Bills territory in the first half, but his short punt gave the Bills a short field and led to the first touchdown in the third quarter. The coverage on kickoffs was OK, but Leon Washington ran into his own players on his returns. It looked like the Jets had something brewing on the late kickoff when Brad Smith caught it in the end zone and took a knee (rightly so). Maybe they were thinking of a reverse with Washington. And no one is quite sure what happened on that illegal fair catch penalty with Washington early in the game. We’ll have to ask him about it today.
COACHING – F
For the second time in a row, a less talented Dick Jauron team beat a more talented Eric Mangini team. Mangini spent the week talking about how big and bad the Bills are, which is fine to tell the players so they don’t overlook the struggling team. But to then believe it himself as he appeared to by not going for it on fourth-and-1 early in the game set a real tone for the rest of the game. The defense, as we mentioned, should have been blitzing and pressuring Trent Edwards all game. They did not. The Jets went away from Thomas Jones and the running game when it was still a one-possession game. The conservative play-calling on offense, and the dump passes to Leon Washington that were basically unprotected screens, played right into the trap the Bills had set up. After the game, players said Mangini wasn’t mad. He was stern and disappointed, but not angry. The ol’ even keel. Maybe the players on the Jets would respond more to someone with a little more fire? Mangini may have a hard time keeping the team together if they go through another week or two with losses and performances like this.
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Comments (28)
What a cry baby! The Jets are just as bad, if not worse than Buffalo, Beating Miami in Week 3 is not a very noteworthy accomplishment. And a one team town? What about the Sabres? Oh, I forgot, there is NO professional hockey team on Long Isalnd.
You call this Mangenius? Somehow I get the feeling Woody bought some apples that Eric was selling.
No defense, no offense, no deep threat, no pass rush, no running game (because there are no holes) = no wins.
We couldn't beat the worst team in the NFL, because *** SURPRISE *** WE ARE THE WORST TEAM IN THE NFL.
4-12 at best.
Nice post, Rocket.
Wonder if the Jets fan out of barf bags on their flight home.
c457t
"After the game, players said Mangini wasn’t mad. He was stern and disappointed, but not angry. The ol’ even keel."
Wonder if that's why the Jets are playing in such a lifeless way - flat.
They might be reflecting the "even keel" approach by Mangini. They have shown no emotion yet this year in any of the 4 games and have been out-worked by their opponents in a big way. How pathetic. THIS is what we waited 9 months for this past off season??!
"we need to execute better"... BLAH BLAH BLAH
Pathetic, Boring, Embarrasing....
That describes the Defense, Offense, and Overall Effort respectively.
Go on Bob ... "stay the course"... to the # draft pick and 2-14
WE SUCK!!!
What a Sunday. White flag already - I HAVE NO BASEBALL OR FOOTBALL TO LOOK FORWARD TO. Hopefully the Islanders will last more than a month into hockey season without being an embarassment.
Mangini is same old Jets coach. They have absolutely no chance of getting better, I believe, as long as he's there. The sign? Starting Pennington this week.
I will give Pennington the loss.
10-7, interception deep in Jets territory, floater to the outside.
17-14: 11 seconds left, floater to the outside interception.
Granted, they shouldn't have been that close to the Bills when they're "the worst team in the NFL" but its quite difficult to maintain a stauch defense when they're on the field all the time. Giving up 0 points (even though it was 'bend-not-break') in the first half, 7 through the third, and 10 in the 4th I believe is a show they were getting tired. They had some pretty big plays too. I'm not downplaying their defensive troubles, but I'm worried that most people are underplaying the real cause of most of the Jets woe's ... Pennington.
Pennington with his arm should not be on an NFL team. The very fact that Mangini is starting him is showing his true colors. I will give him one more week to bench Dr. Dunk (this week should have clearly demonstrated how the dunkster can crush your chances of winning). If Pennington plays next week? Well I think Jets fans have many years of 4-12 football to come.
Mangidiot must go. He's a rat and the team has clearly quit on him. All he does is have that same stupid expression chewing gum on the sidelines taking delay of game penalities on 4th and 1!!!
Please get rid of him and Sutton, go back to the 4-3, make Clemens the starter, and Schottenheimer the coach!
One sport town? Call me crazy, but don't the Buffalo Sabres play in Buffalo? And they're pretty popular and have had more recent success than the Bills.
Great Idea! Get Marty to Coach, re-unite father and son.
The team this year under Mangina shows less life than a moon rock. Stay the course bob... stay the course... hopefully to the unemployment line!
Considering that no one is going to beat the Patriots (except for maybe Indy in a shoot-out) this season...
Is it wrong to want the Jets to lose every game the rest of the year so we can grab a top 5 pick, trade it for 2 first rounders (if any team has 2, we know the Pats won't anymore!) and get that stud 3-4 DT and a stud LG???
I'm torn. I want to win, but come draft day, the agony of losing will be worth it... especially this season.
I just lost all respect for the Jets beat writer with that one sport town nonsense.
It's Hockey season!!! Woo hoo!!!
Can't believe that this season is lost already. Par for the course for this pathetic franchise. It will never end with them. Organizations earn their reputations. The beat goes on with them. Unbelievable!!
Here's another interesting comparison.. Herm Edwards vs Eric Mangini.
Both were defensive oriented coaches whose main goal with their new teams was to improve the defense and let the offense take care of itself.
