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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

NY Jets vs Denver Broncos: The Morning After

November 18, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Barry Gutierrez / AP

Earlier this week, Darrelle Revis said he’d have to fight boredom because the Denver Broncos’ inept offense is a cure for insomnia.Â And he was right.Â But, what most failed to consider is the possibility of an equally inept offense led by Mark Sanchez, which is exactly what we received.Â The outcome?Â An inexcusable 17-13 loss to the Denver Broncos.

THE GOOD

-Â Everything “good” about last night’s game eventually turned bad.

- Without LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene, the makeshift backfield of Joe McKnight and rookie Bilal Powell did a decent job stepping in and picking up the slack.Â While McKnight doesn’t measure up to Greene in size, his fight and ability to break through tackles seemed promising.Â Meanwhile, neither McKnight nor Powell were without mistakes, as they both coughed up the ball during last night’s game.Â However, if it wasn’t for Powell’s fumble on the 1-yard line, and OG Matt Slauson’s recovery for a touchdown, the Jets may not have found the end zone all night.Â Let that marinate for a minute.Â The only touchdown from the Jets came from an offensive guard.

- The defense was on their A-game for the first 55 minutes.Â They kept Tim Tebow in check and since he’s not a vertical threat, the secondary didn’t have to over exert itself covering wide receivers.Â However, in the last five minutes of the game, the Jets experienced “Tebow Time” first hand.Â Just as Mark Sanchez used to kick it into high gear in the fourth quarter, Tebow is known to do the same.Â He led the offense on a game-winning 95-yard drive, rushed for a 20-yard touchdown and won his fourth game as a starter.Â When it mattered most, the Jets defense collapsed and blew a game that shouldn’t have been so close to begin with.

THE BAD/THE UGLY

- Over the past couple of weeks, Mike Westhoff’s special teams unit has been “folking” up just as bad as the offense.Â Earlier in the season, special teams was the most consistent unit on the field. Now they’re just as unreliable as the rest of the team.Â This week Nick Folk missed not one but two field goals (52 and 61 yarders ).Â But, luckily for him, there’s lots more blame to go around.Â The punter, TJ Conley, shanked a punt for 13-yards.Â Joe McKnight fumbled a punt return.Â And oh, but wait, there’s more! The Jets also allowed Cassius Vaughn to run it back for 67-yards.Â All in all, a complete and utter disaster.

- Mark Sanchez continues to prove he’s incapable of excelling on the NFL level, or at least with the Jets.Â After three seasons, bad decision making, such as costly turnovers and poor clock management should not be a regular occurrence at this stage of his career.Â Yet, it is.Â As such, it’s officially time to close the book on the Mark Sanchez chapter.Â He was terribly outplayed by Tim Tebow, who’s classified as a non-throwing quarterback.Â What an oxymoron.Â It’s one thing to pale in comparison to Tom Brady, but being outdone by Tebow is a completely different tale that should never be told.Â When an offense that includes 6’5 Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes, and Dustin Keller can’t score enough points to beat a non-throwing QB, then you’re in massive amounts of trouble.Â Or, when Joe McKnight leads the team in receiving yards, it’s time to sound the alarm and throw in the towel.Â When Shonn Greene went down, that was an opportunity for Sanchez to step it up and get his grown man game on.Â Instead, Schottenheimer continued to baby the third-year QB by enforcing the “ground and pound” game plan with an inexperienced McKnight leading the charge.Â A huge statement like that suggests they have absolutely no trust in Sanchez.Â And, I don’t blame them.Â Rex Ryan needs to stop protecting Sanchez and own up to the fact that the golden boy has lost his shine.Â It’s time to start thinking about his replacement.Â Did someone say Peyton Manning?

- And while we’re at it, Schottenheimer should also be on his way out.Â Not only can he say sayonara to a head coaching job, but he better assume his best Tebowing position and hope he still has an offensive coordinator job next season.

The Jets have 10 days before they’re able to get back on the field and turn their 5-5 season around.Â Honestly, I don’t know if the extended time off is a gift or a curse from the scheduling gods.Â The Jets are banged up and will certainly benefit from the rest, but the slow to start offense could also take much longer to get going; a less than ideal possibility.Â The only thing working in the Jets favor is that they return home to face a Buffalo Bills team who’s dealing with their own issues.Â And last time they met, the Jets dominated.

