Monthly Archives: October 2006
The halfway stage of the season is upon us and although the Jets have exceeded preseason expectations, the overwhelming feeling heading into the bye week is one of disappointment. At least October is finally over.
Let’s get going…
* I was convinced the Jets would lose this week, so it would have been really sweet to pull it out at the end there. When you consider the combined factors of the Browns coming off a week of turmoil, the Jets subconsciously taking their foot off the pedal with the bye week upcoming and simply the fact that when you look at it from their point of view, the Browns were facing a 4-3 team at home that was yet to beat anyone good, it was all too much to overcome on Sunday.
* Obviously, we were robbed at the end there, but once the call on the field was incomplete, there was no comeback. (Yes, they probably should change the rules). Clearly, Baker was going to land with both feet in bounds, but in real time I can see how that would have been tough to see. Maybe we will get a make-up call in next week’s game. Who are we playing again? Ah, crap…
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As has looked likely for some time, it seems Curtis Martin is unlikely to return to action this season, so say ESPN.
Logically, it would seem that (assuming this report, which comes from “several players and officials” is accurate) the likelihood of Martin ever playing again is very slim.
It’s not been a great week, has it?
Well, it looks like young Stephen Belichick was caught by some Hot Cops in a Waltham, MA parking lot with some weed. No word yet on whether young Stephen was going to “smoke the marijuana like a cigarette” or he was just buying it for his Uncle Buster’s 60 year old girlfriend who happens to suffer from vertigo. (It’s an Arrested Development thing…)
I can’t be sure if this is him, but this might be him near the bottom of this page. A long-haired lacrosse player who smokes weed … will wonders never cease? I just might go into shock if I hear he likes Phish.
I certainly don’t know much about Aussie Rules, but I found this clip on YouTube and thought it was kind of funny. Points to the artist using the Biz Markie version of “Benny and the Jets” from the Beastie Boys anthology album, Sounds of Science.
TJB’s eternal gratitude to anyone who can create a Jets’ video montage using “Just a Friend.”
I would have posted sooner, but my internet connection is causing me fits at home. I went out to watch the Jets game and all I can say is that I am pretty disappointed with the result. Partly because the Jets didn’t play up to their potential, but the referreeing was horrendous.
I think that I am pretty fair & impartial when it comes to my favorite team and calls that go for or against my rooting interest, but I can think of three specific instances where the Jets got shafted by the zebras. I feel I can be pretty level headed about this stuff, but when I start thinking the refs are caught up with underworld crime bosses, that’s pretty bad. Now I admit, I was watching the game with the sound off, at a terrible little bar where they have the nice flat screen TVs, but with analog feed, which drives absolutely insane. Note to readers, if you are going to buy the kickass TV go all out and get the right cables and HD feed as well, otherwise you look like the guy with the tricked out Kia.
I wish I had been keeping better track during the game, but I feel like there were a number of no-calls on the Browns secondary … defensive holding calls that should have favored the Jets. I remember a lot of physical play between Coles and whoever was defending him, and a good deal of contact while the ball was in the air. Here are three bad calls that I can remember off the top of my head:
3) Jerricho Cotchery held on an out – I wish I could remember when this occurred, but it was a simple out pattern, and as Cotch made the cut, the defender pulled him and he stumbled as tried to get to the ball.
2) The muffed punt – With the Jets stalling on a drive Ben Graham sends a punt through the hands of the returner, who as soon as the ball goes by him, runs like hell to get to the punt. If he didn’t touch the ball, why would he run so damn hard to retreive the ball? I can’t tell what the initial call was since there was no sound where I watched the game …
1) Baker TD catch – Clearly a push out. He goes up for the ball in bounds while running on a line that would have taken paralell to the sideline. He gets plowed into by a defender in the air and comes down out of bounds.
I have to say, I am pretty pissed about this game, but truth be told, the three turnovers, bad offense and defense for most of the game didn’t help the team. I feel like the Jets got gypped, but at the same time, they shouldn’t have been in a two minute drill situation to tie the game against the Browns either.
What a beautiful freaking day! If you haven’t gotten this so far, Browns fans are stupid, and there are just too many examples to talk about here, but here’s a great example. I mean, this is the only team that’s too cheap to put a logo on the side of their helmet! At least Pittsburgh has one logo on their helmet! Since the game isn’t televised here in Massachusetts I am going to watch it out at a sports bar this afternoon to catch the game. Here are some things to look for in today’s matchup:
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The Browns are dealing with a staph infection outbreak, if you will remember something that plagued the Rams last season. Basically it means the team is bad at hygeine as they don’t wash and cover cuts. Check WebMD’s explanation.
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Kendall has given a lot of credit to Nick Mangold’s quiet yet excellent performance so far this season
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The Jets are coming off their best performance running the ball against the Lions who the Outsiders peg at 19th overall against the run. Cleveland is worse than the Lions at protecting against the run coming in at 25th. Expect to see a lot of Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow. Since the Browns line up in a 3-4 and have Willie McGinest on one side and Kamerion Wimbley on the other, the Browns might be able to seal the outside well. See how this chessmatch plays out.
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The Browns secondary has struggled with depth an injuries all season. With the latest blow, a season ending injury to Gary Baxter, the Jets will look to spread the field on the Browns and take advantage of depth mismatches for multiple options on any given play.
