Tomlinson to the Jets

NEW YORK — LaDainian Tomlinson is bolting for the Big Apple.

Tomlinson’s agent, Tom Condon, said Sunday that the New York Jets signed the former Chargers running back to a two-year contract.

The Jets confirmed that they have agreed to a deal, adding the aging star to the NFL’s top-ranked rushing offense last season.

A source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Tomlinson’s contract is for $5.1 million with an escalator that could boost it to $5.6 million.

“He wanted to go to a team that he thought had a chance to compete for the championship,” Condon told the AP. “He wanted to go somewhere where he had a chance to have a significant role, and so with the Jets he also was going to be very familiar with the offensive system.”

I’ve seen a lot of analysts bash this signing, which only supports my theory that 90% of the world’s population qualifies as mentally retarded.  Tomlinson may be 31 and on the downside of his career, but if you asked me who I’d take as a BACKUP running back among the free agent crop, Tomlinson is a no brainer.  He will spell Shonn Greene and come in on third downs for his pass catching abilities, something that Thomas Jones struggled with.  This is a low risk/high reward type of move, because if he’s really finished the Jets will cut him and Leon Washington will pick up the slack.   But if Tomlinson can still play, I like his chances to have a productive year for us.  Don’t forget- Jones was 31 last year when he rushed for 1400 yards and 14 touchdowns behind the best offensive line in football.  Shamus O’Cabbage’s mother could tote the rock in that offense.

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Dubbs, March 15th 2010 | Tags: , ,
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Leon Washington may be leaving the Jets? WTF

The way the Jets have been acting of late, it makes you wonder if they’re planning a radical shift in their “ground and pound” offensive strategy and are going to have Mark Sanchez conducting the run-and-shoot.

The Jets are treating their rushing attack, ranked No. 1 in the NFL in 2009, as if they want to dismantle it and start over.

Just days after the Jets informed Thomas Jones, their leading rusher the last three seasons, that they’re going to release him, they now have left Leon Washington dangling for another team to sign him away.

The Jets yesterday issued Washington, their second leading rusher and a restricted free agent, to just a second-round tender offer. It means if another team wants to sign Washington, and the Jets don’t match the offer, that team would have to give Gang Green only a second-round draft pick as compensation.

For a former Pro Bowl player who’s a difference-maker on offense and special teams as an explosive returner, that doesn’t seem like a very high price.

Predictably, Washington’s agent, Alvin Keels, delivered this message on his Twitter account yesterday tweaking the Jets:

“Expect there to be a market for Leon during free agency and would say his return to the Jets will be 50/50 at best at this point,” Keels tweeted.

Keels, further pushing the Jets’ buttons, added of Washington, who’s recovering from a compound fracture in his right leg: “He is ahead of schedule while rehabbing from his week 7 injury. He will be 100% healthy and ready for camp either in NY or elsewhere.”

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KRM, March 4th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , ,
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NFL Playoffs: AFC Championship Preview

New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts

Sunday, January 24th 3:00 pm EST

Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN)

Here we go Jets fans.  Our first AFC Championship appearance since 1998 and I don’t think the story could’ve been written any better.  The Jets (11-7) will face off with the perennial powerhouse, Indianapolis Colts (15-2), at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday for a chance to play in Super Bowl XLIV.  The two teams met back in week 16 in a controversial game in which the Jets ended the Colts run at an undefeated season.  With home field advantage already secured, Colts head coach Jim Caldwell pulled Peyton Manning and the other starters early in the second half with the Colts leading 15-10.  The Jets took full advantage, scoring 19 unanswered points to win the game 29-15 and end the Colts regular-season win streak at 23 games.  While he never publicly questioned his coach, you could just tell by his body language on the sidelines that Peyton Manning wasn’t particularly happy with the decision and he’ll be motivated on Sunday to avenge the loss.  On the other side, the Jets have had to listen to various critics talk about how the Colts handed them a victory and how they wouldn’t be in the playoffs if they hadn’t.  Led by stellar defensive play and a ball control offense, the Jets have played motivated football since and have already proven that they belong and that their appearance in the AFC Championship is no fluke.

The Colts made it to the AFC Championship by knocking off the Ravens 20-3 in their divisional match up last Saturday.  Manning went 30 of 44 for 246 yards and 2 touchdowns in the game, completing 12 passes for 73 yards to his top targets, WR Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark.  But it wasn’t just the offense that impressed, as the Colts defense held the Ravens to just 276 yards of total offense.  The Jets earned their right to play for the AFC title by defeating the Bengals 24-14 in the opening round and moving past the Chargers last Sunday by a score of 17-14.  Mark Sanchez has been able to limit his turnovers down the stretch (1 INT in his last 4 games) and manage the offense well.  He understands the game plan behind the Jets “run first” philosophy, which only helps to alleviate the pressure off the young rookie.  Fellow rookie, Shonn Greene, has seen an increased role with Thomas Jones slowed by a knee injury, having rushed for 420 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Jets last 4 games.  The Colts ranked just 24th against the run during the regular season, but they managed to hold Ray Rice and a potent Ravens rushing attack to just 87 yards last week.  The rest given to the Colts starters down the stretch, in addition to coming off a first round bye, really showed on the defensive side of the ball in that game.  The Jets, on the other hand, have basically been playing for their lives for the last 4 weeks and have had to scrap their way to get to this game.  The defense is a bit banged up, but they’ve been playing lights out and will need to be at their best if they have any chance of beating Indy.  Darrelle Revis will be locked up with Reggie Wayne for most of the game, but look for Rex Ryan to disguise the coverages in an attempt to confuse Peyton Manning and the Colts receivers.

