Name: Jeff
Web Site: http://footballnation.com/author/jeff-sperber
Bio: A lifelong, diehard Jets fan, Jeff remembers wearing his New York Jets coat to elementary school in the 4th grade-- the year the Jets went 1-15. Things have changed a lot since the Kotite Era and now Jeff wears his Jets gear with pride, with the hope that this is the year his team will finally win the Super Bowl. Jeff is a 4th Generation Jets Fan and his favorite Jet of all time is Wayne Chrebet. Visit Jeff's blog at: http://jeffreythegreat.blogspot.com
Posts by jeffsjets:
Eli’s Elite, But Don’t Forget About Sanchez, New York City
November 7th, 2011Eli Manning is getting a ton of credit for beating the Patriots in New England (and deservedly so), but you’ve also got to give Sanchez mad props for his performance Sunday. Sanchez threw a pick in the end zone costing the Jets points early in the game, but, hey, so did Eli. Manning threw the ball 39 times (not surprising against the Pats’ awful secondary) and completed 20 passes (51.3%). #6 was far more efficient, completing 20 of 28 pass attempts (71.4%). Still, Elisha had the miraculous game winning drive and Mark didn’t; he didn’t need to. Because the Jets crushed a 5-2 opponent on the road while the Giants barely pulled out the win. As a Jets fan, I’m thrilled that they did. We’ll settle the debate as to which NYC team is better on December 24th.
Though it doesn’t always seem like it, Sanchez is having his best year yet. He’s got an 84.0 QB rating, higher than Philip Rivers, Matt Cassel, Kevin Kolb, and Joe Flacco. He’s also thrown 13 TDs, tied for 8th in the league.
Is Schottenheimer to blame?
October 14th, 2011Brian Schottenheimer’s play calling has been as predictable as finding a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch. He’s got a team with two Super Bowl-winning wide receivers, a good tight end, and a RB who’s supposedly ready to be the starter, yet the offense is ranked 28th offense in the NFL. We don’t even know how bad (or good) Sanchez is because of the predictable (boring) game Schotty calls.
If the offense keeps playing the way it's been, Schotty can fist-bump his way off the team.
B-Schot hasn’t had the best offensive weapons to work with over his time as the Jets offensive coordinator, but he definitely hasn’t had the worst. Here are the Jets offensive rankings while he’s been with the team as well as the main offensive weapons he’s had to work with. Is Schotty the problem? Is it time for him to go? Judge for yourself.
ERIC MANGINI ERA
2006
Total Offense: 25th
Passing: 17th
Rushing: 20th
QB: Chad Pennington
RB: Leon Washington
WRs: Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery
TE: Chris Baker
With the most accurate passer of all-time at quarterback, the Jets were 17th in passing offense.
2007
Total Offense: 26th
Passing: 25th
Rushing: 19th
QB: Pennington/ Kellen Clemens
RB: Thomas Jones
WRs: Coles, Cotchery
TE: Baker
The Jets went 4-12 in 2007; all-around the season was a disaster with Pennington and Clemens each starting eight games.
2008
Total Offense: 16th
Passing: 16th
Rushing: 9th
QB: Brett Favre
RB: Jones
WRs: Coles, Cotchery
TE: Baker
2008: Year of the Great Favre Debacle! You’d think any team with Favre would have an offense ranked higher than 16th.
REX RYAN ERA
2009
Total Offense: 20th
Passing: 31st
Rushing: 1st
QB: Mark Sanchez
RB: Jones
WRs: Braylon Edwards, Cotchery
TE: Dustin Keller
The run game thrives, but Schotty doesn’t know how to help Sanchez succeed.
2010
Total Offense: 11th
Passing: 22nd
Rushing: 4th
QB: Sanchez
RB: LaDainian Tomlinson/ Shonn Greene
WRs: Santonio Holmes, Edwards
TE: Keller
Progress was made in Sanchez's sophomore season.
2011 (through Week 5)
Total Offense: 28th
Passing: 21st
Rushing: 31st
QB: Sanchez
RB: Greene
WRs: Holmes, Plaxico Burress
TE: Keller
Should the Jets be a ground and pound team, or do they need to let Sanchez pass? Schotty has no idea.
If the offense can’t get anything done on Monday night, when they play host to the winless Dolphins, it’s going to be a long season– one that ends with Schottenheimer leaving New York.
Shonn Greene: Not Up to Par
September 28th, 2011We’ve had three weeks of NFL Regular Season action– three opportunities for Shonn Greene to show us he’s not the unimpressive back we saw last year. We’re still waiting.
Before the Jets Week 2 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, I wrote an article for Football Nation titled “TIME TO GO GREENE!” I proclaimed that Greene was going to be the “Fantasy Football Surprise Star” of the week and went so far as to say that he’d be a top three running back in Week 2.
I thought we'd see lots of this against the Jags.
Greene ended up running for 49 yards. He also had six receiving yards and a touchdown. He made me look foolish (a first for me). #23 has been making Jets fans (and the fantasy football managers who drafted him) look foolish for some time now. You see, I’m not the only one who’s predicted Greene would have a big game… or a big season in 2010.