The foolish Jets fans expect the Cardiac Kids to make a comeback, but the realistic fans know the season has all but flatlined.Â Which fan are you?

-S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: Brian Schottenheimer, Darrelle Revis, Denver Bronco, Joe McKnight, Ladainian Tomlinson, Mark Sanchez, Mike Westhoff, New York Jets, NY Jets lose to Denver Broncos, Plaxico Burress, Shonn Greene, Tebowing, Tim Tebow

NY Jets vs San Diego Chargers: The Morning After

October 24, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Chris Trotman/Getty Images

After the verbal sparring Rex Ryan initiated with Norv Turner, Ryan and his team backed it up with a 27-21 win against the San Diego Chargers.

THE GOOD

- It took them 6 weeks, 1 half,1 trade and lots of mouthing off, but the NY Jets have arrived.Â After falling behind to the Chargers 21-10, the Cardiac Kids put together their typical come from behind win complete with INTs, shut down defense, and glimpses of Mark Sanchize.Â Furthermore,Â for the first time all season, Sanchez remembered he had a 6’5 wide receiver available to him.Â And, whatdayaknow, Plax snatched up 3 TD passes off of 4 catches for 25 yards.Â Talk about an efficient game.

Schottenheimer finally drew up plays that allowed Sanchez to target and find Plax, something that every Jets fan has been begging him to do all season.Â As visibly frustrated as Plax appeared this season, he spared us the Keyshawn Johnson-like dramatics and bounced back with a big game.Â If Schottenheimer sticks with this game plan, the Sanchez-to-Burress connection will give Sanchez the confidence he needs to perform at a consistent level.Â Something every Jets fan dreams about.

We also had liftoff from Shonn Greene for the first time all season.Â Greene finally proved why the Jets believe he’s the future.Â For the first time since last October, Greene rushed for over 100 yards.Â This was encouraging because the Jets finally grounded n pounded it all over an opponent for once, while the Jets’ D locked up the Chargers’ running game.

- When will QB’s learn to avoid Revis Island?Â Revis had the biggest play of the game, a 64-yard INT that setup Plax’s third TD of the day.Â Coming off that TD, the Jets took the lead for the first time in the game and never looked back.Â Then, on the very next Chargers possession, Revis’ protege, Kyle Wilson got in on the action and made his first-career interception.Â Overall, it was a good day for the defense.Â They held the Chargers to 96 rushing yards, scoreless in the second half, and 7/14 on third downs.

THE BAD

- Sanchez’s inconsistency continues to weigh down the Jets offense.Â Turning the ball over, throwing into double coverage, taking a sack when he should throw it away, or throwing it away when he should take the sack are momentum killers.Â But, on the other hand, when the game is on the line, Sanchez’s late game heroics kick in and he leads the team to victory.Â His game is schizophrenic and frustrating as hell, but it is who he is and as long as Rex remains committed to him, I suppose Jets fans should do the same.Â I just don’t know how many more heart-stopping plays we can take from the third year QB.

THE UGLY

- The Jets game started off bad, but instead of stumbling into the “ugly” territory, they turned things around and ended on a high note.Â In the second half, the team scored 17 unanswered points to bring their record above 500.Â The team is far from perfect, but 4-3 is a lot better than 3-4.Â I’ll take it.

The Jets have a bye next week, but this Chargers win will give them the boost of confidence needed to face their 4-2 division rivals, Buffalo Bills, in Week 9.Â So far, the Bills are the only team to answer Rex Ryan’s challenge to beat the Patriots this season.Â So, it’ll be interesting to see where they stack up against the new and improved Bills.Â Plus, it’s a road game.Â The Jets are 0-3 on the road this season, a far cry from the team who went 6-2 on the road last year. The Jets not only need this win to prove they’re not the third best, or second worst (depending on how you like at it) team in the division.Â But, more importantly, they need this win to prove to themselves and everyone else they can still win on the road.

Once again the Jets find themselves in a must-win situation as they’re also 1-1 in the division.Â As we hit the mid-season mark, the Jets have too much at stake to lose this game.Â If the Jets fall to the Bills, a playoff berth looks mighty dim.

-S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC East, Darrelle Revis, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NFL, Norv Turner, NY Jets, Philip Rivers, Plaxico Burress, Rex Ryan, San Diego Chargers, Shonn Greene

NY Jets vs Miami Dolphins: The Morning After

October 18, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Jeff Zelevansky / Getty Images

Finally! The NY Jets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 24-6 win against the now 0-5 Miami Dolphins. It was ugly in the first quarter, but the offense eventually got rolling. Darrelle Revis shut Brandon Marshall up. And Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes hugged it out. All is right in Jets Nation, at least for now.

