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Dissecting the New York Jets 2013 Schedule

April 19, 2013 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment
2013-nyj-schedule-landing-600

photo via NY Jets

 

I love this time of year.  The MLB season is just heating up, and the NBA and NHL playoffs are literally right around the corner.  Yet on an NBA less night, I recognized myself going through a bout of withdrawal.  Thankfully, the NFL did all of us a solid and made a slow sports night feel like Christmas with the release of the 2013 schedule.

I’ve had a chance to review the Jets schedule and although there are still many unknowns in place for the team, one thing is for sure, the scheduling gods did not have mercy on the Jets.  Before we dive into specific matchups, here are a few things to note:

  • The Jets will play in only two prime-time games this season, down from four.
  • The Jets start the season at home for the fourth season in a row.
  • The majority of their games, 10 in all, begin at 1PM/ET this season.
  • For the second straight season, the Jets will not face their Metlife Stadium rivals, the New York Giants.
  • Aside from facing New England during Week 2, the Jets have a favorable schedule in September — Tampa Bay, New England, Buffalo, and Tennessee.  However, once Week 5 hits, things certainly toughen up — Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New England, Cincinnati, and New Orleans.
  • The Jets don’t have a bye until Week 10.  But as you see from the bullet point above, their schedule is front loaded with legit playoff contenders.  This means…the Jets season could (and when I say could I really mean probably) be on life support by Week 10.

Here are some important games to circle on the calendar:

 Week 1:  Sunday 9.8 vs Tampa Bay, 1PM FOX

Either the league is fixed or the schedule makers have a wicked sense of humor.  Everyone knows the lead trade destination for Darrelle Revis appears to be Tampa Bay.  Ironically, they’re the first team to visit Metlife Stadium this September.  One thing’s for sure, if Revis is indeed traded to the Bucs, I’m happy to get this game out of the way during Week 1.  Enduring countless weeks of build up surrounding the return of Revis Island is not high on my list of things to do.

Week 2:  Thursday 9.12 @ New England, 825PM/ET NFLN

And just like that, four days later, the Jets will be in New England taking on a Wes Welker-less Patriots.  Fun!

Week 3:  Sunday 9.22 @ Buffalo, 425PM/ET CBS

Back-to-back weeks we play division rivals.  One team that might have a worse fate than the Jets are the Bills.  I don’t expect any game to be an easy win for the Jets, but this is one game that I wouldn’t be surprised to see us take.  Plus, Rex Ryan will be hellbent on winning against Mike Pettine, the Jets former defensive coordinator, now coaching for the Bills.

Week 4:  Sunday 9.27 @ Tennessee, 405PM/ET CBS

This game matters for two reasons — 1) it’s where Sanchez’s awful performance complete with five turnovers occurred last season, which led to his benching. 2) It’s the new home of Shonn Greene.  Although Greene is not even close to being a top tier running back, something tells me he’ll be prepared to make a statement against us that week.

Week 5:  Monday 10.7 @ Atlanta, 840PM/ET ESPN

Um, I’m pretty sure the Dirty Birds are going to defecate all over the Jets.  Oh, and did I mention it’s a Monday Night Football game?  Yeah, this won’t be pretty for the Jets.

Week 6:  Sunday 10.13 vs Pittsburgh, 1PM/ET CBS

I literally put my head in my hands and started pulling my hair because in three weeks, we play the Falcons, Steelers, and Patriots.  Can you say losing streak? I’m convinced the NFL hates the Jets. Seriously.

Week 7:  Sunday 10.20 vs New England, 1PM/ET CBS

Is it too early to tap out of the season?

Week 9:  Sunday 11.3 vs New Orleans, 1PM/ET FOX

Rex’s brother, Rob, is the Saints’ new defensive coordinator.  Not exactly the Harbowl, but still the reason to watch this game. And oh yeah, Drew Brees is possibly another draw.

Week 10:  November 10 Bye

Week 11:  Sunday 11.17 @ Buffalo, 1PM/ET CBS*

- Assuming the Bills draft a quarterback, the team will either be trending up or down.  This game will be nothing more than a battle among desperate teams playing to avoid a fourth place finish in the division.

Week 12:  Sunday 11.24 @ Baltimore, 1PM/ET CBS*

- The fact that the Ravens have lost so many of their players since winning the Super Bowl means absolutely nothing. The result will be same as its been since Rex left B-More for New York, a loss.

Week 13:  Sunday 12.1 vs Miami, 1PM/ET CBS*

- It’s interesting that the Jets will be facing the Dolphins for the first time so late in the season.  This off season, the Dolphins made a lot of moves to improve their team, on both sides of the ball.  However, not playing them until early December could work in our favor because the strengths and weaknesses of the team will be well documented by then.  Hopefully the Jets will be able to make the necessary adjustments to actually compete against them. Ahhh, who am I kidding?

Week 14:  Sunday 12.8 vs Oakland, 1PM/ET CBS*

- Last year, the Raiders went 4-12.  During the offseason, they made some changes to their coaching staff which included hiring the Jets former offensive coordinator, Tony Sparano as an assistant head coach and offensive line coach.  That is why this game matters.  Sparano was a complete waste for the Jets.  Although this game is extremely late in the season and the fate of each team may be determined by then, the return of Sparano will be much hyped.

Week 17:  Sunday 12.29 @ Miami, 1PM/ET CBS*

- The final game of the season will be meaningless to the Jets because they will not be contending for a playoff spot.  However, they could play a role in the Dolphins playoff hopes.  Spoiler alert?

Yeah…so…saying the Jets have an unfavorable schedule is an understatement.  This time last season, despite missing the playoffs, I was optimistic that the Jets would be able to recover.  I predicted they’d go 10-6.  Instead, they went 6-10.  This season, I’m a lot more realistic and pessimistic about their chances.  So far, they’ve given me no reason to believe that they’ll be able to turn things around.  I’ve accepted the need to rebuild and have set the bar excruciatingly low.  I predict the Jets will finish the season with a 5-11 record.

What are your thoughts on the Jets schedule and my outlook on their season? Sound off in the comments below!