Greene was supposed to be the man last year– he was supposed to be the starter. Instead, LT quickly emerged as the more dynamic, skilled RB. Greene ended up having half as many 100 yard games as he did when he went into beast mode in the 2009 Playoffs. That’s right, he only had ONE 100 yard game the entire 2010 season. We all got waaaaay too excited after those two great playoff performances.
We had such high hopes.
This year, most of us were ready to give Greene another shot. “LT is even older now,” we said. “Greene is the true starter.” That’s true…but Greene is still playing poorly. He’s averaging 3.3 yards per carry and the most yards he’s rushed for in a game is 59. He has no moves– no elusiveness; he always seems to run right into the pile.
Cowboy sandwich. Ouch.
I still have hope that Greene will improve and that he can be an effective starting running back in the NFL (mostly because the Jets really, really need him to be). Still, with each passing game, and each sub-par outing by Greene, I wonder if he’ll lose the starting job again. He won’t get it back if he does.
LT > Greene?
Jets Need Magical Comeback to Beat Cowboys
September 12th, 2011The Jets were far (very far) from perfect, but they still erased a 14-point 4th quarter defect to beat the Cowboys 27-24.
“It shows you the resolve of our football team,” said Rex Ryan at the team’s post-game press conference. The Cowboys had never lost a game in their 51 year history when leading by at least 14 points or more in the 4th quarter. But they’d never gone up against the Jets under Rex Ryan.
Burress caught his first TD as a Jet.
Beating the Cowboys wasn’t easy. “Obviously, we have a ton of work to do,” said Ryan. He’s right. The offensive line, particularly Wayne Hunter, played poorly. Sanchez fumbled and threw a pick. The run game was nonexistent and Cromartie gave up two touchdowns.
But the Jets did enough to win and made big plays when they needed them. Joe McKnight blocked a punt that Isaiah Trufant ran in for a touchdown. The defense recovered a fumble that prevented a Cowboys score and Revis intercepted Tony Romo, setting up the game winning score.
Trufant returns the blocked punt for a touchdown.
Nick Folk got revenge against the team that cut him when he drilled a 50-yard field goal at the end of the game. During the press conference, Ryan stressed how proud he was of his players’ “resolve” and how the game was a complete team effort.
Revenge is sweet. So is winning.
It’s just 1-0, but it’s a big 1-0 considering the way the game went and that it was an important game for the Jets because it was the 10th anniversary of September 11th. Ryan and the Jets didn’t let New York City down. ”This one was for our community, too,” said Ryan.
The Jets will carry the momentum from beating Dallas into next Sunday, when they’ll play a Jaguars team that isn’t as good as the Cowboys. Expect a much better game from Gang Green…and another win.
Get Over it, Plax!
September 9th, 2011In an article in the October issue of the Men’s Journal that’ll be coming out next week, Plaxico Burress continues to whine about Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning, and fans who bashed him when he went to prison.
Burress complains that Coughlin didn’t show concern for him after he shot himself in the leg and it’s clear that he’s still very bitter about it. The New York Jets wideout even felt the need to attack Coughlin as a coach, saying things like, “he’s not a real positive coach,” and that Coughlin doesn’t comfort his players.
Not Plaxico's friend!
Burress also holds a grudge against Eli Manning, who didn’t come visit him in prison or write him a comforting ‘How you doing?’ letter that would’ve made him feel better. And don’t forget the fans who were happy to see Burress serve time: “What are you doing now? You still mad at your job? You still angry about your life? ‘Cause I’m back living my life and enjoying my family while you’re still doing the same thing.” That’s how you win back football fans!
Burress needs to shut up. He needs to move on. He’s out of prison and the Giants are his past. Fans who grinned when he was locked up could care less about him now. Even if Burress is right about much of what he says, which he probably is, it’s time to take the high road. He should talk about how being in prison has made him a better man (even if it’s a lie), or just not talk about it at all.
Instead of saying everything right upon his release, like Eagles’ quarterback Michael Vick, Burress continues to give all the wrong answers. If he plays well on the Jets, Jets fans won’t care. But, if he doesn’t, this time next year, Burress will find himself playing elsewhere complaining about the Jets.
Jets Must Win Week One
September 8th, 2011Roughly one year ago…
It was a rainy Monday night. The Jets had something to prove, smack talk from Hard Knocks to back up, and a worthy Baltimore Ravens opponent. It was time to show the world that they hadn’t got lucky in 2009.
The Jets had six first downs that game. They were 1 of 11 on third down and racked up 14 penalties. Mark Sanchez passed for 74 yards. Ultimately, the Jets lost 10-9 and it was very, very ugly.
This year, it needs to be different. The Dallas Cowboys, though better than their 6-10 record from last year suggests, are not the Ravens. The Jets are clearly the superior team this time. Last year, the Jets were able to erase the pain of their Week One loss quickly by beating the Patriots the following week. If the Jets lose to the Cowboys though, beating a poor Jaguars team the next Sunday won’t exactly be too redeeming.
The Jets under Rex Ryan excel on the road, having gone 11-5 over two years in the regular season, and winning four road playoff games. At home though, they’re 9-7. If the Jets want home-field advantage in the playoffs, they’re going to have to make home-field, well, an advantage. And that starts Sunday night.
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