Coming out the gate, the Dolphins looked to be better prepared for the game. Maybe it’s because they were well rested after their bye week.

The Jets, on the other hand, appeared to be anything but prepared for this game. At one point, when the Jets still hadn’t made a first down, I said aloud (to myself), what the hell did they practice all week? The offense was in a complete disarray and didn’t show one area of improvement early on. Watching them go without a first down until the second quarter literally made me sick to my stomach. But, eventually the Jets finally realized there was a football game to be played, and never looked back.

THE GOOD

- The Darrelle Revis/Brandon Marshall matchup was a nice battle between wide receiver and cornerback. Marshall talked lots of smack coming into the game and actually backed it up…kind of. Without question, Marshall, 6’4, had one of the most productive games a receiver has recorded against Revis. But when it mattered most, in the red zone, Revis not only shut Marshall down, but had a 100-yard INT returned for a touchdown. So, while it was a nice effort on Marshall’s part, the edge goes to Revis. Overstatement of the year: That boy is good, which was further proven by the second INT he grabbed in the 4th quarter.

- Last week the Jets showed how valuable Nick Mangold is to the offensive line. This week, they stepped it up even more. Wayne Hunter, in particular, did a fantastic job on Cameron Wake. Wake’s known as one of the best young pass rushers in the league, but last night he was a non-factor as Hunter stayed one step ahead of him. Hunter’s superb coverage of Wake allowed Sanchez ample time to get settled without being pressured. As a result, we saw Sanchez string together impressive back-to-back drives without a turnover.

- The questionable trick play between LaDainian Tomlinson and Mark Sanchez in the first quarter is beyond forgettable. And it showed that Brian Schottenheimer was aware of the criticism regarding his play calling. He chose to respond by opening up the playbook and choosing the most ridiculous play he could find. It backfired and resulted in a sack and loss of two yards.

If the Jets hadn’t won the game, Schottenheimer would’ve been killed for calling that play. But, since the Jets got the W, and the offense finally showed signs of life, I’ll let Schotty live. After the ground and pound offense didn’t prove effective, Schottenheimer was able to make successful in-game adjustments for the first time all season. All it took was an 11-play scoring drive, in which Sanchez was 4-5, for the offense to regain its confidence and bring the heat.

THE BAD

- The Jets are still having a difficult time stopping the run. This problem has carried over from the final game of last season against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship. Remember when Bart Scott called out the New England Patriots and said they couldn’t stop a nosebleed? Then proceeded to miss every single tackle against the Steelers? No? Yes? Well, it seems that since then, Scott hasn’t had much of an impact on the field. And no, he’s not the only linebacker being showed up, but I’m singling him out because he’s the loudest. Reggie Bush wracking up 71 yards in the first quarter should never happen in an NFL game. To put things in perspective, Bush only had 119 yards entering the game. If Bush didn’t suffer an injury, he would’ve easily had a 100+ yard game. This has to stop.

- The lack of first downs in the first quarter must be addressed. For the second straight week, the Jets didn’t convert a first down until the second quarter. It helped that the Jets were a) playing the Dolphins and b) Revis not only had a touchdown saving interception, but that he took it to the house. Any other team would’ve taken advantage of the Jets lack of productivity offensively. Instead, with the help of Revis, the momentum shifted away from the Dolphins and the Jets eventually took control of the game.

THE UGLY

- Plaxico Burress and his wack body language on the bench. We’ve seen this Plax in Pittsburgh and with the Giants before, so it’s not terribly surprising. But it appears that he has a short memory and needs to be reminded that he just finished a two-year bid five months ago. Not only is he fortunate to be out of jail, but having the opportunity to return to the NFL and do what he loves is reason enough to never complain in life ever again. Yes, he might not he be having the type of season he hoped, but when you think of the alternative…man listen, he should have a Robinson Cano smile on his face at all times.

From here on out, every Jets game is a must-win. They’re currently in third place of the AFC East and 1-1 against division rivals. Next week the Jets won’t be gifted a win as they’re facing the 4-1 San Diego Chargers. Philip Rivers has been generous with the ball this season (7 INTs), and I fully expect the trend to continue against the Jets secondary and blitz. Plus, when you factor in the cross-country trip and the early 1 PM/ET start, I think the Jets have a good chance to bring their record to 4-3 as they enter the bye week.