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It’s hard to know what to expect when the Browns are on offense with a new Offensive Coordinator calling the shots this week. I would guess that the calls will be base plays that work towards the strengths of their players: a lot of grinding with Droughns and some quick passes for Frye. Expect Kellen Winslow to have a big matchup advantage against whoever pulls coverage duties on him throughout the day. If they are smart, the Browns will also look to mix up who Winslow lines up against throughout the game.
TJB Chat | ESPN Intel Report| NFL Preview | Just your normal Browns fans at the game…
“Da Bears 107, da Jets 3..”
Shurr Bill Swerski and his Chicaago buds are perdictin’ a big-time victory for der fav-rit teem, but yoo know we Jets fans have to cheer our team onta victory when da Bears comta town.
In all seriousness, it looks like I will be attending the Bears game with my cousin (in-law) Matt … a big time Jet fan … heck, he even met Boomer Esiason wearing his boxers! Just wanted to throw that out, as we will likely be tailgating. If you plan to attend the game, I would love to say hello and share a beer (or three).
Let me know if you are planning to go. More as the date approaches …
In an interesting tailgate conversation article, Randy Lange looks in to the relationship that Kellen Winslow Junior (AKA The “F###in’ Soldier“) has with some of the Jets players, including Chris Baker, who couldn’t convince Winslow to come to East Lansing as ‘The U’ was apparently more his speed.
This week, the Jets DO give a “freaking you know what” about limiting Winslow. It will be important for the Jets come Sunday to contain the young brash idiot.
- Tony Grossi is looking for hope in anything he can find. The same Tony Grossi who earned my ire two years ago.
- Credit where credit’s due: Cimini writes a great blog post, starting with thoughts about Mangold versus Ted Washington. Others pick up this story line too.
- Interesting article yesterday about Leon Washington on the AP
- Bob Bullock at Jetstream has a new home, update your links.
- Tom Rock makes a point I disagree with regarding Mangini’s youth in gametime situations. I think Mangini made the right decision, but the press rid him on the decision to go for 6 as I recall.
- Not Jets but interesting: Tiki fires back at journalists, including Gary Myers, who did exactly what I would expect and has retorted. Irony sighting, he tells Barber to have thicker skin while writing a whole column on his being called an idiot… excellent display of circular logic Gary…
With the hubbub earlier this week in Cleveland over the firing of O.C. Maurice Carthon, it begs the question, what’s the deal? This team has an extra season of Belichick influence than the Jets, and is headed by the very competent GM Phil Savage and Head Coach Romeo Crennel, but in a side by side comparison, it is the Browns, not the Jets who are stuggling record-wise at this point. It’s easy to look at the Browns record and say “they stink,” but look at the teams and scores of their contests so far this season:
New Orleans L 14-19
at Cincinnati L 17-34
Baltimore L 14-15
at Oakland W 24-21
at Carolina L 12-20
That record looks a lot more justified now, doesn’t it? To lose to the red-hot Saints, the stout Bengals, the resurgent Baltimore by a point as well as the solid Panthers is not as ignomious as it first might seem. As a friend of mine likes to say “the theology of the first glance is generally wrong.” A quick look to the gospel, and Schaatz and Company rank Cleveland slightly lower than the Jets in overall team efficiency, when coupled with the fact that the Browns play at home could be trouble. While I was slaying the giants on ESPN.com last year in terms of game picks (except for Jaws & Salisbury), there were three simple rules that I followed to make my picks:
1) Pick the team with the better DVOA.
2) When close, if a team with better DVOA is home, automatically pick them
3) When close, if a team with the worse DVOA is home, consider teams even and look at how the team’s offense, defense & special teams efficiencies rank up.
In this case, our offense should beat their defense, while our defense & their offense are more or less matched. If they score a TD or have some big runbacks on special teams, that could be all the differenece they need. Although their special teams could be the difference, I will bank on our offense making a bigger contribution.
Pile onto that the fact that the Browns also have had to deal with some serious injuries, like that to LeCharles Bentley and the depletion of their secondary, all the while being led by the young but potential laden Charlie Frye. The more I think about this, the more I am concerned about this game for the Jets. How will the team respond to new Offensive Coordinator Jeff Davidson? Davidson was courted by Mangini for a job on staff (either O.C. or line, I imagine) so that tells you what Mangini thinks about the new boss of the Cleveland offense.
It’s a game they can obviously win, but the Jets might be up for more of a challenge than most might think, looking at the mistake-by-the-lake as a cakewalk. Look for Davidson to focus on getting Reuben Droughns on-track since this is one of the better weeks for them to do so.
The last time I did this two weeks ago randomly. I thought it would be interesting to take another look to see progress/regress. Certainly not a perfect science (teams throw more when behind, etc.) but gives you a sense of where they are vesus other teams:
Overall
Yards per game – 19th (307.0) Up from 20th
Yards allowed per game – 30th (372.3) Down from 29th
Rushing
Yards per game – 13th (115.4) Up from 25th
Yards allowed per game – 28th (142.4) Same
Passing
Yards per game – 23rd (192.4) Down from 14th
Yards allowed per game – 26th (229.9) Down from 21st
Turnovers
Differential – 7th (+2 – 13 takeaways; 11 giveaways) Up from 18th
Points
Scored – 12th (21.0) Up from 15th
Allowed – (26.4) 26th
Third down efficiency
Converted – 6th (43.2 percent) Up from 10th
Allowed – 28th (45.3 percent) Same
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Jets first year RB Leon Washington has been nominated for both the NFL Rookie of the Week and Fedex Ground Player of the week.Â
Let’s help him out! Vote here and here.