Bottom Line:

The Jets defense should have no problem making the Colts offense one dimensional.  The Colts have eclipsed the 100 yard rushing mark only once in their last 11 games, including a pathetic 25 yards on 16 carries vs the Ravens last week.  This will allow Rex Ryan to use an extra defender to help cover TE Dallas Clark instead of committing a safety to run support.  The Jets will also blitz and blitz often.  In the first two rounds, the Jets blitzed Carson Palmer and Phillip Rivers 60% of the time.  They may want to decrease that number somewhat on Sunday, as Peyton Manning has completed an astounding 68% of his passes against the blitz this season.  Manning is too cerebral and the fact that he’s seen this Jets defense before is more of an advantage for him than any other player on the field.  This is why Rex Ryan must disguise his coverages and schemes all game long and keep Manning guessing.  RB’s Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones will need to come up big in this game to control the clock and limit the opportunities for Sanchez to make mistakes, while also keeping the Colts offense off the field.  The Colts defense is very fast and physical and they’re a big reason why they’ve made it to the AFC Championship game.  DE’s Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney are one of the best pass rushing tandems in the league.  If the Colts can slow the Jets rushing attack and force Sanchez into third and long situations, Mathis and Freeney will make it a long day for the Jets offense.  But if the Jets can move the ball on the ground as they’ve been able to do against good defenses all year, and the defense can limit the scoring opportunities for the Colts, they will be in position to win this game.  Despite my Super Bowl prediction of Vikings vs Colts, I’m going with the underdog J-E-T-S in this one.  Rex Ryan has them believing they can win this game and I believe too!

Prediction:  Jets  17  Colts 16

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Jsunfella, January 22nd 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Week 15 Preview: Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets

Jones will look to make it 7 out of 9 games with at least 99 yards rushing.

Jones will look to make it 7 out of 9 games with at least 99 yards rushing.

 

 Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets
 
Sunday- December 20th
 
Meadowlands- East Rutherford, NJ
 
While the Jets (7-6) have resurrected their playoff hopes with 3 consecutive wins over sub .500 teams, the Falcons (6-7) have gone the opposite way having lost 6 of their last 8 games.  A loss to the Jets will pretty much end any chance the Falcons have of making the playoffs, while a win for the Jets will set them up for a crucial matchup in week 16 vs. the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.  The Falcons lead the all-time series vs. the Jets with 5 victories in 9 matchups, including a 27-14 win in their last meeting back in October of 2005.

Jets Offense vs. Falcons Defense:

Mark Sanchez is expected back at quarterback for the Jets after missing last week’s game vs. Tampa Bay with a knee injury.  With Sunday’s forecast calling for temperatures in the mid 30’s, it will be interesting to see how the California native deals with the cold weather and wind at the Meadowlands.  In his last bout with inclement weather in a week 6 loss vs. the Bills, Sanchez threw 5 interceptions and pretty much sealed his team’s fate in a game they wound up losing 16-13.  He will need to be much better on Sunday if the Jets are to have any chance of beating the Falcons.  But to limit his chances of turning the ball over, the Jets will once again lean on their top ranked rushing offense, led by Thomas Jones and a superb offensive line highlighted by the pro bowl caliber play of D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold.  The Falcons defense enters the game ranked 23rd against the run (117.8 yards allowed per game), so expect them to have a tough time slowing down a Jets rushing attack that’s averaging 169.1 yards per game on the ground.  What’s worse is the Falcons are also giving up 257.8 passing yards per game, ranking them 30th in the NFL.  If teams didn’t have so much success passing against the Falcons, those numbers against the run could be even worse.

EDGE:  Jets Offense

Falcons Offense vs. Jets Defense:

Chris Redman has played respectably since taking over QB duties for an injured Matt Ryan.  He threw the game winning touchdown to Roddy White in his first start vs. Tampa Bay, then struggled against Philadelphia, but redeemed himself with 303 passing yards against a tough Saints secondary last weekend.  With Ryan likely to sit out again this weekend, Redman will look to have similar success against a Jets defense ranked 1st in the NFL against the pass.  The Falcons may get star RB Michael Turner back in this one, which can only be seen as a good thing considering they haven’t rushed for over 100 yards in a game in 5 weeks.  Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling will share RB duties if Turner can’t give it a go.  Regardless of who handles the ground work for the Falcons, they will find it tough to find room against a Jets defense ranked 1st in the NFL in total defense and 11th against the run.  The Jets defense has really come together in recent weeks, developing a chemistry that has them playing like the top ranked defense that the numbers portray.  No matter who winds up starting at the key offensive positions for the Falcons, I expect the Jets defense to be dominant in this game once again.

EDGE: Jets Defense

Bottom Line:

Despite the recent poor play of the Falcons, they’re still the best team the Jets have played since their loss to the Patriots back in week 11.  The Jets must come out motivated and execute the game plan on both sides of the ball.  If Sanchez can limit his mistakes, the Jets will win this game.  If he’s turning the ball over, it will open up the door for an upset and potentially close the door on the Jets’ playoff hopes. 

Prediction:  Jets  23  Falcons 13

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Jsunfella, December 18th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Jets Week 14 Preview: Jets @ Buccaneers

revis

New York Jets @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Raymond James Stadium:  1:00 EST Sunday, December 13th

The Jets (6-6) need a win in Tampa Bay on Sunday if they’re to have any chance of keeping their dwindling playoff hopes alive.  They can’t afford to have a let down game against a Buccaneers team that has only 1 victory on the year (1-11).  This game was supposed to feature a battle between two rookie QB’s who were drafted in the first round of the 2009 draft.  However, Mark Sanchez is expected to miss the game with a knee injury.  It was the Bucs’ rookie, Josh Freeman, who made headlines when he said shortly after the draft that he thought he was a better option at QB than Mark Sanchez.  It’s too bad that Sanchez won’t have a chance to go out and make Freeman eat his words and prove why he was in fact the first QB taken in the draft.  Instead it will be Kellen Clemens at the helm for the Jets, so this will be a week the Jets will need to lean on their running game and defense even more so than they have throughout the season.