-S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: ESPN, Mark Sanchez, Miami Dolphins, Monday Night Football, NY Jets, Plaxico Burress

Jets ship Derrick Mason to H-town

October 12, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Frances Micklow/The Star-Ledger

Well, the Derrick Mason/Rex Ryan reunion was short lived.

On Sunday, Mason was benched in the first half for popping off to the media after the loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Today, it’s reported he was shipped off to the Houston Texans for a conditional draft pick. Message sent. Message received.

The 15-year veteran was signed to replace Jerricho Cotchery, who requested to be released from the team early in the season. However, Mason’s 5-game run with the Jets got off to a slow start after he failed to adjust to the offense. It’s no secret that the 2-3 Jets have had their problems on offense this season. Brian Schottenheimer’s suspect play calling, coupled with Mason learning a new system, contributed to his role being largely undefined.

As a result, subtracting Mason from the offense will have minimal impact. The team has a talented receiving corp with or without Mason. Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and tightend Dustin Keller are awesome targets any quarterback would be lucky to have. Plus, rookie Jeremy Kerley, who scored his first career touchdown on Sunday, has already proven to be more valuable than the aging receiver.

Having said that, I’m positive Mason is looking forward to joining an offense that is ranked No. 11 in passing. Unlike Mark Sanchez, Matt Schaub has shown he has a command of the offense and a 92.5 QB rating to prove it. Also, Andre Johnson is still recovering from hamstring surgery and is expected to miss at least another 2-3 weeks. Mason should benefit from Johnson’s absence and climb up the depth chart as he looks to make an impact with his new team. And, when you consider the Jets could’ve cut Mason, being traded to a team that’s tied for first place in the AFC South is definitely a come up.

No love lost here. Believe that.

-S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: AFC South, Baltimore Ravens, Brian Schottenheimer, Derrick Mason, Derrick Mason traded to Texans, Houston Texans, Jerricho Cotchery, Jets trade Derrick Mason, NY Jets, Plaxico Burress, Rex Ryan, Santonio Holmes

Drew Rosenhaus’ 60 Minutes Interview

October 10, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Sportsgrid.com

In case you missed it, super agent Drew Rosenhaus was featured on 60 Minutes last night. The show takes us behind-the-scenes of Rosenhaus’ crazed life as viewers watch him juggling two phones as he answers calls, text messages, and responds to emails; all while driving.

In the interview, he reveals that he was once a shy mama’s boy who gained confidence after becoming a student of tae kwon do. Rosenhaus is known for a lot of things, but being shy and timid is certainly not one of them.

Multiple times throughout the segment, 60 Minutes credited Rosenhaus with being the inspiration behind Tom Cruise’s character in Jerry McGuire. While that’s up for debate (see Leigh Steinberg), there’s no denying that his brash personality makes him a favorite among his NFL clients which include Plaxico Burress, Chad Ochocinco, and hundreds more. Wondering how people that aren’t his clients feel about him? One can only guess because 60 Minutes didn’t interview anyone else. Although, we can assume that he’s probably not the most liked man in the biz, but remains popular among players for his ability to negotiate the best deals on their behalf. And, at the end of the day, that’s all that matters…I guess.

Check out the video below to see an uber confident Rosenhaus in action.

-S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, Media, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports Marketing Tagged With: 60 Minutes, Chad Ochocinco, Drew Rosenhaus, Drew Rosenhaus on 60 Minutes, Jerry McGuire, Leigh Steinberg, National Football League, Plaxico Burress, Tom Cruise

NY Jets vs Oakland Raiders: The Morning After

September 26, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Associated Press

Sunday’s NY Jets 34-24 loss to the Oakland Raiders is a game that I’d like to forget. But, I’ve committed to recapping each game, win or lose, so let’s go.

GOOD:

Unfortunately, LaDainian Tomlinson was the only Jets player who came to play. In his new third down role, Tomlinson continues to thrive. He finished the game with a total of 154 yards and 1 TD and became the third player in NFL history to score 160 or more touchdowns, joining only Jerry Rice (208) and Emmitt Smith (175). Too bad it was a wasted effort.

