NYJets Team Report

EcKo151 · Nov 1, 2006

For a rookie NFL head coach, the first season is a series of firsts. Almost every situation is a new one, at least as the man in charge. And this week is no exception, as Eric Mangini will experience a bye week for the first time as the Jets' head coach.

He decided to work the first three days of the bye week before giving the players Thursday and Friday off for a four-day weekend before resuming preparations next Monday for their game at AFC East-leading New England on Nov. 12.

"We're going to work through Wednesday and get a couple of real good days here," Mangini said Monday, "and then I'm going to give the players some time off to get away a little bit and then we'll work again next week early in the week and then move to more of a regular schedule.

"Our focus as a staff is to go through segment-by-segment," Mangini added, "identify the core issues, put those into a package of adjustments and things we need to work on, present it to the players, show them the film, walk through the adjustments, practice the adjustments (and) correct the adjustments on tape. And then move on to the next segment, so we can really learn from the first eight games (and) also incorporate a little bit of what we will be doing in the following eight games and moving into next week."

The bye week will be especially important for the Jets because they will be making adjustments in offensive and defensive systems that they've only worked on since last May, when voluntary mini-camp began and the players began getting immersed in the new schemes of Mangini and his staff.

"It's always good to get the bye," Mangini said. "Everybody has that soreness, that lingering soreness from camp and the first eight games. (It will be good) to get some of that out, to go back and not be worried about game planning, but be able to take a step back and objectively look at all the different things we did and face it with a lot of honesty and put together a good plan moving forward."

For wide receiver Laveranues Coles, the bye will mean a chance to get healthy. A nagging calf injury has taken away some of his ability to get deep.

"I'm going to try and get out of the way as much as I can this week," Coles said, "and try and get some of these nicks a little bit better so I can come back full-speed."

The Jets also don't mind that their bye is coming exactly at the midpoint of the 2006 season.

"I think it's good," defensive end-linebacker Bryan Thomas said, "because you give your legs a chance to rest and you get to focus on a lot of things that you haven't focused on since training camp. ... (things) that you don't have enough time to take care of during the game weeks."

--K Mike Nugent's kickoff after his first field goal Sunday went out of bounds, giving Cleveland the ball at its own 40. The Browns took advantage of the short field to go 30 yards to a tying 47-yard field goal by Phil Dawson. The Jets never led again.

The wins at the time "really wasn't that bad," Mangini said. "We were trying to set up a specific coverage based off the kick, and Mike was trying to place it. I think he just caught it the wrong way."

P Ben Graham has a much stronger leg than Nugent, and Mangini was asked if he has thought about having Graham handle kickoffs.

"I've talked about developing different skill sets based off the strength of his leg," Mangini said. "That's a little bit of a weakness of his right now. Kickoffs could be something we could work on. He also has to learn how to throw the ball. We don't want to (experiment) too much in season because it could affect his punting, transitioning in and out. And he's done well with the punting side of it. But those are definitely things we would definitely talk about in the off-season and maybe get him functional throwing the ball."

Graham holds for field goals, and thus could be used for fakes if he could throw.

--Coach Eric Mangini refused to say Monday whether he thought the controversial call Sunday was the wrong one. The officials ruled that tight end Chris Baker was not forced out of bounds on what could have been a 24-yard touchdown catch that would have drawn the Jets to within one point, pending a PAT. Had a forceout been ruled, the catch would have been good.

"If I was the official, I would always rule for the Jets. Unfortunately, I can't," Mangini said. "He made the decision he made. That's the decision we have to respect and deal with."

Video of the play was submitted by the Jets to the NFL, although other than a possible apology, it won't change the result. Mangini did indicate that perhaps the league's competition committee should examine the call and the rule.

PLAYER NOTES

--CB-KR Justin Miller's 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was his second of the season and third in his last nine games, counting a touchdown against Buffalo in the 2005 season finale. He had four returns for 161 yards in the game.

--WR-QB Brad Smith had a 7-yard run for a third down, but lost a total of 3 yards on two other rushes.

--WR-PR Tim Dwight had no receptions, but had four punt returns, as Detroit punted out of bounds once and for a touchback the other time.

--OL Trey Teague (ankle) was inactive for the eighth straight game. It turns out the Jets should have put him on the physically unable to perform list when the season began.

--CB Andre Dyson apparently injured his ankle against Cleveland, but there was no update about him from coach Eric Mangini on Monday.

--K Mike Nugent was 2-for-3 on FG attempts, converting from 27 and 47 yards and missing wide right from 52. Nugent is 0-for-3 from 50 yards or longer as a pro.