-@sdotrenee

*subject to NFL Flex schedule
Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: 2013 New York Jets Schedule, AFC East, Jets 2013 season, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NFL, NFL schedule, Rex Ryan

The Morning After: New York Jets vs New England Patriots (26-29)

October 22, 2012 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Jim Rogash/Getty Images

 

Sigh…yesterday’s  NY Jets 26-29 OT  loss to the New England Patriots was tough to digest. Actually, it still is.  Mark Sanchez and co. had so many opportunities to pull out the win, but just couldn’t get it done.  And as everyone knows, when you’re playing against Tom Brady, you have to play for the win.  Not for the tie, or not to lose the game, but to win it.  Because if given the opportunity, Brady will leave you with nothing but huge regrets.  And that’s exactly what happened last evening.

THE GOOD

- From the first drive, the Jets offense played with purpose and effort.  Tony Sporano didn’t miss the memo with regard to the Pats weak pass defense.  Straight out the gate, Sanchez tested the Pats’ secondary and was rewarded for it.  He led the team to an impressive scoring drive on the Jets’ first possession.  And save for a terrible INT and a fumble which resulted in a safety, Sanchez played well the majority of regulation.  Overall, he was 28/41 and threw for a season-high 328 yards.

- The diminutive Jeremy Kerley, who stands tall at 5’9, has emerged as Sanchez’s most trusted receiver, since Santonio Holmes went down.  Kerley put in incredible work yesterday, catching seven passes for 120 yards.  Now, if he would only stop fielding punt returns at the 5 yard line and instead, let the ball bounce into the endzone for a touchback, he’d really be alright with me.

- Despite playing without Darelle Revis, it seems the Jets defense is finally turning things around. Yesterday they held a top five offense to just 17 points, 259 passing yards, and 131 rushing yards.  Although Rob Gronkowski scored two touchdowns, the Jets secondary neutralized Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker, not making them much of a threat.  If only the Jets defense hadn’t mailed it in on the Pats game-tying drive to end the fourth quarter, the Jets would’ve left Foxboro with the win.

- Although it was a wasted effort, I can’t deny how clutch Nick Folk has been all season.  Because the Jets have struggled to locate the endzone, we’ve relied on the 11-11 kicker to keep us in the game, and he’s nailed it every time.  Due to kicking 54 and 21 yard field goals earlier in the game, and a 43 yarder minutes before, I incorrectly assumed leg fatigue would result in Folk missing the 43 yard field goal attempt which resulted in the Jets briefly gaining the lead.  In that instance, it felt good to be wrong.  It’s just too bad his teammates let him down.

-  The warrior that is Joe McKnight. 

 

THE BAD

- Only Sanchez can be defined as good and bad, at the same damn time.  But that’s exactly what he was,  yesterday.  We can rely on him to make at least two momentum killing plays per game.   After watching many wild finishes at the end of yesterday’s games, I couldn’t help but wish I had a quarterback that could execute a come from behind win in two minutes or less.  Instead, Jets fans are saddled with a guy who fumbled a snap and had to kick the ball out the endzone to avoid a touchdown recovery by the Pats.  And also the quarterback, who on the last play of the game in OT, thought trying to throw it away was the right call.  Instead of taking the sack and giving his team one more chance to make a miracle happen, the Patriots recovered the ball. Game over.  If the Jets intend on contending, we have to get a quarterback who is equipped to make better decisions when the game is on the line.   Period.

- And speaking of better decision making, why did Tony Sporano call a slant to Chaz Schilens on 3rd and 2?  Aside from a 23 yard pass play to Dustin Keller, the Jets had success grounding and pounding the ball to Shonn Greene most of that drive.  Yet, when we’re in the redzone, and it’s 3rd and 2, the Jets decide to pass?  And to Schilens?!  With the way our offensive line has been blocking lately, there’s no question Tebow or Greene, would’ve gained the first down.  After six games, one would think Sporano and the rest of the coaching staff would improve with regard to when to call Tebow’s number, but they haven’t.  Just another example of how the Jets left points on the field…a huge no no against the Pats.

- I’m not going to kill Stephen Hill for dropping that pass, because aside from that, he played well.  HOWEVER, if Hill would’ve held onto the ball, the Jets would’ve been in a position to win that game.  I know that missed opportunity will haunt him until at least next week, let’s just hope he uses it as motivation to improve and make clutch catches in the near future.  He has the potential to be a star on this team, he can’t allow his butterfingers to hold him back.

 

THE UGLY

- The amount of ifs and woulds mentioned in this post is sickening, but rather appropriate because it highlights how many missed opportunities the Jets really had.  This loss will definitely rear its ugly head down the road.

Next week, the Dolphins head to Metlife Stadium to seek redemption.  It’s also the final game before the Jets’ Week 9 bye.  Based on the Jets improvements over the past couple of weeks,  I’m optimistic they’ll go into the break with a .500 record.

-@sdotrenee

P.S.  My apologies for abandoning ASE and TMA the past couple of weeks.  I needed to step away a bit to work on some things.  Appreciate the continued support!

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Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC East, Jeremy Kerley, Joe McKnight, Mark Sanchez, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, NFL, Nick Folk, NY Jets, Rex Ryan, Shonn Greene, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady

The Morning After: San Francisco 49ers vs New York Jets (34-0)

October 1, 2012 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

 

Photo via AP/Bill Kostroun

Santonio Holmes’ facial expression says it all.

As a Jets fan, I’ve witnessed some brutal games, but Sunday’s 0-34 loss to the San Francisco 49ers was historic and epic and pathetic.

I don’t know what can be said about Sunday’s game that I didn’t say last week.  However, I’ll give it a shot and hopefully won’t sound like a broken record in the process.

THE GOOD

Moving on…

THE BAD and THE UGLY

The issues with the Jets begin with management and trickle down to the player level. The coaches are hugely responsible for the lack of execution on game-day, but I’m specifically talking Mike Tannenbaum since he’s responsible for personnel decisions.  That is the source of the unraveling thread.  As such, I wholeheartedly believe he deserves the majority of the blame.  During the offseason and then the preseason, I grew impatient by the moves or rather, lack there of.  Tannenbaum’s big free agent get was Tim freaking Tebow.  And he wasn’t even signed for the purpose of being a legitimate backup QB, but instead to scare Mark Sanchez straight and lead the wildcat.  Both which have yet to manifest itself.  Meanwhile, the persistent problems the team experienced last season have germinated:  inability to stop the running game, an ineffective offensive line, a weak receiving corp, and even worse rushing game, have all become liabilities to the team because Tannenbaum refused to resolve these issues.  He did, however, sign Laron Landry, one of the only positives this season, so I’ll give him that, but nothing more. In fact, I’m also going to bring up old shit and blame him for signing Kyle Wilson, the 2010 first round draft pick who has become a colossal disappointment.  But more on him later.