BAD + UGLY:

To be honest, the Jets haven’t been good all season. They’ve been OK, and it was only a matter of time before a team successfully exposed the Jets’ weaknesses.

Week 1, the Jets escaped with a come-from-behind win against the Dallas Cowboys. Week 2, the Jets took advantage of an inexperienced QB and a beat up Jacksonville Jaguars team. And Week 3, well the team came apart at the seams against a revamped Raiders team who suffered a crushing last-minute loss to the Buffalo Bills one week earlier.

In short, the Jets lost because tackles were missed. Coverages were blown. Balls were dropped. Passes were errant– overthrown, underthrown, and thrown into double and triple coverage. Both the defense and offense contributed to Sunday’s defeat.

The NY Jets allowed the Oakland Raiders to set the pace of the game from the opening drive. The Raiders successfully ran a no huddle offense in which RB Darren McFadden quickly proved that the Jets had no answer for him. The defense was unable to contain him the entire game and he scorched the Jets for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns. While it’s never good to give up so many yards to one player, it would’ve been tolerable if the Jets offense wasn’t also out of synch.

Although Mark Sanchez threw for a career-high 369 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT, it’s a prime example of when stats are misleading and do not tell the whole story.

Entering the game, it was a given that the offense would have some mishaps without Nick Mangold at center. Botched snaps and false starts were expected, but Colin Baxter committed none of the above and wasn’t to blame in his first pro start. Instead, the offensive line failed to give Sanchez good pass protection allowing the Raiders to rack up four sacks. Sanchez remained under pressure often and forced many passes. His best targets, Dustin Keller, Santonio Holmes, and Plaxico Burress weren’t targeted early and often enough, which is becoming a consistent issue for the Jets. And for the second straight game, Sanchez was frazzled and finished the game a little banged up. A true sign that the O line must do a better job of protecting Sanchez, especially if they want him to be healthy enough to lead them back to the playoffs and beyond.

Based on the first three games of the season, it’s obvious that Sanchez is uncomfortable and until he locates his comfort zone, the Jets will continue to struggle.

Let’s talk defense.

Antonio Cromartie, in particular, was a complete disaster. He went from star to sucka in one week. His 4 penalties for 46 yards were abysmal. And on special teams he was no better. Mishandling the ball after the kickoff to end the 3rd quarter was the icing on the cake. While I’d never (ever!) wish injuries on anyone, I was kinda sorta maybe relieved when Cromartie left the game with a bruised ~~ego~~ rib in the 4th quarter and did not return.

Although the defense allowed the Raiders to score 34 points, the Raiders didn’t convert one third down the entire game. And, the Jets defense also did a good job of keeping the Raiders off the field. The Jets were in possession of the ball 7.5 minutes more than the Raiders. However, somehow the Raiders sill managed to win the game. How is that even possible?

Well, it goes back to the offense and Brian Schottenheimer. All season, his play calling has been questionable, but ignored and masked because the Jets started the season 2-0.

Rushing wise, the Jets have been a non-factor. They’re ranked No. 25 in the league with a total of 246 yards and 3.4 yards per carry. In 2010, the Jets ranked No. 4 and in 2009 they led the league in this category. And yesterday in particular, the Jets failed to adjust to the Raiders zone defense, until it was too late.

Bottom line is, this Jets team isn’t as good as the 2009 and 2010 teams, yet. But, the encouraging news is that they have the talent and time to get better.

Next Sunday, the Jets head to Baltimore to face Rex Ryan’s former team. It’s going to be a tough assignment because Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs will not have mercy on Sanchez.

Fans can only hope the Jets have a short memory and will quickly rebound from this upsetting and demoralizing loss to the Raiders. While hard to swallow, the helping of humble pie served by the Raiders was necessary.

-S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: Antonio Cromartie, Darren McFadden, Jets lose 34-24, Jets vs Raiders, Ladainian Tomlinson, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Plaxico Burress, Sanchez

NY Jets vs Dallas Cowboys: The Morning After

September 12, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via NFL.com

Wow.Â Where do I begin?

The NY Jets and Dallas Cowboys delivered a Sunday Night Football season-opener to remember.Â Entering this game, there were so many storylines to hype.Â Who would prevail among Rex and Rob Ryan?Â What type of numbers would Plaxico Burress put up in his first official game since returning after two years?Â How about Tony Romo?Â What kind of game would he have since returning from his collarbone injury?Â And of course, the emotional aspect and significance of the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.

