Links: This is Why We Obsess Over Those Depth Guys in the Summer
Leberfeld made a point about how the special teams unit was decimated with inactive guys during Sunday’s game, and that has to be factored into the coverage issues.
What he lost was three of his top cover guys – Ahmad Carroll, Marquice Cole and Marques Murrell. These three de-activations are the # 1 reason I think the Jets lost the game. That cover team was a shell of it’s former self with those three dudes in street clothes. Westhoff needs to be cut some slack.
The reasoning? Partly because the Jets needed more big bodies to face the Wildcat.
Carroll and Cole were scratched because they wanted to dress extra “big” people to face Miami’s rugged rushing offense. An injury to LB Bart Scott (knee) also factored into them carrying two ILBs, Larry Izzo and Ryan Fowler, as contingencies.
I don’t blame the Jets for doing it, or call it a backfire, because the Jets did such a good job stopping the Cat. What I would say is that the backup players on specials need to stay in their lanes, which they didn’t which is why Jay Feely was making multiple special teams tackles.
The left side of the coverage unit lost their containment, caving in toward the middle of the field. At one point, the Jets had four players inside the hashmarks and three others a yard or two outside the hash – a virtual team meeting. They covered it as if Feely kicked it where he was supposed to, failing to react to the middle kick. Things started to unravel quickly.
All that and we’re not even mentioning Brad Smith, who we think is one of the league’s best special team coverage guys. Filling out the right active roster for any game is important, let’s hope that the coaching staff finds a better way to balance going forward.
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Not to mention Trusniak who was traded for Edwards.
I disagree just a tad with Leb (big surprise) about Izzo and Fowler, both of whom are considered very good special teamers and are active every week in this role, are they not? Why would their being active be a detriment to the coverage units? His mention of Murrel makes sense in this regard though.
But if the Bart Scott injury did play a part in the decision, then Rex has to take the blame for leaving him on the field when up 38-0 last week in a stupid attempt to preserve last weeks shut out.
Another example of ego getting the better of the HC, he needs to focus more on the big picture, not just his defenses accomplishments.
lets give some props to jay feely for hitting that 55 yarder in the meadowlands….great job jay
and take those props away for running 50 yards downfield on every kickoff instead of being a safety.
So we lost because of poor coaching decisions in my book. Sure these other guys should have made the plays, but if they aren’t the normal kick coverage team, then this is bound to happen. Just disgusting to think this is what led to the loss.
Depth guys? This is why I obsess over the team having 13 draft picks in the last 3 years.
Yeah, because that 6th rounder we gave up last year to get Shonn Greene really would surely stopped Ginn’s second return.
u are blaming the kicker for the run backs? if it wasnt for feely’s previous two tackles then those might have went for more as well….
i cant believe you are actually blaming the kicker for those run backs…….maybe you could say feely should have took it upon himself to kick it away from ginn but that comes from the coach….
and by coach i mean westhoff
Maybe it’s not a kicker’s responsibility to run downfield and make tackles on the opposing team’s 30. A kicker is supposed to wait back, judge the flow of the return, get sideline contain and force the returner back inside. So, yes, Feeley is partially to blame for running downfield on both kickoffs.
I think the problem was using Justin Miller, who had no role other than to return kickoffs. He took away a spot in the 45-man lineup that could have been used by Ahmad Carroll who looked good returning kickoffs in preseason last year, and is one of their better coverage guys.
I brought this up in the last thread, and I’ll raise it again here.
It wasn’t “the ST unit” that lost the game, it was the decisions made by currently unknown persons among the FO and coaching staff that lost this game.
And I, for one, want someone from that group to take the pressure and onus off of the players on that ST unit and step before the mics and say, “It was MY call. I thought it would work — stripping pieces out of ST to fill holes in another unit — but now I see it was a mistake. It cost us the game.”
Not only did they take bodies off their kick coverage because of Rex’s obsession with the Wildcat, but they took their top 3 guys when a 4th ST leader was already hobbled. THAT’S INSANE!
In essence, what they did was sit the Varsity down, and send out the under-rehearsed JV’s to contain one of the fastest runners in the NFL. One that can’t hang onto his usual job, but sure can run fast, if you don’t handle him correctly.
So, WHO MADE THAT DECISION?
Brendan,
Well yeah. Absolutely.
BTW, Cotch just talked about ths on the radio kind of. ST will give up points. Defenses will blow games. Offense will too. But haw many time do you get to be in the position the Jets were at the end of this game? Thats all that matters. I’m calling for Schotty’s head.
Mike,
It’s still the players that screwed up. It was Feeley drifting too far downfield. Woodhead not keeping outside contain. A bunch of guys missing tackles.
Anyone who values ST guys over defensive players is foolish because the defense is on the field about 4 times as much, one factoring in rotations. So I completely support the decision to pull thsoe guys to stop the wildcat.
Igs,
Come.On. You’re really going to tell me that a 6th rounder is that much better than an UDFA at that point? It’s special teams. Run in a straight line, break down in your lane, make a play. Simple stuff. It’s not brain surgery and the difference between a 6th rounder and an UDFA is basically a coin flip
Brendan, I think the horrible WR Ted Ginn would beg to differ.
Ok igs, all those draft picks would have made us superbowl favorites this year. you win. can we now stop the madness since you’re 100% unquestionably correct and we should just blow the team up and trade all players to get every pick in next year’s draft.
Yes I am right. I’m usually right. But who said anything about trading away players? For me this team comes 360 as Tanning-Bum sits on his hands the next couple of drafts and takes best player available philosophy – of course with an toward what fits the team best.
Well, I’m willing to bet there are people that will disagree that you’re usually right. You also value the draft too much. I know you think that the draft is the only way to acquire cheap talent, but that is pretty much wrong. There are special teams guys that float around from year to year, and some come out undrafted from college. You don’t need to spend draft picks on guys like marquise cole, marques murrell, wallace wright, larry izzo. Brad Smith wasn’t drafted for his special teams play, although he has developed into a great one.
Point being, to say that we had a bad special teams game because we gave away too many draft picks is not correct. Sorry, iggy.
I agree with Brendan – My sentiments are the same. Sometimes a goat is a goat. The ST was the goat. end of story.
aretee, excellent point, signing miller cost them carrol in the game, and his speed may have made a difference while miller looked rusty returning kickoffs.
Brendan,
Before you state my points for me please try your best to understand them. I continue to say that the Jets have made to many draft day trades. You continue to turn that into, ‘the only way to acquire talent is through the draft’.
I’m fine with trading away draft picks for better picks, for FAs, for whatever. But the Jets have done it too much on draft day. That’s all I’m saying.
Now you can’t have a conversation about depth without talking about the fact that this team has only drafted 13 players in the past 3 years and retained 8 of those players. Whether you agree or not, you can’t have a conversation about lack of depth without broaching that issue.
And as far as ST. S*** happens. The Jets had the game won in the end and Schotty totally blew it. Bottom line. My points about the draft were particularly in response to the depth question. You continue to misconstrue what I say.