When you eliminate Darrelle Revis from the equation, the team lacks depth and dependable players at virtually every position.  Across the board, we’re thin.  When everyone with a shred of football knowledge dooms your season because a defensive player is shut down for the remainder of the season, that says it all.  A serious championship contending team should be able to survive that sort of deathblow because it’s stacked with weapons.  This certainly does not apply to the Jets.  Our defense was our best offense because the offense is incapable of even sniffing the endzone.  But without Revis, it’s a free for all on both ends of the field.  And now that a sometimey Santonio Holmes also may be finished, the Jets are being eulogized for the second consecutive week.  You must look in the direction of Tannenbaum.  If Revis and Holmes remained healthy, the Jets may have been barely decent enough to let Tannenbaum weasel himself out of the line of fire.  But no matter how you cut it, all roads lead directly back to him.

Again, as I said last week, I’m not making excuses for Mark Sanchez.  It’s a hard known fact that he doesn’t have what it takes to lead the Jets, and I’d venture to say he’s the worst quarterback in the league right now, especially when you compare a QB in his fourth year to that of sophomore Cam Newton, and rookies, RGIII and Andrew Luck.  After blowing our minds in the first game, Sanchez put up a QB Rating under 50% for three weeks in a row: 46.4%, 34.3%, and 2.8%.

Once again, Sanchez had an ill-timed turnover in the redzone. Last week, he threw an INT in the endzone and this week he fumbled when we were in field goal range near the end of the first half. He overthrew passes and under threw passes. He took sacks when he should’ve thrown it away. You know…the usual.  Pathetic, but at the same time, his offensive line has let him down, and he has no one to catch the damn ball. *Paging Keyshawn Johnson (but not really)*

Before this week, the receiving corp was paper thin, and now with Holmes hurt and Keller still nursing a hamstring injury, it’s thin as air. “Rookie sensation” Stephen Hill has been an absolute bust. The first week he looked like a future star, since…he’s either been a non-factor or hurt, so like I said, a bust. And the running game isn’t any better.  In fact, it’s worse!  Shonn Greene is absolute trash and although Bilal Powell has been slightly more productive in that role, combined they ran for a useless 45 yards.  Just pitiful.

And let me tell you this, Tim Tebow is not the answer, savior, or solution to the problem.  If anything, he has a whole layer unto himself on this horrible smelling onion.  Tebow can’t throw worth a damn. And his ability to throw defenses off and effectively run the wildcat seems like too much to ask. It took the 49ers to show the home team what the wildcat can do for you when properly executed.  The 9ers beat the Jets at their own game.  The irony, lol.

The coaching staff has no clue how to use Tebow.  I would suggest using Tebow as a receiver since we have no one else to throw to, but when they’ve tried that Tebow showed he can’t run routes and the ball dinged him in the helmet.  During yesterday’s post-game press conference, Rex was pressed about whether it’s time to make a QB change, and he essentially said he doesn’t believe Tebow has what it takes.  Remember, he’s comparing Tebow’s ability to Sanchez’s inability so that must tell you everything you need to know about how much faith the coaches have in Tebow.  But then again, they maintain that Sanchez is the right man for the job, so who knows.  So far, neither quarterback has one upped the other.

Which brings me to Tony Sporano.  Since he’s arrived, the offense is more dazed and confused than they were under, wait for it…Brian Schottenheimer.  No one was happier than me to see Schotty depart New York, but now I can’t help but wonder if he was actually a better offensive coordinator.  Soparano, the wildcat guru and king of the rushing game has been terrible so far.  The team’s one rushing touchdown and five passing touchdowns, three of which came in Week 1, are proof positive of that.  Yesterday, the Jets were 2/13 on third-down plays.  They only had nine first downs compared to San Fran’s 26…smh.  It would be nice if Sporano finally executed a game plan that didn’t make people shamefully miss the Brian Schottenheimer era.

And finally, on to defense.  The memo is out, run the ball against the Jets and you’ll have your way.  For the most part, the Jets defense contained the 9ers offense in the first half, but eventually things got of hand in the second half.  In all, the 49ers had 245 rushing yards.  Eight different people ran the rock, and we let them.  The game really blew up in our faces in the fourth quarter, when the defense was probably gassed from playing  36:56 compared to the offense’s 23:04.  There were no redeeming qualities about yesterday’s defensive performance, but I can tell you the weakest link.  Kyle Wilson.  He is a joke.  I’m not even criticizing him for not being a suitable replacement for Revis, because no one is capable of filling Revis’ shoes.  However, what annoyed me most about Wilson’s game was how he repeatedly got beat, only to be rescued by Alex Smith’s poor throws, and then react by trash talking and taunting receivers as if he was responsible for the incomplete pass. How delusional can one player be about his talent level?  Since he was signed in 2010, Rex hailed Wilson as the next big thing.  Two years later and we’re still waiting.

Before the season began, we all knew Weeks 4 and Week 5 were going to be a big test for the Jets.  And that was before we knew Mark Sanchez was going to regress like he has, or we’d be without Revis and Holmes, and possibly Keller too.  The only thing that makes facing the Texans more daunting than it already seemed is doing it on Monday Night Football, for the whole nation to see.  Awesome.

In other news, the New York Yankees clinched a playoff spot, yesterday.  That helped numb my pain a little.  If you’re a Mets-Jets fan, find comfort in knowing you have my condolences.

-@sdotrenee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC East, Antonio Cromartie, Darrelle Revis, Jeremey Kerley, Kyle Wilson, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NY Jets, Rex Ryan, San Francisco 49ers, Shonn Greene, Tim Tebow, Wildcat Offense

The Morning After: NY Jets vs Miami Dolphins (23-20)

September 24, 2012 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Robert Mayer/PressWire

WordPress refused to fight fairly this morning. Based on the timing of this post and the switched up format, take one guess who excelled in that battle. Hint: Not me.

Thankfully, the NY Jets were more successful than I. Although the Jets 23-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins in OT wasn’t pretty, any of it, a win is a win. And with that win, the Jets are currently sitting atop the AFC East with a 2-1 record. The Buffalo Bills, division rivals, also hold a 2-1 record, but the Jets have an early advantage because they remain undefeated in the division. However, not even that, coupled with another Patriots loss, is enough to cause ignorance to the colossal fact that the Jets are not a good football team. Period.

