Week 141. Eric Mangini's worst performance as Jets' head coach left little hope that 2006 was not a fluke and that he will get the Jets back on track next season.
Mangini wasted a timeout late in the 2nd quarter on a useless challenge. That timeout would have been useful on the next drive. Much more egregious was Mangini's decision to kick a field goal with 4th and 10 from the Browns 20 with 1:45 left in the game and to then try a second onside kick. Even Herm would have gone for it there. Mangini's post-game praise for his players and his tiresome mantras about how the team practiced well sound exactly like Rich Kotite did after his losses.
Kotite, unlike Mangini, did not make the playoffs with the Jets. But he did with the Eagles, and it has been pointed out that several bad Jets' head coaches, including Joe Walton, Bruce Coslet and Mr. "You Play To Lose The Game" himself, all made the playoffs with the Jets. In other words, the Jets 2006 success no longer gives Mangini or Mike Tannenbaum a free pass for their terrible performances.
2. Once again, the play-calling was uninspired on both sides of the ball. The Jets rarely blitzed and never sacked Derek Anderson. As a result, Anderson had plenty of time to find Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards for big plays.
On offense, Brian Schottenheimer's gameplan was again predictable, with lots of 1st down runs and a mostly dink and dunk passing game. Until late in the 4th quarter, the Jets hardly threw downfield. Whenever the Jets pass near the end zone, they almost always throw a fade - a play that has repeatedly failed, as it did yesterday.
3. Unfortunately, Kellen Clemens is inaccurate even on short passes. He continues to make poor decisions, throws too many interceptions (he has 9 INTs and only 4 TD passes) and fails to pick blitzes. It is worth noting that in contrast to Clemens, Brooks Bollinger threw 7 TDs and 6 INTs during 2005.
Is it possible that Clemens has "only" started six games and will improve with more experience? It is. But at this point, there is no way the Jets can hand the starting job for 2008 to Clemens. He should have to compete either with Chad Pennington or another veteran next season.
4. Laveranues Coles (sprained ankle) and Jerricho Cotchery (broken finger that Rich Cimni of the Daily News claimed would end his season) deserve credit for playing well with their injuries.
5. It was a frustrating game and once the weather turned nasty, it's understandable that some fans would leave. I was momentarily going to leave after a Jets' drive stalled with six minutes left, though I ultimately stayed until after Jamal Lewis' touchdown run. But for there to be only around 5000 fans by then was rather pathetic. Too many people who come to Jets games simply can't wait too leave.
Fortunately, despite the heavy rain, traffic out of Giants Stadium was the lightest it's ever been, with the drive back to Queens taking only around an hour.
posted on 12/10/2007
