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Jets GM John Idzik was asked today about bringing competition for a particular player, and he repeated a familiar refrain.
“We’re not opposed to any kind of competition,” Idzik said. “I mean, that’s what we thrive on. You guys have heard it. We’re going to try to build that competition, no matter who it comes from. We want it at the quarterback position, we want it at every position on our roster. That’s how we feel we improve.”
That wasn’t the case last year. Perhaps it will start this year.
There was a lot of anointing last year. Not a lot of competition.
I was just watching the Jets-Tampa Bay game again, today.
Wow, was Dee Milliner not ready to start in Week One, getting beat for a touchdown early.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the prospect, but he wasn’t instant coffee, coming out after his junior year, and then missing so much time in the spring and summer due to injuries.
But Idzik and company put him right out there.
Same with Geno Smith.
Did you know he called a time-out at the two minute warning in the first half, which is obviously a free time-out. Ed Hochuli did the rookie a favor, and ignored the request. It was a nice gesture by Hochuli, sparing Geno the embarrassment.
Tommy Bohanon wasn’t ready to start either. The Jets avoided a potential disaster in this game, when Bohanon, rammed into Nick Mangold’s elbow, and the center went down writhing in pain.
Hey, injuries happen in football, but this was avoidable.
Mangold was blocking the nose tackle, and Bohanon decided to help him. Mangold doesn’t need help. So in his attempt to help the Pro Bowl center, Bohanon slammed into the center’s elbow.
It looked really bad at first, but the Jets dodged a bullet. After being sent to the locker room, Mangold eventually returned.
Bohanon also failed to pick-up a blitzing linebacker leading to a Smith sack. He went to block a player that Chris Ivory was going to handle.
Bohanon’s decisions on who to block need some work.
I like to keep emotion out of reporting. It has no place.
But I’m not going to lie. When Idzik keeps talking about competition, I get a little angry. The proof is in the pudding. The GM didn’t embrace that concept last year.
Maybe he will this year. I don’t if he has much choice. The team has eight draft picks, and more supplemental picks on the way.
With perhaps 10 draft picks, added to the GM keeping all his picks last year, he’s going to make some tough decisions this year.
I want to give you a little insight into a perception in the press room.
When Idzik talks about “competition” now, not many beat writers are buying it.
And rightfully so at this stage of the game.
Hey, I understand what he was going last year.
He was letting a bunch of his draft picks learn on the job.
But with five draft picks starting, and three offensive linemen on the roster who were inactive for every game (which hurt the team on special teams), “competition” isn’t a buzzword I’d throw around about the 2013 Jets.
February 20, 2014
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