Let us suppose, for a brief moment in time, that you happen to be an offensive coordinator. Now, let us imagine that, while in this role, you happen to be facing the worst pass defense in the NFL. A defense that cannot get pressure on the quarterback, cannot cover, and routinely gets torched on plays downfield. This defense is starting street free agents, career backups, and people that even the most die-hard NFL fans have never even heard of. Naturally, the game plan to face this team would be to throw on them until they prove they can stop the pass, right?
Naturally, that would be the logical game plan. Unfortunately for the New York Jets, they have Brian Schottenheimer as their offensive coordinator, a man whose very lineage screams blatant incompetence in even the most mundane of tasks. This ‘offensive mastermind’ put together a brilliant game plan; and by ‘brilliant’, we mean that in the Guinness sense of the term. This man could not create a worse scheme even if he were to channel his inner Terl from ‘Battlefield Earth’. Of course, only a Schottenheimer would decide to run constantly against the league’s worst pass defense! They’ll never see THAT coming!
Now, Schottenheimer obviously was staring blankly into space or contemplating important life questions, such as how he is still employed, when the Patriots lost their starting cornerback and safety. He was blissfully unaware that backup receiver Julian Edelman was their nickle defensive back due to all the injuries. And of course, this receiver put a hit on LaDanian Thomlinson that will probably keep him from playing in Week 11, proving once again that even soap bubbles are more durable than he is.
Even if Schottenheimer was incapable of noticing such things, he must have seen videos of the Steelers torching the Patriots secondary. Or the Giants torching the Patriots secondary. Or the Bills torching the Patriots secondary. Or, well, anyone that has played the Patriots this season. They made even the immortal Chad Henne look like a real NFL quarterback. Then again, maybe ol’ Rex Ryan was dominating the film room, watching footage of people’s feet.
In the end, the lack of recognition of the Patriots defense led to the Jets downfall. And has once again proven that Schottenheimer is German for ‘incompetent’.
Showing posts with label AFC East. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AFC East. Show all posts
Monday, November 14, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Chad Ocho Cinco's Role
With the news of Albert Haynesworth being released from the New England Patriots today, the attention has naturally turned to their other big acquisition, Chad Ocho Cinco. Already, pundits have begun wondering as to when he will be released. However, despite Ocho Cinco’s lack of production on the field, and his supposed inability to grasp the playbook, neither Bill Belichick nor Tom Brady appear to be overly concerned. Why would that be?
Perhaps the biggest clue to the solution would be to take a look at how the roster, and subsequently, the offense, is constructed. As had been previously mentioned on the blog, Ocho Cinco is presently nothing more than the fifth receiving option at best. In fact, the argument could be made that both Danny Woodhead, and, if healthy, Kevin Faulk would be ahead of Ocho Cinco on the pass catching hierarchy. On the surface, this would make Ocho Cinco quite the luxury item.
All of this masks the probable reason for Ocho Cinco’s continued presence on this roster. Bill Belichick is known for his tendency to acquire the next piece of the puzzle, ready to slot into a starting role, even if the starter has a year or more to go before being a free agent. In Wes Welker and Deion Branch, the Patriots have two starting receivers that happen to be in the final year of their contracts. The Patriots may have Welker’s replacement with Julian Edelman. But do they have Deion Branch’s?
Now, look at the fact that Ocho Cinco signed a three year contract this offseason. Belichick knows how this offense is constructed, and had to know that Ocho Cinco would not get many opportunities this season. What that essentially adds up to is to make the 2011 season a red shirt year for Ocho Cinco. He has no pressure to perform, can work on learning the playbook, and can develop chemistry with Tom Brady. This is a move that would provide the Patriots with a player for the 2012 season who can step right in and pick up where Branch left off.
In the end, Chad Ocho Cinco was not about this season. Bill Belichick signed him for 2012 and 2013, when he will be needed to step in for Deion Branch. And that is a pretty shrewd move.
