Updated 4/14 11:50 A.M.: The Denver Broncos have traded WR Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins for a second round pick in the 2010 draft and a second round pick in the 2011 draft. The Dolphins clearly had a need at the wide receiver position and with Marshall now on the team that need has been addressed. Davone Bess and Ted Ginn Jr. have not stepped up like the Dolphins would have liked, so Bill Parcells brings in a nice target for QB Chad Henne to throw to who will make big plays.
For the Broncos they have good receivers in Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney, and Brandon Stokley, but none of them are the caliber receiver Marshall is and probably never will be. Dez Bryant has the potential to be what Brandon Marhsall is. Will they take a shot at the receiver with the 11th pick? Or will they address a serious need on defense and draft LB Rolando McClain? That will be a highly debated topic in the next two weeks leading to the draft.
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A lot has been brewing in the NFL this offseason so lets take a look at a few stories making headlines these past few weeks.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes to the New York Jets for a 2010 fifth round draft pick on Sunday night. The following day the NFL suspended Holmes for the first four games of the 2010 season for abusing the leagues substance abuse policy. Holmes was cited for possession of marijuana in 2008. If you look at this trade from purely a football standpoint, the Jets clearly got the better of this deal. The Steelers however downplayed this the following day saying that they would have cut the Super Bowl MVP had they not found a trade partner. What this means for the Jets is, they are out to win at all costs. What this means to the Steelers is they are looking to clean up their organization. The Jets add Holmes to go along with Braylon Edwards and Jericho Cotchery to complete their receiving core. The Jets are going to be a lot of peoples favorites to win the AFC this year, but we'll discuss that after the Draft.
Brandon Marshal has signed his tender offer from the Denver Broncos, making it a lot easier for a team to trade for him knowing they do not have to negotiate a contract for him for the upcoming season. Their are several teams in need of a WR, the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Seattle Seahawks included among others. Obviously his value drops below what was tendered for him, a first round pick, to probably a second to third round pick.
Ben Roethlisberger escaped charges on Monday when a DA in Georgia decided not to charge Ben with a crime for conduct with a 20 year old women in the bathroom of a nightclub several months ago. Conduct like this is unacceptable from any human being, but for a celebrity or professional athlete who carries responsibilities beyond themselves, is reprehensible. The league has taken a black eye from this incident and I believe the league must impose some sort of retribution on Ben for his conduct. The league has a strict personal conduct policy and can impose a suspension or fine regardless of whether or not a crime was committed. I also applaud the district attorney for coming out and explaining the events leading up to the incident and why he chose not to pursue charges in this case.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have reportedly taken WR Dez Bryant off their draft boards. This can mean several things to a lot of different teams. Originally I thought Bryant would go to Jacksonville and the Broncos would select Rolando McClain. With Bryant now off at 10, the Broncos may now be looking at Bryant in the 11 spot. Meaning Giants fans like me can take a deep breath if this is the case and would expect McClain to be there when the Giants pick at 15. A lot of scenarios that will play out that will probably change 100 different times between now and the draft.
Comments. I'll do a Mock Draft for the First Round next week
Showing posts with label New York Jets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Jets. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Giants and Jets both to open new stadium Opening Weekend, but WHY?
The New York Giants have been planning for nearly 5 years the construction of the new Meadowlands Stadium set to open next month. The New York Jets originally planed to build their own stadium on the West Side of Manhattan before that was thwarted by politicians. Don't even get me started on trying to build ANYTHING in the state of New York, its just a joke.
After the West Side Stadium collapse, the Jets and Giants joined forces in a 50/50 partnership in the Meadowlands Stadium. Unlike the current stadium where the Jets are tenants, the new stadium will not be named after the Giants and even the colors will be interchangeable to reflect who is playing.
So when the question came up as to who would open the new Stadium, both teams demanded that it be them. One solution that made perfect sense for everyone and would please a lot of fans would be to let the 2 teams play each other Week 1. But that was quickly thwarted by the NFL. Since the 2 teams are not scheduled to play each other until next year, the NFL would not alter the schedule to solve the dispute. No problem. We all know how complex and particular the schedule is and how far in advance its planned. So the next thing was to just award it to the Giants, after all they started the process. The Jets quickly whined about that idea. So the NFL decided it would flip a coin to see who has the first game. When the NFL conducted the coin flip without representatives from either team present, the Jets whined again saying the flip was biased.
O.K. on to solution number three, have BOTH teams open the stadium on the same weekend, which the NFL has decided it will do. The Giants will be first and open on Sunday with the Jets hosting on Monday Night Football. The Jets will open the first preseason game, not that it matters because no one shows up to them anyway.
But how we got here was sketchy to say the least, with a lot of back and forth by both the Jets and the NFL. This solution makes total sense, but oh man wouldn't it have been fun if the two faced each other Week 1 in September? Try getting a ticket to that game!
Comments
After the West Side Stadium collapse, the Jets and Giants joined forces in a 50/50 partnership in the Meadowlands Stadium. Unlike the current stadium where the Jets are tenants, the new stadium will not be named after the Giants and even the colors will be interchangeable to reflect who is playing.
