Jets fans should not be worried any longer. Brett Favre is coming to town to make the offense exciting, Alan Faneca will open up holes for running backs, Leon Washington and Thomas Jones, to secure. Kris Jenkins is going to be the two-way defender the Jets have longed for in stuffing the run and attacking the quarterback. Vernon Gholston could be the next Mo Lewis for New York.
There's only one probem, projections and reality are far different phenomena and the Jets are a farce to this point. The team could easily be 0-3 if it were not for Chad Pennington's weak arm. This running game has been much improved because of Faneca but Jenkins cannot afford to sit out any more contests because the defense looks lost without him. Favre is being helped by an offensive coordinator who comes from the same school of coaching as a person who has no playoff victories and does not take chances. Then, when Brian Schottenheimer experiments, he goes to an extreme (the way he did with San Diego).
The schedule is definitely in favor of the Jets but they have to take advantage of the holes that are available. The next opponent is not an easy one in the Arizona Cardinals, who before losing to the Redskins in week three, blasted the Dolphins 31-10.
Get your offense in order and allow Jenkins to re-join the lineup. It won't be pretty if the two don't.
By the way if the Jets do not perform well without the services of Jenkins, how fit are they to get to the postseason? The Giants suspended Plaxico Burress and the squad still possesses Amani Toomer, Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Ahmad Bradshaw, and David Tyree.
Get a grip Jets! Or your handl on a playoff spot wil be long gone by week eight.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tom Terrific Goes Tumbling
While the Giants were methodically taking advantage of a flat Redskins defense in the first half (which led to victory) on Thursday and the Jets hung by a thread to pull out the contest against the Miami Dolphins (Sunday) the Patriots were dealt a knockout punch that might kill their 2008-09 season.
It seemed like an odd opponent to go down against. The Kansas City Chiefs just drafted Glen Dorsey, out of LSU, to help one of the worst pass-rush defenses in all of the League. Yet, it was not him who forced quarterback, Tom Brady, to the sidelines for the rest of the year with a torn ACL.
Regardless of the kind of talent New England exhibits on a week-to-week basis, Brady is irreplaceable because he is the best quarterback in the League. The weapons he was provided were extraordinary because Brady tossed the ball to those receivers and opened up the running game for Sammy Morris and Laurence Maroney.
While New England still has Randy Moss and Wes Welker at the wide receivers' position having a USC third string starter should not soothe the worries of fans in the Boston area.
Who is Matt Cassel?
He was the backup quarterback for two Heisman Trophy winners at the University of Southern California: Carson Palmer (the signal caller for the Bengals) and Matt Leinart (the backup quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals). The last time Cassel started a game was in high school. He's only thrown 57 NFL passes in a little more than three years.
Note this: the Patriots have a rookie backup and just signed a third stringer, Matt Gutierrez , who was their third fiddle last year.
There is no doubt Tom Brady's torn ACL gives Jets and Bill fans huge hope in winning a division title. The last season the Patriots did not win the division was in 2002 when the Jets blew out the Packers in the last game of the season and the Patriots succumbed to the Dolphins in Miami.
Brett Favre and Trent Edwards have to be infinitely better than Matt Cassel for the two squads to overtake the Patriots because in spite of losing Asante Samuel during the offseason, the Pats always refuel.
In the end, The Jets will probably win the division because of the acquisition of Brett Favre and the seasons injury to Mr. Brady.
It seemed like an odd opponent to go down against. The Kansas City Chiefs just drafted Glen Dorsey, out of LSU, to help one of the worst pass-rush defenses in all of the League. Yet, it was not him who forced quarterback, Tom Brady, to the sidelines for the rest of the year with a torn ACL.
Regardless of the kind of talent New England exhibits on a week-to-week basis, Brady is irreplaceable because he is the best quarterback in the League. The weapons he was provided were extraordinary because Brady tossed the ball to those receivers and opened up the running game for Sammy Morris and Laurence Maroney.
While New England still has Randy Moss and Wes Welker at the wide receivers' position having a USC third string starter should not soothe the worries of fans in the Boston area.
Who is Matt Cassel?
He was the backup quarterback for two Heisman Trophy winners at the University of Southern California: Carson Palmer (the signal caller for the Bengals) and Matt Leinart (the backup quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals). The last time Cassel started a game was in high school. He's only thrown 57 NFL passes in a little more than three years.
Note this: the Patriots have a rookie backup and just signed a third stringer, Matt Gutierrez , who was their third fiddle last year.
There is no doubt Tom Brady's torn ACL gives Jets and Bill fans huge hope in winning a division title. The last season the Patriots did not win the division was in 2002 when the Jets blew out the Packers in the last game of the season and the Patriots succumbed to the Dolphins in Miami.
Brett Favre and Trent Edwards have to be infinitely better than Matt Cassel for the two squads to overtake the Patriots because in spite of losing Asante Samuel during the offseason, the Pats always refuel.
In the end, The Jets will probably win the division because of the acquisition of Brett Favre and the seasons injury to Mr. Brady.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Giant Step?
Caterpillars crawl around the ground struggling to find their adaptive environment (whether it be as a butterfly or a moth).
In a similar fashion, the Giants identity was in disarray during the first half of last year. But matters changed on the presence of two pro-bowl caliber players in Michael Strahan and Osi Uymenyora and three others (Kavicka Mitchell, Reggie Torbor, and Gebril Wilson). Offenses were slowed to a crawl during the last half of the season, including the playoffs.
