A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Deep Thoughts (On the Jets)

1. I'm a few months older than Jets running back Curtis Martin. While I don't get hit as much as Martin, I've gone to a lot of Jets games over the last 11 years, and it's taking its toll. Watching a Jets game on TV is hard enough, but afterward one can quickly move on to other activities.

Going to the game and coming home from the game is something else. Last night, after a tense game that the Jets won but were far from their best, I did not get home until after 9. Even though I declined to participate in the J-E-T-S chants, when I called my wife on the way home, I discovered that my voice was lost, apparently during a late 4th quarter Dolphins drive stopped by the Jets defense.

2. Chad Pennington was far from great yesterday. During several 3rd quarter drives, he was completely out of sync with his receivers. Had the Jets defense not played as well, and/or had it been faced with a stronger offensive opponent, the 17 points put up by the Jets might well have left them at 0-2.

Yet Pennington was at his best when he was most needed, and that counts for more than a little. After last week's debacle, the Jets needed to start strong, and they scored a touchdown on an 80 yard opening game drive, capped off by a 3rd down fade touchdown pass to Laveranues Coles.

Early in the 4th quarter, the Dolphins scored to make the game 10-7 in favor of the Jets. I sat right behind the Dolphin sideline, and the players were ecstatic. Pennington and Martin had both been looking awful in the second half, and the Dolphins had all the momentum.

After a holding penalty and a Martin carry for no gain, the Jets were faced with 2nd and 20 deep in their own territory. Pennington completed a 13 yard pass to Justin McCarens, but the Jets then hurt themselves again with a false start penalty. On 3rd and 12, Pennington completed a 20 yarder to McCarens. He then completed passes to Wayne Chrebet, Chris Baker, two to Coles, and a short touchdown pass to Jerald Sowell.

Pennington will have another tough test next week against the Jaguars, whose defense shut down Peyton Manning in a 10-3 loss yesterday.

3. The much hyped new Jets offense looks pretty similar to the old offense. Sure, there are the occasional two tight-end sets or the fullback in the backfield, and the even more occasional shotgun formation. But the playcalling has a similar feel to the old system. Long passes have been very rare. Is the problem Pennington and not the system? Time will tell.

4. Curtis Martin ran the ball 31 times yesterday. That is simply inexcusable. The Jets gave a big contract to Derrick Blaylock to serve as Martin's backup, but after failing to get a carry last week, Blaylock was given the ball only twice yesterday. Blaylock's fresh legs were sorely needed in the awful 3rd quarter; he needs to carry the ball 8-10 times a game, both to keep Martin fresh and to give defenses a new look. The Jets should take a look at the Chiefs - last week's opponent and Blaylock's former team - who do a great job using Larry Johnson as the number 2 running back behind Priest Holmes.

I also wish the Jets would give the ball to fullback BJ Askew in short-yardage situations. Askew, the Jets' 3rd round pick in 2003, is 6'3 and 233 pounds. When the Jets had 4th and goal inside the 1 yard line in the 2nd quarter, they gave the ball to Martin, who failed to score.

5. Rookie cornerback/returner Justin Miller looked great in kickoff returns last week, but was awful returning punts yesterday. Actually, Miller did everything to avoid returning punts, usually running away from the ball like the little kid in left field who cowers from fly balls in yeshiva softball games.

6. According to Jets' head coach Herm Edwards: "It was a lot of coaching going on this week. I did a lot of counseling."

Does Herm know the difference between coaching and counseling? I like Herm as a person and there surely are worse head coaches, but he seems more and more like a mere figurehead who serves as good cop to the Jets' fiery coordinators.
posted on 9/19/2005