Link: Click At Your Own Risk
Clearly, Mark Kriegel loves the move the Jets made to sign LT … woof.
The guy who made history in 2006 has shown consistent, inexorable decline with each passing season. He hasn’t had a 100-yard game since 2008. Last year saw him rush for 730 yards on 230 carries. His average of 3.3 yards per carry ranked him 28th in the NFL. The man he aims to replace, Thomas Jones, averaged 4.2. And you wonder why the Jets are into their fifth decade without a Super Bowl?
Kriegel is your archetypal cage rattling general sports columnist.
Thanks to Ryan who sent this on and put in his email “why do people keep insisting that LDT is not a good replacement for Thomas Jones when he is not even replacing Thomas Jones. Mind you i was for keeping TJ but this is the next best option.’
Exactly, thanks Ryan.
42 Responses to Link: Click At Your Own Risk
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tyrone says:
beware lt is a proven veteran let the guy play
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Lonnie G says:
When are these people going to understandt that LT is not replacing TJ. Shonn Greene is replacing TJ and LT was brought in to be the #2 back.
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cuzican73 says:
Thats right lonnie g people need to get a grip with green, lt and leon its a dangerous backfeild and now atleast M.S and someone to check down to in leon and L.T.
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dakar says:
LTs decline over the past 3 years is exactly why nerv turner shouldn’t be a head coach…he had the best back in football and clearlly decided to go away from him and in my honest opinion is why LT seemed to be finished is that he just didnt seem to want to play for this guy…i really feel LT is gonna take the NFL by storm and every1 who thinks this guy is done is gonna eat their words…just my thoughts…
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Super T says:
Kriegel is right on the money. For all the great moves that Tanny has made this move was made strictly to sell PSLs and merchanside and reading the posts on here solidifies that notion for me. Don’t know how many fans suddenly want LT jerseys and to buy Jets tickets now. Why else would they bring in a guy whose numbers have been in steady decline and pretty horrible last season?
Unfortunately, I think a lot of these same fans will be wanting to burn their LT jerseys and cursing his name when they realize that LT is done and that is why the Chargers (the only team he has known his whole career) cut him loose.
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Justin says:
Anddddddddd good afternoon everybody!!! http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/8273c78db3/maurice-the-big-cat-radio-show-mike-the-mad-dog-parody
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super t
if LT is washed up as much as you and every1 in here thinks he is…why would any1 wanta go to a game to watch a washed up RB…so this whole idea of signing LT to sell PSLs is really silly…if people are buying his # is because he’s on the team and they have been a fan of his since he came into the league…
its just like farv fans…they didnt but his # until he became a jet…like my cousin…he’s loved farv since he was a rookie…but hes a die hard jet fan…but he never bought farv’s jersey until he became a jet…i’ll stop here…just my thoughts…
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I think that LT will play great for the jets but i don’t think anyone will be showing up for games, just because we signed him.
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zartan
thats exactly my point…
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burf says:
The thing is, all the talk about the *incredible greatness* of TJ, is revisionist history to me.
So many of TJs yards, last season, were late in the game… after the OL wore out the opposing D.
I’m not so sure that LTom will be any worse in the 1st-half… and he’s obviously a better receiver.
So, please, peeps… keep things in perspective, our OL is better than the Bolts’. Let’s wait & see how things play out on le field… -
greene says:
Super T,
I think you missed the part when Rex said LT is not TJ’s replacement. So you rather have paid Jones his 5+ million to play back up for Greene? LT was good pickup, because he came cheap.
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WOJF says:
Other than a snarky comment or two, he makes a perfectly good argument why this move makes no sense.
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Harvlis says:
Of course, I want LT to show the Chargers that he was far from done. That being said, I totally agree with the article.
You can argue all day, whether LT is replacing TJ or not. No he is not replacing a starter, he will come in as a back-up, an insurance policy. But, that is the role that TJ was going to take so, he is coming here to take over TJ’s role.