JETS OFFENSE VS BUCCANEERS DEFENSE:

As they have for several weeks now, the Jets enter Sunday’s game as the top ranked rushing offense in the NFL.  Last week against Buffalo, they averaged an astounding 5.8 yards per carry en route to over 200 yards rushing on the day.  Thomas Jones is having another excellent season, having eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing for the 5th straight year, and rookie Shonne Greene has turned into a solid spell back to Jones as well.  With Clemens behind center, the Jets will look to run the ball all game long.  The Bucs defense enters the game 2nd to last in rushing defense, allowing 160.1 rushing yards per game at a clip of 4.8 yards per carry against.  But they’ve been somewhat better in recent weeks since Head Coach Raheem Morris took over as defensive coordinator.  Their main concern has got to be to plug up the gaps and stop Thomas Jones from finding room beyond the line of scrimmage.  All in all, the Bucs defense could pose a challenge for Clemens and the offense, so the Jets need to stay disciplined and execute the game plan if they’re to have success.

EDGE:  JETS OFFENSE

BUCCANEERS OFFENSE VS JETS DEFENSE:

While the Buccaneers defense has shown improvement over the past few games, the offense has sputtered.  Last week against the Panthers, the Bucs had 8 red zone opportunities but only came away with 6 points to show for it.  QB Josh Freeman threw 3 of his 5 interceptions within the red zone and kicker Connor Barth missed field goals from 36 and 42 yards respectively.  Freeman has been his own worst enemy this season, failing to look defenders off and constantly trying to squeeze throws into tight spots.  The Bucs running game hasn’t produced for much of the year, but Cadillac Williams did muster 92 yards on 17 carries against the Panthers.  The Bucs enter the game vs. the Jets ranked 21st in rushing and 23rd in passing offense.  They’ll be matched up against a Jets team ranked 2nd in the NFL in overall defense, allowing just 276.4 total yards per game.  The Jets have been better against the pass than the run and most of why that is centers around the play of superstar CB Darrelle Revis.  I swear that sometimes I feel like there are 3 guys wearing #24 out there on defense, the guy is everywhere.  If the Jets defense can continue their dominant ways, they should easily escape Tampa Bay with a victory.

EDGE:  JETS DEFENSE

BOTTOM LINE:

The Jets are a much better team on paper and they need this game a lot more than the Bucs do.  But despite their record, the Bucs have shown improvement in the last few weeks and as Jets fans can attest, this has the all the makings of a “let down” game, especially with Clemens starting at quarterback.  Still, I think the Jets defense is too good and I can’t see the Bucs getting many scoring opportunities in this one.

Prediction:  Jets  17 Buccaneers 9

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Jsunfella, December 10th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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Jets Week 11 Preview: Jets @ Patriots

Sanchez will be calling out a lot of blitzes come Sunday vs. the Patriots.

Sanchez will be calling out a lot of blitzes come Sunday vs. the Patriots.

NEW YORK JETS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

GILLETTE STADIUM:  4:15 EST  SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd

The Jets are a far cry from the team that defeated the Patriots back in week 2.  After a 3-0 start, they’ve lost 5 of their last 6 games and their defense, which is clearly the strength of the team, has consistently laid down when the game is on the line.  The losses of Kris Jenkins on defense and Leon Washington on offense can not be overstated and the decline in level of play from Mark Sanchez can not be overemphasized.  The Patriots on the other hand came out the gate slow in 2009, inching past the Bills 25-24 to open the season before losing to the Jets in week 2.  Since then they’ve been clicking on all cylinders, entering the game ranked 2nd in total offense and 8th in total defense.  They’re coming off a crushing loss at the hands of the Colts after the much publicized brainless decision made by Bill Belichick to go for it on 4th down from their own 29 while leading by 6 late in the game.  The loss pretty much ended any chance the Patriots have at getting home field advantage throughout the playoffs, so Belichick’s controversial call could prove to be even more impactful then it’s even already been.

JETS OFFENSE VS PATRIOTS DEFENSE:

A lot of people may not realize it, but the Jets are ranked 1st in the NFL is rushing and have been since week 9.  They average 170.1 rushing yards per game with 11 runs of 20+ yards on the season.  Thomas Jones is having another solid campaign after a somewhat slow start to the season.  He has rushed for 781 yards (4.7 per carry) and 8 touchdowns on the year, including 510 yards and 3 touchdowns in the last 4 games.  The Patriots held Jones to just 54 yards on 14 carries back in week 2 and will look to have similar success on Sunday.  Belichick will put 8 in the box and use an array of schemes to slow down the Jets running game and force Mark Sanchez to have to beat them through the air, which is pretty much the game plan of any team who faces the Jets this season.  Sanchez will be asked to run a low-risk offense which he had success doing in the first match up with the Patriots.  But this time around, a more established Patriots defense will show no mercy and blitz the rookie QB relentlessly.  It will be up to Sanchez to limit his mistakes if the Jets are to prevent the game from getting out of hand.

EDGE:  PATRIOTS DEFENSE

PATRIOTS OFFENSE VS JETS DEFENSE:

In case you haven’t noticed, the real Tom Brady is back.  In his last four games, Brady has 13 touchdown passes to 4 interceptions and has thrown for over 300 yards in each of those games.  In his first game vs. the Jets, Brady completed just 23 of 47 passes for 216 yards with no touchdowns and 1 interception.  One of his top targets, WR Wes Welker, missed that game with a knee injury and his presence in this game makes all the difference.  Welker currently ranks 3rd in the NFL with 64 receptions despite missing several games with the knee injury.  With the amount of blitzing the Jets do, Welker will look to find holes in the defense and should have a lot of success on short routes to keep the chains moving.  On the other side you only got Randy Moss, the NFL’s leading receiver with 891 yards through 9 games (99.0 yards per game).  Darrelle Revis and the Jets secondary will have their hands full all day long trying to defend these receivers.  If Brady gets time in the pocket, the NFL’s 2nd ranked passing attack will just be too much for the Jets defenders to handle.  And while it’s not often that you talk about the running game when talking about the Patriots, some recent success from RB Laurence Maroney shows that they haven’t completely abandoned the run.  Maroney has a touchdown run in each of their last 4 games.  The Jets enter the game ranked 3rd in the NFL in total defense, but they’re only 18th best against the run.