Not exactly breaking news, I know, but I wanted to withhold my official ruling until I had an opportunity to see more than two games. We’re now three weeks into the season and the team’s deficiencies at virtually every area of the game are way too obvious to think otherwise. And unfortunately, I don’t see anything improving anytime soon simply because the Jets have been tiredly singing and forcing upon us to the same pitchy, off-beat tune for a while.

Mark Sanchez, now a four-year quarterback, doesn’t have the skill or football IQ to excel at the pro level. Although he has moments of promise, they’re far too fleeting to expect a vast transformation. Terrible redzone efficiency, overthrowing receivers, continuously throwing into cover two and cover three situations are all inherent flaws of his game that are too big to ignore. In the past, the team was able to overcome his deficiencies with a solid running game, an indestructible defense, and a Jets receiving corp that consisted of more than one reliable guy. However, since then, the Jets team as a whole has deteriorated. Our rushing defense is such a joke that we barely beat a team with a rookie quarterback and no legitimate wideouts. If Reggie Bush wasn’t knocked out of the game with an injury, there’s no doubt the Jets would be the team with the 1-2 record.

When will Jets brass finally admit Sanchez is not the answer? If you’re not going to replace him at least give him enough support so he can effectively do his job. The team’s offseason acquisitions did absolutely nothing to benefit Sanchez’s QB-style, which I equate to a four-year old’s bowling style. Keep reading. You’ll get it.

If you take little Johnny bowling, and don’t put up the rails to prevent the ball from rolling into the gutter, yet expect a strike or spare at every turn, you’re wasting your time. Even with the bumpers, it takes the ball forever to make it down the lane, but at least you know there will be some knocked down pins to show for your time. Like little Johnny, Sanchez needs rails in the gutter, or a capable surrounding cast that will rise to the level of his playing ability. Without it he’s lost. Sanchez has never been a particularly good quarterback, it’s just that he’s had bumpers to pad his ok performance that we called Plaxico Burress, Braylon Edwards, Jericho Cotchery, Jim Leonhard, and on and on. Why genius-boy Mike Tannenbaum thought it was more prudent to channel Phil Jackson’s zen-master mind games and sign Tim Tebow to help boost Sanchez’s confidence rather than beef up the receiving corp or defensive unit remains lost on me. He waited until the eleventh hour to finally pull the plug on Wayne Hunter when Hunter should’ve been the first to get the axe after last season. That is extremely concerning because it’s as if there is no sense of urgency to win. Towards the end of last season, all of the Jets’ weak spots were exposed and well-documented. Yet, virtually none of the holes were plugged to start the season. Newsflash: Not only is Rex Ryan an average head coach, but the defensive edge he was lauded for has seemingly disappeared. Was all his strength in his weight? The more pounds he loses, the weaker the defense becomes. The Jets’ defense has been ebbing for a while and is no longer in a position to pick up the slack while the mediocre offense narrowly escapes with wins. That’s especially an ugly truth, now, as the number one shutdown corner in the game, Darrelle Revis, has a torn ACL. *weeps uncontrollably* Without Revis Island to fear, quarterbacks will have free reign to distribute the ball and steamroll the Jets. It’s just all bad.

When a win leaves you with the same yuck mouth taste as a loss, you know it’s going to be an excruciatingly long season. I haven’t completely written them off yet because we’re only heading into Week 4 and stranger things have happened, but with the 49ers coming to town after a shocking loss to the Minnesota Vikings, I’m preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

I know…I’m a typical Jets fan.

-@sdotrenee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC East, Darelle Revis, Mark Sanchez, Miami Dolphins, NFL, NY Jets, Reggie Bush, Tim Tebow

The Morning After: NY Jets vs Pittsburgh Steelers (10-27)

September 17, 2012 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Well, with a 27-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Jets didn’t waste anytime proving the doubters right.

THE GOOD

- I’ll start with a positive footnote that is unrelated to anything the Jets did or didn’t accomplish yesterday — the New England Patriots lost.  That, along with wins by the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, means the AFC East is all tied up 1-1.

- The most obvious positive takeaway from yesterday’s game was the opening drive. Overall, we couldn’t have asked for a better drive — 90 yards, four of five completions from Mark Sanchez, and a Santonio Holmes touchdown.

THE BAD/THE UGLY

-Having said that, there were many lowlights in yesterday afternoon’s game.  Aside from the opening drive, the team largely mirrored its dreadful performance from the preseason– inability to locate the endzone, lots of dropped balls by receivers, and a weak offensive line.  Even against a “shorthanded” defensive unit who had to pick up the slack due to Troy Polamalu and James Harrison sitting out, the Jets couldn’t get anything going.  Stephen Hill, the rookie sensation we all praised last week, completely went AWOL.  At 6’4 he provides the height we need in order to stretch the field, but if he can’t break away from man-to-man coverage, he’s going to do nothing but further taint Mike Tannenbaum’s questionable draft record.

Speaking of Tannenbaum, yesterday was a prime example of why he should’ve made bolstering up the receiving corp more of a priority.  With an inexperienced rookie, two undersized receivers in Santonio Holmes and Jeremy Kerley, and a subpar backup at tight end in for Dustin Keller, the Jets lack the size and weapons to compete against a secondary as lethal as the one it succumbed to yesterday.  Perhaps the offense is dedicating too much time on perfecting useless Wildcat plays that didn’t receive any action until mid-way through the third quarter?  Trust me, I’m no proponent of Tebow Time, but if the Jets are depleted elsewhere, why not mix it up to see if it’ll throw the Steelers off balance a bit, especially since the running game didn’t prove more fruitful than the passing game.

Any remnants of Sanchez’s record-setting performance from a week prior were fully erased.  After looking sharp on the opening drive, Sanchez threw one incomplete pass after another, and eventually finished the day 10-for-27 for 138 yards and one touchdown.  Although you probably don’t need me to further explain how terrible his outing was, I will.  Yesterday’s 17 incompletions tied his lowest completions total since his rookie year.  Talk about regression.  But to be fair, Sanchez’s forgettable statline was a team effort.  From Austin Howard’s struggles, to an ineffective running game, to Tony Sporano’s failure to make adjustments during the game, the Jets came up short all around.  Not good.