Why the Jets would break up a backfield that has had such success, for the same amount of money it took to get LT, is a mystery to me. TJ would have been a back-up runner who would have had to fill in for Shonn Greene, if Greene got injured (which he did three times last season, in a back-up role). What would make anyone in the Jet front office think that TJ couldn’t handle that role. If the Jet front office felt that way about TJ (whose stats have been going up for the past three years), why would they feel better about LT (whose stats have been going down). Sorry folks, LT was a great player but, TJ was the right move and Kriegle just summed it up.
Bottom line — Go LT.
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Kriegle was right. Jones was our answer, just like he was when Greene went down in the AFC game. SG had just run off 2 runs of 7 yds each, when he go hurt. That cost us the game, because when TJ came in we had no running game what-so-ever, forcing to change our game plan. How many ypc did TJ get after that?? That’s why we lost.
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No, we lost because we were injured in our defensive backfield and couldn’t cover anyone.
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When you go 3 and out and give he ball to Manning there is no way that you can win. But if you run the ball and control the clock and don’t give him a chance to control the game you have a realist chance to win. If SG din’t get hurt I think we would have run all over their tired defense and controlled the game, even giving the fact that our defense was hurting. I guess we will never know what might have happened. It’s just my opinion. Go Jets!
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Justawallet says:
All the LT doubters please tell me what you think of this… Lt has 730 for a 3.3 ypc last season… Darren Sproles only had 343 @ 3.7 ypc. The fact is that the SD line was horrible, and the OC knows the kind of weapon Rivers is and used him over the run game. They only avg’d 89 rush yards per game last year
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BigKatt wants a ring says:
NOTHING THE TANNY DOES IS DONE WITH THE INTENTION OF SELLING MORE TICKETS, IT IS DONE TO GET THIS TEAM TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!!! I’M SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE WHO SAY OTHERWISE!!!!
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junior says:
Everyone forgets when Curtis Martin was getting up there in age and we showed loyalty to him and let Lamont Jordan go and that set us back a little. I know L. Jordan turned into a bust for oakland but lets face it everyone turns bust for oakland. I agree with this move that way it saves money and to be honest cut the cord with TJ now while there was still a market for him and he can get work. If you keep him then release him his chances of getting on another team are less then they would be this year and we could cut LT if he doesnt perform to the expectations of the team without having to show loyalty.
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fattyboomboom says:
hERE’S MY TAKE ONTHIS
i REALLY THINKTHE jETS FEEL THAT wASHINGTON WILL NOT BE 100% FOR THE SEASON OPNER,or at least he won’t be fully confident and he will need a few games to work himself back in
Now late in the season if u mind the Jets were resting TJ on Wednesdays to keep him fresh, and he really seemed to be slowed later in the year.
So what would u want to complement stone handed s greene, Tj or LT ?
I jut think the Jets feel that LT could cover ethier role where as jones and greene are relitivly similar
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mike s. says:
There is no loyalty to aging players in the NFL.
There is no respect for seniority… this is a young man’s game.
Vets are paid for what they have left in the tank. That is the cold, harsh reality.
If the NY Jets really thought that TJs skills and abilities going forward were worth the KC deal they would have paid him. They did not.I hope the guy can heal during the offseason and regain his form… but he looked real slow and ineffective toward the end of the season and in the playoffs. Maybe KC will draft a young RB and hope that TJ can be a player-coach to help that rookie develop. But if they are counting on TJ to do anything more than run for 3-4 yards between the tackles, they may be expecting too much. At the end of 2009, he looked like a stiff, slow FB that could not get to the outside and could easily be run down from behind. You don’t pay those kind of guys RB money.
KC is making a bet that he can reboot and refresh for the 2010 season. I’m not so sure.LaDanian on the other hand suffered his high ankle sprain in week 1 of 2009 and was not worked back into the offense until week 6. He is obviously not the player he once was… but he still showed elusiveness, he had 11 rushing TDs in the final 12 regular season games, and he is a legit receiving threat out of backfield.
I know the NY media idiots need to keep the controversy going to keep the offseason buzz alive, but based on fundamentals the decision to take the risk on LT and not TJ wasn’t even close. -
Andrew says:
Just a thought–
Two teams aggressively pursued LT, both lost in Conference Championship games. His other two scheduled meetings were with a Division Champion and the Super Bowl Champs.
