W2W4: New York Jets vs New England Patriots Week 2

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

September 12^th, 2013

W2W4: New York Jets vs New England Patriots Week 2

The New York Jets will be heading up to New England for a Thursday night game against the Patriots, who like the Jets had a close last second win in Week 1, as New England was able to defeat the Buffalo Bills on a Field Goal by Stephen Gostkowski.

- Geno's Encore

Geno Smith had a pretty good NFL debut earning his first victory as a NFL Quarterback on Sunday against the Buccaneers, and on Thursday night he will be getting his first taste of the big rivalry between the Jets and Patriots. In Week 1 Geno threw for 256 yards on 24 for 38 passing, with a touchdown pass, as it was clear that the Jets didn’t mind letting Geno lose in Week 1 showing confidence in their rookie QB. Geno did however have two turnovers in the game, as he fumbled and threw an interception, which is something he will have to continue to work on. Maybe most impressively about Week 1 for Smith was his ability to run the football, as he extended a few drives on good runs, and finished with 47 rushing yards on six carries.

Jets Take Advantage of Bucs Mistakes

By Ryan McDonald (@RonnieMac90)

The New York Jets defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 18-17 on Sunday. Nick Folk kicked a game winning 48 yard field goal after the Jets capitalized on Lavonte David's personal foul penalty. As Geno Smith ran out of bounds, David unneccessarily pushed him, drawing a 15 yard penalty which put the Jets in field goal range with 7 seconds left.

-Positives:

The Jets defense picked up where they left off last season, stiffling the Bucs offense. They held Doug Martin to 24 rushes for 65 yards. Josh Freeman completed less than 50% of his passes for 210 yards. This is the type of defensive performance the Jets would like to see every game but it's worth noting that the Bucs offense didn't look stellar to begin with.

Geno Smith started and won his first NFL game. Smith went 24-38 with 256 yards and one touchdown and interception. Smith also scrambled 6 times for 47 yards, which made him the Jets leading rusher. Smith wasn't known for his running ability but he proved he could gain some yards if left unattended. Smith did seem to struggle with pressure but what rookie doesn't, with experience he'll hopefully get used to it. It's also worth noting that the Bucs secondary, with Revis, looks to be one of the best in the league.

Kellen Winslow recorded 7 catches for 79 yards. Winslow was Geno's favorite target as he was targetted 8 times. Winslow played well, and was able to separate himself from the Bucs linebackers fairly easily. It's a good sign and as long as Winslow stays healthy they'll have a satisfactory receiving tight end.

-Negatives:

One of the question marks to begin the season was the running game of the Jets. After week 1, those questions remain. Geno Smith, their rookie quarterback, was their leading rusher. Bilal Powell ran the ball 12 times for 29 yards and Chris Ivory had 10 rushes for 15 yards. The Jets could be one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL this season. It certainly doesn't bold well for Rex Ryan's mentality of ground and pound. This will also put additional pressure on rookie quarterback Geno Smith.

Santonio Holmes only caught one pass for 13 yards in the entire game. Holmes simply didn't look the same as he used to pre-injury. He was only targetted 3 times, and couldn't lose his defender often. Hopefully Holmes will improve with time.

Antonio Cromartie struggled against Vincent Jackson. Jackson had 7 catches for 154 yards and beat Cromartie for big plays on 3rd down especially. It's a glaring concern as Cromartie is now the Jets best cover corner and if he cannot take away the opposition's best receiver, it will be a long season. Cromartie did well last year as the Jets best corner after Darrelle Revis went down. It was hoped he could repeat that performance, but he is off to a shaky start.

-Expectations:

Geno looked much better than expected giving hope to Jets fans everywhere. However, this isn't the team that dragged Sanchez to two AFC title games. The talent around Geno simply isn't there. Geno doesn't have the weapons around him like Sanchez did in 2009, nor the running attack. If the defense doesn't hold the opposing team to under 20 every game, it's going to be a long season.

The Jets play at the New England Patriots on Thursday.

W2W4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New York Jets

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

September 8^th, 2013

W2W4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New York Jets

The New York Jets will be kicking off their 2013-2014 season at home with a new regime running the show after an off-season of lots of change, as they will be facing off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and a familiar face in Darrelle Revis.

- Return Of Revis Island

Revis will be making his return to Met Life Stadium after tearing up his knee last year, but this year he wont be playing in the green and white anymore, as in one of the biggest moves of the off-season, Revis was sent to the Buccaneers. It will be something to watch for early to see how the Jets attack their former best player coming off surgery, as they may look to run outside to his side, or possibly have Geno Smith go at him in the passing game to see just how healthy Revis is.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets Recap

By Ryan McDonald (@RonnieMac90)

On 8/17/13, The Jets defeated the Jaguars 37-13. Due to injuries to Geno Smith and Greg McElroy, Mark Sanchez played into the 3rd quarter of the game.

