Links: They Always Said Math Would Help in the Real World …
Posted on November 1st, 2006 by Bassett
- As if you didn’t know, those gearheads from F.O. done a lot of calculations to determine that the Jets’ defense sucks.
- Power Ranking check: ESPN, Sportsline, Foxsports
- Cool Power Ranking trending thingy.
- Erik Coleman is doing some community work in Queens.
- Hutch writes an article on Justin Miller.
- Rock gives his midseason grades.
- Lotta low grades on Cimini’s report card from the Browns game.
- Gary Myers talks to Parcells about Curtis Martin, while Johnette Howard wonders what he could still accomplish.
Seriously, what is happening with our defense. Two years ago, they were fantastic. Last year, they slipped considerably. But this year is a complete mess.
Is it simply the wrong personnel in the right scheme or are the problems with the scheme itself. Clearly, our front 3 are incapable of stopping the run or applying pressure on the QB.
I know we all get excited about every Jets’ win, but even if this team had a wildcard spot (which I highly doubt), they would be eliminated immediately. They haven’t stopped any offense this season.
Thoughts?
I used to like Dr. Z, but he seems to be quite anti-Jet lately despite having spent time with the team earlier in his career.
Power Rankings don’t mean much and are simply a way for the national sites to draw eyeballs on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but Dr. Z rate us behind Oakland (2-5), Green Bay (3-4), and Pittsburgh (2-5.)
Then again, this is the same genius who had Miami winning the Superbowl.
Oh well, maybe we’ll be more comfortable now that we’re back to getting (and probably deserving) no respect. Doesn’t that lead in Indy seem like eons ago?
“Their four wins are against teams with six combined wins.”
*cringe*
The defense is not right for the players that presently comprise our front 7. It’s as simple as that. The negativity has been focused upon D-Rob at NT. But, every NT gets blown off the line on occasion, they are constantly double-teamed. But, watch the LB’s when that happens. Does the ILB shoot the gap vacated by the double-teaming guard? Does the DE fight to close the inside gap? The LB’s in a 4-3 scheme read and react, they have that luxury because the 4 DL’s occupy the OL. In the 3-4, the LB’s have to be aggressive or they’ll get trapped by the OL or sealed off. I like Vilma a lot. But, watch how many times he’s late to the point of attack and is lost in the pile while the RB runs by him. The OLB’s should have containment on the outside, but this past Sunday, they were being sealed off time after time. As much as D-Rob is not an NT, Ellis and Kimo look just as lost. But, besides Bryan Thomas (who is really progressing as an OLB) and Barton (he’s the best tackling LB, he touches a ball-carrier and he’s down and he’s very aggressive to the point of attack, but why is he always in Mangini’s doghouse?), the rest of the LB corps looks lost. Hobson is a great tackler and aggressive, but he has to realize that he has containment on the outside. Once he commits, he doesn’t have the speed or agility to adapt. Maybe he improves, but he looked awful against Cleveland. Vilma is a great MLB in a 3-4. But, his intelligence is wasted on the inside in a 3-4. Maybe Mangini should run a modified 3-4 that allows Vilma to be a rover? There has to be a way to integrate a smart and talented player like Vilma into the 3-4. If not, then Tannenbaum should make a Champ Bailey-Clinton Portis type of move and trade him for a stud of equal value because it’s painful watching such a great talent go to waste in this system.
Guys…this is exactly what I expected. As I said over and over this offseason, the personnel was not a good match for the scheme, so we shouldn’t be expecting early results.
Our expectations are a bit higher than they should be because we have had some moderate success against lousy teams. Now it looks like teams are figuring us out.
Like it or not, the Jets are putting in this 3-4 scheme as the main basis for their offense. In this year’s draft/FA players were selected that would be a better fit, but because of offensive needs, we could only use mid/late round picks to address this. So no difference makers were acquired in the draft (alhough E.Smith and D.Coleman have made a bit of a dent).
Kassell, Chatham and Kimo were all supposed to help, but have been pretty disappointing for the most part. None of these guys were supposed to be “building blocks for the foundation” type guys though, just low cost stop-gap/depth additions.
Next year, more guys will be brought in who are a better fit and eventually you will see improvement. The only way this doesn’t happen (barring a rash of injuries) is if Mangini (or perhaps Sutton) are not cracked up for the job. This remains to be seen.
To revert to the 4-3 now would be a step backwards. No more than a band aid. The over-riding goal is to continually improve. Once we have a proper nose tackle, Robertson will perhaps move to end and Vilma should be more effective inside. (Or maybe they will be traded, but I’m sure they won’t continue to struggle as they have). Once we add some pass rushers, this will also serve to occupy the lineman, which is going to have a positive knock-on effect.
Sorry for the length of this comment, I’ve been away, so I’m responding to several points all at once. I’m not trying to be overly-optimistic, but I am not overly alarmed yet, because this is what I (and every media hack in the country) expected this year and the fact that we’ve been able to win a few in spite of this has to be somewhat positive. Remember, last year Mangini’s defense was much better in the second half (although no-one can know whether that was down to EM or was because of BB’s allegedly increased input).
To me, Schlegel being on the inactive list is not a big deal. There are loads of first day picks (in fact, there have been two first rounders at least: Justice and Carpenter) that are inactive and guys can still often make the leap in their second season. Of course he could be cut before he ever plays a game, but I wouldn’t count on it yet. If we fall out of contention, I guess we’re almost certain to see what he’s made of, which granted in preseason didn’t look like much, but he had his moments.
Our offense is less of a concern, because I believe it will improve markedly with a better player than Clements at RT and the ongoing development of the rooks. I think Kellen Clemens is probably more than a year away, but Pennington should be more consistent with better protection.