Bent’s Thoughts from Across the Pond – Week 2
Ladies and Gentleman, introducing first, in the green corner, weighing it at what-must-be-close-to three hundred and seventy five pounds, he hails from Bellichick Tree, Massachusets and is the undisputed youngest Head Coach in the League…Eric “Mean Greenie” Maaaangiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiii (long pause for effect) and in the grey corner, some homeless dude.
Let’s get ready to rumble!
* As predicted by yours truly (I say a lot of stuff here, so some of it must be right) the game followed the template of any WWE master-vs-student matchup, as the master completely dominated the early stages and schooled his young padawan, but youthful enthuisiasm and creativity swung the pendulum the other way with a few hope spots and then when the master retook control and it all looked over, the student improbably kicked out of a seemingly-inevitable three count (the blocked FG) before Bruschi delivered the final chair shot and the master, predictably, retained the edge…for now.
* A spirited fight back here gave the Jets a respectable scoreline and a reason to have some confidence and momentum heading to Buffalo. If you have especially strong views on where this team is headed, there was plenty here to support your case, good and bad.
* What the Jets lacked in talent (not, as anticipated, in the playmaking arena, but, in fact, mainly in terms of the horribly overmatched – and shorthanded – offensive line), they made up for to an extent with some creative formations and the kind of never-say-die attitude that will win any team more well deserved support.
* Defensively, the Jets were somewhat exposed (as I had said all week, you knew the wideouts would perform well, because Bellichick has always garnered consistent play from whoever he throws out there) but the 24-0 deficit was due more to a difference in execution at key moments (Coleman’s needless holding penalty, Graham giving the Pats a short field, ruthless third down efficiency by the Pats, etc.)
* Personnel wise, the Jets were definitely stronger up the middle with Moore in at the nose and it was nice to see contributions from guys like Kassell, Eric Smith, Ball and Hamilton off the bench.
* Smart decision by Chad Pennington (who was as impressive as ever this week, against “proper” opposition) to take a third down sack early on in order to move out of range for what would have been a morale sapping missed field goal
* The Jets were still in the game late in the first half and looked to be driving towards a late score that could have made the halftime score 10-3 or 10-7. Instead, a couple of bad breaks later, the score was 24-0. The Pats really went for the throat there and turned the game into a blowout that didn’t (even at that stage) feel like a blowout.
* Incidentally, Dyson appeared to be appealing for a pick-play or push off penalty when Chad Jackson beat him for that TD. They didn’t address it on CBS, but did anyone else get a look at how he got open?
* I liked the creativity of Schottenheimer’s offense with the three back sets and the complicated motion and shift patterns (which takes a lot of discipline just to avoid constant penalties, something I am certain last year’s team could never have coped with). It’s refreshing to see a curveball like that, although running the ball up the middle every time was never going to work and it might have been better to try running to the outside. Barlow is still the most impressive of our backs (in the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is king) but Blaylock is struggling…he’s more like a battering bunny than a battering ram.
* Down 24-0, the Jets pulled back into the game on a sensational play by Jerricho Cotchery. Cotchery caught Chad Pennington’s pass downfield and then was immediately knocked unconscious by a devastating helmet-to-helmet collison. The Patriots then handcuffed Cotchery, swallowed the key, put him into a sack and locked the sack into a chest, which they then threw into the Hudson river. Cotchery somehow managed to regain consciousness, escape the chest, sack and handcuffs (all the while staying in bounds) and then managed to keep his knee and elbow from touching the turf by a combination of limbo-dancing, leaning over Michael Jackson-style at a gravity defying angle, balancing his entire body weight on his little toe and simultaneously disclocating three of his limbs and then, after a kip-up, had the presence of mind to outrun three defensive backs to the endzone, while the officials (to their credit) did not whistle the play dead. Not bad.
* After a Barrett interception, more elusiveness was on display from Laveranues Coles. Coles, who gave Pac-Man the runaround so much last week that I was debating whether he should be re-nicknamed Inky, Blinky, Pinky or Clyde (how about just “the ghost”?) proved as hot to handle as Chad’s fumble from last week and broke approximately seventeen tackles on his way to a (surprising low) career best 46 yard TD to pull the Jets within 10. You know it’s a good play when Dick Enberg dusts off the old faithful “Oh my!”
* Speaking of elusiveness, how many times did Chad awkwardly spin his way out of the clutches of a defensive player? I don’t think there can be any doubt that Chad has a first week elimination on “Dancing with the Stars” in his future.
* With belief around Not-the-Giants Stadium growing, Kerry Rhodes (who was absolutely awesome yesterday, in my humble opinion) sacked Brady and knocked the ball loose. Bryan Thomas’ recovery gave the Jets even more hope. Rhodes’ wild celebration while the loose ball was still rolling around on the turf was particularly amusing.
* On the next drive, I actually enjoyed the 1st-and-10 QB sneak. Almost a complete admission of ineptitude in the running game (and yes, it was one of the best first down runs of the day). I felt pretty confident Nuge would make that kick, but make no mistake, that was a pressure kick. He misses that, the game ends there and then and Mike really is fighting for his job.
* It looked like the Patriots had the game won, but unbelievably the chip shot field goal was blocked. Vilma shouldn’t have tried to run with it though, that cost the Jets ten yards, a few vital seconds and was very risky as when he bobbled it, it was a live ball. Can’t criticise the effort though – especially as it looked like he (at least partially) got the block too.