Perhaps the biggest clue to the solution would be to take a look at how the roster, and subsequently, the offense, is constructed. As had been previously mentioned on the blog, Ocho Cinco is presently nothing more than the fifth receiving option at best. In fact, the argument could be made that both Danny Woodhead, and, if healthy, Kevin Faulk would be ahead of Ocho Cinco on the pass catching hierarchy. On the surface, this would make Ocho Cinco quite the luxury item.
All of this masks the probable reason for Ocho Cinco’s continued presence on this roster. Bill Belichick is known for his tendency to acquire the next piece of the puzzle, ready to slot into a starting role, even if the starter has a year or more to go before being a free agent. In Wes Welker and Deion Branch, the Patriots have two starting receivers that happen to be in the final year of their contracts. The Patriots may have Welker’s replacement with Julian Edelman. But do they have Deion Branch’s?
Now, look at the fact that Ocho Cinco signed a three year contract this offseason. Belichick knows how this offense is constructed, and had to know that Ocho Cinco would not get many opportunities this season. What that essentially adds up to is to make the 2011 season a red shirt year for Ocho Cinco. He has no pressure to perform, can work on learning the playbook, and can develop chemistry with Tom Brady. This is a move that would provide the Patriots with a player for the 2012 season who can step right in and pick up where Branch left off.
In the end, Chad Ocho Cinco was not about this season. Bill Belichick signed him for 2012 and 2013, when he will be needed to step in for Deion Branch. And that is a pretty shrewd move.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Rob Gronkowski's Apology
Today, Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots apologized for having pictures taken with porn star BiBi Jones. He stated that it was not his intention to hurt the reputation of the Patriots, or to offend anyone with the pictures that were taken. In fact, Jones was adamant that nothing happened between them other than the pictures, even though she was willing.
So, what exactly is Gronkowski apologizing for? He had the opportunity to have pictures taken with an attractive female that just happens to be in porn. That’s an offense that people need an apology for? It’s not like BiBi Jones is a criminal or someone like Casey Anthony. She’s just a girl that’s probably ‘just trying to work her way through college’. Just because she enjoys being on her back, or knees, or on top of multiple guys, means absolutely nothing here.
If anything, Gronk should be apologizing for NOT nailing her. Hell, she’s probably had a phone book worth of guys that can lay claim to sampling her wares. Maybe there just isn’t enough tread left on the tires, and Gronk figured it would be like a hot dog in a hallway. But seriously, who really cares? Who in their right mind is going to get offended by these pictures? Who really thinks that Jones being in Gronk’s jersey is a sign that the Patriots organization supports porn? Idiots, that would be who.
If anything, Gronk was with the wrong porn star. Remember Bernie Kosar? Remember who Bill Belichick essentially ruined his career by trading for Vinny Testaverde when he was coach of the Cleveland Browns? Well, Kosar’s daughter happens to be porn actress Lexxi Silver. Figure that there can be a nice little connection there – Belichick ruined Kosar’s NFL career, and Gronk can ruin Kosar’s daughter for everyone that comes after him. Pretty sure that Belichick and Gronk would be high-fiving each other after that one.
Anyway, let us here at the blog be the first to say that we’re disappointed in Gronk. Not because he was hanging out with porn stars, but because he didn’t close the deal. Seriously, next time, man up and do what hundreds of guys before you have done – BiBi Jones
So, what exactly is Gronkowski apologizing for? He had the opportunity to have pictures taken with an attractive female that just happens to be in porn. That’s an offense that people need an apology for? It’s not like BiBi Jones is a criminal or someone like Casey Anthony. She’s just a girl that’s probably ‘just trying to work her way through college’. Just because she enjoys being on her back, or knees, or on top of multiple guys, means absolutely nothing here.