So when the question came up as to who would open the new Stadium, both teams demanded that it be them. One solution that made perfect sense for everyone and would please a lot of fans would be to let the 2 teams play each other Week 1. But that was quickly thwarted by the NFL. Since the 2 teams are not scheduled to play each other until next year, the NFL would not alter the schedule to solve the dispute. No problem. We all know how complex and particular the schedule is and how far in advance its planned. So the next thing was to just award it to the Giants, after all they started the process. The Jets quickly whined about that idea. So the NFL decided it would flip a coin to see who has the first game. When the NFL conducted the coin flip without representatives from either team present, the Jets whined again saying the flip was biased.
O.K. on to solution number three, have BOTH teams open the stadium on the same weekend, which the NFL has decided it will do. The Giants will be first and open on Sunday with the Jets hosting on Monday Night Football. The Jets will open the first preseason game, not that it matters because no one shows up to them anyway.
But how we got here was sketchy to say the least, with a lot of back and forth by both the Jets and the NFL. This solution makes total sense, but oh man wouldn't it have been fun if the two faced each other Week 1 in September? Try getting a ticket to that game!
Comments
Thursday, March 4, 2010
NFL Free Agency 2010
The bidding begins at midnight for several prominent NFL players who will become free agents.
Julius Peppers, Darren Sharper, Carlos Dansby, Garry Brackett, Kevin MaWae, Thomas Jones, and LaDainian Tomlinson are at the top of the wish list.
This year, unlike most in the past, any team who finished out of the top 8 last year will be able to throw any amount of money they want to lure in free agents. This is because 2010 will be an uncapped year in the NFL.
Rumors are circulating everywhere as to where these players, among many others, may land come midnight. It's anyone's guess, but Washington, Chicago, Arizona, Carolina, Giants, and Seattle are expected to be major players with holes to fill at big money positions. Just because teams have the ability to spend all the money they want does not mean they will. Several teams are not expected to reach the cap floor set last year. No ceiling, no floor. A lot of teams will take a year off and collect their TV money.
Jerry Reese, GM of the Giants, has publicly stated he is not pursuing free agent LB Carlos Dansby, a good move in my opinion. A better move would be to draft one with the #15 pick taking either McClain or Spikes. The Giants should go after Julius Peppers. The Giants pass rush was lacking significantly last year even with Osi Umenyiora's return. It has become clear that Osi is frustrated with the way he has been handled by the coaching staff and the organization. I think the Giants think of him as their #1 pass rusher, but Osi's actions off the field have to be concerning to the coaches and management. If the Giants have faith in Osi, come out and say it publicly. If not, make an offer to Peppers and trade Osi. Another gaping hole the Giants have is safety. I stated a few months ago that Bob Sanders would be a perfect fit if the Colts released him. I figured they would because of his injury's, but they have not. The next best thing is Darren Sharper. He has been a Giant killer over the years with New Orleans, Minnesota, and Green Bay. It would be nice to see him in Giant blue next season. If these needs are not addressed during free agency, the will be addressed at the draft in April.
The Jets are limited as to who they can sign because they reached the AFC Championship last year. In order to sign someone, they must lose someone of equal or lesser value. The Jets have cut Thomas Jones, but they are trying to turn around and resign him. If they could, they would love nothing more than to throw all the money in the world at Julius Peppers. That is a void that cost them a shot at the Super Bowl last year. But they can't. They must make do with what they have and add through the draft. This year more than other, the draft will be very very important for teams who are unable to spend money and are only a player or two away from being championship teams.
I'll have more on the Draft as we get closer. Comments on free agency here.
Julius Peppers, Darren Sharper, Carlos Dansby, Garry Brackett, Kevin MaWae, Thomas Jones, and LaDainian Tomlinson are at the top of the wish list.
This year, unlike most in the past, any team who finished out of the top 8 last year will be able to throw any amount of money they want to lure in free agents. This is because 2010 will be an uncapped year in the NFL.
Rumors are circulating everywhere as to where these players, among many others, may land come midnight. It's anyone's guess, but Washington, Chicago, Arizona, Carolina, Giants, and Seattle are expected to be major players with holes to fill at big money positions. Just because teams have the ability to spend all the money they want does not mean they will. Several teams are not expected to reach the cap floor set last year. No ceiling, no floor. A lot of teams will take a year off and collect their TV money.
Jerry Reese, GM of the Giants, has publicly stated he is not pursuing free agent LB Carlos Dansby, a good move in my opinion. A better move would be to draft one with the #15 pick taking either McClain or Spikes. The Giants should go after Julius Peppers. The Giants pass rush was lacking significantly last year even with Osi Umenyiora's return. It has become clear that Osi is frustrated with the way he has been handled by the coaching staff and the organization. I think the Giants think of him as their #1 pass rusher, but Osi's actions off the field have to be concerning to the coaches and management. If the Giants have faith in Osi, come out and say it publicly. If not, make an offer to Peppers and trade Osi. Another gaping hole the Giants have is safety. I stated a few months ago that Bob Sanders would be a perfect fit if the Colts released him. I figured they would because of his injury's, but they have not. The next best thing is Darren Sharper. He has been a Giant killer over the years with New Orleans, Minnesota, and Green Bay. It would be nice to see him in Giant blue next season. If these needs are not addressed during free agency, the will be addressed at the draft in April.