* The ill-fated final drive was always likely to come up short (I would have just thrown a dump off pass to Coles and told him to take it to the house), but you have to give them credit for even getting as close as they did, I suppose. So, both teams leave the field and shake hands (barely) and the crowd leaves with a few price-of-admission worthy moments, if not the desired result.
* Probably back to more general NFL thoughts next week, as I haven’t yet figured out how I am going to get to see the Jets game live on TV over here.
* Anyway, this week’s other viewing consisted of Arkansas-Vanderbilt, Duke-VT, Auburn-LSU, Tennessee-Florida and Buffalo-Miami. I didn’t see too much to fear in the Bills-Fins game. The announcer said “If this game shows you anything, it’s that you can’t look at your schedule and say that any game is an easy win”. Yes, you can…Miami! Ha ha.
* Rookie Watch – My favourite (sic) sleeper Marques Colston continues to tear it up, Joseph Addai and Donte Whitner had big plays this week, S Dawan Landry (a guy I didn’t like) has performed well so far for the Ravens. LB Bobby Carpenter is being switched to an inside backer by the Cowboys – not an idea I am a fan of – and has been inactive both weeks so far.
* TMQ Watch – Easterbrook continually criticises teams who are trailing but that don’t go for it on 4th and short. So the Jets did – and failed (despite following TMQ’s advice and running on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1). The short field meant that it was easy for the Pats to extend their lead beyond the 17 it was at the time. Had the Jets punted and pinned the Pats back in their territory, they would have had to be more conservative and might not therefore have added to their lead. This would have meant that the late 17 point comeback would have been enough to send the game into overtime. I wonder if he will mention this in his column?
* Jinx Watch – I said Lawrence Maroney was a threat and he did rush for a solid 65 yards (at just over 4 a pop) and a touchdown, so I guess that makes me look like I know what I’m talking about (not the desired effect, trust me). Coming up next week, the Jets face Willis MaGahee, who ALWAYS goes to town on our defense.
That’s it for now…any questions?
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Bent — you need a slingbox and a friend in NY to set it up for you. Then you could watch any Jets game on your computer.
i thought it was smart of vilma to try and scoop up the bloked field goal…a goofy bounce and a good block and we got a field goal return..better chance of a td than a 80 yard drive with less than a minute and no t.o.s
Terrific read, in particular the quip about the Pennington sack taking them out of field goal range.
I think I can get any Jets game on my computer (for $25) but we traditionally all get together to watch the games so it’s a toss-up. I’ll probably continue to watch the highlights immediately after and the full game later in the week unless the game is available on TV (like this week’s one was).
The Vilma thing was maybe a good risk to take, but I was just pointing out that we would have been better off if he had just left it alone.
On the Jackson TD — at halftime, I got in the car to run to the store quick and on the radio call (1050 EPN), the announcers were saying that Jackson blatantly pushed off of Dyson and couldn’t get over the fact that he hadn’t been flagged for offensive interference.
I don’t know how true it was, but as you pointed out, CBS never showed how he got that open.
NFL Network is replaying a 90 minute version of the game tonight at 10:30PM, although I can’t imagine they would have a better angle on that play in particular.
Since writing the article, I have seen Cimini comment that Dyson looked like he was probably expecting deep help from the safeties. I’m not sure this is correct either, so I’d be interested to hear your views if any of you get another look.
I’m not moaning about the decision – these things happen – I was just trying to reconcile how the otherwise reliable Dyson got beaten so easily by a rookie (albeit one with 4.3 speed).
Battering Bunny…mmmm sounds delicious. I hear they fry anything you ask in jolly old England.
I too would like to know about that Dyson play. I mean it doesn’t matter now that the game is over but it mattered during the game. It is just one more thing to point at and say, “Hey that could be the difference in a W or an L.” Hopefully, and with time and hard work, those kinds of plays won’t matter anymore. It will be great when Jets fans can see that in the game and not even talk about it a day or 2 later because they got the W and all else is inconsequential.
But to know that it was human error, not on the part of the Jets, and also that NE isn’t above doing whatever slimery (new word that I submitted to Merriam-Websters) it takes to win is relieving to some extent. I’m sure if the Jets pull that play to win none of us is sitting here saying “It’s not fair to win that way.” It goes into the category of “just one more negative looking positive” because, if it is true that he pushed off, that shouldn’t have been a TD.
If nothing else this game showed that the Jets belong in the league and will be competitive all year against any opposition.
I posted this Sunday night, and really think the difference in the game was the 2 play sequence of Chad not getting OOB and then Graham’s shank just before halftime. We go in down 10-0 – and feeling good about being down ONLY 10-0, would have been huge.
Turning to this week, the D needs to throttle the weak Buffalo attack early & often – we cannot let McGahee get anything going or I see a repeat of 2002, 2003, & 2004. Cannot play come from behind up there
The big thing that has been undermentioned is that the Jets scored to bring the game to 24-17 with 9:20 left in the game and did not get the ball back until slighly more than a minute was left, and the Jets had used all their timeouts. Three big 3d down conversions allowed, mostly on 3rd and medium (5,6). That drive made it extremely difficult for the Jets to tie it up barring a virtual miracle. That final Jets drive wasn’t executed great, too many short passes over the middle, but at that point it’s extremely unlikely they’re driving down the filed for a TD