Cue the NY Media’s Handwringing
One play can make a game, or so the media would have you believe. The argument that you will hear this week will be about how the Jets should have kicked the Field Goal on fourth down rather than going for it on about fourth and three and the thing is, they are somewhat founded as kicking versus going for the touchdown was a deliberate decision in the midst of other situations that weren’t deliberate. The truth of the matter is that no one play makes a game, just like Doug Brien’s “work” against Pittsburgh in January of 2005 weren’t the only things that went wrong in that game. Here I have listed a few friendly reminders of what the Jets could have improved on:
- D’Brickashaw’s protection on the Jets’ first series. Allowing Mathis a straight shot at Pennington gave the Colts a short field to score their first touchdown.
- The front seven was getting worked consistently worked on running plays.
- Allowing the Colts to drive the field, time and again.
- I know you have to take the points and what a play, but Justin Miller’s kick return left time on the clock for Peyton to have one last drive.
I will post up some more things a little later today, but know that I am very proud of how the Jets stuck with the Colts for most of the game. Now, as promised, cue the media’s hand wringing. Some of it is actaully complementary, though chiding. I liked Politi’s piece in the Star-Ledger.
Rookie Coach, Rookie Mistake – NY Post (Serby)
‘They blew it,’ further validates high expectations for this team – Star-Ledger (Politi)
A voice of reason in the throng?
Gotta Roll the Dice vs. Peyton: Shaun Powell – Newsday
20 Responses to Cue the NY Media’s Handwringing
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Aaron says:
I cant wait to see what TMQ says about that fourth down attempt, I give it a thumbs up.
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klecko71 says:
WOW…guess the newsday is the only paper that employs the intelligent!! didnt see a way to email mr powell…but just spent 10 min emailing BOTH gary meyers of the daily news and steve serby of the post (who i know personally) who both said the TD try was too risky. both seemed to imply that “we lost by 3 so….” but i know they are both too smart to think that since the game ended down 3 that the non FG was the reason. they just think it was too risky of a call. I can understand that opinion….. but hey, when the dust settled…it came down to a simple fact….IF WE STOP THEM WE WIN. the D needs some help….and if someone teaches miller how to cover…. the bomb to wayne first play after a TD, he lets wayne stay in front of him…..and basically “box him out” for the catch (if it wasnt wayne u all know the play i mean) and the play b4 the winning sneak by manning, u cant let the WR drive u into the end zone and let him curl back at the one…..he has alot of speed, but that doesnt mean he is a good cover corner. and….someone tell me if i am wrong…but on the ending play, thought coles might have had a wall there on the left side (not the last time coles touched it, the first time)…..look at it again if u can….i think he had a shot, thought i saw a coach motioning to keep running instead of lateralling it again.
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will says:
its true! i was there yesterday and thought the same thing – it seemed as if coles had a chance to get to the left sideline on that last play. i was surprised he gave it up.
i disagree with you about miller. he made a bad play on the deep pass to wayne, its true. but the penalty at the end should have been a no-call – there wasnt much contact. bottom line: DB is tough to play at this level -> QBs put it on a dime; the receivers can inititiate contact; the refs are too tough on the DBs (this went both ways yesterday – Doss was called for a dubious hold on Coles). Anyway, I think Miller is vastly improved and will be a good player for the Jets. He supports the run well, too.
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The Dwayne Robertson situation is interesting to me. The guy is very talented. He is too quick for almost any interior lineman to handle without help. An he makes some plays as NT – probably more than most (he made two consecutive plays on the goal line yesterday that forced IND to kick a FG). But he doesnt consistently get penetration to disrupt the inside running game. So i wonder what his role will be in mangini’s defense (previously, i thought he played better at DE than NT, but yesterday he was very good inside)?
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Ken says:
I can’t beat the coach for going for it… the defense, however, really is to blame for the loss. The Colts O
WALKED over them the last two drives.That said, I’m happy to see the team improving and headed in the right direction.
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prince says:
I have no problem with the call. Given Penny’s track record a pass play was ideal as well, but I have to say that the INT made it a losing proposition. He really needed to do a better job putting it only where his guy had a chance. Giving the Colts the ball at the 2 is what makes the risk/reward justifiable. You can sack for a safety or force a three and out and get the ball back inside the 40. I’m sure this will be discussed in film sessions.
The idiot commentators kept saying: you can’t blame the interception on Pennington, he has to throw that ball. I’m not sure that is true.
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wayne says:
Thought I saw a wall for Coles too, thought he would make a run at it.
I know the cover two prevent D worked almost to perfection all game, but should have been more aggressive and blitzed a few times on the final two drives.
Should have called a better play on 3rd down too, right before the 4th down call that I totally agreed with. Chad was pressured but should have thrown the ball away.
So be it, they are taking baby steps in the right direction, sign Mangini and Tannenbaum to long term extensions right now!
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I thought one thing that has been overlooked was the absence of David Barrett. Although he can get burned from time to time, he has also shown an uncanny knack for making timely interceptions. I wonder how the last two drives might’ve played out with him on the field instead/with Miller.
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As expected, the idiots are calling Mangini a genius for the onside kick, while at the same time calling the touchdown try “a rookie mistake.” It sure is a lot easier to analyze decisions after you know the results. Kudos to Powell for coming down on the correct side.
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teufel says:
I think Mangini wanted Miller out there anyway. Need the height to defend Wayne (who Miller guarded exclusively)
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Great coach, good, gutsy calls. I don’t have a big problem with going for it on 4th down, although Peeny should have thrown it away or tried a fade to the other corner of the end zone. Tough play. Stuffing it into Dearth just wasn’t a smart call – they must’ve had a second option.
