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Miami Gardens – The Jets figured out a way to get out of Miami with a win, but they have a lot to clean up moving forward . . .
So often the first offensive drive for a team is one of the best. You had all week to prepare it, and the other team won’t be able to make too many defensive adjustments until after it.
But too often, over the last few years, the Jets come out and are anemic, and this game was a good example.
On the Jets’ first offensive play, Sanchez threw a quick out to Stephen Hill on the right side, and it was off target.
Two plays later, on third-and-eight, Sanchez threw a pass on the short left side to Holmes, and CB Nolan Carroll was called for pass interference. It was actually the poor throw that contributed to the interference. The pass was behind Holmes, and as he tried to go back and grab it, he collided with Carroll, who was flagged.
Two plays later, Sanchez threw a pick on a pass over the middle to Edmund “Clyde” Gates. It didn’t look liked Gates ran a great route (the people in Miami say he needs work on his route running), and he didn’t seem to come back to the ball.
But Sanchez also deserves some criticism on this pass. Gates was not open. Richard Marshall had tight coverage on him. Why force the ball to Gates? What is the point of that?
And also, I think it’s foolish to have Gates on the roster instead of Patrick Turner. I know Gates is faster, but Turner is the more sound receiver as far as route-running and hands. There is a lot more to the position than speed.
This drive was such a clunker, I felt it deflated the Jets as a team. They really didn’t have a very good first half, trailing 10-3 after two quarters.
Sanchez was 8-19 for 77 yards and a 32.1 quarterback rating in the first half.
The Jets coaches did a terrific job at halftime.
“We made some corrections at the half and we finished strong,” said Mo Wilkerson . . .
Stephen Hill had a rough first half, dropping a square out on the third drive, and a potential touchdown around the two-minute warning in the second quarter.
Sean Smith had decent coverage on the throw around the goal line on the left side, but that is the kind of of catch the Jets need Hill to make at 6-4, 215 with good leaping ability. This scenario is why they picked him. This is the kind of play big receivers like Braylon Edwards or Plaxico Burress would make – go up in the end zone and win the jump ball . . .
Sanchez is doing a much better job of stepping up in the pocket this year. He and Austin Howard have a good plan on plays the big right tackle is beat. I noticed this last week, and today. Howard realizing he is getting beat, pushes the pass rusher further down field, last week Lamar Woodley, and this week Cam Wake, and Sanchez steps up, and makes a throw.
I will give you two examples of this today. In the middle of the first quarter, Wake beat Howard off the edge, Howard pushed him back, and Sanchez got a pass off down the right seam to Stephen Hill who almost caught it.
In the middle of the second quarter, Wake beat Howard, Howard pushed him behind Sanchez, Mark stepped up, and threw to Jeff Cumberland on the short right side, and it was incomplete.
It just seems Sanchez and Howard have a good plan here . . .
A play that could have ended up costing the Jets the game was the third quarter fade to Hill that was intercepted by S Chris Clemons.
“It was a schematic error,” Sanchez said after the game.
Sanchez didn’t put enough air underneath it, and didn’t put it far enough towards the right corner of the end zone. With fades, you need to throw it where basically your guy is the only one who can catch it.
This pick never should have happened . . .
The Jets had no sacks on Ryan Tannehill in this game.
Now with Revis injured, the lack of a consistent pass rush could hurt the Jets even more.
He’s a heck of a guy, but Aaron Maybin has had no impact this year.
I think the Jets should give Ricky Sapp a try from the practice squad. He was a very good pass rusher at Clemson . . .
Mike DeVito left the game at one point with what looked like a calf injury, but it was just cramps.
9/23/2012
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