The Jets are limited as to who they can sign because they reached the AFC Championship last year. In order to sign someone, they must lose someone of equal or lesser value. The Jets have cut Thomas Jones, but they are trying to turn around and resign him. If they could, they would love nothing more than to throw all the money in the world at Julius Peppers. That is a void that cost them a shot at the Super Bowl last year. But they can't. They must make do with what they have and add through the draft. This year more than other, the draft will be very very important for teams who are unable to spend money and are only a player or two away from being championship teams.
I'll have more on the Draft as we get closer. Comments on free agency here.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Championship Sunday Recap
Colts 30 Jets 17
If you would have told me early in the week the Colts would score 30 points, I would have told you the Colts would win.
If you would have told me early in the week the Jets would not rush for 100 yards, I would have told you the Jets would lose.
If you would have told me early in the week the Colts would score 30 points, I would have told you the Colts would win.
With those combined circumstances coming true on Sunday, it would be hard for the Jets to win, but they came close. They had Peyton confused early and they tried some different disguise coverages that worked to perfection on the first 2 Colt drives. Then Donald Strickland got injured on the Colts third drive, and Peyton took advantage of Lito Sheppard who looked like a completely different person from last week. He was awful. Garcon catches the ball for a big gain, but the Colts commit a false start and come away with only 3 points. On the very next play after the kickoff, the Jets hit the big play in the passing game I said they would need if they wanted to win. They run a SLO-GO with Edwards on Powers replacement Lacey for an 80 yard TD to put the Jets on top. The Colts respond on their next drive with a FG again to cut the lead to 1. The Jets drive right down the field and answer thanks in part to a Wild Cat pass by Brad Smith that lead to a Keller TD and the Jets are up 8. The Jets are smelling blood. The Colts drives are stalling and the Jets are looking to blow it open. On the Colts next possession, Pace comes flying into the backfield and hits Addai before he even has a chance to secure the hand-off from Peyton and the Jets recover the fumble at the Colt 29. This is where the Jets need to punch it home. They commit a false start penalty at the most inopportune time on 1-10 and they settle for a field goal. Great teams make the most of their opponents mistakes. The Jets did not. Now Manning has a little over 2 minutes left in the half and he begins to feel it, he hits Collie in the seem who was covered by Drew Coleman who had great position, but got greedy and laid out for the ball looking for an INT but missed. What are you doing there son? You are with the receiver stride for stride and had more of a chance for the INT if you hadn't dove for it. Its a play he will look back on and ultimately regret. Peyton hits Collie again in the endzone where he was wide open where Rex said there was some "miscommunication" and the Colts were right back in it.
In the second half, Shonn Greene got injured after 2 plays and would not return. The Jets again did not deviate from their offensive identity. They stuck with the running game with Thomas Jones who was fighting an injury and doesn't have the explosiveness that Greene has. The Jets on their first drive missed a 52 yard FG, Peyton drives down the field again and scores, and the feeling Jets fans know all too well began to take effect. The Jets did not move the ball offensively in the 2nd half as well as they did in the first half, but don't blame the Jets offense, credit the Colts defense. The Colts defense committed to the run for the entire game. They did not let the Braylon Edwards TD or the Brad Smith Wild Cat pass to Cotchery effect their game plan. They knew if they took away the Jets running game they would not win.
The Jets lost this game because of their defense. The Garcon and Collie were running uncovered in the secondary all game long and the Jets had no answer for it. Now what can cover that up is a pass rush. The Jets sacked Manning on the first 2 drives, they never sacked him again. The only thing that covers up shaky coverage is a pass rush, and the Jets did not have it. Manning dinked and dunked and caught fire, throwing for 377 and 3 TD's and the Jets had no answer. Ball game.
Saints 31 Vikings 28
This had to be one of the sloppiest championship games I have ever seen. Neither team looked like they wanted to win the game. Adrian Peterson's fumbling issues continued, Reggie Bush muffed a punt, and interceptions took place that were mind boggling.
At the end of the half, Reggie Bush muffed at his own 10 yard line that the Vikings recover. 2 plays later, Favre and Peterson have exchange problems and the Saints recover to keep the score tied at the half.
Lets fast forward to the Vikings final drive. The score tied at 28. 1-10 and the 21. The Vikings execute a perfect drive combining the run and pass to get the ball down to the Saints 33 yard line. The Vikings call a timeout with 19 seconds left. They come out of the timeout, and they have 12 men in the huddle. 12 MEN IN THE HUDDLE, AFTER A TIMEOUT! Now they are on the outer boundary of field goal range. Favre rolls right on a boot, has a bout 15 yards ahead of him to run out of bounds. What does he do? He sees Sidney Rice open in the middle of the field. He throws across his body, forces the ball to Rice, and is intercepted. This is a play that defines Brett Favre. He has the safe play right in front of him right there for the taking to put it in the hands of one of the most reliable kickers in the league. Now if Favre had not come out of the game earlier to get his ankle tapped up after the abuse he was taking, would he have run? Probably not. Favre was manhandled all day, but the Saints did not have a single sack.
Game goes to overtime, Saints win the toss. After 2 first downs, the Saints have 1-10 from the Vikings 41. Brees overthrows his receiver on the left sideline, but the back judge calls a dumb penalty on the Vikings linebacker on a ball that is clearly uncatchable. The Saints get another 1st down, and Hartley kicks the game winner from 40 to send the Saints to their first Super Bowl. I could not be any happier for the people of New Orleans, Drew Brees and Sean Payton.