If anything, Gronk should be apologizing for NOT nailing her. Hell, she’s probably had a phone book worth of guys that can lay claim to sampling her wares. Maybe there just isn’t enough tread left on the tires, and Gronk figured it would be like a hot dog in a hallway. But seriously, who really cares? Who in their right mind is going to get offended by these pictures? Who really thinks that Jones being in Gronk’s jersey is a sign that the Patriots organization supports porn? Idiots, that would be who.
If anything, Gronk was with the wrong porn star. Remember Bernie Kosar? Remember who Bill Belichick essentially ruined his career by trading for Vinny Testaverde when he was coach of the Cleveland Browns? Well, Kosar’s daughter happens to be porn actress Lexxi Silver. Figure that there can be a nice little connection there – Belichick ruined Kosar’s NFL career, and Gronk can ruin Kosar’s daughter for everyone that comes after him. Pretty sure that Belichick and Gronk would be high-fiving each other after that one.
Anyway, let us here at the blog be the first to say that we’re disappointed in Gronk. Not because he was hanging out with porn stars, but because he didn’t close the deal. Seriously, next time, man up and do what hundreds of guys before you have done – BiBi Jones
Thursday, October 20, 2011
The Time Is Now
There are no more excuses for Chad Ocho Cinco. No longer can it be said that he’s going through an adjustment period. If he is going to perform at all for the Patriots, it will happen next week, or it will not happen at all.
Let’s put aside the sarcasm for a moment. Stop with the Ocho Stinko and the NoCatchO jokes. It’s time to face facts. First, Ocho Cinco did not have a full offseason to learn the playbook, the routes, and to get extra tutelage from Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. His offseason began at training camp; his first six weeks were his preseason. Quite simply, he had not had the time to adjust from being on the Bengals to coming to a perennial playoff team like the Patriots.
Also, expectations of what Ocho Cinco can be for the Patriots have to be tempered. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are major targets in the passing game. Wes Welker is the third down possession guy. Deion Branch is Brady’s favorite receiver, and always has been. So, in all seriousness, Ocho Cinco is, at best, the fifth target in the passing game. How many receptions can he realistically be expected to get?
However, the bye week has come at a fortunate time for Ocho Cinco. He has obviously gotten frustrated with his lack of performance. All he really wants is to be a contributing member of a championship caliber team, which he had never had the opportunity to be a part of.
Come Week 8 in the NFL? The excuses end. Either Ocho Cinco gets it, or he doesn’t. He has had his opportunity, and he must now seize it. If he doesn’t? Well, he will be nothing more than an afterthought, a forgotten man on a deep team that looks like it’s going to have a deep playoff run. And for Ocho Cinco, to be forgotten is worse than not being productive.
The time is now for Ocho Cinco, or it will never come.
Let’s put aside the sarcasm for a moment. Stop with the Ocho Stinko and the NoCatchO jokes. It’s time to face facts. First, Ocho Cinco did not have a full offseason to learn the playbook, the routes, and to get extra tutelage from Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. His offseason began at training camp; his first six weeks were his preseason. Quite simply, he had not had the time to adjust from being on the Bengals to coming to a perennial playoff team like the Patriots.
Also, expectations of what Ocho Cinco can be for the Patriots have to be tempered. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are major targets in the passing game. Wes Welker is the third down possession guy. Deion Branch is Brady’s favorite receiver, and always has been. So, in all seriousness, Ocho Cinco is, at best, the fifth target in the passing game. How many receptions can he realistically be expected to get?
However, the bye week has come at a fortunate time for Ocho Cinco. He has obviously gotten frustrated with his lack of performance. All he really wants is to be a contributing member of a championship caliber team, which he had never had the opportunity to be a part of.
Come Week 8 in the NFL? The excuses end. Either Ocho Cinco gets it, or he doesn’t. He has had his opportunity, and he must now seize it. If he doesn’t? Well, he will be nothing more than an afterthought, a forgotten man on a deep team that looks like it’s going to have a deep playoff run. And for Ocho Cinco, to be forgotten is worse than not being productive.