- Defensively, things weren’t much better.  Once I heard Darelle Revis was officially out, my expectations plummeted.  With Rashard Mendenhall still on the mend, and Revis Island closed for the weekend, it was obvious the Steelers would rely on its vertical game to beat us.  Although the Jets blitzed Roethlisberger and successfully recorded a few sacks, it wasn’t enough to stifle Big Ben’s mobility and productivity.  Broken and missed tackles abound. Top that off with lax coverage and mounting penalties by Antonio Cromartie and Laron Landry, just forget about it.   The costly mistakes ultimately ruined any chance the Jets had of staging a comeback.  In the past, when the Jets have struggled offensively, the defense performed well enough to keep them in the game.  No such luck yesterday.

The bottom line is this, the Steelers exposed the hell out of us, on both sides of the ball.  But speaking from a place of glass half full, I’m happy it happened this early in the season.  I’m also hopeful it’ll give the Jets a much needed reality check, especially as they travel down to South Beach to face Sporano’s former team.

Yesterday the Dolphins surprisingly outplayed the Raiders and proved they may be as much of a wild card as the Jets.  Even with an appearance on Hard Knocks, it’s unclear who the Dolphins are as a team.  However, I do know, if the Jets allow Reggie Bush to repeat yesterday’s 172 yard, 2 TD outing, we’ll be digging ourselves out of a deep hole as we prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans in Weeks 4 and 5.

-@sdotrenee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC East, Ben Roethlisberger, Darrelle Revis, Mark Sanchez, NFL, NY Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tim Tebow

The Morning After: Buffalo Bills vs NY Jets (28-48)

September 10, 2012 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Wow. What a way to kickoff the NFL season.  Overall, there were many surprising moments.  Robert Griffin III stunned and out played Drew Brees in his NFL debut.  Adrian Peterson’s supernatural abilities were on display after returning from a torn ACL.  Peyton Manning may be on a different team, but he is indeed the same old Peyton, The 49ers made Green Bay look ordinary.  The Bears new look offense wowed.  And Matty Ice’s Falcons rolled over the Chiefs.

However, I, without a doubt, was most shocked by the impressive play of my New York Jets, who defeated the Buffalo Bills 48-28.  No one, and I mean no one, expected the Jets offense, defense, and special teams to explode for a total of 48 points.  After much fuss was made of the team’s inability to score a touchdown during the preseason, the Jets proved why sports analysts, bloggers, experts, fans, and journalists, should take a wait and see approach rather than prematurely eulogizing a team due to its poor preseason performance.  Rex Ryan tried to tell us the preseason wasn’t an accurate reflection of who the Jets are, but most of us dismissed his warnings as puffery.  While the Jets have successfully restored my hope, at least for one more week, my expectations remain tempered. One game alone is not enough for me to book a ticket to New Orleans, but it is enough for me to suspend my countdown to the start of the NBA Season.

Let’s get into it.

THE GOOD

Pleasantly and shockingly, there are many highlights from Sunday’s Bills vs Jets game.

- All hail Tony Sporano!  It wasn’t immediately clear what Sporano’s gameplan was during the preseason, besides a whole lot of Wildcat, but based on yesterday’s offensive explosion, I think we have a pretty good indication.  Sporano repeatedly dug into his deep bag of tricks, and wowed us with an offense fit for a four-year veteran.  Mark Sanchez’s training wheels have appropriately been removed, finally giving him license to let loose, something he was continuously denied under the Brian Schottenheimer regime.  And as Sanchez proved with 266 passing yards, three touchdown passes, 1 fumble, 1 interception, and a gaudy 123.4 quarterback rating, he’s ready.  With better protection upfront, thank you Austin Howard(!), Sanchez had sufficient time and coverage to release the ball.  Not even the Bills biggest offseason acquisition, Mario Williams, could rattle Sanchez.  Howard, so far proving to be a vast upgrade over Wayne “Turnstile” Hunter, reduced Williams to one measly tackle and zero sacks, to which Williams subsequently reacted to by whining and ripping the replacement refs.

In all, Sanchez hit up seven different receivers.  But it was obvious his new favorite target may be 6’4 rookie, Stephen Hill. (I’m suddenly feeling good about my decision to draft Hill in my fantasy league.)  After facing criticism for dropping many catchable balls during the preseason, Hill shined in his first NFL start.  He responded with two touchdowns and 89 yards. Jeremey Kerley also took advantage of his opportunities, but that’s nothing new.  The versatile second-year player not only showed out on offense, but he also returned a punt for a 68-yard touchdown. Although Sanchez’s familiar targets, Santonio Holmes and Dustin Keller, took a backseat to younger receivers, I fully expect Sporano and Sanchez to involve the vets more in the upcoming weeks.

Moving on to the running game.  No doubt about it, Shonn Greene’s running game lacks finesse.  But he’s a workhorse who quietly gets the job done.  Though Sanchez was definitely the star, Greene made a strong contribution with 94 yards and one touchdown.  Again, solid blocking by the offensive unit created opportunities.  However, if Greene is going to remain the featured back, he has to protect the ball better.  Two fumbles, though both were recovered by the Jets, are simply unacceptable.

Overall, the Jets offense had a great day.  The diverse playcalling, complete with a successful flea flicker, did not disrupt the Jets flow.  Despite a couple of delay of game penalties, players across the board seemed to have a great command of the playbook as they continuously shuffled in and out of the game in response to Sporano’s gameplan.  Initially this worried me, but as the game continued, I eased up because it was obvious the players were more than well prepared.

- The defense was in attack mode.  Not only was Ryan Fitzpatrick held to less than 200 yards passing, but he also threw three interceptions, which the Jets converted into 21 points.  Early on, Darelle Revis, Kyle Wilson, and Antonio Cromartie, delivered the clear message that quarterbacks are engaging in risky business when throwing in their direction.  It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that Fitzpatrick was able to gain momentum, and I attribute that more to the Jets becoming lazy on defense than Fitzpatrick actually making adjustments.  Also, Stevie Johnson, the one wide receiver who’s supposedly been able to occupy Revis Island, was shutdown and held to three receptions for 29 yards against Revis, and 55 yards and one touchdown overall.  I am disappointed our defensive line didn’t come up with one sack yesterday despite pressuring Fitzpatrick.  However, I strongly expect them to rectify this on Sunday when they face Ben Roethlisberger.