Chants of USA! USA! permeated throughout the crowd almost as much as J! E! T! S! Jets! Jets! Jets!Â While every NFL game is important, you could tell that the Jets and their fans desperately wanted this win for New York City.

After a long offseason, I eagerly awaited Sunday’s game because I could finally put last season’s disappointing AFC Championship loss behind me.Â And, when my brother invited me to the game, my excitement swelled.Â Then, when I arrived at the stadium and realized I had access to the club lounge with free food, and seats on the 50 yard line, I exploded!Â All that remained was a win from the NY Jets.Â While it was rough early on, they pulled off an exciting come-from-behind win.Â After being down 14, the Jets scored 17 unanswered points in the 4th quarter and defeated the Cowboys 27-24.

OK, let’s get into it.

THE GOOD

- First and foremost, the Jets got the win.Â Yes, it was a come-from-behind victory against the Cowboys, but we start the season 1-0, which is already an improvement over last season.Â I’ll take it.

- The Jets didn’t have any penalties all game.Â Even Antonio Cromartie refrained from committing a bonehead play that he’s become known for.Â This stat indicates good communication on both sides of the ball.Â However, time will tell if this was a one-time occurrence, or if the Jets will make this a consistent part of their game plan.

- Special Teams played their asses off last night.Â There were lots of heroes among Mike Westhoff’s unit.Â Joe McKnight’s blocked punt which led to a game tying touchdown by Isaiah Trufant, a cornerback the Jets signed on Saturday!Â What a way for him to get everyone’s attention.Â Also, the Jets kicker, Nick Folk, was clutch against his former team as he hit a 50-yard field goal which sealed the game.

- The Jets defense continued to do what they do best, come up with big plays.Â Without them, the Jets offense wouldn’t have had so many key opportunities to pull off the comeback.Â The defense applied pressure to Tony Romo all night and came up with four sacks.Â The defense was also extremely efficient on 3rd downs.Â They stopped the Cowboys 8/12 times, including two big stops in the redzone.Â The Cowboys were 2/4 in the redzone for the night.Â And lastly, that INT by Darrelle Revis in the fourth quarter was the play of the game.Â Last season, Revis didn’t record one interception.Â But last night, Romo tested Revis one time too many and Revis made him pay.Â After being burned by Dez Bryant in the first quarter, Revis redeemed himself and reminded everyone why he’s the best corner in the league.

- And last but not least, as bad as Mark Sanchez looked on some plays, the offense made adjustments which worked in our favor.Â Once Brian Schottenheimer started calling Dustin Keller’s number, the Jets offense gained some momentum.Â Overall, the offense became more active and Sanchez began to spread the ball around.Â In addition to Keller (5 rec, 61 yards, 1 TD), Plaxico Burress (4 rec, 72 yards,Â 1 TD), Santonio Holmes (6 rec, 70 yards), and LaDainian Tomlinson (6 rec, 73 yards), were all extremely productive.Â Sanchez finished the night 26/44, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 1 fumble.Â While they’re not great numbers, he did enough to get the win.

THE BAD

- With Sanchez, I guess you have to take the good with the bad.Â Thank goodness Mike Tannenbaum has surrounded Sanchez with some great talent that never quits on him.Â If the Jets would’ve lost this game, there would’ve been plenty of opportunities to point fingers at Sanchez and Brian Schottenheimer’s suspect play calling, but since the Jets got the win, I’ll back off.Â It’s still extremely early in the season which means Schottenheimer will have plenty of opportunities to shoulder the blame in the future.

- Another disappointing part of last night’s game involved the running game, or lack there of.Â Shonn Greene underperformed again. He finished the night with 10 att, 26 yards.Â Luckily, the Jets didn’t need to rely on their rushing game too much because the passing game was so successful.Â But the Jets cannot live on passing alone.Â Greene must step it up.

THE UGLY

Again, the game wasn’t beautiful, but it also wasn’t ugly; especially compared to the sloppy play of Romo and the Cowboys.Â The Jets escaped with the win and that’s all that matters.Â Yep, I’m very glass half full.

Next week the Jets take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1PM/ET.Â Can’t wait!

-S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: Dallas Cowboys, Jets win 27-24, Joe McKnight, Ladainian Tomlinson, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NFL, Plaxico Burress, Sunday Night Football, Tony Romo

NY Jets vs NY Giants: The Morning After

August 30, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Thatsenuff.com

Here it is, my post-game thoughts on the NY Jets and how they fared against the NY Giants, their NYC rivals.