Sanchez started off well, leading the Jets to a touchdown on the first drive of the game. Sanchez completed all his passes and looked comfortable in the pocket on the drive. However, it wouldn't last as he threw a pick in the redzone on his 3rd possession. Then on a muffed punt by the Jaguars, Sanchez and the Jets started on the Jaguars 5 at the end of the half but could not score on 4 plays. Sanchez scrambled for far too long on the last play and time expired so the Jets could not kick a field goal.

Sanchez finished the game 13-23 for 169 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. The starting quarterback position still remains an open competition due to Sanchez's miscues.

The Jets running game was effective against the Jaguars as well. Bilal Powell had 7 rushes for 68 yards and the offensive line caused huge holes for Jets runners. Chris Ivory who has been dealing with hamstring issues lately played in his first preseason game. Ivory did look slow and rusty, 6 rushes for 13 yards.

A new problem for the Jets may be their defense. Blaine Gabbert picked them apart completing 13-16 passes for 165 yards and a TD. The Jets couldn't muster any pressure on Gabbert and the Jets corners couldn't lockdown any of the Jaguars receivers one on one. It's worth noting the Jaguars came out in a no-huddle offense which took everyone by surprise including the Jets.

Another problem for the Jets defense is the loss of Quinton Coples for 3-5 weeks with a broken ankle. Coples was the Jets first round pick last year and was slotted to start as Outside Linebacker last year. Coples looks doubtful for the season opener againt Tampa Bay.

The Jets will hopefully name a starting quarterback after their 3rd preseason game against the Giants. It was suspected that the Jets would name their starter after their game against the Jaguars, but Geno's injury seems to have delayed these plans.

NFL Training Camp Battles to Keep an Eye On

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

We are almost halfway through the NFL Preseason and rosters are finally starting to take shape. Players are being cut to trim down to the mandated 53 man rosters and depth charts are being finalized for the start of the regular season. There are some teams that will need a little more time in figuring out their depth charts as position battles wage on throughout the end of training camp and into to the first week of the season. Here are some battles to keep an eye on throughout the rest of training camp.

2013 NFL Previews: New York Jets

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

With training camps opening throughout the NFL the past week we will take a quick look at previewing some teams for the upcoming season; giving a rundown of the 2012 one, some off-season moves and an outlook of this season. It is time to get excited as there will not be another Sunday without NFL football until February 2014. Here is the 2013 preview for the New York Jets.

New York Jets AFC East (6-10)

2012 was a rough season for the Jets as they looked to have hit rock bottom. They made headlines before the season by trading for Tim Tebow, the second consecutive time they traded for a big name quarterback following a New York Giants Super Bowl victory. The Jets were able to stay in the limelight during the season but not for anything positive.

New York Jets Draft Preview

By Ryan McDonald(@RonnieMac90)

On the eve of the draft, the Jets find themselves as having an extra 1st round pick at 13 from the Darrelle Revis trade giving them 8 picks total.
 
1st round(9)
1st round(13)
2nd round(41)
3rd round(74)
4th round(105)
5th round(136)
6th round(166)
7th round(197)
 
Sadly, it's not enough for the rebuilding Jets.
 
With needs almost at every position, it'll be hard for the Jets to land value for every spot.
 
Quarterback - Currently, the starting quarterback position is up for grabs among the guys still on the roster. That means it's between ex-Jaguars QB David Garrard, Greg McElroy, Mark Sanchez, and Tim Tebow(Yes, he hasn't been cut yet). So to sum things up, the Jets don't have a starting quarterback on the roster.
 
Sadly, the 2013 draft is not the draft for quarterbacks, that was last years. Geno Smith(West Virginia), the speculated #1 quarterback draft would most likely find himself as the 6th quarterback in the 2012 draft. That being said, Smith is still projected to go in the top 10 with need being used as an evaluator. Even he does fall to 9, I just can't see the Jets taking him with more talented players at other needed areas.
 
If the Jets do select a quarterback, it'll most likely be in the 2nd round, and that QB I speculate would be Ryan Nassib(Syracuse). Nassib doesn't physically impress you or make you get out of your seat, but he plays the position intelligently. Think of him like a Chad Pennington with better arm strength, and at least he's 6'3", two inches taller than Sanchez. It'll be lucky if Nassib falls to them at 41, but if he does, I do think the Jets should take him.
 
It's also hard to think why the Jets were so hard pressed to take the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2013 1st round pick instead of the 2014 1st round pick they originally offered for Revis. The quarterbacks in 2014 are projected to be better than 2013.
 
