yeah. its ridiculously hard, especially in the salary cap era, to have players of strength across all 5 positions of the offensive line. I think you will always have a weaker link on the offensive line but guard and even center (not a problem here) are the places to hide those weaknesses. So while the Jets certainly don't have what I would call "players of strength" or "good players" at RG this season, thats just where their weakest link on the line lies. DBH will call it "a big issue" because he doesn't really know much about the game but it's not a big issue though because they are doing a good job not making their weakest link a big issue. Fitzpatrick is getting the ball out quickly (perhaps too quickly sometimes) and I think spreading things out has helped as well. MMs system last year also had a lot of slower developing plays, particularly runs, which puts a lot of pressure on the offensive line and can expose weaknesses. "a big issue" is when you don't realize who your weakest link is and don't account for it. I'm not seeing that at all from the Jets and while they don't have the best offensive line in the NFL by any means, I think they are closer to the best than they are closer to the worst, upper mid level. I'll take that
Its not really something that happens consistently at any level. In the NFL it will happen occasionally on a given play... more so with great teams. In college it'll happen consistently only in overmatched games like when a LSU faces a Nichols State or something ridiculous, but opening holes 4-5 yards untouched is the goal, not the consistent reality even for good offensive lines
Everyone wants to suck off the Cowboys line but Murray led the NFL with 998 yards after contact last season. It doesn't happen.
That's very possible. I just remember Brady beating it like a drum at some point and the Jets abandoning it after that.
First off let me tell you how happy I am with this team performance so far. I never expected it to be 3-1, with a few mistakes away from being 4-0. We still have a long way to go but I think we compare favorably with the 2009-2010 team. 1- A couple of areas were we are decisively better IMO is FO and CS. That to me translates into better preparation, adjustments, clock management and personnel management. We are ready to go every week and we are placing players in a position to be most effective. 2- I would say (going by memory) the area were we are clearly not remotely as good as the 2009 squad is special teams, punting, returning and blocking schemes. to me this is an achiles heal. 3- Defensively we are extremely comparable with a chance to be better. Our take away ratio is impressive. ILB position is not quite there. 4- Offensively we are a player or two that can catapult either side. I think OL, RB and WR is comparable if not better. You can argue the Fitz value versus Sanchez at nausea, that is the big elephant in the room. Suffice is to say, they are both prone to major brain farts when you least expect it. TE? well, have we ever had one? 5- I think the other negative, again based solely on memory, is our propensity for mistakes at the most importune time. Too many and during the most crucial parts of the game. I think this squad has quite a bit more room to improve, and if and when it does, it could even be better than 2009. It might just boil down to Fitz, or Geno, more youth at the LB position. But we are not as far away as some people might think. All of this is my uneducated fan assessment of a squad that has brought back some serious hope of good things to come. Go Jets
I know some guys here like to bust on Dustin Keller but I would take his 2009-2010 production on this team in a nanosecond over what we have. He was a pretty important part of those teams--especially 2010. Not a superstar but a big contributor. I think he gets an unfair rap here after how he played for us. _
Yes, the rap on Keller was that he was inconsistent, would disappear for stretches. But at least he also produced at times. Many say Gailey doesn't use the TE much, but all things being equal that team was better at TE than the current team by a long shot. I also think Fitzpatrick is better than Sanchez, by a fair deal. He's more a field general than Sanchez ever was. And yes special teams right now are worse.
I personally did like Dustin a lot, although his game was a little hot and cold. I had hi hopes for him and thought he could really be a weapon that could stretch the field. Yet the Jets OC thru time seem to only use the TE as a final option. He would probably excell now with this team, IF Gailey would use the TE. He is the most talented TE we have had for a while, unfortunately for him he never was given the chance to reach his full potential.
The rap on Keller was that he was a big WR playing TE at 6'2, 240 and that he wasn't the kind of blocker you wanted out of an in-line TE. He would fit in beautifully right now with what Gailey and the Jets are trying to do. He'd split out in the slot and play some h-back and probably catch 75 balls for this team.
If we had a top 10 QB this team would be looking really good right now with Richardson coming back. We would probably be undefeated too. I wonder if the Jets will ever get a top QB again. We didn't have a QB in 09-10 either so I guess we can still be surprised.
Fair point, but keep in mind Dallas has the top O-line in the country. What we did on our D-line (4 first round pics) Dallas did with their O-line. It will be fun to watch the line play when we play the 'Boys. Top O-line vs Top D-line. My moneys on MoWilk, Richardson, and Williams (throw Coples in their too).
I'd rather have just an above avg QB and $20M/yr left over to spend on dudes like Revis, Mo, Sheldon, etc. It's fun seeing more than just one name on the back of jerseys!
Valid, but depends on how good that QB is. Sucks to be the Ravens right now, Sucks to be the 49ers right now, Sucks to be the Saints right now. Steelers are forced to completely rebuild their defense via the draft - because Big Ben makes so much. Ravens specifically are suffering the most. Seahawks will be next. Packers are sustaining success with some big names on both sides of the ball.
Keller came into the league a few years to early.. not in terms of his age or maturity, but in terms of how the game is being played right now on the offensive side of the ball.
Keller also had middling route cut speed for a purely receiving TE, went down on first contact and had this maddening tendency to try to leap over tacklers in such an awkward way that he'd almost always get injured when he tried.
Everything you said was on point except for this. That was just a ridiculous statement. Fitzpatrick is nowhere near good. He's below average. He's a bottom tier QB. At best, he's a good game manager. But that's about it. Take at the rankings so far: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000552279/article/qb-index-quarterseason-rankings-132
You're looking at a sports writer's rankings in week 4 and taking it as the gospel you want to believe. Stupid. The reality with the link you posted is that he's taking the temperature of QBs at this point in the season and his ranking will be completely different 4 weeks from now, but you are content with using his particular article to determine a definite. What makes Fitz average is his weak arm and lack of consistency. And also his confidence as a QB and ability to create from the pocket. Maybe you have an axe to grind, maybe not; I myself consider him average because I know he's going to pull out a few games that will make him look like a top tier QB and those games will bring him higher in the GREGGG ROSENTHAWL QB POWER RANKINGS that you seem to think are so all-encompassing. They aren't.