EDGE:  PATRIOTS OFFENSE

BOTTOM LINE:

The Patriots are going to be a hungry football team come Sunday.  They’ll be seeking revenge against a Jets team that has already beat them this season, while trying to get the taste of last week’s loss out of their mouths.  It’s hard to imagine the Patriots even losing 2 games in a row no matter what the circumstances.  But these AFC East battles are always tough and this rivalry has been especially close over the years (Jets lead the all-time regular season series 50-47-1).   If the Jets can pull off the upset, only 1 game will separate the two teams in the AFC East standings.  If they can’t, the Patriots will run away with the division and never look back.  Unfortunately, my money is on the latter.

Prediction:   Patriots  31   Jets 13

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Jsunfella, November 20th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Jets Week 8 Preview: Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets

Mission for the Jets defense: Stop these two!!

Mission for the Jets defense: Stop these two!!

MATCHUP BREAKDOWN:

JETS RUNNING GAME vs. MIAMI D:

Thomas Jones has turned it around after a slow start to the season.  In the Jets last two games he has rushed for 331 yards on 48 carries (6.9 yards per carry) and 2 touchdowns.  In their last meeting with the Dolphins, however, Jones finished with only 42 yards on 13 carries, but did rush for 2 touchdowns in the game.  The Jets lost Leon Washington, their most dynamic back, to a season ending leg injury in week 7’s win vs. Oakland and were forced to turn to rookie Shonn Greene as a spell back to Thomas Jones.  Greene did not disappoint and in fact he was fantastic, rushing for 144 yards on 19 carries and 2 touchdowns.  As a team, the Jets are ranked 1st in the NFL is rushing, averaging an astounding 184.9 yards per game.  On the flip side, the Dolphins are ranked 4th in the NFL in run defense, allowing an average of 86.7 rushing yards per game.

SLIGHT EDGE:  JETS RUNNING GAME

JETS PASSING GAME vs. MIAMI D:

The Jets managed to take a lot of pressure off Mark Sanchez last week by running the ball 50 times from scrimmage as compared to only 15 pass plays.  Sanchez also managed to protect the ball, going an entire game without a turnover for the first time since the Jets and Dolphins met back in week 5.  He finished 9 of 15 for 143 yards and a touchdown and looked a lot more comfortable then he had in the Jets’ previous 3 games.  In their last meeting with Miami, Sanchez finished 12 of 24 for 172 yards and a score.  The Jets will have a “run-heavy” approach again in this one, but with how good Miami is against the run, Sanchez will need to make plays in the passing game to keep the defense honest.  On the year, Miami’s defense is ranked 19th against the pass, allowing an average of 233.5 passing yards per game.  Jerricho Cotchery, who has missed the Jets’ last two games with a hamstring injury, is expected to start alongside newly acquired receiver, Braylon Edwards, for the first time.  Veteran safety, Will Allen, will miss the game for Miami after suffering a season-ending knee injury last week vs. New Orleans.

EDGE:  EVEN

MIAMI RUNNING GAME vs. JETS D:

Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams might be the best one-two punch of running backs in the NFL and it would be hard to pose an argument against such a claim.  In just 6 games this season, the two have managed to rack up a combined 887 yards on the ground with 12 touchdowns.  In Miami’s week 5 win vs. the Jets, they combined for 142 rushing yards on 32 carries with 2 touchdowns, as well as 6 receptions for 80 yards.  They completely overmatched a Jets defense that had no answer for the vaunted “Wildcat” formation.  This time around, Jets coach Rex Ryan will have his team prepared with a much better game plan, which in turn should translate into much more success stopping the “Wildcat” package.  The Dolphins rank 2nd to the Jets in rushing offense with 170.3 yards per game, while the Jets fall in at 22nd in rush defense, giving up an average of 116.1 yards per game.  The Jets will win this game if they can limit Miami’s rushing attack.

EDGE:  MIAMI RUNNING GAME

MIAMI PASSING GAME vs. JETS D:

Chad Henne was nearly flawless against the Jets in week 5.  He threw for 241 yards with 2 touchdowns and didn’t turn the ball over once.  Henne has been relatively solid overall since taking over for an injured Chad Pennington in week 3, but struggled last week vs. the Saints.  He had 2 interceptions returned for touchdowns in the 2nd half alone and failed to throw a touchdown in the game.  Miami’s struggles in the passing game aren’t all on Henne, as his receivers, mainly Ted Ginn Jr, have had issues recently with dropped passes as well.  The Jets will need to get a lot more pressure on Henne than they were able to get in the first matchup.  They didn’t record a single sack in that game and in fact, the Jets have only 8 sacks on the year, which ranks near the bottom of the league.  It’s important that the Jets get Henne out of his comfort zone.  If Calvin Pace can repeat his performance from a week ago, they just might be able to do that.

EDGE:  JETS PASS DEFENSE

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The loss of Leon Washington is a huge blow to the Jets return game.  Although he wasn’t particularly spectacular returning kicks this season, he had the ability to change the game in a blink of an eye on special teams and that’s something the Jets will no longer have.  The Jets were able to sign their old friend Justin Miller after the Raiders waived him and it is Miller who will assume kick return duties in Washington’s absence.  A pro bowl kick returner for the Jets in 2006, Miller is probably the perfect replacement for Leon Washington.  Despite having a dangerous punt returner in Ted Ginn Jr, the Dolphins average just 8.8 yards per punt return, good for 14th in the league.  They’re not much better on kick returning, ranked 22nd in the league with an average of 22.0 yards per return.  Both punters, Steve Weatherford for the Jets and Brandon Fields for the Dolphins, will try to pin their opponents deep in their own zone in a game in which field position will be of utmost importance. 