Running back - The Jets lost Shonn Greene who was last year's starting running back. The load currently will fall on Bilal Powell who did show some promise in the 2012 season. However, Rex Ryan always shouts "ground n pound" and with Powell and newcomer Mike Goodson, it'll be hard to win games using that philosophy without improvement.
 
Like quarterback, this draft just isn't that great at the running back position. The top RB is Alabama's Eddie Lacy which is a solid pick but Lacy is projected to go in the 20s. The need for RB doesn't outweigh some needs in other positions such as Safety and OLB, so it's doubtful they would use the 13 pick on Lacy.
 
After Lacy, the talent at the RB position drops off significantly. Le'Veon Bell(Mich. St.), Montee Ball(Wisconsin), are two other options the Jets could look at with 74 and 105. It's probable that both will still be on the board by at least 74. Neither player would make an impact that Lacy could though.
 
Wide Receiver - With Santonio Holmes coming back slowly from injury, it'll be a rough few games with this current receiving core. The now sophmore Stephen Hill dropped way too many catches in 2012. He cannot be counted on in 3rd down situations and doesn't seemed to have grasp the game at the NFL level. Jeremy Kerley is a good slot receiver but the problem is he needs to stay in the slot.
 
Tavon Austin(West Virginia) is one option the Jets could look at with one of their 1st round picks. Austin can also return punts and kickoffs as well as make plays in the passing game. More of a big play guy, and only 5'-8" in height, Austin is not a vertical threat in the passing game. In the NFL, he'd most likely be used as Reggie Bush was in New Orleans. Unfortunately, he's not as athletic as Bush coming out. The other option is Cordarrelle Patterson(Tennessee). At 6'-3", Patterson is the more typical receiver. He also has the potential to return kicks, but isn't as versatile as Austin.
 
If the Jets pass on both, they most likely will not select a receiver in the draft.
 
Tight End - With the Dolphins signing Dustin Keller, the Jets starting TE right now is Jeff Cumberland. Cumberland is in no way the passing threat Keller was and downgrades the passing game significantly.
 
The two top tight ends in this draft are Tyler Eifert(Notre Dame) and Zach Ertz(Stanford). Eifert was a great tight end in college and give the Jets a nice blocker and pass catcher. Eifert is projected to go in the 18-28 in numerous mock drafts. Selecting Eifert at 13 would be a slight stretch but it could happen. If the Jets decide not to select him, Ertz is 6'-5" with good hands. Ertz doesn't have great speed like Keller but he can move the chains and is a big target.
 
Pass Rusher - With numerous cuts on the defensive side such as Bart Scott, a pass rusher is what the Jets have lacked for years. The Jets have had a history of failure in selecting pass rushers such as Vernon Gholston in the 2008 draft. The defensive line is young with tons of potential in Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples, so look for the Jets to address this need at the outside linebacker position. Luckily, this draft is rich in this exact area, especially in the first round.
 
Dion Jordan(Oregon) is scouted to be the best pass rusher in the draft. The problem with this is that he is a projecte top 5 pick. It's doubtful the Jets will trade up. The next two players are both first rounders with good talent. Jarvis Jones(Georgia) and Barkevious Mingo(LSU), it makes sense that if you want good defensive players you take from the SEC. Both players are a great fit with the Jets at the outside linebacker position and both might be available at the 9-13 area.
 
The draft is also deep with defensive linemen but some prospects do not fit the Jets 3-4 system. One potential pick here in the 1st round is Star Lotulelei(Utah). However, it's doubtful the Jets take another lineman in the 1st round.
 
Safety - LaRon Landry who played well with the Jets in 2012 left for the Colts. The Jets decided to sign Landry's less productive bother Dawan, formerly of the Jaguars. Dawan struggled with the Jaguars and isn't as hard a hitter as his brother. The safety position is in need of a major upgrade.
 
A player that the Jets seem to have their eye on is LSU's Eric Reid. The Jets would most likely trade down to take Reid in the 1st round. It's unlikely they go for this though, and look at other options such as Matt Elam(Florida) in the later rounds. Elam's 5'-10" in height but has good play recognition skills. Elam was also a leader on one of the best defenses in college football in 2012. Elam could be a very productive player and good value with pick 74.
 

Revis Island No Longer Located in New York

By Ryan McDonald (@RonnieMac90)

The Darrelle Revis trade has been in the works all off-season. It finally happened on April 21^st, trading Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In return, the Jets acquired the Bucs 1^st round pick in this draft, number 13, and a fourth round pick in 2014.

In comparison to the other big trade this NFL off-season, the Percy Harvin deal from Minnesota to Seattle, the Vikings received Seattle’s 1^st and 5^th round picks in 2013 and a third rounder in 2014. So it would appear that Percy Harvin, a pro-bowl level wide receiver is worth more than the best cornerback in the league in Revis. Another conclusion drawn from this could be that the Jets simply got robbed and should have got more than two picks.