A change of pace, and we don't mean Calvin
The last few weeks have been all about the respective awfulness of the teams the Jets were playing. This week brings a refreshing change as the Jets aren’t expected to win. Refreshing, at least from the players’ perspective, as I mentioned on Monday.
“Now we’ll come out and now they can tell us how bad we are and take the pressure off us a little bit,” Rhodes said with a laugh in a conference call with reporters. “It should be fun to be in that role in coming out to have to prove something and not being expected to win.”
Rhodes’ comment there shouldn’t be misinterpreted and, as I mentioned in a story in today’s paper, one doesn’t want to be the underdog every week because let’s face it, bad teams are always the underdog.
But Rhodes’ point – not to speak for him, of course – is that the expectations’ game changes dramatically this week. The last three weeks were all about blowing out struggling teams; Sunday is a chance to see what the Jets, still very much in this thing at 4-3, can do against an elite team. If, as Calvin Pace said in the locker room after Sunday’s game, the Jets have played to the “level of competition,” they should be fine Sunday. A loss is a loss is a loss, naturally, but there’s a reality here too: A 35-30 down-to-the-last-play loss will feel a heck of a lot different than a 35-3 one. And a win? Well, the Oakland loss and Sunday’s sweat-it-out victory over the Chiefs quickly gets forgotten.
Long story short, maybe Sunday on the road against a tough, tough team is exactly what the Jets need. It’s a theory, at any rate.
Now, today’s schedule is a lengthy one. Eric Mangini will talk at 10:15 a.m. (should get the corresponding roster moves from the Chatman and Ainge IR moves from late yesterday) to be followed by Brett Favre, player availability and practice.
As a bonus, we’ll have video posted here of some excerpts from Favre’s press conference, provided by me. You know, funny story about the last time I used a video camera in public…
Well, actually, I’ll save that for another time. Two words, though: Restraining. Order.
Ah, we jest.
Anyway, sometime today we’ll have a conference call with Bills coach Dick Jauron and after him, quarterback Trent Edwards.
And, again as a reminder, Live Chat IX, postponed yesterday because of technical difficulties, will be Friday at 11 a.m., live from The World’s Most Famous Futon (trademark). That reminds me, gotta watch the Knicks tonight. And, as I do most days, check out Alan Hahn's The Knicks Fix blog. Always, always great hoops stuff on there and, as an aside, if you think some of my blog posts run long...
I’ll shall return.
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Comments (18)
Erik,
Any chance that Mangini will be inspired by Norv throwing Cotrell under the bus and fire an obviously inept Schott2? Doesn't he have any sense of self-preservation?
Erik, Yes i am starting to feel it the upset. You hit the nail on the head. At least for me the last 3 games i felt ;like i was going to a preseason game. No juice at all amd looked how the team played. So i can understand the players feeling the same way. The will come out jacked this week and beat rhe Bills.
The Bills lost 2 out of their last 3 games by a combined total of 35 points. They needed a last-second field goal (and lousy clock management by Kiffin) to beat Oakland at home. Why do we treat them as an elite team?
Well, Ira, if nothing else I admire your optimism. I'm not sure I'm ready to make that call yet for Sunday - haven't made up my mind yet either way - but I did see your 24-23 prediction earlier.
What's Jehuu Caulcrick's status? I can't remember his performance in the preseason. May a diamond in the rough?
Those comments by Rhodes specifically talk to the issue this team has of playing up and down to it's competition. If we need to feel like an underdog to play well and if we feel too much pressure from the expectation of winning then there is a way more serious problem then just play calling and the ability of the personnel.
This team needs an attitude enema and it needs to come from the coaching staff. Unfortunately this isn't the coaching staff that can do that. In fact, I think they are the ones that foster it.
24, I'd say zero chance of that happening. Only if it comes from over Mangini's head and I just don't see it.
Mr. Green T, how's it going...Caulcrick is on the practice squad. In the preseason he had four carries for 10 yards and showed some good hands a couple of times with five receptions for 18 yards.
I hate to hear Rhodes say that, I'd much rather have a team with confidence no matter who they are playing. But then again, teams that play with confidence have good coaches, and well....
First, it is everyone elses fault every time Favre throws an INT. Now what is going around is the jets are a good team ,but play to the level of their competition. Paaaaaalease ! Good teams always play consistant and tough no matter who is the opponent.
All this crap will be put to rest Sunday. No more excuses for Favre and the team. Just win and play a solid game and we will get the respect, or just mail it in, but no more piss poor excuses ladies!
Very good post Wayne. I was unaware of all the problems that the Bills have. Dont make that to obvious though, if the jets think they are suppose to win, the will screw it up. Remember, they play to the level of their competition,LOL!