The Chiefs, one of the worst defensive teams under Dick Vermeil in two seasons under the Hated Herman have become one of the best defensive teams in the NFL now ranked number 3 after four games.
The Chiefs defense has not given up a TD in the second half after four games, reminding Jet fans of the 2004 Jet defensive unit.
Meanwhile Jet fans have the seen the defense actually regress under the coaching of the Emperor ( is wearing no clothes ) Penguin, just as the Patriots regressed terribly in the one year when Mangenius was the DC of the Patriots.
BTW, Thomas Jones appears to be worse than Kevin Barlow. Jones has yet to score a TD while at least Barlow was able to score TD's.
T. Jones isn't the problem.... it Mike T's inflated ego. Now that the O-Line SUCKS... are we still "happy with the value we recieved" for Pete Kendall.. WE MISS YOU PETE.
YOU SUCK TANNENBAUM. TAKE THAT MILLION YOU SAVED AND STICK IT WHERE THE SUN DONT SHINE. AND WHILE YOUR UP THERE, SAY HELLO TO OUR 3-4 DEFENSE!!!!!!!
I agree with Phil that organizations earn their reputations. Here is our record over the years:
All-Time Record=326-393-8 (At start of 2007 Season)
AFL Record=71-66-6
NFL Record=255-327-2
This has been a pathetic organization since its inception, and its reputation is well-earned.
I absolutely agree with Jordan. I posted elsewhere, before the Bills game, that if the Jets blew that game, as I expected they would, then I pray that they lose every remaining game.
It will give us high draft choices, which will enable us to do major retooling in player personnel. It should also put sufficient pressure on Tangini and their coaches to push some or all out the door.
This organization is a sad as the Browns, Lions and Cardinals. They all suck.
But at least those organizations have playmakers on offense. Cardinals took Leinhart which is good with Fritzgerald and Boldin.
The Browns have Edwards and Winslow the Lions have Roy Williams and C. Johnson.
Who the f*ck do we have on offense to turn a game around for us? No one. The Jets don't have that one game breaker and it shows when they can only score 14 points against a patheic Bills defense.
Instead of spreading the ball around we need that one guy who can takeover a game. On both sides of the ball. The defense doesn't have that player either. When the Jets need a big sack or turnover no one can come with it.
No matter who runs them or coaches them it is the same garbage. After year 1 you are suppose to improve that get worse. At least with Parcells year 2 we won the division and almost beat Denver in the Champsionship game.
This year in year 2 I hope the Jets can play 500.
The thing is we do have good players at our skills positions. Coles and Cotch are solid, Baker is underrated, and Jones and Leon can play. We just don't have a QB at playmaker as long as PennyBoy is out there. His arm kills everything about this team.
Clemens, in just one 4th quarter, showed he can be that playmaker we need and can make big plays and quick strikes in the passing game! PennyBoy can't do that and is getting exposed.
Please, Mangini, put in Clemens.
When you read stuff like this, you appreciate the idiocy of fans. In 2006, Mangini took a team that was picked to be aming the worst in the NFL and won 10 games. As a result, he finished second in the Coach of the Year race.
Now, four games later, people want to fire him. Haha.
The masses.
I have been a big supporter of Pennington for years. Last season I was ecstatic to see him come out throwing bullets to Cotch and Coles right out the gate. I, like most Jets fans, figured a full offseason to strengthen that arm(vs. rehibilitating it) would produce even better results. Fact is, his arm seems to have regressed.
People need to stop blaming Mangini for McCareins dropping 2 td's against the ravens and pennington's late int against the bills... those are player mistakes... this team could very easily be 3 and 1 instead of 1 and 3... but like I said before, it doesn't matter. No one is beating the Patriots this year (except maybe the colts)... they're putting up over 30 points every game... Am I still going to cheer on the Jets... hell yea, it's impossible not to, but if/when they lose I take solace in knowing we're getting a better draft pick in a season when the Pats are that good.
Jeff; You are exactly right. Coles & Cotchery are very good receivers. Look at what they did in the 4th quarter at Baltimore. They made big plays. Cotchery broke that tackle and turned that pass into a big play. Once Clemens got some time he was delivering that ball downfield. The big problem that game was that McCareins dropped those two game tying passes. Why he wasn't cut the next day I will never know. It shows that Mangini is a puss. Everyone in the NFL knows the Jets can't throw deep with Pennington. The play calling is all smoke and mirrors to try and diguise short passes and no one is buying it. If Mangini had the balls to make the QB change I think the offense could produce points and maybe salvage the season. But then again the defense is lifeless and there is no pass rush. If the Jets would try and stop trying to trick people and instead establish their identity and run the ball and play to Chad's strength which is play action pass we could move the ball with the short stuff. Where is the play action pass? They barely used Leon Washington the first couple of games, they also only throw the ball to Baker inside the 20. Wait and see; next week the Giants will pick that pass to Baker off because the Jets are so predictable!
Lets go Islanders! Lets go Yanks!
Jets finally have a QB that can throw the ball over 20 yards and he sits on the bench.
Why?...because this is standard SOP for J-E-T-S.
Lets lose 5 more staight games before a change is made.
Maybe, Mandipstick should call Bill Belicheck and ask for some of his idle video cameras!
In case any Jets Fans are wondering, the Pats did not kick the crap out of your team because they had video.
Time to face the fact that you don't need to cheat to beat the J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets! They Blow!