 

THE BAD

- Although the Jets looked impressive overall, they did not play a perfect game.  The most obvious need for improvement surrounds its rushing defense.  After Laron Landry knocked Fred Jackson out of the game with a monster hit, CJ Spiller was inserted as the number one back.  He ran for 169 yards and one touchdown.  This is not a good sign, especially considering how the Jets struggled to defend the run all of last season.  And after one game, it doesn’t seem they’ve improved much.  Watching the Jets lazy attempts at tackling Spiller was frustrating, especially in the fourth quarter.  However, if the Jets tighten up its rushing defense, and the secondary continues to shutdown its opponents’ passing game, the Jets will definitely be tough to beat.

- Heading into Sunday’s game, the buzzword was Wildcat.  And after being sworn to secrecy during training camp, the Jets finally let the cat out of the bag.  The only problem is, there wasn’t much to fear as the Wildcat lacked bite.  Through nine plays, the Tim Tebow-led Wildcat only resulted in a 19 yard gain.  However, I’m confident Tebow will eventually become more effective in that role, largely because he must if he expects to receive playing time.  Based on what Sanchez displayed yesterday, Tebow’s chances of overtaking him as a starter are nil.

 

THE UGLY

- Yesterday’s “ugly” comes courtesy of the always classy Jets fans.  The sportsmanship, or lack thereof, displayed in this video is disgusting.

- It’s Week 1 and Santonio Holmes and Bart Scott are already getting chippy with the media. Can’t we all just get along, for at least one week? I get it, but damn.

While Jets fans should be excited about yesterday’s record-setting outcome, we shouldn’t get carried away.  It was only one game and Week 2 will be here before we know it.  This coming Sunday we head to Pittsburgh.  Though the Steelers looked a lot rusty against a triumphant Peyton Manning and Denver Broncos, I don’t expect a walk in the park.  Ryan Clark, James Harrison, and Rashard Mendenhall sat out the season opener, but all may return for Week 2.  In other words, the NY Jets need to put this Bills win behind them and get prepared for the battle that lies ahead.

 

-@sdotrenee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC East, Antonio Cromartie, Buffalo Bills, Darrelle Revis, Jeremey Kerley, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NY Jets, Rex Ryan, Shonn Greene, Tim Tebow, Wildcat Offense

Dissecting the NY Jets 2012 schedule

April 18, 2012 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via NY Jets

It’s beginning to smell a lot like football.

The NFL finally released its 2012 schedule, and I immediately rushed to see what kind of hand the Jets were dealt.  My immediate reaction: not bad.  Despite some unknowns still being in place, the team’s core pieces are already set.  Let’s take a look at the schedule to see what to watch for starting in September.  But first, a few interesting things to note:

- The Jets will play in four prime-time games.

- The Jets do not play the Baltimore Ravens this season…thankfully.

- Get your dessert ready, the Jets play the New England Patriots Thanksgiving evening.

- We’ll all be spared the nonstop hype machine of Tebow vs Broncos/Manning because the Jets will not face the Denver Broncos.

- The Jets also don’t face the NY Giants this season.

Here are some important games to circle on the calendar:

Week 1, Sunday 9.9 vs Buffalo, 1PM

- The Jets open the season against the Bills, a division rival. Last year the Bills surprised the league after getting off to a 4-2 start, including a win against the Patriots. Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, wowed Bills personnel and cashed in on a big payday. But after the ink dried on the contract, Fitzpatrick’s play steadily declined. The Bills eventually finished the season with a 6-10 record. This off season, the most notable acquisition the Bills made was signing defensive end Mario Williams. Regardless of who opens the season at quarterback for the Jets, Mark Sanchez or Tim Tebow, either one will have a challenge with the Bill’s front line, especially if the Jets don’t replace Wayne Hunter and upgrade at the right tackle position.

Considering last season ended on such a sour note, the Jets need to get the early win for morale sake.

Week 2: Sunday 9.16 @ Pittsburgh, 4:15PM

- Out with the old, in with the new…offensive coordinators that is.  Both the Jets and Steelers brought in new guys to run the offense this season, Tony Sporano and Todd Haley; respectively.  With only two games into the regular season, and the history the Steelers and Jets have created during the Tomlin-Ryan era, this game should be entertaining.

Week 3: Sunday 9.23 at Miami, 1PM

- Another divisional game.  First-year coach Joe Philbin, no Brandon Marshall, and a question mark at the quarterback position means that it’s a tossup as far as how good the Dolphins will be.  I expect the Jets to take full advantage of this.  Plus, I believe the team will be fired up as Sporano returns to Miami for the first time since being fired as head coach.  The Jets will want to represent for him, and won’t have a problem doing that.

Week 4:  Sunday 9.30 vs San Francisco, 1PM

- This will be the Jets’ first real test of the season.  Under Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers quickly rose to an elite team in the league.  It’ll be interesting to see how the Jets stack up against the NFC West champs in Week 4.

Week 5: Monday 10.8 vs Houston, 8:30PM

- This is the first of two Monday Night Football games for the Jets.  Last season the Jets had a difficult time stopping running backs.  The Texans have Arian Foster.  Houston may be a problem.

Week 6: Sunday 10.14 vs Indianapolis, 1PM

- Since Peyton Manning’s in Denver, seeing the Colts on the schedule feels like a gimme.  This game will be our first look at Andrew Luck, assuming the Colt’s select him with the first pick.

Week 7: Sunday 10.21 at New England, 4:15PM

-  Tom Brady will continue to do Tom Brady-like things, so the game plan with him won’t change.  However, last season the Jets and everyone else in the league were killed by the Rob Gronkowski-Aaron Hernandez tandem.  And if there was one major area of improvement for the Jets on defense, it was at the safety position.  The jury is still out on whether or not Jim Leonhard will return to the Jets, but signing Laron Landry is definitely an upgrade.  If Landry plays up to his potential and meets expectations, it could be a whole new ballgame.

Week 8: Sunday 10.28 vs Miami, 1PM

- This game could be huge for the Jets depending on our record in the division.  If we lose to the Pats the week before, this will be a must win for Gang Green and our AFC East standings.

Week 9: Bye

Week 11:  Sunday 11.18 at St. Louis, 4:05PM

- The Jets travel to the Lou and face their old offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer.  It’ll be up to Sporano to call one helluva game plan in order to stay one step ahead of Schotty, especially if Sanchez is still the starter.