The time is now for Ocho Cinco, or it will never come.
Monday, September 5, 2011
2011 AFC East Preview
For the first of our eight part 2011 NFL preview, we take a look at the AFC East. The teams are listed in order of where we expect them to finish.
1. New England Patriots: After a couple of years of terrible draft classes (with the release of Brandon Meriweather, the entire 2007 draft class is no longer a part of the Patriots) and a shift away from their identity, the Patriots loaded up for a run this season. Getting back to their roots, they traded for a couple of players that were considered malcontents on their previous teams in Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth. They also drafted running backs in the second and third rounds in Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen, giving them a stable of runners that they have not had in a long time. This will allow Tom Brady to get back to what he did when they were winning Super Bowls – manage the game and not have to try to win the games in a shootout.
On defense, the Patriots may have finally found that pass rush they have been missing for the last few years. They have one of the top pairs of defensive tackles that can be found in the NFL with a properly motivated Haynesworth and Vince Wilfork. The defensive ends are deep, and capable of getting into the backfield. With the depth at cornerback, the linebackers will be able to blitz more, letting a player like Jerod Mayo become more of a playmaker than just a tackling machine. Plus, the loss of Meriweather is addition by subtraction, as he proved time and time again to be incapable of playing within the system and displayed a consistent lack of football instincts.
The Patriots will win the AFC East, and should be considered one of the contenders for the Super Bowl
2. Miami Dolphins: Chad Henne was not nearly as bad as everyone thinks. He completed almost 62% of his passes, and set a career high for passing yards. People point to his 19 interceptions as proof that Henne cannot play quarterback, but he was incredibly unlucky in that department. As he throws an imminently catchable ball, only one of his potential interceptions was dropped, as opposed to the league average of eight. Put him at the league average, then Henne only threw 12 interceptions last year, which is a decent total. Also hurting Henne was a complete lack of a running game, and a terrible offensive line. Both have been upgraded, as Reggie Bush and rookie Daniel Thomas will now share the load carrying the ball. Bush, in particular, should be a major boost for Henne, as that will give him a second playmaker on offense to pair with Brandon Marshall.
The defense is very underrated, and very young in the secondary. The defensive line is quite capable of getting to the quarterback, and linebacker Cameron Wake is amongst the best pass rushers in the entire game. Vontae Davis appears ready to become a superstar, and Seth Smith is another developing player in the backfield. While the Dolphins were solid against the run last year, they did have problems with covering tight ends and runningbacks. To address this, Channing Crowder was sent packing, and the Dolphins brought in speedy Kevin Burnett, who can play every down for that defense.
Expect major improvement from Henne this year, as the Dolphins contend for a wild card spot.
3. New York Jets: For all the bombast and bravado that is spewed forth by Rex Ryan, he typically backs it up with his team’s performance. However, this season, he has far overstated the Jets ability. Claiming that this is the best team he has had is simply fallacy. It is difficult to see where this team actually upgraded, as they lost receivers Braylon Edwards, Jericho Cotchery, and Brad Smith; only to replace them with the slower Derrick Mason and the out-of-football-for-two-years Plaxico Burress. Yes, Burress can be a red zone target for Mark Sanchez, but they lost a lot of speed and playmaking ability from the receiving corps. Running back is another question mark, as no one knows if Shonn Greene can actually be an every down back. LaDanian Thomlinson wore down as the season progressed last year, and there are concerns as to whether or not he has anything left in the tank.
On defense, there are also concerns. After their failed pursuit of Nnamdi Asomugha, the Jets resigned Antonio Cromartie, who has an undeserved reputation as a ballhawk. People look at his 18 career interceptions, but they fail to realize that 10 came in his second year in the league when he was not a full time starter. Cromartie can be exploited, as can the middle of their pass defense. The linebackers and safeties are solid against the run, but struggle in passing situations. On defensive line, they lost Shaun Ellis to free agency (to the Patriots) and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins retired. To replace them, they drafted two rookies in Muhammad Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis. Can these two step right in and make the major contributions they will need to? In short, this defense is not nearly as good as they are perceived to be.
