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The Jets offensive line took a lot of criticism about their performance against Miami. Is it all warranted? Should Mulligan play more? Dan takes a look at the look at the guys in the trenches . . .
On the Jets second rushing attempt of the game, Matt Slauson had a terrific block on NT Paul Solilai, and LaDainian Tomlinson ran behind him for a gain of eight up the middle.
But you know what, there weren’t many standout running plays after this one.
I don’t documents runs of three yards or less in this feature as far as key blocks. So there aren’t a lot of runs to talk about. Miami’s Front Seven really dominated.
On the first play of the Jets third possession, Shonn Greene had a four yard run. We give him most of the credit for this run. He broke a tackle attempt by S Yeremiah Bell in the backfield.
The Jets screen game was awful in this contest. An example of this was late in the first quarter, when a screen right to L.T., lost a yard. It was set-up horribly.
Also, late in the first quarter, Wayne Hunter had a false start.
Early in the second quarter, L.T. had a carry that went for no gain. It was the third play of the second quarter. On this play, ILB Karlos Dansby slipped by Brandon Moore.
Moore also had a false start late in the second quarter.
In the middle of the second quarter, D’Brickshaw Ferguson did a great job recovering a Mark Sanchez fumble. He showed great hustle on this play, tracking down a loose ball after the ball slipped out of Sanchez’s hand as he attempted a pass.
In the middle of the third, a blitzer came free up the middle, but Sanchez did a great job of ducking underneath him, and almost hit a big play down field to Jerricho Cotchery, but CB Sean Smith had a beautiful diving breakup on the play.
Dansby beat Slauson on a blitz up the middle, and stripped Sanchez, but the quarterback was able to recover the fumble.
Tomlinson did a poor job of blocking nickel back Benny Sapp on a blitz in the fourth, and this play caused a fumble that the Dolphins recovered.
On the Jets final possession, Wayne Hunter, subbing for Damien Woody, who left the game early with a knee injury, gave up two sacks to Cameron Wake. The second one, on fourth-and-16 that iced the Dolphin win, wasn’t all Hunter’s fault. There was inside pressure that changed the pocket, and Wake slid laterally for the sack. There were several people at fault on this second sack.
The tight ends did a poor job of blocking in this game, and it’s time to give Mathew Mulligan a chance. Ben Hartsock was called for a facemask on a running play off left tackle on the Jets second series. Early in the third, he was called for holding on a running play. Both of these penalties were committed on Dolphin rookie OLB Koa Misi.
Dustin Keller had two bad plays in a row on the Jets third possession. First he didn’t chip Wake, and the linebacker nailed Brad Smith, in the backfield, and the wide receiver/quarterback was banged up on the play. On the next play, DE Kendall Langford blew by Keller and nailed Sanchez, causing a fumble the Dolphins recovered.