Week 12: Thursday 11.22 vs New England, 8:20PM

- Here we go with this BS.  Just four short days after the Rams game, the Jets and the Pats meet up again, this time in prime-time on Thanksgiving Night.  You have ample notice.  Start planning your Turkey Day early exit strategy accordingly.

Week 13: Sunday 12.2 vs Arizona, 1PM

- This game matters because the Jets will have a 10-day layover after playing New England.  Depending on the outcome of the Pats game, and the Jets record overall, they will either need to take advantage of all the extra practice time after losing to the Pats, or they can have a few extra days to rest up before facing Larry Fitzgerald and the Cardinals.

Week 15:  Monday, 12.17 at Tennessee, 8:30PM

- This game against the Titans is the second and final Monday Night Football game of the season.  After the disappointing season Chris Johnson had in 2011, I expect him to be at the top of his game.  But by mid-December, CJ may have tired legs.  Wishful thinking?  Regardless, I have a feeling the Wild Card race will be pretty intense at this point, and this game will matter.

Week 16:  Sunday,12.23 vs San Diego, 8:20PM

- This is the last prime-time game of the season for the Jets, and a potential nail biter with playoff implications.

Week 17: Sunday 12.30 at Buffalo, 1PM

- The Jets finish the season how it began, against the Bills, but this time on the road.  The Jets typically wait until the final week or two of the season to learn its playoff fate.  Although I don’t expect the Jets to lose this game, this game could make or break our season.

All things considered, the Jets were dealt a fair schedule.  Missing the playoffs certainly has its privileges. With this being the case, my expectations are pretty high.  Between learning a new offense and a possible QB change mid-season, I predict the Jets finish the season with a 10-6 record.  They won’t blow teams out the water, but I do expect them to land a Wild Card spot and return to the playoffs.

Which Jets games are you most looking forward to this season?

Click here for the full schedule.

-@sodtrenee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC East, Buffalo Bills, Jets, Mark Sanchez, Miami Dolphins, Monday Night Football, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL, NFL schedule, Rex Ryan, Tim Tebow

NY Jets vs Philadelphia Eagles: The Morning After

December 19, 2011 by Shana Renee 1 Comment

Photo via Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

The New York Jets’ three-game winning streak that helped turn their season around came to an abrupt halt Sunday evening.   The final score 45-19  doesn’t even begin to tell the complete story.  To sum it up,  the Philadelphia Eagles outplayed the Jets at every position on the field.  It was ugly.  Very ugly.

THE GOOD

- Despite getting their asses handed to them by the Eagles, the Jets are not out of playoff contention.  They are tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for the sixth and final wild card spot.  However, with two winnable regular season games left on the calendar, the Jets still control their own destiny.

- For once, a team’s special teams unit played worse than the Jets.  The Jets recovered two fumbles, a muffed punt and a fumbled kickoff by the Eagles.  And, Antonio Cromartie was effective returning punts (five kickoff returns, 146 yards).  But none of this mattered because the Jets were unable to capitalize.

THE BAD/THE UGLY

- The Jets were terrible on offense.  Well, defense too, but let’s start with offense.  Early on, their momentum was thrown off due to turnovers (4), penalties, and a collapsing offensive line. Mark Sanchez (15/26, 150 yards, 2 TDs) did not have much support from his teammates.  Santonio Holmes dropped the ball, literally, and was the cause of an interception on the next drive.  Both turnovers resulted in TDs for the Eagles.  Then, after Holmes and the Jets were finally able to score a touchdown, Holmes was hit with a 15-yard taunting penalty.  It was just one of those frustrating days when Gang Green looked completely unprepared and out of synch.

- One week after Shonn Greene had his way against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Jets ground ‘n pound defense was simply grounded by the Eagles.  Philly held the Jets to 94 rushing yards and 0 rushing TDs.  And here comes my obligatory Brian Schottenheimer complaint. The Jets ran the ball fairly well very early on, but seemed to switch game plans after a couple of turnovers.  They never recovered.

-  Wayne Hunter continues to put Sanchez’s life at risk, week after week.  Sanchez was sacked four times and two were credited to Hunter.  Pass rusher, Jason Babin, was simply too much for him to handle, as most pass rushers have been this season. Babin continuously blew past Hunter and racked up three sacks for the day, while Sanchez struggled to get comfortable as he stayed under pressure the majority of the game.

-Opposing tight ends and running backs have posed a problem for the Jets D, all season.  These problems were magnified on Sunday as Brent Celek and LeSean McCoy shredded the Jets defense to pieces.  Celek finished the game with 1 TD and 156 yards, while McCoy rushed for 102 yards and had 3 TDs on the day.  With no Jim Leonhard, quarterbacks will continue to avoid throwing toward Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis.  Instead, they’ll take advantage of Eric Smith and Brodney Poole because those two haven’t shown they have a clue about how to cover the middle…at all.

Next week, the Jets face the New York Giants on Christmas Eve.  Both teams are coming off embarrassing losses and desperately need to win out if they intend to make the playoffs.  I’ve said it before, but this time it’s really true, the Jets’ playoffs begin now!

- S. Renee

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Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC East, Jason Babin, Jets lose 45-19, LeSean McCoy, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NY Jets vs Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Eagles

NY Jets vs Washington Redskins: The Morning After

December 5, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via AP Photo/Evan Vucci

It took the NY Jets more than three quarters to recognize they were playing the Washington Redskins, but thankfully it happened.  After trading scores with the Redskins through three quarters, Mark Sanchez orchestrated another clutch fourth quarter comeback.  The 34-19 win has allowed the Jets to keep pace with the Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, and Oakland Raiders for the final AFC wild card spot.

THE GOOD

- Aaron Maybin, defensive end, has been a breakout star this season.  Against Washington, his stats read as follows: 2 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble; which was a major turning point of the game.  Coming off of two disappointing seasons in Buffalo in which he failed to record a sack, he currently leads the Jets in sacks and forced fumbles with 6 and 4; respectively.   The Maryland native has adjusted well, indicating he has the potential to be a top pass rusher in the league.

- I’m going to spin a negative into a positive, here.  The defense continues to have its problem; not only defending the run, but also stopping tight ends.  For the majority of the game, rookie Roy Helu seemed unstoppable.  He finished with 100 yards and 1 TD for the day; while Fred Davis was one yard shy of the century mark himself.  However, defensively, the Jets made some effective in-game adjustments that forced Rex Grossman to beat them in the air, which he’s completely incapable of doing.