After all of the hype swirling around these two teams, I was expecting a somewhat physical and exciting game. The media identified Irene and Plaxico Burress as the main characters, but sadly, the trailer was more compelling than the main event. Perhaps it’s because the game was more of a defensive battle that lacked much action offensively until the end of the first half. The NY Jets finally put a touchdown on the board and eventually got the W, 17-3. But honestly, both teams have lots of areas to improve upon before the regular season kicks off next week.

Having said that, let’s get into it!

THE GOOD:

- The return of a healthy Jim Leonhard continues to be a bright spot for the defense. For the second consecutive week, Leonhard came up with an interception. He’s such a game changer for our secondary. It’s great to have him back because his presence was definitely missed at the end of last season.

- Watching Antonio Cromartie’s long strides as he bolted down the field for a 68 yard kickoff return was certainly one of the highlights of the game. So far, Mike Westoff, the special teams coach, has proven that the new kickoff rule will not hinder productivity. The Jets are ranked 4th in kick returns. I dig it.

- Kyle Wilson continues to show improvement since a disappointing rookie season, a year ago. Not only has his coverage against the pass improved, but he also recorded his first pro sack against Eli Manning, who claims to be an elite QB. Wilson also came up with a huge stop against the Giants starters on 3rd and 6 at the 1-yard line. It seems that the time he spent training with Revis during the offseason was worthwhile, and you can tell his confidence is rising. Although it’s still early, I like the progress that Wilson has displayed from week to week, and certainly from last season to this season.

- After watching Jeremy Kerley in three preseason games, I’ve become more confident in Mike Tannenbaum’s decision to let Brad Smith walk. Early on, Jets’ beatwriters praised Kerley in training camp and said that he’d give the team the same spark that Smith was known for while he was a part of Gang Green. At first, it was hard to imagine, but I’ve now seen enough of Kerley to agree. Despite his small frame, Kerley’s speed and versatility continues to excite me. While we’ve seen what he’s capable of as wide receiver and punt/kickoff returner, last night, the former high school quarterback also showed that he can run the wildcat, a play Smith was also known and respected for. As a result, Kerley’s confidence is rising and I can tell he’s itching to breakout and record his first NFL TD, which I predict will happen sooner than later.

THE BAD:

- The NY Jets offense was unable to gain any momentum during last night’s game. While the running game struggled last week, this week the passing game also took the night off. Overall, the offense continues to lack efficiency, which isn’t only limited to 3rd down or redzone plays. For the majority of the first half, when the starters were on the field, Mark Sanchez failed to complete two consecutive plays. Sanchez went 8/16, 64 yards, 1 TD, 1 fumble for the night. This is especially disappointing because for the first game of the season, the Jets main receiving core of Santonio Holmes (2, 37 yards, 1 TD), Plaxico Burress (0, 0 yards), and Derrick Mason (2, 9 yards) were active. Shonn Greene (11, 42 yards) was also the number one option at running back after missing last week’s game. So, it was expected that the starters would be more productive and efficient than they showed, but instead it was a quiet night for all. After such a stellar performance, Sanchez had a setback last night and proved that Jets fans should expect the same growing pains that have been a major part of his game for the past two seasons. While Sanchez performs great under pressure and is impressive when we’re driving with under 2 minutes to go, the other 13 minutes of the quarter remain a concern.

THE UGLY:

- While first downs were scarce at only 15, the Jets were a dismal 4/14 or 28% on third down attempts. This is completely unacceptable. If it wasn’t for the defense, or competing against teams that are in worse shape than they are, the Jets would be in big trouble. The Jets must improve in this area because they cannot continue to rely on the defense to bail them out. Remember how well that worked for the team against the Steelers in the AFC Championship game? Right, eventually the defense ran out of steam, was ineffective, and the Jets lost. Game over. Season over.

The Jets and the Giants both have short weeks thanks to Irene. The Jets will face the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday at 7:30 PM/ET. And the Giants take on the New England Patriots on Thursday at 7:30 PM/ET.