EDGE:  EVEN

BOTTOM LINE:

The Jets simplified their game plan for Sanchez vs. Oakland and I expect them to stick with that approach vs. Miami.  If Sanchez can play turnover-free football, the Jets will have a very good chance of winning the game.  While it might be hard to completely shut down the Wildcat, the Jets will need to at least slow it down.  And when Miami sets up in their base offense with Chad Henne under center, it is vital that the Jets get to him and force the pressure.  I expect the Jets to come out with revenge on their minds after getting whooped in Miami a few weeks back.  Rex Ryan will make adjustments based on their previous matchup that will the Jets the edge in this one.  My prediction:

JETS  23  DOLPHINS  16

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Jsunfella, October 30th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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NFL Week 7 Preview: New York Jets @ Oakland Raiders

The Jets will need to lean on Thomas Jones in Oakland on Sunday to keep the pressure off a struggling Mark Sanchez.

The Jets will need to lean on Thomas Jones against the Raiders in Oakland on Sunday to keep the pressure off a struggling Mark Sanchez.

New York Jets @ Oakland Raiders

Sunday-  October 25th, 2009

Venue:  Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

MATCHUP BREAKDOWN:

JETS RUNNING GAME vs. OAKLAND D

Thomas Jones rushed for a franchise record 210 yards on 22 carries in the Jets week 6 loss to the Bills.  If it wasn’t for Jones’ 71 yard touchdown run, the Jets would only have mustered 2 field goals against a poor Buffalo defense.  The Jets will need to lean on Jones again vs. the Raiders and he shouldn’t disappoint against a defense ranked 28th against the run.  Leon Washington, who recorded a season-high 99 yards on the ground last week, will get his share of work in the running game as usual.  I can see the Jets running the ball over 60% of the time on Sunday, so both backs should have every opportunity to be productive and build on last week’s success.  As a team, the Jets are ranked 2nd in the NFL with an average of 163.0 rushing yards per game.  Right tackle Damien Woody is listed as questionable for the game due to knee and foot injuries.

EDGE:  JETS RUNNING GAME

JETS PASSING GAME vs. OAKLAND D

Mark Sanchez couldn’t have played any worse than he did last week.  When you throw 5 interceptions and your team loses by just a field goal in overtime, it’s pretty clear that your play had a direct effect on the outcome of the game.  Obviously Sanchez shouldn’t shoulder all the blame, but it harps on a point I made in one of the first previews of the year which is that the Jets will only go as far as their rookie signal caller will take them.  Hopefully, Sanchez can begin to turn things around this week against a Raiders team ranked 16th in pass defense.  He will need to keep his passes out of the direction of star cornerback, Nnamdi Asomugha, who is a game changer for the Raiders on defense.  This game will mark the first NFL start for Sanchez in his home state of California, which should provide him with some extra motivation playing in front of his family and friends.  Several members of the Jets receiving core are currently slowed by injury, including Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith, who were both held out of the week 6 game vs. Buffalo.  Braylon Edwards has also been limited this week in practice with a quad injury.

EDGE:  EVEN

OAKLAND RUNNING GAME vs. JETS D

With the knee injury suffered by Darren McFadden a few weeks back, the Raiders have been forced to lean on the tandem of Justin Fargas and Michael Bush to carry their running game.  The two have combined for 316 yards on 94 carries with 2 TD’s on the year.  In last week’s win vs. Philadelphia, Fargas handled most of the work load, rushing 23 times for 87 yards as compared to Bush’s 6 carries for 22 yards.  After beginning the season as one of the league’s best run defenses, the Jets have plummeted to 21st in the NFL, giving up an average of 115.7 rushing yards per game.  It won’t get any easier for them going forward having lost All-Pro nose tackle Kris Jenkins to a season-ending ACL injury.  Still, the Jets should be able to keep the Raiders running game in check on Sunday and force QB Jamarcus Russell to have to make some plays.

EDGE:  JETS RUN DEFENSE

OAKLAND PASSING GAME vs. JETS D

Jamarcus Russell is having a sub-par season in his 2nd as the Raiders starting quarterback.  On the year, Russell has completed 68 of 149 passes for 830 yards with 2 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.  In last season’s win vs. the Jets, he completed 17 of 30 passes for 203 yards and a score.  Russell’s top target is tight end Zach Miller, who gained 136 yards in last week’s win vs. Philadelphia, including an 86-yard touchdown that was the longest by a tight end in Raiders team history.  The Jets pass defense is ranked 8th in the league allowing an average of 187.7 yards per game.  But despite Rex Ryan’s aggressive blitzing scheme, the Jets have managed just 5 sacks in their first 6 games and appear to have lost the swagger they had a few weeks back.  The sack opportunities are sure to decrease with the loss of Kris Jenkins, so this is a defense that is going to need to step up big time beginning this Sunday in Oakland. 

EDGE:  JETS PASS DEFENSE

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Jets currently rank towards the middle of the league with an average of 22.7 yards per kick return and 8.8 yards per punt return.  The always dangerous Leon Washington is a game changer who will be an important player for the Jets this Sunday as they try to shorten the field for their struggling rookie quarterback.  The Raiders are ranked dead last in the league in both categories, averaging just 17.2 yards per kick return and 3.1 yards per punt return.  It’s surprising considering the previous success they had with such guys as Johnny Lee Higgins and ex-Jet, Justin Miller, who combined for 5 touchdown returns in 2008.  Jets placekicker Jay Feely had his record streak of 23 consecutive field goals snapped last week, but continues to be a model of consistency, while Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski has incredible distance but minimal accuracy.  The Raiders have the best punter in the NFL in Shane Lechler, who is averaging a league high 52.1 yards per punt. 