But the better team lost this game. Its been said over and over and over again that the team that commits the most mistakes usually does not win, and the team that makes the most of their opponents mistakes usually does. The Vikings made the most mistakes, and the Saints made the most of their opportunities.
Your thoughts about Championship Sunday in Comments
If you would have told me early in the week the Colts would score 30 points, I would have told you the Colts would win.
If you would have told me early in the week the Jets would not rush for 100 yards, I would have told you the Jets would lose.
If you would have told me early in the week the Colts would score 30 points, I would have told you the Colts would win.
With those combined circumstances coming true on Sunday, it would be hard for the Jets to win, but they came close. They had Peyton confused early and they tried some different disguise coverages that worked to perfection on the first 2 Colt drives. Then Donald Strickland got injured on the Colts third drive, and Peyton took advantage of Lito Sheppard who looked like a completely different person from last week. He was awful. Garcon catches the ball for a big gain, but the Colts commit a false start and come away with only 3 points. On the very next play after the kickoff, the Jets hit the big play in the passing game I said they would need if they wanted to win. They run a SLO-GO with Edwards on Powers replacement Lacey for an 80 yard TD to put the Jets on top. The Colts respond on their next drive with a FG again to cut the lead to 1. The Jets drive right down the field and answer thanks in part to a Wild Cat pass by Brad Smith that lead to a Keller TD and the Jets are up 8. The Jets are smelling blood. The Colts drives are stalling and the Jets are looking to blow it open. On the Colts next possession, Pace comes flying into the backfield and hits Addai before he even has a chance to secure the hand-off from Peyton and the Jets recover the fumble at the Colt 29. This is where the Jets need to punch it home. They commit a false start penalty at the most inopportune time on 1-10 and they settle for a field goal. Great teams make the most of their opponents mistakes. The Jets did not. Now Manning has a little over 2 minutes left in the half and he begins to feel it, he hits Collie in the seem who was covered by Drew Coleman who had great position, but got greedy and laid out for the ball looking for an INT but missed. What are you doing there son? You are with the receiver stride for stride and had more of a chance for the INT if you hadn't dove for it. Its a play he will look back on and ultimately regret. Peyton hits Collie again in the endzone where he was wide open where Rex said there was some "miscommunication" and the Colts were right back in it.
In the second half, Shonn Greene got injured after 2 plays and would not return. The Jets again did not deviate from their offensive identity. They stuck with the running game with Thomas Jones who was fighting an injury and doesn't have the explosiveness that Greene has. The Jets on their first drive missed a 52 yard FG, Peyton drives down the field again and scores, and the feeling Jets fans know all too well began to take effect. The Jets did not move the ball offensively in the 2nd half as well as they did in the first half, but don't blame the Jets offense, credit the Colts defense. The Colts defense committed to the run for the entire game. They did not let the Braylon Edwards TD or the Brad Smith Wild Cat pass to Cotchery effect their game plan. They knew if they took away the Jets running game they would not win.
The Jets lost this game because of their defense. The Garcon and Collie were running uncovered in the secondary all game long and the Jets had no answer for it. Now what can cover that up is a pass rush. The Jets sacked Manning on the first 2 drives, they never sacked him again. The only thing that covers up shaky coverage is a pass rush, and the Jets did not have it. Manning dinked and dunked and caught fire, throwing for 377 and 3 TD's and the Jets had no answer. Ball game.
Saints 31 Vikings 28
This had to be one of the sloppiest championship games I have ever seen. Neither team looked like they wanted to win the game. Adrian Peterson's fumbling issues continued, Reggie Bush muffed a punt, and interceptions took place that were mind boggling.
At the end of the half, Reggie Bush muffed at his own 10 yard line that the Vikings recover. 2 plays later, Favre and Peterson have exchange problems and the Saints recover to keep the score tied at the half.
Lets fast forward to the Vikings final drive. The score tied at 28. 1-10 and the 21. The Vikings execute a perfect drive combining the run and pass to get the ball down to the Saints 33 yard line. The Vikings call a timeout with 19 seconds left. They come out of the timeout, and they have 12 men in the huddle. 12 MEN IN THE HUDDLE, AFTER A TIMEOUT! Now they are on the outer boundary of field goal range. Favre rolls right on a boot, has a bout 15 yards ahead of him to run out of bounds. What does he do? He sees Sidney Rice open in the middle of the field. He throws across his body, forces the ball to Rice, and is intercepted. This is a play that defines Brett Favre. He has the safe play right in front of him right there for the taking to put it in the hands of one of the most reliable kickers in the league. Now if Favre had not come out of the game earlier to get his ankle tapped up after the abuse he was taking, would he have run? Probably not. Favre was manhandled all day, but the Saints did not have a single sack.
Game goes to overtime, Saints win the toss. After 2 first downs, the Saints have 1-10 from the Vikings 41. Brees overthrows his receiver on the left sideline, but the back judge calls a dumb penalty on the Vikings linebacker on a ball that is clearly uncatchable. The Saints get another 1st down, and Hartley kicks the game winner from 40 to send the Saints to their first Super Bowl. I could not be any happier for the people of New Orleans, Drew Brees and Sean Payton.