One thing no one has mentioned, as good as Leon Washington has been, he really screwed up that last kickoff by getting caught at the 2. He could’ve let it go into the end zone for a TB. Better yet, if anyone could’ve fielded it farther up, we could’ve had decent field position. That play was a killer.
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Dennis says:
I agree with the idiots on this one. If you’re not will to throw the interception, you shouldn’t go for it in the first place. Obviously that was the worst possible outcome of the play, but at least it gave them a chance.
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Was I the only one thinking they should’ve done an on-side kick after Miller’s TD? With Nugent’s short kickoffs, Indy started at teh 39 anyway, so it’s only a difference of about 30 yards if the onsides fails. And I figured that was our best chance of stopping the Colts.
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Klecko73 says:
I keyed on watching D-Rob yesterday and I agree with your analysis. He gets penetration and can be very disruptive. But, all teams do is let him penetrate, seal him off and run between the guard-tackle gap that he is sealed off from or off tackle. Also, some of the biggest runs by Indy came when Moore was NT. I know we don’t like to criticize Vilma on this site, but he has to fill holes quicker as does Barton. I still see a little tentativeness by the linebackers, who have to come up hard and fast to blow up plays. Overall, the DL played very well yesterday, I’m not sold on the LB play. I do think they’ll get better, especially Thomas as a weak-side blitzer, he was real close yesterday to a couple of sacks.
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I like Mangini’s guts to go for it. Two suggestions next time. First, tell Chad if it’s not there to throw the ball away and leave it to the D. His INT was a gift to Indy’s offense. Second, bring in Brad Smith, even as a decoy. He would drive me nuts as a defensive coordinator and should be in on every 3rd or 4th and short play. Also, if a run/pass sprint out is the call, Smith is a perfect choice because that’s probably his best pass play…on the run and no longer than 10 yards. I would have called a play action fake straight drop back for Chad…he’s not exactly Elway on the sprint out. Let Chad do what he does best and he’s a great play action passer.
I’ve been a critic of Miller’s cover skills (or rather lack of skills) and he does have a long way to go, but I’m starting to see progress. And, he was victimized by a flat out terrible call on the pass to Wayne…Grammatica could’ve easily missed what would have been a 40+ yard FG if Peyton doesn’t make it on third-down and 20. That was a big call and it wasn’t Miller’s fault, his coverage was perfect. -
Bent says: Statistically, the Jets have been much better against the run with Robertson in than Moore over the last couple of games. It was the other way round in the game before, though.
No-one is immune to criticism on this site, as long as it’s sensible, but I take your point, some people might not like to hear their boy called out like that.
In Vilma’s defense, not every team has the dangerous weapons all over the field (including at TE) that the Colts do, which may be one reason for him being tentative. This is just speculation on my part because I haven’t seen it all yet.
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Perfect post. D got rolled on the last 2 drives. Interestingly mushnick in the post mocks dierdorf for living in a vacuum and assuming that if the jets had taken the 3 the game is tied at the end…….but BOTH cannizarro and serby imply that the call “cost them the game”. amazing…. headline of cannizaro article “ERICS BIG DECISION THE DIFF IN LOSS”….and one line is “in the end, it was the difference in the game”. SERBY article says about the onsides kick “an onsides kick in the 2nd quarter inspires confidence in both your special teams and your defense” WELL THAN WHAT DOES GOING FOR IT ON 4TH AND GOAL DO??????????? JESUS!!!!!!! u cant back the coach when a risk works then say he cost them the game when it doesnt. u treat them both equally……he took 2 HUGE GAMBLES yesterday, showing both his guts AND his faith in his team. PRAISE THE MAN, DONT BE A LOSER WITH A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE.
watching PTI rt now on espn, both lebatard and wilbon thought it was a gutsy call that didnt work out……CASE CLOSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -
Sean says:
We could also use a kicker that can kick it past the 15 yard line so that maybe the other team wouldn’t start at the 40 yard line almost everytime we kick off.
Although I didn’t agree with going on it on 4th and 2, I still think a better play call was in order. Why didn’t they do the play action to baker that always works so well. Maybe baker would have at least have the smarts to not let the other guy catcht the ball and interfere with him.
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RK says:
D Rob is the best we’ve got and as we all know is playing out of position. He still has played well for what he’s been asked to do.
Vilma does a good job of being a ball hawk but he is better at tackling the ball handler than shedding a block and stuffing the run.
As far as I’m concerned Mangini has a single vision which is to win and I love it. The onside kick was probably a calculated move based on how the return team lined up. Perfect timing as it turns out too. It was great watching Dungy fume on the sidelines all game. I thought he was going to resign right there!
I forgot to mention how I thought Chad should have thrown it away in my other post. It was surprising that he had such a mental lapse there. I guess he just wanted it so bad. Everyone did.
And I think after all the creativity we’ve seen from Shottenheimer that some fantastic play would be pulled out of the archives for that 4th and goal situation. Maybe having R. Moore try to do a “Refrigerator Perry” or a “Statue of Liberty” play or hike to a back or something simple like having Brad Smith in there.
My brother hit the nail on the head when Miller broke it:
A great, heads-up decision would have been to stand at the one and try to take a few seconds off the clock.
Of course, at the time, I didn’t think the defense would let up two scoring drives to Peyton after playing pretty darn well against the pass.