EDGE:  JETS SPECIAL TEAMS

BOTTOM LINE:

The Jets failed to win even once in four trips to the West Coast last season.  In fact, they haven’t won a regular season game against a West Coast foe since 2004 when they knocked off San Diego 34-28.  The Raiders are coming off their biggest win of the season and seem to be getting better with each passing week.  After 3 losses in a row, I’m not sure what to make of the Jets.  Obviously the loss of Kris Jenkins will be detrimental to a defense that has seemingly managed to regress each week, and Sanchez will need to play a whole lot better for the Jets to have a chance of winning.  This is a tough one to call, but I think the Jets defense and running game steps up this week and takes care of the Raiders:

PREDICTION:   JETS 20   RAIDERS 13

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Jsunfella, October 23rd 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Fantasy Football Recap: Top Performers of Week 6

 

Thomas Jones was the lone bright spot for the Jets on Sunday.

Thomas Jones was the lone bright spot for the Jets on Sunday.

Tom Brady- QB  New England Patriots  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6:  51)

Brady finally performed like the player we know he is after several inconsistent performances to begin the season.  He completed 29 of 34 passes for 380 yards and 6 TD’s in just a little over a half of play.  Brady also set an NFL record with 5 touchdown passes in the 2nd quarter alone. 

Drew Brees- QB New Orleans Saints  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6:  38)

After 2 straight games without one, Brees got back to throwing touchdowns in the Saints’ week 6 win against the Giants.  Brees completed 23 of 30 passes for 369 yards and 0 interceptions.  The Giants had the strongest pass defense that the Saints had been up against all season, but that didn’t slow Brees, who during one stretch connected on 15 straight pass attempts.

Matt Schaub-  QB Houston Texans  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6:  37)

Schaub is having a fantastic season, and has seemingly made this list nearly every week this season.  Sunday was no exception, as Schaub threw 4 touchdowns in a game for the 2nd time this season.  Schaub finished the game 28 of 40 for 392 yards.  He should remain active in all lineups for the Texans’ week 7 match up vs. San Francisco.

Maurice Jones-Drew- RB Jacksonville Jaguars  (Std Fantasy Pts in Week 6:  33)

Mo Jo lashed out at his coaches after last week’s embarrassing 41-0 blowout at the hands of the Seahawks, calling for them to run the ball more.  Well, he got his wish on Sunday, gaining 133 yards on 33 carries with 3 rushing touchdowns.  As usual, Mo Jo was involved in the passing game as well, catching 5 balls for 45 yards.

Ray Rice-  RB Baltimore Ravens  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6:  30)

Rice continued his breakout season in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings.  He had 10 carries for 77 yards on the ground and 2 rushing touchdowns, but it was in the passing game that he did the most of his damage, collecting 10 passes for 117 yards.  Rice became the first running back to score a touchdown of any kind vs. a tough Vikings defense and now has 766 total yards from scrimmage on the year.

Randy Moss- WR New England Patriots (Std Fantasy Pts in Week 6:  30)

Wes Welker- WR New England Patriots (Std Fantasy Pts in Week 6:  27)

With the production Brady had on Sunday, you had to figure some Patriots’ wideouts would have their share of success as well, and who better than their best two receivers.  Randy Moss scored 3 times, totaling 8 catches and 129 yards on the day.  It was the 33rd time in his brilliant career that Moss scored multiple TD’s in a single game.  Wes Welker was also effective, catching 10 passes for 150 yards and 2 scores.  After being slowed by injury for much of the beginning of the season, it appears Welker is finally getting back in rhythm with Brady and the offense.  As a whole, I think it’s safe to say that the Patriots are back to playing the type of football we all knew they were capable of when the season began.

***Breakout Performer***

Thomas Jones- RB  New York Jets  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6:  28)

Jones rushed for a team-record 210 yards on 22 carries in a week 6 loss to Buffalo, breaking the previous team-record of 203 yards set by Curtis Martin on December 3, 2000.  Jones scored on a long 71 yard touchdown scamper in the 2nd quarter, which was the lone touchdown the Jets had in an otherwise embarrassing performance.  The career performance by Thomas Jones came despite the fact that he split carries with Leon Washington (15 carries, 99 yards), making his production all the more impressive.

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Jsunfella, October 20th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Week 6 Preview: Buffalo Bills @ NY Jets

Rex Ryan will have his team motivated and prepared to win on Sunday.

Rex Ryan will have his team motivated and prepared to win on Sunday.

Buffalo Bills (1-4) @ New York Jets (3-2)

MATCHUP BREAKDOWN:

JETS RUNNING GAME vs. BILLS D

Despite finding the end zone 3 times, Thomas Jones has just 90 yards on 26 carries in the Jets’ last two games.  He’s averaging just 3.7 yards per carry this season and seems to lack the burst he showed last season when he led the AFC in rushing.  He does split downs with Leon Washington, which limits the amount of carries he gets, but Jones needs to step up and it should all start this week at home vs. the Bills.  Buffalo ranks 29th in the NFL allowing 154.6 rushing yards per game.  It’s also been 3 consecutive weeks in which they’ve allowed over 100 rushing yards to an opposing running back (Pierre Thomas- 126, Ronnie Brown-115, Jamal Lewis-117).  Jones could make it four consecutive games, as the Jets will look to lean on their running game in this one.  We should also see some reps from rookie RB Shonn Greene, who the Jets will look to integrate more and more as the season goes on

EDGE:  JETS RUNNING GAME

JETS PASSING GAME vs. BILLS D

In the Jets 3 wins, Mark Sanchez has 5 touchdowns (4 passing TDs) and 2 interceptions, with an average of 202 passing yards per game.  In their 2 losses, he’s thrown for 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions, averaging just 155 passing yards per game.  As good as the Jets defense is and potentially can be, they may only go as far as their rookie quarterback will take them this season.  I chalk it up as two games worth of growing pains for Sanchez and expect him to be much better Sunday vs. the Bills. Buffalo does have the 6th ranked pass defense in the NFL, but that number is a bit misleading considering teams have been predominantly running the ball against them.  With Jerricho Cotchery likely to miss the game for the Jets with a hamstring injury, look for Sanchez to go to Braylon Edwards, much like he did last week vs. Miami.  Dustin Keller needs to be more involved in the offense, which will require a better effort than he’s shown in the last few games.