TJ, at the same price, was pursued by a bunch of teams that will pick at the top of the draft. He signed with a 4-12 team.
If TJ is the better contributor how come the teams who will be making a run at it in 2010 went for LT?
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Dan says:
I understand that there are going to be doubters. Until the season starts and we see how things are going will determine whether it was the right decision or not. I like TJ and who knows maybe the Jets tried to resign him at a lower price but TJ is such a proud man that he said no way. 5.8 million is just to much for a backup/insurance policy and who cares if it is an uncapped year. He complained all last off season about his salary even though he had received most of his money upfront with that contract. I think as a whole the running game was pretty good but when Leon went down we lost the option out of the backfield with screens and a check downs for Sanchez. I think that really hurt him and he ended up forcing to many throws because of it. Leon is still a little iffy to start the season and LT can come out of the backfield to fill that role.
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WW85 says:
I hate giving up TJ for LT. We could have had Tj for $3mm/year just read Cimini’s blog.
BUT THE TJ SHIP HAS SAILED!.LT IS A JET NOW & HE WILL HAVE MY ENTIRE GREEN BLOODED SUPPORT!!! HIS PASS CATCHING IS SOMETHING TJ DID NOT HAVE. HE MIGHT HAVE A GREAT SEASON IN MORE OF A LW TYPE ROLE. I REALLY HOPE LW STAYS AS WELL!
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Tom in Raleigh says:
Wow. I keep reading this stuff and can’t believe that there are fans who really liked TJ that much as our back. This guy fell through holes, he didn’t burst through them. His numbers kept going up because our O-line kept getting better.
We’re getting a new back who can catch, and can still make people miss AND scores TD’s.
LT is going to do fine for this team and he is an upgrade from TJ.
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GANGGREEN says:
I thinks its funny that people are trashing a future hall of fame running back..LT has great vision,elusiveness,and great hands..Ok he may have lost a step or two speed wish but does anyone think this guy isnt going to score touchdowns this year?? Is TJ going to the hall of fame???I know u cant judge a running back by his past but if you have a choice of paying two players basically the same amount of money wouldn’t you take the player with the more polished skill set with a proven history of greatness.LT was nicked up and San Diego moved to a more aggressive passing game so you really can’t judge LT production over the past two years….I guarentee by the end of the season no one will be judging why LT is now a Jet…I stocking CROW for all the LT ney sayers to eat at the end of this upcoming season take a number and get in line all you LT doubters….
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Dave says:
It’s amazing how people who can’t understand how much an ENTIRE RUNNING GAME effects a rusher’s stats and not just the back himself have jobs writing about football.
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Nikolas says:
The issue is not so much LT vs TJ as it is the risky position of our running game.
Reasons:
1) Shone Green may be replacing TJ, but given his frequent injuries last year it is hard to believe that he will remain healthy till the end of the season. Let;s not forget that his injury in the Colts’ game may have cost us a trip to the SB.
2) IF Green goes down..then what? LT may give a run here and there, Leo is the same thing, but neither of them can carry the ball 20-25 times on a consistent base. That is what TJ could do.
3) If LT did not replace TJ, he did replace Leo.
4) It is true that TJ at the end of the season did slow down, but he was an insurance policy, and if the FO wanted improvement they would have been better off drafting a good RB, instead of getting LT. Now our running game is at best questionable. -
nik
ur high if you honestly think leon and LT CANT CARRY THE LOAD IF GREENE GOD FORBID GETS HURT…TJ was a product of the o-line…yea he was good but godbless you and others like you make him to be the best RB out there…and he wasn’t…so stop making TJ seem like he was unstopable…LT in the end is and always will be better then TJ…JUST MY THOUGHTS…
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There really shouldn’t be all that much concern even about the depth of the team’s backs, the Jets have a line to get decent production out of almost anybody. Even if LT has really lost a step he’ll still be at least a 4 YPC guy with the Jets.