The Jets have enough talent to finish around .500, but they are not a playoff team.
4. Buffalo Bills: The biggest question with the Bills is Why? Why do they even bother to show up? Why do they make the moves that they do? Why?!
In all seriousness, the Bills could have just as easily won seven games last year, as they played a number of teams tough, only to lose in the last few minutes of games. Ryan Fitzpatrick has proven to be a solid quarterback, although they desperately need to address this position and get a quarterback of the future. Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller should be a solid tandem at running back, but Spiller is looking more and more like Reggie Bush with each passing game – nothing more than a situational back. The receivers are young and are all major question marks after Lee Evans was traded to Baltimore. While Steve Johnson exploded on the scene last year, can he keep up the pace as the focus of the opposing defenses? And what else will they line up with Johnson in the passing game?
The defense has a strong defensive line with absolute stud Kyle Williams anchoring the middle. Marcell Dareus could very well develop into another dominant lineman, giving them two solid building blocks there. The linebackers could be quite solid, depending on whether or not Shawne Merriman can stay on the field. While he was once a dominant player, he has been injury prone over the last few seasons. Arthur Moats (also known as the player that ended Brett Favre’s career) looks like a playmaker. The loss of Paul Posluszny hurts, especially if rookie Kelvin Sheppard is not up to the task of starting in the middle. They also signed former Packer Nick Barnett, which is a major upgrade at the linebacker position. A secondary that was amongst the worst in the NFL last year was upgraded during the draft, most notably with the pick of Aaron Williams. With the resigning of Drayton Florence, the defense should be dramatically better, but will it matter?
The Bills have some nice building blocks on defense, but they need to upgrade that offense dramatically in the next couple of drafts. They simply do not have the horses to compete in the AFC East.
1. New England Patriots: After a couple of years of terrible draft classes (with the release of Brandon Meriweather, the entire 2007 draft class is no longer a part of the Patriots) and a shift away from their identity, the Patriots loaded up for a run this season. Getting back to their roots, they traded for a couple of players that were considered malcontents on their previous teams in Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth. They also drafted running backs in the second and third rounds in Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen, giving them a stable of runners that they have not had in a long time. This will allow Tom Brady to get back to what he did when they were winning Super Bowls – manage the game and not have to try to win the games in a shootout.
On defense, the Patriots may have finally found that pass rush they have been missing for the last few years. They have one of the top pairs of defensive tackles that can be found in the NFL with a properly motivated Haynesworth and Vince Wilfork. The defensive ends are deep, and capable of getting into the backfield. With the depth at cornerback, the linebackers will be able to blitz more, letting a player like Jerod Mayo become more of a playmaker than just a tackling machine. Plus, the loss of Meriweather is addition by subtraction, as he proved time and time again to be incapable of playing within the system and displayed a consistent lack of football instincts.
The Patriots will win the AFC East, and should be considered one of the contenders for the Super Bowl
2. Miami Dolphins: Chad Henne was not nearly as bad as everyone thinks. He completed almost 62% of his passes, and set a career high for passing yards. People point to his 19 interceptions as proof that Henne cannot play quarterback, but he was incredibly unlucky in that department. As he throws an imminently catchable ball, only one of his potential interceptions was dropped, as opposed to the league average of eight. Put him at the league average, then Henne only threw 12 interceptions last year, which is a decent total. Also hurting Henne was a complete lack of a running game, and a terrible offensive line. Both have been upgraded, as Reggie Bush and rookie Daniel Thomas will now share the load carrying the ball. Bush, in particular, should be a major boost for Henne, as that will give him a second playmaker on offense to pair with Brandon Marshall.