EDGE:  EVEN

BILLS RUNNING GAME vs. JETS D

Marshawn Lynch has rushed for 73 yards on 25 carries in his first 2 games since coming off a 4 game suspension.  It appears the Bills have re-established Lynch as the #1 RB ahead of Fred Jackson, but they’ll continue to use Jackson to compliment Lynch, specifically on passing downs.  The Jets defense was dominated by the Miami Dolphins and their “Wildcat” offense last Monday night.  I mentioned in last week’s preview how the key matchup in that game would be the Jets run defense vs. Miami’s running game and that turned out to be the case as the Jets let the Dolphins “wildcat” their way down the field in the 2 minute drill, losing in the final seconds on a Ronnie Brown 2 yard run.  The performance plummeted the Jets to 19th overall in run defense, but they’re a physical unit with the personnel and system capable of shooting their way back up the rankings. The Jets defenders are going to be playing angry in this game, like they’ve got something to prove, and the Bills running backs will feel the effect.

EDGE:  JETS RUN DEFENSE

BILLS PASSING GAME vs. JETS D

Trent Edwards has not played at a high level this season.  In last week’s loss to the Browns, Edwards was 16 of 31 for 152 yards and an interception.  He’s completed only 58.1 % of his passes and has yet to throw for 1000 yards on the season through 5 games, all of this despite having two solid targets in WR’s Terrell Owens and Lee Evans.  Owens has looked like a shell of his former self this season and I’m convinced he will never be a good fit in Buffalo (then again, where has he been a good fit?).  The Jets pass defense ranks 9th in the NFL and should have no problem shutting down Trent Edwards and the Bills passing attack.  And again, with the way they played last week at Miami, you have to expect the Jets will be playing with a chip on their shoulder and I expect them to return to the dominant form they showed in the first 4 games of the season.

EDGE:  JETS PASS DEFENSE

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Jets are ranked 5th in the NFL with an average of 12.7 yards per punt return and 12th in the league with 23.5 yards per kick return.  In comparison, the Bills average 7.4 yards per punt return, good for 15th in the league, and 22.1 yards per kick return which ranks 18th overall.  Jay Feely has kicked 22 consecutive field goals to tie the Jets franchise record set by Pat Leahy in the 1985 season.  He is 8 for 8 in 2009, while his counterpart Rian Lindell falls just short at 7 for 8.  Both teams are among the bottom of the league in average per punt (Jets- 42.0/ Bills 42.2).

EDGE:  JETS

COACHING:  Rex Ryan vs. Dick Jauron

After the loss to Miami, Rex Ryan lashed out at both his defensive coaches and players.  The blitz packages that worked against Matt Schaub in week 1 and Tom Brady in week 2 haven’t been working, and in a system that is predicated on getting pressure on the quarterback, it’s something that is not acceptable and that’s what Ryan let them know.  Ryan will have the defense ready and motivated this week, and I expect a huge turn-around performance.  Dick Jauron is reportedly on the hot seat after coaching Buffalo to a 1-4 start.  As much talent as they lack, particularly on the offensive line, you have to question if Jauron made the right decision in firing his offensive coordinator, Turk Schonert, just days before the season.  Jauron replaced him with an inexperienced Alex Van Pelt and it’s shown as the Bills look lost trying to operate out of the no-huddle offense that Van Pelt inherited from Schonert.  If things don’t turn around soon, we could see a new regime in Buffalo.

EDGE:  JETS

BOTTOM LINE:

The Jets are going to be more than ready to play this Sunday coming off a disappointing loss to Miami.  They will be motivated to prove to the league and the critics that the team we saw in the first 3 weeks is who they are.  I don’t expect them to have too much trouble with the Bills, but of course you never know what could happen when two AFC East rivals get together, no matter how much of a mismatch it appears to be on paper.  My prediction:

Jets  23  Bills  10

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Jsunfella, October 16th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Thanks Cleveland

Jets Dolphins Football

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KRM, October 13th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Jets Week 5 Preview: Another Classic Monday Nighter?

 
The Jets defense will need to come up big against Miami's top ranked rushing attack on MNF if they're going to win the game.

The Jets defense will need to come up big against Miami's top ranked rushing attack.

 

New York Jets (3-1) @ Miami Dolphins (1-3)

Monday Night Football- ESPN (8:30 pm EST)

Land Shark Stadium- Miami, Florida

This week the Jets travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.  It’s the first time that head coach Rex Ryan and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez will get a taste of the intense rivalry that has developed over the years between these two AFC East teams.  It will also mark the debut of WR Braylon Edwards, as he gets his feet wet in his first game action with the Jets.  The Dolphins and Jets have played some thrillers in their time, the most notable being the Jets classic “Monday Night Miracle” comeback vs. Dan Marino’s Dolphins back in 2000.  While we’re unlikely to see a game equivalent to that magnitude, it should still turn out to be another hard fought battle between these two teams.

MATCH UP BREAKDOWN:

JETS RUNNING GAME vs. DOLPHINS D:

The Jets running game hasn’t exactly been impressive to this point of the season.  They do rank 9th in the NFL with a team average of 130.5 rushing yards per game, but aside from their week 1 performance against the Texans in which they ran for 190 yards, the Jets haven’t been able to lean on their rushing attack as much as they would’ve liked.  Thomas Jones, the Jets leading rusher, has only 122 yards in his last 3 games, averaging a paltry 2.9 yards per carry.  The Dolphins come into this week’s game as the 2nd ranked rushing defense in the NFL, allowing just 61.0 rushing yards per game.  Through four games, they’ve yet to allow a running back to gain over 70 yards on the ground, which includes holding 2008 rushing champion, Michael Turner, to just 65 yards on 22 carries in the opening week of the season.  The Jets running backs will need to show patience and allow the big offensive lineman in front of them to open up holes for them to attack.  It’s important for them to get the running game going to take some pressure off Mark Sanchez and the passing game, but it’s going to be a tough task this week against an unforgiving Dolphins run defense.