REPORT CARD THROUGH EIGHT GAMES

PASS OFFENSE: B-minus -- Chad Pennington still is upright and healthy, which is the best news for the Jets through the first half of the season. While he is still an effective game manager and has thrown the deep ball well on occasion, he only has a nine-to-eight TD:INT ratio. A rebuilding line has allowed him to be sacked 19 times. WR Laveranues Coles (46 catches) is as reliable as ever, but a calf problem has kept him from getting deep in recent games. WR Jerricho Cotchery (35 catches) has been a revelation, while TE Chris Baker still is underutilized. WR Justin McCareins has all but disappeared from the offense after the first two games.

RUSHING OFFENSE: D-plus -- Leon Washington (397 yards, 4.6) has provided some spark, but the rookie lost his first NFL fumble on Sunday. Kevan Barlow hasn't been bad in short-yardage situations, with five TDs, but his 3.0 average demonstrates why the 49ers traded him. Derrick Blaylock was an even bigger flop and hasn't had a touch since Sept. 17, while Cedric Houston, the Jets' best downhill runner, has been out since suffering a knee injury against Indianapolis on Oct. 1. There are more holes being opened by the line now than there were early in the season.

PASS DEFENSE: C-minus -- The Jets still have been unable to get to opposing quarterbacks consistently, as their 13 sacks ranks them in a tie for 26th in the NFL in that category, and is a major reason why their pass defense is 24th. DE Shaun Ellis' two sacks both came in the same game and opponents have adjusted to take away the blitzes of SS Kerry Rhodes. CBs Andre Dyson and Justin Miller both give too much cushion, but at least Dyson has a knack for making plays (a team-high three INTS). The Jets also have been quite vulnerable when teams go to the hurry-up offense late in games.

RUSH DEFENSE: D-minus -- The names of the defensive coordinators and of the players change, but the results never seem to vary in this category. The Jets again are near the bottom of the league in rushing defense, ranking 29th. The switch to the 3-4 defense hasn't helped, as it is not suitable for DT Dewayne Robertson, who needs to play in a two-gapping system. ILB Jonathan Vilma also isn't as good a player as he was in the 4-3. The one player who has benefited the most from the switch is DE/OLB Bryan Thomas, who is playing the Willie McGinest-type position in the scheme.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A-minus -- Justin Miller hasn't become the cover corner the Jets had hoped, and he was a complete washout at returning (and for that matter, catching) punts. But he has developed into a game-breaking kickoff returner, with three touchdowns in his last nine games, including two this season. Coverage on kickoffs and punts has been good. P Ben Graham is 10th in net average at 38.6, and had net punts of 60 and 66 yards negated by penalties. K Mike Nugent is 7-for-10 on FGs, but has missed only one attempt since a disastrous opening day. His kickoffs still aren't that deep, however. Tim Dwight (10.2) has been solid on punt returns.

COACHING: B -- Eric Mangini needs to get better on challenges, as a failed one Sunday made him 1-for-5 in his rookie season as a head coach. But he has brought a no-excuses attitude that was sorely lacking under former coach Herm Edwards. New OC Brian Schottenheimer has called some very good games and also has had some growing pains. He needs to find more ways to get "slash" threat Brad Smith involved in the offense. DC Bob Sutton is trying to fit 4-3 pegs into 3-4 holes, and needs to find ways to come up with more pressure on opposing QBs.
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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/teamReport?categoryId=67057&type=StrategyAndPersonnel

ScotsJet · Nov 1, 2006

"If I was the official, I would always rule for the Jets. Unfortunately, I can't," Mangini said.
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Me too, Eric.

mondaynightmiracles · Nov 1, 2006

Thanks for posting that article.......good read

4jetfans · Nov 1, 2006

DC Bob Sutton is trying to fit 4-3 pegs into 3-4 holes, and needs to find ways to come up with more pressure on opposing QBs. WHY not just scratch the 3-4 until we get all the right peices. WERE getting killed right up the middle. VERY Sad to watch.

KOZ · Nov 1, 2006

4jetfans said:

DC Bob Sutton is trying to fit 4-3 pegs into 3-4 holes, and needs to find ways to come up with more pressure on opposing QBs. WHY not just scratch the 3-4 until we get all the right peices. WERE getting killed right up the middle. VERY Sad to watch.
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Is it Sutton who is forcing the 3-4 or Mangini who is forcing it upon him? I'd find it very interesting if Sutton was able to freelance along those lines.

ScotsJet · Nov 1, 2006

Are you sure it isn't 4-3 [blocks] into 3-4 [holes]?

phubbadaman · Nov 1, 2006

Its a rebuildling year, let them see what they have on defense and what needs to be corrected in the offseason. 3-4 is obviously the defense of our future.

SOWELLisGOD · Nov 1, 2006

phubbadaman said:

Its a rebuildling year, let them see what they have on defense and what needs to be corrected in the offseason. 3-4 is obviously the defense of our future.
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agreed, we gotta learn to live with it, and i think we can all expect a major overhaul this off-season

ESCRONDON · Nov 1, 2006

Good report...a good read.
Thanks for posting it.

GreenScreen313 · Nov 1, 2006

i'm addicted to this website

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