Buzz: Justin Miller on the Bench
Pro Football Weekly writes that “the way they hear it” they don’t get why Justin Miller has been benched all but one game in New York.
A source we talked to in New York is baffled as to why CB Justin Miller has been activated for just one game this season. Although he’d be unlikely to beat out Dwight Lowery for starting duties, Miller’s an athletic, ball-hawking presence who could add some speed to an underwhelming secondary.
Who knows who their source is, but Justin Miller played well on special teams last week, but that’s about all we saw. Drew Coleman seems to make one good breakup per game, but he gets burnt a lot more than that one good play. I’d like to see Miller play more during the back half of the season, which means that the Jets would likely have to inactivate Coleman in Miller’s place.
Drew Colemen = Burnt Toast
we could make carroll inactive instead. Also, what happened with Stuckey yesterday? Where was he?
Miller has to be an improvement over Coleman. Colemen looked bad last week on two plays he lucked out because he was burned so bad on a first cut, but the receivers second cut brough him back into the bad coverage. One play he actually ran into the ball by accident, as he was turned twice on the same play and then knocked to the ground by another Jets player after the ball hit him in the back, which prevented another interception. He was even laughing at himself because he was so burned, yet somehow broke up the play by accident.
Also, Elam is better than Eric Smith and needs to stay on the field.
Jusitn Miller has 0ints in his career… “Ball Hawk?” He would be an easy improvement over Coleman and with our secondary getting ruffed up, why not let him play?
James Ihedigbo should get worked into the rotation along with Miller. Is it me or when Barrett was starting and Coleman was in the rotation last year we couldn’t stop 2nd and 3rd WR and now Barretts playing safety and Coleman is the nickle we can’t stop anybody other than the 1 and 2 WR’s?
WAIT!!! I’ve just figured it out! Jenkins is shaking the field every step he takes and it’s making Coleman and Smith lose their balence!
Lowery should keep his spot. Our long term solution at nickle back is not on the roster yet. Justin Miller is an injury waiting to happen. I am glad he is not in an active role on the team. That way we don’t have to depend on him. Perhaps the draft will be kind to us again this coming spring. I don’t think we can wait for Ray Jr or Preston (the Micken’s boy’s) to reach NFL age. The Jets wil have one of if not the best corner tandums in the league for many years to come.
I remember Miller taking a lot of dumb@ss penalties. Perhaps that was a case of rookie mistakes, but regardless, the disparity in talent with this secondary is dramatic. Revis, Rhodes, then the Mets bullpen. Elam made a big play on Sunday, but he also screwed up big time on Buffalo’s lone TD play. Smith is worthless, I think Coleman just fell down again, and the interception that Barrett hung on to in Week 2 is looking like the proverbial “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut…”
Bassett, I agree 100%. Justin Miller is an absolute upgrade over Coleman and we need to find out what this can do.
Swipe Lowery has been impressive for a rookie, especially playing opposite Revis… he’s going to get picked on. Yet, Miller’s speed gives him potential beyond Lowery.
Also, I’m loving Abram Elam over Eric Smith, but look forward to seeing what James Ihedigbo can do at safety… receivers be warned about crossing the middle in front of “Dig!”
Thsi is a good problem to have.
“underwhelming secondary”? Rhodes and Revis are anything but “underwhelming”, and Lowery, for a rookie has been playing pretty good. The other CB spot, that could be termed underwhelming, but the rest is overwhelming IMO.
I think the problem is that covering deep routes and slot receivers require different skill sets and we have CBs who range from great to decent at the former and decent to horrible at the latter.
Revis is the only stud at covering #1s all over the field. Lowery has shown flashes and has potential in this area. Miller has the best speed to cover deep but his technique has always been suspect and gotten him burned. Barrett has actually made some great breakups on deep balls but plays scared, gives too much cushion, and gets burned on outs. Coleman is actually okay at playing deep throws but not as good as Revis or Lowery and therefore gets thrown into the slot where his skills are just a little better than anyone who’s left. If we had a solid nickel back in the old Mickens mold, Coleman and Barrett would be useful spelling Revis and Lowery and the pass D would improve. Another safety even close to Rhodes in coverage skills would put it over the top.
fred-
as far as stuckey … the Bills nickel corners are pretty effective … and the Jets gameplan called for more blockers to but hats on the defensive lineman to spring Jones (witness the motioning eligible OL Robert Turner). Stuckey will make a resurgence, but part of his early success was that he was running crossing routes in front of favre, now favre is more familiar with his offense and is looking to and hitting his primaries.
Furthermore…
Miller wouldn’t beat out Revis or Lowery and the slot is less about speed and more about technique, where he’s weakest. I’m sure he’s on the roster primarily as insurance for Leon on returns (the one place he shined) and a little less so for the starting CBs.
Not knowing the quality of the ’source,’ I’d say it was a filler item, just to have something for the Jets. How critical to the Jets success would he be exactly?