EDGE: DOLPHINS RUN DEFENSE

JETS PASSING GAME vs. DOLPHINS D:

In week 4, the Saints defense completely shut down the Jets passing game and finally made Mark Sanchez look like a rookie.  Sanchez was overmatched throughout the game, turning the ball over 4 times (3 interceptions, 1 fumble) leading to 14 points for the Saints.  He threw for only 138 yards in the game and failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in his brief career. The Dolphins pass defense hasn’t quite had the same success as their run defense, but they’re still a solid unit.  They’re ranked in the bottom half of the league (24th overall), allowing 238.5 passing yards per game, but have still managed to get pressure on the quarterback (11 sacks).  Sanchez will look to exploit the Miami secondary, particularly safeties Yeremiah Bell and Gibril Wilson, who are much better in run support than in coverage downfield.  Expect another solid performance from Jerricho Cotchery, who has had a nice rapport with Sanchez since the season began.  Sanchez will also look to tight end Dustin Keller, particularly on 3rd downs to keep the chains moving.  Braylon Edwards will need further acclimation into the Jets system before he can truly be utilized, but expect a few plays to him as well.

SLIGHT EDGE:  JETS PASSING GAME

DOLPHINS RUNNING GAME vs. JETS D

The Dolphins come into this game ranked atop the NFL in rushing offense.  They stay committed to the ground, averaging a league high 36.8 attempts for 183.5 yards per game.  Much of their success can be attributed to the “Wildcat” formation, which head coach Tony Sparano introduced when he took over as head coach in 2008.  Sparano utilizes the “Wildcat” mainly to get his two best offensive players, RB’s Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, on the field at the same time.  The two have combined for 617 yards and 6 TD’s in the Dolphins first 4 games.  It’s going to be interesting to see what kind of game plan Rex Ryan comes up with to stop the Dolphins ground attack.  In last year’s playoff loss to the Ravens, Ryan’s defense shut down Brown and Williams (combined 16 carries for 36 yards and 0 TD’s) and completely negated the Wildcat offense.  Bart Scott played in that game and will play in this one as well, which is good news for the Jets.  Both he and David Harris will be keys for the Jets in stopping the run, as will Jim Leonhard in run blitz schemes coming up from the safety position.  The Jets have slid to 13th in run defense after letting up a season high 153 rushing yards to Pierre Thomas and the Saints in week 4.  They will welcome back LB/DE Calvin Pace from suspension, which will only add to a physical unit already capable  of stopping the Dolphins #1 ranked rushing attack.  The winner of this match up likely wins the game.

EDGE: EVEN

DOLPHINS PASSING GAME vs. JETS D

Chad Henne made his first career NFL start in week 4, throwing for 115 yards with 1 TD and 0 INTs.  He was sacked 6 times by an aggressive Bills defense, but still managed the game well en route to a 38-10 victory.  The Dolphins mixed in 9 plays from the “Wildcat” formation, taking some of the pressure off the 2nd year pro.  Henne took over as the starter when veteran quarterback and ex-Jet, Chad Pennington, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against San Diego in week 3.  It was Pennington who had the worst game of his career against Rex Ryan’s Ravens defense in the previous year’s playoff loss.  He threw 4 interceptions and completed passes to only 2 different receivers the entire game.  Look for the Jets to exploit the inexperience of Henne and take a similar approach as the Ravens did in that game and blitz the heck out of the Dolphins’ rookie QB.  The Jets enter the game ranked 5th in the league against the pass, having allowed 177.5 yards per game and just 1 passing touchdown all season.

EDGE: JETS PASS DEFENSE

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Field position will definitely be a factor in what should be a very physical game throughout, so both punters, Steve Weatherford for the Jets and Brandon Fields for the Dolphins, will need to do a good job of pinning their opponents deep in their own zone.  The Jets currently rank 8th in the league with an average of 24.4 yards per kick return, and 6th in the league in punt returning, averaging 13.8 yards per return.  The Dolphins have long had issues in special teams coverage, but they’ve managed to turn it around this season on kick returns, letting up an average of just 19.6 yards per return.  However, they’re among the worst in the league in punt return coverage, allowing 10.5 yards per return.  The Jets have used Jim Leonhard as their punt returner for much of this year, but expect the dangerous Leon Washington to get a few chances this week.  The Dolphins have their own dangerous punt returner in Ted Ginn Jr, so the Jets will have to continue their solid special teams coverage in this game.

EDGE: JETS SPECIAL TEAMS

INTANGIBLES/COACHING:

There has been a lot of smack talking between these teams since Rex Ryan took over as head coach.  Back in June, Ryan got into somewhat of a war of words with Dolphins LB Channing Crowder, and it was Crowder who was talking again this week, this time taking shots at Jets RB Leon Washington.  The two were college rivals, Crowder with Florida and Washington with Florida State, and apparently are not so fond of each other.  Expect the blood to be running thick in this game, which will only add to the intensity of this always passionate rivalry.  I expect both coaches to have their teams prepared and ready to play.  Rex Ryan needs to keep the Jets defense focused on stopping the run and taking away what the Dolphins can do in their Wildcat offense.  Tony Sparano and the Miami defense is going to look to mix up coverages all game long to try to confuse Sanchez and force him into uncomfortable situations that lead to turnovers.

EDGE: EVEN

BOTTOM LINE:

The Jets have to put last week’s loss behind them and build off the mistakes they made in that game.  The return of Calvin Pace is going to really help them in slowing down the Miami rushing attack, and newcomer Braylon Edwards adds another big target for Sanchez to look to on offense.  Miami will use the Wildcat and other gimmicky types of plays to throw off the Jets defenders and could break some big plays if they can catch them off guard.  It should be another great game in the AFC East, but in the end the Jets will pull off a win on the road:

Jets 17  Dolphins 13

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Jsunfella, October 9th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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