But the better team lost this game. Its been said over and over and over again that the team that commits the most mistakes usually does not win, and the team that makes the most of their opponents mistakes usually does. The Vikings made the most mistakes, and the Saints made the most of their opportunities.
Your thoughts about Championship Sunday in Comments
Thursday, January 21, 2010
AFC Championship Preview
In Week 16, the Jets limped into Indianapolis at 8-7 with a slim glimmer of hope that with 2 wins and help they would be eligible for the playoffs after losing a heart breaker at home to Altanta 7 days earlier.
The Colts were a freight train rolling in at 14-0 looking to make history. 4 days before the game even kicks-off, Colts President and General Manager Bill Polian decided to not play his starters for the entire game and pull the plug on the pursuit of perfection. Midway through the 3rd quarter with the Colts leading 15-9, Peyton Manning hit the bench. In the first play of the second series that Peyton came out, backup Curtis Painter, playing his first ever NFL game, gets sacked, fumbles, Jets recovered for a Touchdown. After that play, it was all Jets. The Colts defense basically laid down the rest of the game.
The Jets have said since then that they didn't get any credit for the win. What kind of credit are you looking for? The Jets played a team with a quarterback that had zero NFL experience and a defense that did not play the entire game. Credit should be given to where credit is deserved, and the Jets deserve credit in that they showed up for the game, and that's about it.
4 weeks later, we have come full-circle and the match-up we have all been hoping for has finally come true. A chance for the Jets to solidify that they in fact are better. A chance for the Colts to show that perfection is not worth the sacrifice of a Super Bowl berth.
For statistical purposes in the Week 16 game, we will only visit the first half. The Jets attempted 16 rushes for 58 yards. They put up 3 points and had two 3 and outs on 5 first half possessions (1 at the end of the half). The Jets on offense did nothing to solidify themselves in the game.
The Jets are a totally different team then they were 4 weeks ago. The running game has been a force with the emergence of Shaun Greene in week 17 and the 2 playoff games. How the Jets win this game is very very simple. Lets start on offense. The line has finally emerged as one of the best in the NFL and they have a great fullback. They should be lining up in some power formations, lot of 2 tight end sets, and lot of I-formation. The Colts know the Jets are built to run the ball. So the Jets should just say "O.K. here it is, line up and stop us." And the Colts do not line up as well on defense man for man than the Jets in the running game. The Colts are in the bottom 3rd in the NFL in rushing defense, averaging 126 ypg. The Jets need to create opportunities to pass the ball when the Colts are thinking run, and run the ball when they are thinking pass. How do you do that? You stay out of predictable down and distances. Positive yardage on 1st and 2nd down, creating manageable 3rd down situations. The Colts feed off of their pass rush with Freeney and Mathis, so if the Jets can keep them on their heels and make them commit to the run, this will create the opportunities for Sanchez to get some big chunks of yardage in the passing game because there is going to come a time in the game when the Jets are going to have to throw if they want to win.
For the Jets on defense, it all revolves around one thing...PASS RUSH! The Jets live and die by how often they get to the quarterback. Not necessarily sacks, but pressure and penetration. They made Phillip Rivers day last Sunday a bad one and forced him to throw when he wasn't ready or his receivers weren't ready. Different situation this week, but they need similar results. Peyton is an expert on identifying defenses and calling them out to his line for pass protection. If you've ever watched the Colts or the NFL, you know that Peyton calls more signals at the line of scrimmage than almost any other quarterback. The Jets need to confuse Manning, not an easy thing to do. But teams who have had success against him in the past during the playoffs that confuse Manning run a 3-4 defense. Go back to the days when Bellichick and New England faced the Colts in '04 and '05. The Pats held the Colts to 17 points in 2 playoff games.
The Colts have one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game and a suspect running game. Rex Ryan pointed out this week that when you have a cornerback as good as Derelle Revis is, it puts you in a situation where you can put him 1 on 1 with their number 1 receiver, rather than double cover the number 1 receiver and put the best cornerback on the number 2 receiver. He says that this entices the ball to be thrown to the number 1 reciever and with a corner like Revis, Rex feels he and the receiver both have an equal chance of coming down with the ball. This has worked out quiet effectively for the Jets this year. Revis has shut down Randy Moss, Chad OchoCinco, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, and Marques Colston. But the Colts also have the best tight end in football this year in Dallas Clark. What do you do with him? Do you put a linebacker on him? Do you put Kerry Rhodes on him? Do you bring in an extra corner to cover him? That decision will be a difficult but the best choice would be to bring in an extra DB. That allows you to disguise the coverage better and be able to send him on the pass rush to get to Manning. The Jets have had problems this season getting to the quarterback with a conventional pass rush. They blitz 58% of the time, way more than the rest of the league. I believe Lito Sheppard will handle Pierre Garcon, so look for the key match-up to be Dallas Clark on whoever the Jets decide to cover him.
For the Colts to win, I think it comes down to one thing...get up by 2 scores. If the Colts are up at any point in the game by more than 2 scores, I think it would be extremely hard for the Jets to overcome. What the Colts can not do is become one dimensional on offense. They must keep the Jets guessing and stick to the game plan. Mix in the run in a few unconventional places early in the game. Do not become predictable like the Chargers did last week.