This year there's new life to the Giants defensive environment...featuring Justin Tuck, Matthias Kiwanuka, and Jerome McDougle. Combine the efforts of those three with Fred Robbins and company and the Giants defense looked in prime gear against the Washington Redskins in Week one
Washington's Clinton Portis was unable to exploit and explode on the newly crafted Giants defense. The 'Skins ran for 83 yards but was unable to score in the last 30 minutes of the game. This is only the start of what could possibly be another magical run to the postseason for New York.
As for the offense, Eli Manning was effective enough to not give up the contest as he tossed for 200 yards with an interception on 19/35 passing. Brandon Jacobs earned another hundred yard gain while Derrick Ward replaced the graduate of Southern Illinois with solid bulldozing.
It is no doubt a solid victory by a club which not getting he respect it deserves after winning the Super Bowl.
But let me explain the format:
If players execute actions to perfection, teams can separate themselves even further. The Giants' first drive was fantastic; but looking at the rear view mirror after the game the G-Men scored three field goals the remainder of the game.
All in all: if the Giants want to repeat as champions, take charge and throw teams down when they allow it. Mental mistakes are inexcusable especially when the tougher teams arrive on Nw York's schedule.
Take a check of my football blog after the Jets play Sunday afternoon.
In a similar fashion, the Giants identity was in disarray during the first half of last year. But matters changed on the presence of two pro-bowl caliber players in Michael Strahan and Osi Uymenyora and three others (Kavicka Mitchell, Reggie Torbor, and Gebril Wilson). Offenses were slowed to a crawl during the last half of the season, including the playoffs.
This year there's new life to the Giants defensive environment...featuring Justin Tuck, Matthias Kiwanuka, and Jerome McDougle. Combine the efforts of those three with Fred Robbins and company and the Giants defense looked in prime gear against the Washington Redskins in Week one
Washington's Clinton Portis was unable to exploit and explode on the newly crafted Giants defense. The 'Skins ran for 83 yards but was unable to score in the last 30 minutes of the game. This is only the start of what could possibly be another magical run to the postseason for New York.
As for the offense, Eli Manning was effective enough to not give up the contest as he tossed for 200 yards with an interception on 19/35 passing. Brandon Jacobs earned another hundred yard gain while Derrick Ward replaced the graduate of Southern Illinois with solid bulldozing.
It is no doubt a solid victory by a club which not getting he respect it deserves after winning the Super Bowl.
But let me explain the format:
If players execute actions to perfection, teams can separate themselves even further. The Giants' first drive was fantastic; but looking at the rear view mirror after the game the G-Men scored three field goals the remainder of the game.
All in all: if the Giants want to repeat as champions, take charge and throw teams down when they allow it. Mental mistakes are inexcusable especially when the tougher teams arrive on Nw York's schedule.
Take a check of my football blog after the Jets play Sunday afternoon.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Cliff Lee All Alone
How many of you would have guessed that the starter with the most wins in all of Major League Baseball would be Cleveland’s, Cliff Lee?
Or for that matter, how sparse is the population who thought Lee would have a better campaign than C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona with the Indians?
Lee was sent to the minors to work on his mental toughness and improving the location of his pitches. After all, the left-hander was anything but adequate on the mound last season which prompted the team to demote him.
How could a demotion motivate someone to the extent that the person becomes the frontrunner for a pitchers’ highest prize?
Sabathia was the Cy Young award winner in the American League (the honor going to the best pitcher in each League) while Carmona had an exceptional power fastball with great deception on his off-speed pitches. The two earned 19 wins a year ago in leading the Tribe to Game seven of the American League Championship Series.
Just imagine if Sabathia had not started as slowly as a turtle with the Indians and he pitched with such conviction with Cleveland in as many starts as he has with Milwaukee. Could we have proclaimed Cleveland to win the division?
Probably not! Without Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner in the lineup there is no lightning rod in the order
But the probability that Cleveland is within a couple of games is not unreasonable!
Instead, like most other franchises who have a history of selling off all assets of the team (in the hope of rebuilding into a contender), Cleveland’s level of pay was inferior compared with the Royals for a while.
Keep the players and play out the string! Wait for your stars to get healthy and stop making rash decisions that could destroy the team for years.
Or for that matter, how sparse is the population who thought Lee would have a better campaign than C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona with the Indians?
Lee was sent to the minors to work on his mental toughness and improving the location of his pitches. After all, the left-hander was anything but adequate on the mound last season which prompted the team to demote him.
How could a demotion motivate someone to the extent that the person becomes the frontrunner for a pitchers’ highest prize?
Sabathia was the Cy Young award winner in the American League (the honor going to the best pitcher in each League) while Carmona had an exceptional power fastball with great deception on his off-speed pitches. The two earned 19 wins a year ago in leading the Tribe to Game seven of the American League Championship Series.
Just imagine if Sabathia had not started as slowly as a turtle with the Indians and he pitched with such conviction with Cleveland in as many starts as he has with Milwaukee. Could we have proclaimed Cleveland to win the division?
Probably not! Without Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner in the lineup there is no lightning rod in the order
But the probability that Cleveland is within a couple of games is not unreasonable!
Instead, like most other franchises who have a history of selling off all assets of the team (in the hope of rebuilding into a contender), Cleveland’s level of pay was inferior compared with the Royals for a while.
Keep the players and play out the string! Wait for your stars to get healthy and stop making rash decisions that could destroy the team for years.
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