The defense is very underrated, and very young in the secondary. The defensive line is quite capable of getting to the quarterback, and linebacker Cameron Wake is amongst the best pass rushers in the entire game. Vontae Davis appears ready to become a superstar, and Seth Smith is another developing player in the backfield. While the Dolphins were solid against the run last year, they did have problems with covering tight ends and runningbacks. To address this, Channing Crowder was sent packing, and the Dolphins brought in speedy Kevin Burnett, who can play every down for that defense.
Expect major improvement from Henne this year, as the Dolphins contend for a wild card spot.
3. New York Jets: For all the bombast and bravado that is spewed forth by Rex Ryan, he typically backs it up with his team’s performance. However, this season, he has far overstated the Jets ability. Claiming that this is the best team he has had is simply fallacy. It is difficult to see where this team actually upgraded, as they lost receivers Braylon Edwards, Jericho Cotchery, and Brad Smith; only to replace them with the slower Derrick Mason and the out-of-football-for-two-years Plaxico Burress. Yes, Burress can be a red zone target for Mark Sanchez, but they lost a lot of speed and playmaking ability from the receiving corps. Running back is another question mark, as no one knows if Shonn Greene can actually be an every down back. LaDanian Thomlinson wore down as the season progressed last year, and there are concerns as to whether or not he has anything left in the tank.
On defense, there are also concerns. After their failed pursuit of Nnamdi Asomugha, the Jets resigned Antonio Cromartie, who has an undeserved reputation as a ballhawk. People look at his 18 career interceptions, but they fail to realize that 10 came in his second year in the league when he was not a full time starter. Cromartie can be exploited, as can the middle of their pass defense. The linebackers and safeties are solid against the run, but struggle in passing situations. On defensive line, they lost Shaun Ellis to free agency (to the Patriots) and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins retired. To replace them, they drafted two rookies in Muhammad Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis. Can these two step right in and make the major contributions they will need to? In short, this defense is not nearly as good as they are perceived to be.
The Jets have enough talent to finish around .500, but they are not a playoff team.
4. Buffalo Bills: The biggest question with the Bills is Why? Why do they even bother to show up? Why do they make the moves that they do? Why?!
In all seriousness, the Bills could have just as easily won seven games last year, as they played a number of teams tough, only to lose in the last few minutes of games. Ryan Fitzpatrick has proven to be a solid quarterback, although they desperately need to address this position and get a quarterback of the future. Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller should be a solid tandem at running back, but Spiller is looking more and more like Reggie Bush with each passing game – nothing more than a situational back. The receivers are young and are all major question marks after Lee Evans was traded to Baltimore. While Steve Johnson exploded on the scene last year, can he keep up the pace as the focus of the opposing defenses? And what else will they line up with Johnson in the passing game?
The defense has a strong defensive line with absolute stud Kyle Williams anchoring the middle. Marcell Dareus could very well develop into another dominant lineman, giving them two solid building blocks there. The linebackers could be quite solid, depending on whether or not Shawne Merriman can stay on the field. While he was once a dominant player, he has been injury prone over the last few seasons. Arthur Moats (also known as the player that ended Brett Favre’s career) looks like a playmaker. The loss of Paul Posluszny hurts, especially if rookie Kelvin Sheppard is not up to the task of starting in the middle. They also signed former Packer Nick Barnett, which is a major upgrade at the linebacker position. A secondary that was amongst the worst in the NFL last year was upgraded during the draft, most notably with the pick of Aaron Williams. With the resigning of Drayton Florence, the defense should be dramatically better, but will it matter?
The Bills have some nice building blocks on defense, but they need to upgrade that offense dramatically in the next couple of drafts. They simply do not have the horses to compete in the AFC East.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Shut Up Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan is a man of obsessions, some of which are stronger than others. Yet, through it all, he has one thing that is most on his mind - his main fixation. No, he is not most obsessed with winning Super Bowls. Nor is he most obsessed with being the center of attention whenever a microphone and /or video camera may be anywhere nearby. In fact, he is not even this obsessed with his peculiar personal fetish of people's feet. No, his main fixation is none other than the New England Patriots and their head coach, , Bill Belichick.