Wahtever the reason is he won’t be back because this is the last year of his contract.
I doubt miller would be good in the slot too, but at this point after watching the opposing team’s slot receiver tear up Coleman week after week I’m ready to hold open tryouts, there’s got to be someone off the street right now thats better than Coleman.
I used to think the coaching staff knew something we didn’t in regards to Coleman and Eric Smith, now I’m starting to think they have comprimising pictures involving mangini and or Mr. T. What else could explain these two continuing to start week in and week out?
Miller is in his contract year, Miller is better than Coleman but not that much better. Jets may be keeping Justin’s value down.
Mangini needs to get creative here, he’s not utilizing the team’s full talent in the secondary. Coleman, E. Smith, and Barret are not good. Miller is in the dog house and was never much good anyway.
However, we have 2 receivers that aren’t going to see the ball much on offense that can help out in the secondary. Stuckey and B. Smith would be an immediate upgrade over the stiffs mentioned above. Plus with them at DB, we can bring in Clowney as our deep threat at wideout.
The Jets also took Lowery out of the Bills game in the second half and replaced him with David Barret. whats up with Lowery?
Coleman stinks, Barret is solid. I can’t see how Justin Miller ISNT an upgrade over both of them.
18 and one – Are you seriously suggesting the Jets should convert Brad Smith and Chansi Stuckey to Defensive backs?
Brad Smith is a bit of a stretch but Struckey played some CB in the preseason and Manigni used Troy Brown a good amount on defense and that worked out well.
JetOrange,
Justin Miller hasn’t shown he can be effective period. Mangini has figured out that Miller was ballooning out of college however when he tested him during the week he found out he was dummy and couldn’t work hard enough to win a spot on defense or Lowery. Trust me those he has a long way before he can even think about contending against both of them for a starting spot.
Jesus Revis,
Lowery is fine he is NOT A SHUTDOWN corner. He is ballhawk who uses a huge amount of space to play with. When you think of Lowery think of a smaller, smarter version of Jonathan Vilma. He doesn’t have the speed of vilma but he makes up with it with his knowledge of his position. He racks up tackles where the linebackers can’t. He plays all over the field the only weakness that he has is his speed to cover vertically and his inexperience (gives too much cushion sometimes) this is not necessarily a bad thing. He is a sound tackler and he forces fumbles (last week) while being named a ballhawk. What we need is for Revis, Lowery, Rhodes, and Elam to get together and start working towards playing more efficiently together. This will happen soon because now that the run has been shut down for a while they will start to create turnovers by the pash rush that we produce. Ihedigbo is strong and may come sooner rather than later because he can play both safety positions and Mangini will incorporate the gameplan around this group.
Defensively speaking,
The unit is lacking in two MAJOR areas.
1. Gholston’s emergence.
2. More beef on the defensive line (we only have 6 players on the line 3 of which play their positions). JENKINS NEEDS HELP next to him. Against Buffalo he was great but we need someone else on the line to step up as Ellis is benefitting from JENKINS. K. COLEMAN now is the time since your contract has changed to get that “killer mentality” that you lack.
If the slot is about technique then please explain why Drew Coleman, who cannot even stay on his feet is playing? [Note, he slipped and almost fell three times in the last game]. If it is about smarts, he should have been called for holding on Abe’s TD return. Watch the film, He grabs the DBs right shoulder enough to noticeably throw him off stride.
This CS plays many people who must have dirty pictures on the CS because there is no way performance justifies any PT.
harlan
what i would really like to know is what is the story with carroll i’d like to know why he isnt playing more i mean this guy was a first round pick who has had his problems but he must be showing them something because he is still on the team.
I think lowery is playing well but i was hoping one of these corners would step up so lowery can go to the other safety
drew coleman sucks.
id like to see miller or carrol get some more palying time on defense, both have rediculous speed and were top corners in college
DeAngelo Hall is gonna get cut tommorow by the Raiders, go to espn.com it s the first story. We probably dont have much cap room but if we could bring him in he could help us down the stretch… just a thought
I just read that article Eddie. I seriously doubt that the Jets can afford Hall’s contract. Also, it is my understanding that Hall is not as talented as he once was.
Harlan-
You make a good point. Mangini must feel Coleman’s short-area quickness overcomes his rag doll-like reaction to contact. Few of us seem to agree.
Ball Hawk???? Goes to show you another publication has no idea what they are talking about. Miller has made zero plays on the ball since he has been here. I dont like D Coleman as much as the next guy but Miller is a disaster. The classic example of an underachiver. Keep him on the bench unless absolutley need!!
I trust Mangini’s decisions. He looks smart and he coaches smart. He put Abram Elam in the position to get that pick 6, the Jets by accepting the penalty instead of forcing 4th down.
Plus his handling of Pennington was really classy.
The guy is a clown and soon his fat ass is going to be with his buddies Romeo Crennell and Charlie Weis back in New England.