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East Rutherford – A lot to get into from MetLife Stadium following the Jets 16-10 win over Philadelphia . . .
The Jets got some quality play tonight from their three young developmental cornerbacks – Xavier Coleman, David Rivers and Derrick Jones
Coleman, a rookie free agent out of Portland State, looks like a keeper.
He had a whale of a game tonight. He tied for the Jets’ lead with six tackles, he drew an offensive pass interference call late in the game, and had great coverage on an incomplete pass in the end zone on the last drive.
The guy has a terrific feel for the game and is super-tough.
David Rivers, a rookie free agent out of Youngstown State, led the Jets with two defensed passes on quick slants in the fourth quarter.
You have to give Mr. Coffee credit. The guy is really good at finding undrafted free agent gems.
Also playing well tonight was Jets sixth-round pick, Ole Miss cornerback Derrick Jones, who had a pick.
These are three cornerbacks who can help the Jets in the near future. It will be interesting to see what they do with them on cut-down day . . .
I had a chance to talk to new Jets’ safety Terrence Brooks after the game. Terrific guy. Considering he played on such short notice tonight, he was pretty impressive finishing with a couple of tackles (one that ended a drive) and a defensed pass on a deep out.
I thought he was more of a coverage safety after playing cornerback at Florida State, but he’s also jacked up physically and loves hitting. He’s very physical . . .
Tight end Chris Gragg was having a very good summer, in camp and the preseason, but tonight he broke his ankle, getting submarined on a pass down the left seam.
If there is any silver-lining to this unfortunate injury is that he didn’t hurt his surgical right knee which he blew out last year. At first, it looked like that happened. So he didn’t blow out the knee that he spent last season rehabbing.
It’s so hard on these long-legged tight ends in the open field. Defensive backs so often go for their legs, and they have a hard time protecting them. You see so many tight ends get hurt on low hits in the open field. That is how Gronk blew out his knee a couple of years ago . . .
Christian Hackenberg didn’t have a very good game. He led the Jets on one touchdown drive, but it was the Eli McGuire show on that possession. The rookie runner ran for 11, 11 and 34 yards, setting up Hackenberg’s 12-yard TD pass to Austin Seferian-Jenkins (against a backup ILB Don Cherry, who isn’t going to make the Eagles).
But aside from this run-dominated drive, Hackenberg was ineffective. He needs a ton of work on reading defenses and feeling the pass rush. Too often, he has no feel for where the rush is coming from and this is leading to a lot of big hits.. He’s got to improve his pocket presence. I think he needs another NFL red-shirt year, or maybe he can re-emerge later in the season if the Jets are way out of it. But to play him early this season probably wouldn’t be pragmatic . . .
Dylan Donahue has a great motor and the heart of a lion, but he belongs on the practice squad, and there is nothing wrong with that. He’s a major project out of a Division 11 school. IFf he makes the regular roster, it’s pure politics, pure draft record padding.
He is getting “velcroed” to blocks. He’s having a hard time shedding. His short arms against long-armed tackles create a major challenge for him.
Frank Beltre and Corey Lemonier have outplayed him. End of story.
I’m not saying give up on him. But he absolutely belongs on the practice squad.
August 31, 2017
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