Over the course of his tenure as head coach of the Jets, he has consistantly gone out of his way to poke at the Patriots and Belichick. While his stated goal each season is to win the Super Bowl, or so he claims, it is his actions and words that prove otherwise. Seemingly every other word that comes from his mouth is directed at the Patriots and Belichick, and for what purpose? He knows that Belichick is not going to engage him in a bout of sarcastic posturing before the bright lights and shiny microphones of the assembled masses of the media. What purpose does this serve?
What this does is give a glimpse into the psyche of a man who has essentially become a parody of himself. We now know that Belichick is on his mind more than whether or not his wife still has that hot bunion on her toe or if he should get a goddamned snack. In fact, if Rex Ryan spent nearly as much time on trying to develop Mark Sanchez as he does trying to come up with sarcastic rejoinders about the Patriots, then maybe his quarterback would be good for something other than being the focal point of countless off-color fantasy football team names.
As such, shut up Rex Ryan. Until you win a Super Bowl, stop talking about a coach that is lightyears better than you could possibly imagine being, and use your mouth for all-you-can-eat buffets and your wife's toes.
Over the course of his tenure as head coach of the Jets, he has consistantly gone out of his way to poke at the Patriots and Belichick. While his stated goal each season is to win the Super Bowl, or so he claims, it is his actions and words that prove otherwise. Seemingly every other word that comes from his mouth is directed at the Patriots and Belichick, and for what purpose? He knows that Belichick is not going to engage him in a bout of sarcastic posturing before the bright lights and shiny microphones of the assembled masses of the media. What purpose does this serve?
What this does is give a glimpse into the psyche of a man who has essentially become a parody of himself. We now know that Belichick is on his mind more than whether or not his wife still has that hot bunion on her toe or if he should get a goddamned snack. In fact, if Rex Ryan spent nearly as much time on trying to develop Mark Sanchez as he does trying to come up with sarcastic rejoinders about the Patriots, then maybe his quarterback would be good for something other than being the focal point of countless off-color fantasy football team names.
As such, shut up Rex Ryan. Until you win a Super Bowl, stop talking about a coach that is lightyears better than you could possibly imagine being, and use your mouth for all-you-can-eat buffets and your wife's toes.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Two storylines from the Pats-Jets game last night
In a much anticipated Monday Night Football game last night, the New England Patriots and the New York Jets squared off in what promised to be one of the best games of the 2010 season. Instead, this game was over by the end of the first quarter, as the New England Patriots pummeled the New York Jets as though they were Mike Tyson in his prime against Michael Spinks. Even France put up more of a resistance to Germany during both World Wars than the Jets defense did to Tom Brady and the Patriots offense.
However, during this drubbing, two things occurred. First, this game marked the complete derailing of the Sanchize Bandwagon. Mark Sanchez is now being criticized as not being a franchise quarterback, being incapable of playing in a big game, and essentially being a waste of the number five pick last season. Now, there are several things to remember here. Sanchez is only 23 years old. This is his second year in the league. Young quarterbacks do make mistakes, especially when facing a great defensive coach such as Bill Belichick. Even experienced quarterbacks make mistakes. Brett Favre has made an entire career out of making mistakes and being bailed out by his receiving corps.
The argument that Sanchez cannot win in a pressure situation also does not apply here. Last season, as a rookie, he won two playoff games and brought the Jets to the AFC Championship game. Yes, he had more of a game manager role, but the fact of the matter is that he still twice led them to road playoff victories. While Sanchez may never reach the levels of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees, not too many quarterbacks ever will. There is nothing wrong with having a solid quarterback who can play within a system and will only improve in time. The Jets are 9-3, not 3-9. There is no reason to panic and throw the quarterback under the proverbial bus.