If you've ever watched an NFL films highlight of the Colts, you would know that Peyton Manning always has 2 plays for each play, a running play and a passing play. If Peyton gets to the line of scrimmage and does not think the original play called looks like it will work, he will change the play. Also the Colts run a lot of no huddle, so if the Jets get into a situation where they have bad personnel on the field, Manning will get his team to the line quickly and get the snap off and keep running plays until he can't. Those two things are what put Peyton Manning ahead of a lot of great quarterbacks who have played the game. The Jets are going to need to be very aware of those 2 things to have a chance this Sunday.
Prediction: Jets 20 Colts 17
Make your predictions and thoughts on this game in Comments. Saints/Vikings preview tomorrow
The Colts were a freight train rolling in at 14-0 looking to make history. 4 days before the game even kicks-off, Colts President and General Manager Bill Polian decided to not play his starters for the entire game and pull the plug on the pursuit of perfection. Midway through the 3rd quarter with the Colts leading 15-9, Peyton Manning hit the bench. In the first play of the second series that Peyton came out, backup Curtis Painter, playing his first ever NFL game, gets sacked, fumbles, Jets recovered for a Touchdown. After that play, it was all Jets. The Colts defense basically laid down the rest of the game.
The Jets have said since then that they didn't get any credit for the win. What kind of credit are you looking for? The Jets played a team with a quarterback that had zero NFL experience and a defense that did not play the entire game. Credit should be given to where credit is deserved, and the Jets deserve credit in that they showed up for the game, and that's about it.
4 weeks later, we have come full-circle and the match-up we have all been hoping for has finally come true. A chance for the Jets to solidify that they in fact are better. A chance for the Colts to show that perfection is not worth the sacrifice of a Super Bowl berth.
For statistical purposes in the Week 16 game, we will only visit the first half. The Jets attempted 16 rushes for 58 yards. They put up 3 points and had two 3 and outs on 5 first half possessions (1 at the end of the half). The Jets on offense did nothing to solidify themselves in the game.
The Jets are a totally different team then they were 4 weeks ago. The running game has been a force with the emergence of Shaun Greene in week 17 and the 2 playoff games. How the Jets win this game is very very simple. Lets start on offense. The line has finally emerged as one of the best in the NFL and they have a great fullback. They should be lining up in some power formations, lot of 2 tight end sets, and lot of I-formation. The Colts know the Jets are built to run the ball. So the Jets should just say "O.K. here it is, line up and stop us." And the Colts do not line up as well on defense man for man than the Jets in the running game. The Colts are in the bottom 3rd in the NFL in rushing defense, averaging 126 ypg. The Jets need to create opportunities to pass the ball when the Colts are thinking run, and run the ball when they are thinking pass. How do you do that? You stay out of predictable down and distances. Positive yardage on 1st and 2nd down, creating manageable 3rd down situations. The Colts feed off of their pass rush with Freeney and Mathis, so if the Jets can keep them on their heels and make them commit to the run, this will create the opportunities for Sanchez to get some big chunks of yardage in the passing game because there is going to come a time in the game when the Jets are going to have to throw if they want to win.
For the Jets on defense, it all revolves around one thing...PASS RUSH! The Jets live and die by how often they get to the quarterback. Not necessarily sacks, but pressure and penetration. They made Phillip Rivers day last Sunday a bad one and forced him to throw when he wasn't ready or his receivers weren't ready. Different situation this week, but they need similar results. Peyton is an expert on identifying defenses and calling them out to his line for pass protection. If you've ever watched the Colts or the NFL, you know that Peyton calls more signals at the line of scrimmage than almost any other quarterback. The Jets need to confuse Manning, not an easy thing to do. But teams who have had success against him in the past during the playoffs that confuse Manning run a 3-4 defense. Go back to the days when Bellichick and New England faced the Colts in '04 and '05. The Pats held the Colts to 17 points in 2 playoff games.
The Colts have one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game and a suspect running game. Rex Ryan pointed out this week that when you have a cornerback as good as Derelle Revis is, it puts you in a situation where you can put him 1 on 1 with their number 1 receiver, rather than double cover the number 1 receiver and put the best cornerback on the number 2 receiver. He says that this entices the ball to be thrown to the number 1 reciever and with a corner like Revis, Rex feels he and the receiver both have an equal chance of coming down with the ball. This has worked out quiet effectively for the Jets this year. Revis has shut down Randy Moss, Chad OchoCinco, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, and Marques Colston. But the Colts also have the best tight end in football this year in Dallas Clark. What do you do with him? Do you put a linebacker on him? Do you put Kerry Rhodes on him? Do you bring in an extra corner to cover him? That decision will be a difficult but the best choice would be to bring in an extra DB. That allows you to disguise the coverage better and be able to send him on the pass rush to get to Manning. The Jets have had problems this season getting to the quarterback with a conventional pass rush. They blitz 58% of the time, way more than the rest of the league. I believe Lito Sheppard will handle Pierre Garcon, so look for the key match-up to be Dallas Clark on whoever the Jets decide to cover him.
