Monthly Archives: December 2007
David Harris is up AGAIN for Rookie of the Week nomination. Let’s do our best to get him better represented in the voting!!
Extreme Makeover, NFL Edition!!
- Parcells has fired Dolphins’ GM Randy Mueller, Cam could be next tomorrow.
- Marv Levy has stepped down as Bills’ GM.
- Jay Glazer is reporting that Ravens’ Coach Brian Billick has ben fired.
- The Lions are firing the Mad Scientist.
- Chiefs’ GM Carl Peterson is on the ropes, but not down for the count.
NOTE: I wanted to re-post this today for those who might not have seen it down the blogstream …
This now our fourth year, it’s always a sad day for us here at TJB when the season ends, and as much as we are looking forward to watching the game tonight, it’s always the signal of something entirely different but to us no less exciting … the offseason.
Since training camp began last July, TJB has loaded over 800 posts (averaging around 30 a week) and you readers have contibuted with an eye-popping 4600 comments. 90% of what this blog is, is made possible by your many and insightful comments, tips questions and input of all other kinds. Thank you for your willingness to pitch in so readily and we look forward to an exciting and potentially watershed offseason. We’ll be here, just like we are every day trying to give you a dose of what’s going on in the world of the Jets. We’ll also be working on some other projects like Rookiepedia again and might have a few other events and exciting announcements to keep you apprised of.
Stay tuned, we’re still talking Jets here 365 24/7!
Thought there were some interesting statements made yesterday after the game … here are a few that sparked my interest and my reactions:
Phew! I’m Off the Hook!
“Am I glad it’s over? Yes, I’m glad the season’s over. Now, we can try to improve this football team.” –Herman Edwards
Typical Herm answer. “It wasn’t me, it was the one-armed man!” So this season is your boss and your players fault … nice to throw them both under the bus … one more year at max and he will be one of the following: A) ESPN Analyst B) College Coach C) NFL Secondary Coach.
Gimmee Gimmee
“I wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with Larry Nemmers, like, ‘Please, Larry, give me a break.’ I was shocked that he called [the last holding penalty]. It’s been a very tough season for us, and we didn’t need any more adversity.” – Mike Westhoff
What? Spitfire Westhoff asking for a gimmee? I’ll pretend I never heard that …
Familiarity Breeds Respect
“He’s been a tremendous plus for me, watching the way he approaches the game. He’s bettered my career. I love that guy. I told him today, I love him.” – Leon Washington on Thomas Jones
The fact that Leon appreciates the guy ahead of him on the field can’t be understated. I truly think that this is the right tandem for the Jets for at least a few more years. They just need a line who can help them out.
Let’s Be Realistic
“I keep hearing we can get Darren McFadden.” Why do we need him? We have two very good running backs that are diverse.” – Chris Baker
It’s hard not to start drooling over highly touted running back prospects, but there’s new ones almost every year. There are bigger fish to try for the Jets, so getting McFadden is a nice thought, but I’m not going to lose sleep over not nabbing him. The Jets need to fill holes elsewhere like the Offensive Line and the Defensive Front Seven for starters.
A New QB Controversy?
“I thought he was a little short on that throw. He actually hit it in stride when we were practicing.” – Eric Mangini on Leon’s pass
All jokes aside, was this the best throw of the day? It’s a shame if it was. I’m not willing to give up on Clemens just yet, but I have to admit I’m a little concerned he couldn’t fare better on the Chiefs, a middling secondary unit.
After 35 years in the NFL, Mike Westhoff has decided to step aside as the team’s Special Teams coach due to complications from his femur replacement surgery a few years back.
Though he would not use the word retirement, the soon-to-be 60-year-old said he definitely will not be on the staff next season as he recovers from a complicated surgery to replace his left femur with a prosthetic. Westhoff beat cancer in that leg, but a bone graft in the area continues to fracture and doctors recommended replacing the bone.
First and foremost, we wish Westhoff a quick recovery from this problem, and hope that slowing down some will help in this regard. Westhoff you will remember was to stay in the booth this season, but the Week 1 Ellis Hobbs 108 yard kick return for TD soon stopped that.
After a terrible season, this news didn’t help. My hope is that the Jets have someone in mind to take over ST duties, hopefully it’s someone in house whom they have been grooming already in-house. My hope is that Westhoff will remain affiliated with the team in some capacity … hopefully as a consultant. But one would think they would have made the announcement already if that was the case.
Either way, we miss him already and know the players do too. We hope for a speedy recovery.
[A Jets Coach Who Is Able to Bend but Not Break] NY Times
[Westhoff says he won't be back with Jets] Newsday
UPDATE: So everyone’s agreed? It is sixth? I knew better than to question Bent, he’s never wrong about anything football related … seriously.
To save me more emails, rechecking my numbers and so on I’m letting you do this for me. For all you folks who are sure that it’s the fifth or sixth… let’s work this out together I’ve bolded the rules applicable here.Determining Draft Order …
- The team with the lowest winning percentage at the end of the previous season drafts first in the NFL Draft.
- The rest of the teams are placed in order from lowest winning percentage to the highest.
- The Super Bowl winner drafts last, even if they do not have the highest winning percentage.