The second interesting occurrence may have been missed by majority of the viewers. Late in the fourth quarter, with the game far out of reach, the Patriots brought out Fred Taylor to finish the game. While Taylor has been injured for much of this season, this was a peculiar time to put him on the field. Majority of the rushes during the game were given to Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead, the former was on the bubble in terms of roster cuts during training camp and the latter of which wasn't even with the Patriots until week two. It would appear that there should have been an opportunity for Taylor to get a couple of plays when the conclusion of the game was still in question.
So, at this stage of his career, is Taylor the Patriots human victory cigar - an aging veteran who no longer is capable of performing on the field but is great in the locker room? Has he taken over the role that Junior Seau had the past couple of years when in New England? If so, this is a sad ending to Taylor's vastly underrated career. Despite the injuries he has accumulated over the years, he has still managed to gain 11,647 rushing yards, good for second amongst active players and fifteenth all-time. He is a Hall of Fame caliber player, even if he toiled in the obscurity of Jacksonville for most of his career. Yet, Taylor only made it to one Pro Bowl, signifying the lack of respect he has received over his career. If this is truly the end of the line, then the best thing for Taylor would be for him to go onto the IR, and allow him to become an unofficial coach and mentor for the young runningbacks on the team. Watching him limp onto the field and take a handoff in the waning moments of a blowout is not how this underappreciated player should be remembered.
However, during this drubbing, two things occurred. First, this game marked the complete derailing of the Sanchize Bandwagon. Mark Sanchez is now being criticized as not being a franchise quarterback, being incapable of playing in a big game, and essentially being a waste of the number five pick last season. Now, there are several things to remember here. Sanchez is only 23 years old. This is his second year in the league. Young quarterbacks do make mistakes, especially when facing a great defensive coach such as Bill Belichick. Even experienced quarterbacks make mistakes. Brett Favre has made an entire career out of making mistakes and being bailed out by his receiving corps.
The argument that Sanchez cannot win in a pressure situation also does not apply here. Last season, as a rookie, he won two playoff games and brought the Jets to the AFC Championship game. Yes, he had more of a game manager role, but the fact of the matter is that he still twice led them to road playoff victories. While Sanchez may never reach the levels of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees, not too many quarterbacks ever will. There is nothing wrong with having a solid quarterback who can play within a system and will only improve in time. The Jets are 9-3, not 3-9. There is no reason to panic and throw the quarterback under the proverbial bus.
The second interesting occurrence may have been missed by majority of the viewers. Late in the fourth quarter, with the game far out of reach, the Patriots brought out Fred Taylor to finish the game. While Taylor has been injured for much of this season, this was a peculiar time to put him on the field. Majority of the rushes during the game were given to Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead, the former was on the bubble in terms of roster cuts during training camp and the latter of which wasn't even with the Patriots until week two. It would appear that there should have been an opportunity for Taylor to get a couple of plays when the conclusion of the game was still in question.
So, at this stage of his career, is Taylor the Patriots human victory cigar - an aging veteran who no longer is capable of performing on the field but is great in the locker room? Has he taken over the role that Junior Seau had the past couple of years when in New England? If so, this is a sad ending to Taylor's vastly underrated career. Despite the injuries he has accumulated over the years, he has still managed to gain 11,647 rushing yards, good for second amongst active players and fifteenth all-time. He is a Hall of Fame caliber player, even if he toiled in the obscurity of Jacksonville for most of his career. Yet, Taylor only made it to one Pro Bowl, signifying the lack of respect he has received over his career. If this is truly the end of the line, then the best thing for Taylor would be for him to go onto the IR, and allow him to become an unofficial coach and mentor for the young runningbacks on the team. Watching him limp onto the field and take a handoff in the waning moments of a blowout is not how this underappreciated player should be remembered.
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