For the Colts to win, I think it comes down to one thing...get up by 2 scores. If the Colts are up at any point in the game by more than 2 scores, I think it would be extremely hard for the Jets to overcome. What the Colts can not do is become one dimensional on offense. They must keep the Jets guessing and stick to the game plan. Mix in the run in a few unconventional places early in the game. Do not become predictable like the Chargers did last week.
If you've ever watched an NFL films highlight of the Colts, you would know that Peyton Manning always has 2 plays for each play, a running play and a passing play. If Peyton gets to the line of scrimmage and does not think the original play called looks like it will work, he will change the play. Also the Colts run a lot of no huddle, so if the Jets get into a situation where they have bad personnel on the field, Manning will get his team to the line quickly and get the snap off and keep running plays until he can't. Those two things are what put Peyton Manning ahead of a lot of great quarterbacks who have played the game. The Jets are going to need to be very aware of those 2 things to have a chance this Sunday.
Prediction: Jets 20 Colts 17
Make your predictions and thoughts on this game in Comments. Saints/Vikings preview tomorrow
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Recapping NFL Divisional Playoff Weekend
They saved the best for last this weekend as 3 of the games again were snoozers and one had some pretty good excitement. Lets take a look at all 4.
Saints 45 Cardinals 15
As I wrote last week, I expected Boldin to play and unfortunately he did not and it was a burden on the Cards offense this past week. Warner was roughed up badly by the Saints defense that played much better than they have going into the playoffs. The Cards need to invest some money into the offensive line and defense in the offseason or they are going to continue to have problems. I expect the defensive coordinator for Arizona to be fired and for them to hire a big time coach to call defense because Ken Whisenhunt has an offensive background and seems clueless with what to do with that defense that lacks personnel to play the defense they are playing. Will Warner retire or not? No one knows at this point, but I expect Matt Lienart to have a great NFL career. The Saints did everything right on Sunday, and it appears that Reggie Bush has re-established himself in the Saints offense and specials. More on the Saints later in the week
Colts 20 Ravens 3
I did not give the Ravens a shot at all to win last week and rightfully so because Flacco was awful. Everyone knew they were going to have to pass the ball more to win, which they attempted to do passing 35 times, however Flacco threw 2 INTs. But the play of this game was Ed Reed's interception and subsequent fumble. I know Ed Reed is a dynamic football player trying to make a play for his team with his offense struggling, but how does he not go out of bounds on that INT return? Defensive players play defense for a reason, if you watch defensive backs hold the ball after interceptions or fumbles, they hold them like a loaf of bread. Ed Reed did not hold the ball "high and tight" as coaches like to call it. It was a game changing play that would have given the Ravens huge momentum, but the game ended for them on that play. Peyton was as good as he needed to be, he wasn't great but he did what he had to do to win. If the Colts are going to win next week, they are going to have to run the ball better than they did against the Ravens. More on that matchup later in the week.
Vikings 34 Cowgirls 3
I said this game would come down to the Dallas offense against the Vikings defense and it turned out to be true. Flozell Adams left the game in the second quarter, and on the 2nd play after he left, Jared Allen went right around Jason Witten and got the strip sack. Not that Flozell was playing great anyway, but what it did was take Jason Witten out of the game and force Dallas to use him in pass protection. So now one of the primary Dallas weapons has been totally neutralized which releases the safeties to double on the outside. It was an unfortunate break for Dallas and certainly something that the Vikings took advantage of. Now as far as the Vikings going for it on 4th and 3 from the 11 with 2 minutes to go in the game up by 24. Questionable? Yes. Bush league? Maybe. The decision is not bush league, but the celebration by Favre and Shiancoe was bush league. Act like you've scored before! You show no respect for your opponent when you act like that. Favre was a pinhead who is no straight shooter either.
Jets 17 Chargers 14
The J-E-T-S- JETS! JETS! JETS! are on their way to the AFC Championship for the first time since 1998. The Jets did what they do to win, rushing and defense. The offense went 3 and out on their first 4 possessions. But to the Jets credit, they stuck to what they do, and they did not try to become a team that they are not. I give Rex and Brian Schottenheimer an enormous amount of credit for that. Its very easy to abandon everything you have worked on all week and all year in the heat of battle in a playoff game. But the Jets stayed true to who they are, relied on their defense, kept pounding, and pounding, and pounding the ball and that pays off late in games. If you have a defense that can keep the score down like the Jets do, 14 points per game in the regular season, it allows you to cover up flaws on offense. When you run the ball 38 times like the Jets did Sunday, that takes a toll on defenses in the interior who are sick of hitting you by the 4th quarter and then all of a sudden are subbing and guys are going in and out and thats when you catch them for big play like Greene made on the 53-yard run late in the game. Thats the kind of game the Jets play, and they play it effectively.
The Chargers did a lot to help the Jets also. Nate Kaeding missed 2 easy field goals from 40 and 36 yards (I don't count the 57 yarder you can't expect anyone to make that). Nate must have thought it was deja vu and 2004 all over again.