- The Super Bowl loser drafts next to last.
- Strength of schedule for the previous season is the first tie-breaker for teams with the same winning percentage.
- Divisional and conference records are the next step in the tie-breaking procedure.
- As a last resort, a coin toss is used to determine the order of selection for teams with the same winning percentage.
- If a playoff and non-playoff team end the season with the same winning percentage, the non-playoff team selects before the playoff team regardless of strength of schedule.
So by my noting this, it goes Record –> Opponent Winning Percentage –> Divisional and Conference Records –> THEN Coin Toss if necessary.
Here’s some resources:
- [NFL.com League Standings]
- [SoS.xls (I'm a dummy, wrote OAK plays OAK instead of MIA]
As best I can tell, here’s the order. You tell me if I am right or wrong.
Miami Dolphins (1 Win)
St. Louis Rams (3 Wins)
Atlanta Falcons (4 Wins, 132 opp wins /.516, 1-5 in division)
Kansas City Chiefs (4 Wins 132 opp wins / .516, 2-4 in Division, .250 Conference)
Oakland Raiders (4 Wins 132 opp wins / .516, .333 Conference Record) New York Jets (4 Wins 134 opp wins / .523)
EDITED UPDATE #2: Thanks to everyone who contributed and helped with some basic math. Miscalculations on my part, the Jets pick sixth.
Here are the last 10 years worth of sixth picks of the NFL Drafts …
2007: WAS – LaRon Landry, LSU – S
2006: SF – Vernon Davis, Maryland – TE
2005: TEN – Pacman Jones, WVU – CB
2004: CLE – Kellen Winslow, Miami – TE
2003: NO – Jonathan Sullivan, Georgia – DT
2002: KC – Ryan Sims, UNC – DT
2001: NE – Richard Seymour, Georgia – DT
2000: PHI – Corey Simon, FSU – DT
1999: STL – Torry Holt, UNC – WR
1998: STL – Grant Wistrom, Nebraska – DE
Here’s the Jets history with the #6 pick of the NFL Draft …
1976: Richard Todd – QB Alabama
1974: Carl Barzilauskas – DT Indiana
1971: John Riggins – RB Kansas
In case you’re interested…entering overtime at the Meadowlands:
Jets win = Jets pick 6th in 2008 draft
Chiefs win or tie = Jets pick 3rd
Update: Jets win 13-10, so they pick 6th, so they drop a few positions, but save some money on the salary cap.
Update 2: Oops, hang on, the kick has been called back because of a penalty.
Update 3: OK, it counts this time. Jets finish up 4-12 with a triumphant win and will indeed pick sixth.
Who: Chiefs at Jets
When: 4:15PM EST
Where: Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ
TV – Radio: CBS – ESPN 1050, WABC 770
Weather: Chance of Rain 39°F Wind E-NE 6 MPH
Betting: Jets -6 with an Over/Under of 34
Links: ESPN Intel Report | *NFL Gamecenter* | TJB Chat
At Stake: Pride on who has the better coach (I think we know the answer to that) and a higher draft pick for the loser.
When the Jets Have the Ball: Look for the Jets to try and run the ball on the Chiefs, a team that hasn’t fared much better in stopping the run that the Jets have. Leon Washington could be very effective as the Chiefs lack discipline in keeping gaps a wealness where Washington can excel.
When the Chiefs Have the Ball: The Jets have shown sparks of stopping the run lately, but they are going to have to balance coverage versus stuffing the box. Tony Gonzalez and Dwayne Bowe can keep the Jets honest.
Special Teams: The Chiefs have stuggled in stopping returners, an area where the Jets can excel. Leon Washington and Brad Smith could be difference makers in this game.
- The Jets have signed WR David Ball to their active roster and Wayne Hunter to their practice squad. I would love to see Ball get some time on the field today!
- WFAN’s Jerry Recco notes that this seems a lose-lose situation for some fans.
- Will P Jeremy Kapinos play again today?
- Rock notes that the Jets schedule for next year has teams that are exactly .500 this year (though we know that means nothing).
- JetsCentral notes that 2004 Packer first rounder Ahmad Carroll was brought in by the Jets for a visit.
- Parcells has some big decisions ahead. Hiring away Jeff Ireland as an exec and OL Coach Tony Sparano from the Cowboys as head coach, not to mention the uncertain future of “the Ginn family.”
Finishing up the last week of the season, is the 2007 version of my ‘Bush League’ posts … Dorsey’s Draft.
In this series, we explore whether the Jets have what it takes to capture the top spot of this season’s draft amidst stiff competition.
It’s getting tense for many Jets fans … lose and have the ignomy of losing to the Herm Edwards Circus and secure a top five pick, or win and move down in the draft.
This week we will look at the teams with three wins, as they are the most notable contenders this week.
The SoS breakdowns of the teams with three wins and predictions after the jump … (more…)
Just one game left for the Jets, and can you believe it? They’re actually favorites! Checking one of TJB’s sponsors, MadduxSports’ lines … the game has a line set with the Jets as 6 point favorites and with an Over/Under of 34.5.
Knowing Herm as well as we do and adding on the fact that his team is riding an eight game losing streak, what would you do?