In all seriousness, Favre must not get reckless and we must pound the running game and play balanced and play agressive on Defense.
Maybe this is the game that the bulb goes on with the coaching.
No excuses, this is the moment of truth!
I just read the Bills postgame live blog and they are almost in panic mode up north after three consecutive bad performances, not even close to being an elite team.
Their schedule has been just as weak as the Jets, perhaps easier as they have yet to face the Pats, the only difference being they squeeked by OAK at home instead of losing to them on the road.
They are very down on Peters, their tackle, who the Jets should be able to exploit.
Edwards had been erratic since his concussion, and the Fins essentially used last weeks Jets defensive gameplan to confuse him, dropping 8 in coverage every play. Not advising the same strategy though, as he is certainly being schooled this week.
Lynch has taken a big step backwards, in fact they have no running attack at all this year.
Their number two reciever is out, and thier offeseason acquistions, Parrish and Hardy, have been disappointing but will get a shot this week. Revis should be glued to Evans, their only true weapon, please do not allow them to isolate him on number 34.
On defense, Shobel, one of the best pass rushers in the game, has been injured and probably will not play. He ate Brick for lunch last year in both meeting. No pass rush without him.
Their top CB is injured, but played and was exploited last week by Chad, whose big completion came on an underthrow. Otherwise, he short passed them to death.
The overall 11th pick, IRA's touted McKelvin, has been jjust as disappointing as Gholston, they would not let him play last week despite injuries.
And their return game, early in the year leading the league, has also been downtrodden of late.
Even Jauron, considered a budding genius last year, is being criticized.
No excuses, they can sieze the moment despite all the crappy play of late, Jets are more talented and experienced, all they need is the coaching staff to stop coaching scared, realize they have the talent to succeed, and implement an aggressive gameplan on defense to rattle Edwards into mistakes. If Chad can throw for 315 yards, Farve should go for 400.
Time to put 40 years of BUF disasters behind this franchise, they even lost up there in the super bowl year to a last place Bills squad, with Joe Willie tossing five INT's.
Jets, 38-17, simply because they always do what you least expect.
Hey, Wayne, nice scouting report! The Bills have clearly overachieved and, in general, have done many of the things the Jets haven't done so far, namely not beating themselves and playing mentally tough.
In reading Erik's article today, to paraphrase Mangini, he characterized the Jets play-calling as "gameplan specific". The problem with this way of thinking is there are times when the game plan should be either adjusted or thrown out entirely based on what is or is not working during the course of the game.
Erik, please ask Mangini whether the play calling philosophy allows for in-game adjustments that may not be gameplan specific or that deviate from the gameplan entirely. For example, if a play works, why not keep running it over and over until the other team stops it? Or if the defensive gameplan calls for lots of nickel and dime coverage but the defense is repeatedly beaten by short, underneath routes, why not scrap those coverages?
During the Mangini era he has stressed certain tenets that I no longer hear him or the players repeating, but that currently bear repeating given the way they have played so far. For example, Mangini has stressed "finishing", as in "finishing the play" or "finishing the game", but the Jets have not done a good job of either this season.
Another tenet is the "five second rule" where the players are urged to put the last play behind them. Given that they have responded so poorly to adversity this season (in the form of missed field goals, for example), this is another tenet that should be stressed to make them more mentally tough.
Maybe the coaching staff needs to do a better job reminding the players of these underlying, core values.
Erik,
You're enemies at JetsBlog beat you to the scoop on this one.
http://www.thejetsblog.com/2008/10/29/jets-sign-preseason-rushing-leader-rb-marcus-mason-and-squad-safety-james-ihedigbo/
Slacking on the roster moves man.
anyone explain how those roster moves make sense?
Crazy Eddie, I wanted B. Bassett over at thejetsblog to have it so he could have a small notch in his dashboard. Spreading the wealth, so to speak.
I get it, Boland the socialist!!
Any inkling of an update on Harris and Richardson? This is put up or shut up week for the Jets. They stop the run possibly better than any Jets team before that I've watched (i know this is debateable) their coverage on screens and intermediate coverage are deplorable. Someone i don't care who it is has to create and/or capitalize off a turnover this week. I see the Jets winning the special teams battle and does anyone else see a few more solid weeks out of Ellis(thanks Kris Jenkins) and he's going to a warm place in Feb. Love what I'm seeing out of the defense, but make a BIG play, cash in. The way the AFC is looking all this talent just needs to find a way to gel and things might get interesting in Jetville
Ebola, should I make a strategic investment in thejetsblog? I should just make sure they don't use it for bonuses.