Norv Turner also had some questionable calling of his own. After the Chargers got it to within 3 with 2:14 left, Norv tries for an on-side kick. As I'm watching I am saying to myself, WHAT IS HE DOING? Now this is a totally different story if there is less than 2 minutes left and no timeouts. But the Chargers had a time out AND the 2 minute warning. They on-side kick, and don't recover. Now the Jets run 3 times, get it to 4th and 1 from the 29. San Diego has used their time out and the 2 minute warning has passed. No brainier for Rex, puts in the power I, puts in the veteran Thomas Jones, runs it up the gut, 2 yard gain. GAME OVER. If the ball is kicked deep, the Chargers would have gotten the ball back and had an opportunity for a field goal to tie. Instead it was game over, another questionable call for Norv Turner who's playoff woes as head coach of the Chargers continue.
Later in the week, I'll have the Jet/Colts and Saint/Vikings previews.
Saints 45 Cardinals 15
As I wrote last week, I expected Boldin to play and unfortunately he did not and it was a burden on the Cards offense this past week. Warner was roughed up badly by the Saints defense that played much better than they have going into the playoffs. The Cards need to invest some money into the offensive line and defense in the offseason or they are going to continue to have problems. I expect the defensive coordinator for Arizona to be fired and for them to hire a big time coach to call defense because Ken Whisenhunt has an offensive background and seems clueless with what to do with that defense that lacks personnel to play the defense they are playing. Will Warner retire or not? No one knows at this point, but I expect Matt Lienart to have a great NFL career. The Saints did everything right on Sunday, and it appears that Reggie Bush has re-established himself in the Saints offense and specials. More on the Saints later in the week
Colts 20 Ravens 3
I did not give the Ravens a shot at all to win last week and rightfully so because Flacco was awful. Everyone knew they were going to have to pass the ball more to win, which they attempted to do passing 35 times, however Flacco threw 2 INTs. But the play of this game was Ed Reed's interception and subsequent fumble. I know Ed Reed is a dynamic football player trying to make a play for his team with his offense struggling, but how does he not go out of bounds on that INT return? Defensive players play defense for a reason, if you watch defensive backs hold the ball after interceptions or fumbles, they hold them like a loaf of bread. Ed Reed did not hold the ball "high and tight" as coaches like to call it. It was a game changing play that would have given the Ravens huge momentum, but the game ended for them on that play. Peyton was as good as he needed to be, he wasn't great but he did what he had to do to win. If the Colts are going to win next week, they are going to have to run the ball better than they did against the Ravens. More on that matchup later in the week.
Vikings 34 Cowgirls 3
I said this game would come down to the Dallas offense against the Vikings defense and it turned out to be true. Flozell Adams left the game in the second quarter, and on the 2nd play after he left, Jared Allen went right around Jason Witten and got the strip sack. Not that Flozell was playing great anyway, but what it did was take Jason Witten out of the game and force Dallas to use him in pass protection. So now one of the primary Dallas weapons has been totally neutralized which releases the safeties to double on the outside. It was an unfortunate break for Dallas and certainly something that the Vikings took advantage of. Now as far as the Vikings going for it on 4th and 3 from the 11 with 2 minutes to go in the game up by 24. Questionable? Yes. Bush league? Maybe. The decision is not bush league, but the celebration by Favre and Shiancoe was bush league. Act like you've scored before! You show no respect for your opponent when you act like that. Favre was a pinhead who is no straight shooter either.
Jets 17 Chargers 14
The J-E-T-S- JETS! JETS! JETS! are on their way to the AFC Championship for the first time since 1998. The Jets did what they do to win, rushing and defense. The offense went 3 and out on their first 4 possessions. But to the Jets credit, they stuck to what they do, and they did not try to become a team that they are not. I give Rex and Brian Schottenheimer an enormous amount of credit for that. Its very easy to abandon everything you have worked on all week and all year in the heat of battle in a playoff game. But the Jets stayed true to who they are, relied on their defense, kept pounding, and pounding, and pounding the ball and that pays off late in games. If you have a defense that can keep the score down like the Jets do, 14 points per game in the regular season, it allows you to cover up flaws on offense. When you run the ball 38 times like the Jets did Sunday, that takes a toll on defenses in the interior who are sick of hitting you by the 4th quarter and then all of a sudden are subbing and guys are going in and out and thats when you catch them for big play like Greene made on the 53-yard run late in the game. Thats the kind of game the Jets play, and they play it effectively.
The Chargers did a lot to help the Jets also. Nate Kaeding missed 2 easy field goals from 40 and 36 yards (I don't count the 57 yarder you can't expect anyone to make that). Nate must have thought it was deja vu and 2004 all over again.
Norv Turner also had some questionable calling of his own. After the Chargers got it to within 3 with 2:14 left, Norv tries for an on-side kick. As I'm watching I am saying to myself, WHAT IS HE DOING? Now this is a totally different story if there is less than 2 minutes left and no timeouts. But the Chargers had a time out AND the 2 minute warning. They on-side kick, and don't recover. Now the Jets run 3 times, get it to 4th and 1 from the 29. San Diego has used their time out and the 2 minute warning has passed. No brainier for Rex, puts in the power I, puts in the veteran Thomas Jones, runs it up the gut, 2 yard gain. GAME OVER. If the ball is kicked deep, the Chargers would have gotten the ball back and had an opportunity for a field goal to tie. Instead it was game over, another questionable call for Norv Turner who's playoff woes as head coach of the Chargers continue.
Later in the week, I'll have the Jet/Colts and Saint/Vikings previews.
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