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To blame this on the Jets is ridiculous . . .
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune had a headline today – “Jilted Jets preparing rude welcome for ‘classless Kirk Cousins.'”
This was really unfair.
This was based on a New York Post columnist ripping Cousins this week for the nerve to pick the Twin Cities over New York City.
He wrote Cousins “chose the Mall of America over Manhattan, Olive Garden over Il Mulino.”
First of all, the Jets home base is 45 minutes from Manhattan, and I’ve eaten at the Olive Garden by Jets camp. There are a few Olive Gardens by Jets camp, and no Il Mulino.
But the headline is really unfair. The Jets never called Cousins, “classless,” the columnist did. The Jets have never acted “jilted.”
One columnist ripped Cousins, and the Jets had nothing to do with this, so if this turns into a “rallying cry” of some sort for the QB and his teammates, that’s on the newspaper, not the Jets.
“It’s what one writer feels, not one NFL organization,” said one long-time Jets observer, “Sloppy. Then again, that’s the state of journalism these days.” . . .
Jets have a long injury list. People shouldn’t make a big deal out of this – most teams do this time of year. Look at the Colts last week. The Vikings have plenty of injuries. Welcome to the club. But honestly, all the Jets injuries can be overcome. They have commensurate players at each spot to overcome the guys who are sidelined . . .
One guy who is healthy, who needs to start becoming more of a force, is nose tackle Mike Pennel.
The Jets desperately need Pennel to start having a bigger impact.
He has four tackles in six games.
I always hear players in the Jets locker room guys refer to him as “Big Mike.”
He needs to play bigger on the field, and destroy more plays.
He’s a mountain of a man – 6-4, 332 pounds and can lift half the weight room. His arms are bigger than my thighs. He is right out of central casting to play 3-4 nose tackle.
But he needs to start reminding us a Kris Jenkins, just destroying the middle of the other team’s defensive line, at times.
He he has the ability to do this, but too often, he’s taken up by one blocker, and for a 3-4 nose tackle, that isn’t helpful. He needs to start commanding more double teams. This will be a boon to players around him. 3-4 nose tackles do a lot of dirty work, like taking up double-teams to free up other players to make plays.
Jets head coach Todd Bowles or defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers needs to light a more powerful fire under this player.
He got paid good money last off-season, and the Jets need him to play like his hair is on fire.
The Jets are getting gashed in the run game too often, and this is one (not the only) area that needs to improve . . .
The Jets put practice squad linebacker Harvey Langi on injured reserve.
I saw him in the locker room yesterday with his right arm all wrapped up. I could be wrong, but it looked like an elbow injury . . .
October 18, 2018
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