Thomas Jones wasn’t a talented runner. That should be clear to anybody who watched Jets football frequently this past year. The Jets made him their workhorse because that’s exactly where his strengths lie – he’s a polished back that can take the pounding off a 300+ carry season and for a team who was trying to play the “defense, run the ball and don’t turn the ball over” formula having a back that never coughed the ball up was key.
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bubbybrister/shovelpass says:
Wow! So the Jets are hosting the Thanksgiving day night game. Awesome! I wonder who they’re going to play? (sic)
I hope its a city that begins with a ‘D’…
Seriously, after my Triptophan rush, I’m totally looking forward to watching my boys Ground and Pound that day!
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woops…meant to say “I hope its NOT a city…” as a joke , but just remembered about Denver, so now I’m..um..like…
oh never mind…. lol
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Tom T says:
I have a theory, I believe the organization knew TJ had a bad injury to his knees more than they let on, or realized his knees can’t hold up anymore. This is the reason they sat him during practice and he fell off towards the end of the season. Since the organization respected and loved TJ so much they helped him drive up his price for KC by claiming “interest”. JUST A THEORY though.
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Brendan says:
Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Enough already. TJ is gone. LT is here. Greene is a beast, I could run for 4 yards behind our line, FB and TE.
Tom T – that’s not that implausible of a theory. As many of us are aware, when the knees start to go on certain athletes (shooting guards, running backs, catchers) there’s no reversing it. If TJ does indeed have a knee injury that will always be an issue, than that would change things.
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Revis Arone says:
This article just proves that anything coming from a FOX network outlet is garbage.
Greene = good power back/bruiser
TJ = aging, expensive power back/bruiser
Leon = 28 this season coming off compound fracture injury (love the guy)
Tomlinson = Older, faster, better Leon with no compound leg injury, only turf toe
Generic Draft RB = Future behind GreeneSo let’s break it down: LT will mentor Greene and the new guy, and help them perform the endzone dance properly. Oh and he might catch a few passes, too, because TJ and Greene just didn’t. It will allow Leon to ease back into the game, but by the time Leon is 100%, he’ll be 28 or 29 (next season).
So give the old guy a break. Let him play 2 more years and go for the ring.
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Jetknut79 says:
First Off, Tanny is a genious, most likely the best GM in football today! Second, for those of you who think this was a bad move bringing in LT, you don’t understand football. Our front O-line is the best in the NFL! If you can’t carry behind these guys, you ought to retire! I can’t believe how many people are bashing this move by Tanny, it was extremely smart and I guarantee people will see a whole different LT this season than in the 3 past. Think about how TJ was a one dimensional back. Now, LT brings a whole lot of screen options and bootlegs which is going to be a huge benefit that we didn’t have with TJ. Don’t get me wrong, I love TJ and think he’s a standup back whose work ethic and physical condition is second to none however, LT brings much more value to our offense which we will see this year. Good move Tanny, keep up the good work… Now let’s go after another top WR so we can draft a DE beast next month! Go JETS!!!
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LT mentoring Greene is like Farve mentoring Clemens and Ainge, not happening, not in his playbook.
We lost to the colts because they were the better football team. The reason it was not close was because an already thin defensive backfield was further weakened by injuries and exposed by a HOF quarterback that was not pressured at all in the second half by a pressure defense.
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Dylan says:
WOJF,
Um Favre did mentor Clemens. He is always mentionaing in interviews how much he learned from Favre and Pennington. Ofcourse LT is going to mentor Clemens. Thats one of the reasons they brought him here.
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Jetknut, “if you cant carry behind these guys you ought to retire”.
There are quite a few people in the SD front office and stands that believe LT should retire.
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WOJF,
There are some fans who feel AJ Smith and Norv Turner should retire for assembling the least physical, worst run blocking offensive line in the NFL.
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Bent says: Wise – he wasn’t cut because they think he should retire, he was cut for exactly the same reason as TJ.
His 2010 salary was slated to be $7.5m.
Kriegel looks like a broke version of Gob Bluth from Arrested Development.