- Offensively, the up and down play of the team continues.  In the first quarter, Mark Sanchez (19/32, 165 yards, 1 TD) had a terrific 17-play drive which resulted in a touchdown.  Shortly thereafter, however, the Jets stalled and were hardly able to convert on third down, going 4/13 on the day.  But with the help of the Jets defense, the game remained within reach allowing Sanchez to stage another comeback.  Although, the biggest improvement over last week is zero turnovers and only one close call from Sanchez.  A lot of credit is owed to the offensive line.  They offered solid protection which allowed Sanchez to stay on his feet all day, save for the late hit by Kevin Barnes.  The brick wall also benefited Greene who broke loose for 88 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns.

THE BAD

- Brian Schottenheimer’s play calling continues to be stupefying.  Seven wildcat plays, which led to 26 yards and 1 touchdown.  Not exactly what I would call effective.  But there’s one sequence of plays that should really have Jets brass scratching their heads.  In the fourth quarter, Greene rushed for 9 yards on a 1st down.  Then, the next two plays called were pass plays, which the Jets failed to convert.  The result?  You guessed it…three and out.  What is the rationale behind that?  That is just one example of a season-long list of bad calls.  Despite the Jets reportedly offering him a contract extension during the offseason, he must go regardless of the Jets’ playoff fate.

THE UGLY

- Special teams, special teams, special teams.  I think it’s officially safe to say that Mike Westhoff’s unit is the weakest link, yes even weaker than the offense.  Nick Folk missed another field goal, this time an easy 40-yarder.  And believe it or not, the Jets also accrued another muffed punt courtesy of Jeremy Kerley.  The Jets now have the illustrious dishonor of leading the league in special team turnovers with six.  SIX!  Needless to say, Kerley was subsequently pulled and replaced with Jim Leonhard, the only guy who seems capable of making a catch these days.  While Leonhard won’t gain a ton of yards on a return, he also won’t have a costly turnover which leads to gimme points.  Fortunately both miscues didn’t impact the outcome of the game, but it’s still frustrating as hell.

Next week the Jets continue to benefit from a weak schedule as they face the 5-7 Kansas City Chiefs.  Kyle Orton, who the Chiefs picked up off waivers a couple of weeks ago left the game with a finger injury on his only play for the Chiefs.  Tyler Palko is expected to get the start.  In other words, this should definitely be another easy win for the Jets, but true Jets fans know to expect the unexpected with these guys.  The continued inconsistency of the Jets D may allow Kansas City to hang in the game a little longer than they should, but the game will eventually end with a Jets win.

- S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: Aaron Maybin, AFC East, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NY Jets vs Washington Redskins, Shonn Greene, Washington Redskins

NY Jets vs Buffalo Bills: The Morning After

November 28, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via UPI /John Angelillo

The NY Jets squeaked out a 28-24 win over the Buffalo Bills, their division rivals. While it was certainly a heart stopper and frustrating as hell to watch, the bottom line is they’re now 6-5, and most importantly, still alive in the wild card race. At the end of the day, “you play to win the game”, and that’s exactly what they did. Props to Herm Edwards.

THE GOOD

- Mark Sanchez and Brian Schottenheimer actually remembered that he has three capable receivers available to make big plays. For the most part, Sanchez’s inaccuracy was still a problem, but he somehow managed to throw for four touchdowns. Sanchez connected with his old favorite target Dustin Keller twice, and Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress once. Keller’s performance should be a not so subtle reminder that when you target him, good things happen. And Plax’s gumby-like ability to make incredible catches despite how off-base Sanchez’s throws are, proved cutting ties with Braylon Edwards was the right call. While it’s too soon to say Plax’s third down catch in the fourth quarter saved the season, it certainly saved the game!

- The offensive line rebounded from its disastrous outing over the past two weeks and were more successful at protecting Sanchez. After allowing eight sacks against Denver and New England, for the first time this season, the O line didn’t allow their “Sanchize” player to be sacked once. A major come up for those guys.

- Say what you’d like about Stevie Johnson mocking Plax and Santonio during his TD celebration, but this win wouldn’t have been possible without his many, many drops. Karma’s timing couldn’t have been better.

THE BAD

- Although Sanchez threw for four touchdowns with only one interception, he played horribly. The misleading numbers do not tell the complete story of a game in which Sanchez had a 50% completion percentage. And the majority of those incomplete passes were thrown into double and triple coverage that would have…could have…should have resulted in five INTs against a more competent team. Sanchez has more lives than a cheshire.

- The defense, which is supposedly the heart and soul of this Jets team, did not play well. The Bills, without Fred Jackson, still managed to rack up 336 yards. Ryan Fitzpatrick had a 111.5 passer rating and threw for three touchdowns. Fitzpatrick was also successful at throwing in Darrelle Revis’ direction which resulted in eight catches and a five-yard TD catch from Johnson. The first TD reception Revis has given up all season. Although it happens, this sort of thing isn’t expected from the best shut-down corner in the league. But, in all fairness to Revis, there’s plenty more blame to go around. Down the stretch, the entire defense barely held the Bills in check. While we were ultimately saved from a Tebow-like performance from Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter, the defense was thisclose to blowing it…again. Again, if it wasn’t for Johnson’s butterfingers, the Jets would be 5-6 right now.

THE UGLY

- Special Teams’ woes continued. Another muffed punt, this time by Antonio Cromartie resulted in the fifth special teams TO this season. With Jeremy Kerely and Jim Leonhard both unavailable for the play, and a recent muffed punt by Joe McKnight, their only option was an inconsistent yet experienced Cromartie. And, he proved to be no better. Not only did he cause the turnover, but he gave up a game-tying TD on the very next play…to a vengeful Brad Smith. Nice work, Cro. Westhoff should officially revoke your right to return punts.

Next up for the Jets are the 4-7 Washington Redskins. While this should be an easy win for Gang Green considering the ‘skins are inept all around, it remains to be seen. As we know, the Jets thrive on winning the hard way, so we’ll see which team shows up. We were only able to get one of the monkeys off our back with this victory, but if the Jets pull off the win next week, they should be in a position to further distance themselves from one or more teams in the wild card hunt.

- S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC East, Buffalo Bills, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NFL, NY Jets beat Buffalo Bills 28-24, Plaxico Burress, Steve Johnson, Stevie Johnson
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