Content available exclusively for subscribers
Seattle – It’s time for a heaping helping of Dan’s Website Whispers coming to you live from the Sea-Tac Airport. A lot of stuff to get into, so let’s get it rolling . . .
With Joe McKnight (high ankle sprain) not making the trip to Seattle, Edmond “Clyde” Gates will be the Jets kick returner.
He is a pretty good replacement.
Last year with the Dolphins, he had an 80-yard kickoff return against the Oakland Raiders.
Gates is faster than McKnight. I’m not saying better, but faster. He has world class speed . . .
Tony Sparano on the Seattle secondary – “The thing that jumps out at you the most is the size of their secondary. They have big players back there and the guy that isn’t a big player, plays big. Everybody else is over 6’ 2” close to 6’ 3”, like (safety Kam) Chancellor.”
This fact is a big reason why Jeremy Kerley should have a big game. We mentioned this other day that Kerley should have a big game against this group that struggles against small quick receivers. Tall defensive backs struggle against quick slot receivers who change directions quickly. There long legs make it hard for them to change direction as quickly as the smaller quicker target . . .
The Seahawks will be without two very good players on Sunday – left guard James Carpenter and outside linebacker K.J. Wright, both out with concussions . . .
Tim Tebow left the high road for a few seconds when asked if it’s hard to get into a rhythm coming in and out of the game.
“Yeah, I think when you’re getting the ball a lot during the game you can get the rhythm of the game and I think that makes it easier,” Tebow said on Wednesday. “You get a feel and a rhythm. I think spot play is fun because you’re in different roles, but at the same time it’s hard to get a feel (for the game). Sometimes even if it’s just a few plays on a drive it gets easier. Sometimes that’s the harder part of spot playing.”
However, the following is the last sentence of the quote where he tried to put a smiley face on what he just said – “but it is fun. I just love playing period.”
Players and coaches always do that. They say something somewhat controversial, and they think they can put the fire out with some happy talk at the end.
I have to admit, I’m surprised he went there. Brad Smith never did when he ran the Wildcat for the Jets. Backup nose tackles or defensive ends who spell the starters every few series, rarely go there.
Tebow knew what he was signing up for here, and if he didn’t want to do it, maybe he should have gone to Jacksonville.
The bottom line is this – he’s not going to “get the ball a lot” unless Sanchez is benched and he takes over.
Maybe I’m nitpicking, but I don’t think he should have said this.
All it did was add fuel to a fire that is already five-alarm . . .
A fallacy about this season is that Tebow’s presence is hurting Sanchez. I don’t see it. I see the same Sanchez as last year – very inconsistent, displays flashes of good play, and has shaky accuracy.
Maybe this is a distraction for the team, but I don’t see it impacting Sanchez, the quarterback, very much at all.
As for the accuracy, Sanchez has struggled with completion percentage all four years in the league, and this year it’s the lowest it’s ever been at 52.9 (compared to his number at the end of each of this first three years).
As one former NFL QB told me, and I repeat this very often – “It’s very hard to sustain drive when half the passes are hitting the ground.”
This has to change, and in a rare moment of candor, even Tony Sparano admitted as much this week . . .
The elevation of Ricky Sapp from the practice squad has to have Aaron Maybin (pictured above) a little worried. No sacks for a pass rush specialist in eight games isn’t a very good resume. If Sapp flashes, Maybin could lose his role (and maybe his spot on the roster).
November 9, 2012
Premium will return by 10 pm on Saturday.