- S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: Antonio Cromartie, Derrick Mason, Eli Manning, Jim Leonhard, Mark Sanchez, New York Giants, New York Jets, Plaxico Burress

NY Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals: The Morning After

August 22, 2011 by Shana Renee Leave a Comment

Photo via Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Although the conditions at the New Meadowlands Stadium were wet and rainy, the NY Jets didn’t allow that to prevent them from taking flight against the lowly Cincinnati Bengals.Â The Jets beat the Bengals, 27-7, and showed signs that their offense may finally be just as threatening as their defense.

But, before I get into the Good, Bad, and Ugly of last night’s game, let me first say that my observations are only based on the first half of play.Â Secondly, I’m well aware that our opponent was the Bengals so the Jets’ performance from last night was expected, but I still must give credit where credit is due.Â Because honestly, it wasn’t too long ago that the Jets would’ve lost to a team that was seen as a gimmee on the schedule.Â No NFL team should be taken for granted.

THE GOOD

On a rainy night in New Jersey, there’s no doubt about it, Plaxico Burressdefinitely shined on the field.Â From the very first possession of the game, Mark Sanchez completed a 20-yard pass to Burress, resulting in a collective sigh of relief from Jets fans everywhere.Â Signing Plaxico to a one-year deal was certainly a risky move. Two years removed from the game, plus an ankle injury, you couldn’t help but wonder if Burress was damaged goods.Â But, after last night’s impressive performance from the 6’5 Super Bowl Champ, it appears that Plax has removed any doubt that adding him to the team was an upgrade over Braylon Edwards.Â Burress hauled in 3 catches for 66 yards and a 26-yard diving touchdown catch that only someone of his athleticism and stature could make. While it’s only a preseason game, Sanchez and Burress showed signs of great things to come.

Speaking of Sanchez, it appears he’s in total command of the offense and is more comfortable in his role.Â As a result, the coaching staff trusts the third-year QB more and is finally taking the training wheels off Sanchez and letting him air it out more.Â While Sanchez’s overall stats were impressive, 0 turnovers, 12/20, 173 yards, 2 TDs, and a 121.5 passer rating, I was most impressed by the 99-yard drive he led.Â Although the Bengals pinned us deep into our own territory, Sanchez wasted no time finding Keller open for a 43-yard gain.Â And unlike other trips down the field, the Jets capped off that drive with the TD.

The trust between QB and his receivers is apparent, even though Burress sat out of Game 1 and Derrick Mason was missing in action from last night’s game.Â I’ve been pleased with what I’ve seen from each receiver so far, but am eager to see what type of threat Holmes-Burress-and-Mason will pose when they’re all healthy and on the field together.

Defensively, the team looked good, too.Â As I’ve eluded to in the past, since Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis are recognized as the best cornerback duo in the league, our safeties will be tested early and often.Â Well, last night Eric Smith and Jim Leonhard rose to the occasion.Â They both pulled down an INT that eventually led to points on the board.Â Whether teams opt to throw inside or outside, our secondary will be waiting with open arms.

THE BAD

- While Shonn Greene sat out of last night’s game due to a skin infection, LaDainian Tomlinson was upgraded to the No. 1 back. And, the results weren’t good.Â Blame it on the rain, Bengals defense, or solely on LT, but his running game was shutdown.Â LT had 9 carries and 16 yards.Â Certainly not theÂ type of performance I was expecting from the vet.Â Could this be the decline that everyone expected to see last season?Â I sure hope not, but this is something to watch out for as the season progresses.

- Early in the game, the defense came up with two INTs which led to a touchdown by Holmes and, later on, a field goal by Nick Novak.Â Once again, it appeared the defense was carrying the offense.Â The Jets continued to under-perform in the redzone and on 3rd down conversions (5/17).Â If the Jets really want to be recognized as one of the elite teams in the league, they must find a way to be more productive in these areas. The Jets can’t afford to leave points on the field, especially against scoring machines like the Patriots.Â This is one very necessary area of improvement for the Jets.

THE UGLY

I’m happy to say that there weren’t any noteworthy “ugly” moments in last night’s Jets performance.Â Despite the poor weather conditions, the Jets didn’t add anyone to the injured list.Â Overall, it was a good showing by Gang Green.

Up next for the Jets are their NFC rivals, the NY Giants.Â The Jets and Giants will face each other on Saturday, 8/27 @ 7PM/ET.

-S. Renee

Filed Under: Featured, NFL, Pro Sports Tagged With: Cincinnati Bengals, Darrelle Revis, Derrick Mason, Jim Leonhard, Ladainian Tomlinson, Mark Sanchez, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Jets, Plaxico Burress