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A couple of different things to get into in today’s edition of Website Whispers, including notes on nose tackle Damon Harrison and New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler . . .
There is a lot of praise these days for Damon “Big Snacks” Harrison.
And rightfully so.
But one factor you have to consider.
Most 3-4 nose tackles have to consistently deal with double teams. Harrison doesn’t. When you have Mo Wilkerson and Leonard Williams at end, with Sheldon Richardson also in the mix, these ends are drawing a lot of doubles, and this is often leaving Harrison getting blocked by one man.
And to his credit, he’s doing a terrific job of taking advantage of these favorable match-ups, often against undersized centers.
His contract is up after this year.
He deserves a nice deal.
But Mr. Coffee and company have to factor in the double-team element.
While Harrison is very good, there is no question the Jets star-studded cast at defensive end is helping him to a degree . . .
Somebody asked Todd Bowles today if he was amazed by the recent play of Patriots CB Malcolm Butler. Strange question.
“Amazed? I mean I just watch games and I see players,” Bowles said. “I’m not amazed by anything in the league, good or bad. I don’t know. I haven’t studied him to see how well he’s ascended. I just look at film and I know he’s doing a lot of the right things and he’s playing good football.
And then it got better.
Q)Does Butler display more effort than other players; is he similar to Buster Skrine?
“No, that’s a bad word because everybody plays with effort,” Bowles said. “He plays with a certain tenacity and a hustle that adds to his game similar to Buster (Skrine), but they’re not the same player. He’s more physical. He’s a bigger guy. He plays a little differently. He has his own style.
Maybe there should be drug testing in the press room.
Two bizarre questions.
And as for Butler, I don’t think the Jets are too worried about him.
In the first Jets-Pats game, Eric Decker dominated him. I will put my money where my mouth is. Here is what I got from my film study:
*In the first quarter, Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Eric Decker on a crossing route for a gain of 24 on third-and-10 on Malcolm Butler.
*In the first quarter, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a 17-yard out to Eric Decker on the left side – the receiver beat Malcolm Butler on the play.
*In the third quarter, Ryan Fitzpatrick had a pass that was a thing of beauty. He hit Eric Decker for a gain of 23 over the middle between two defenders – Malcolm Butler and Donta Hightower.
*Early in the fourth quarter, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a pass down the right seam that drew an 18-yard pass interference call on Malcolm Butler covering Eric Decker.
So while some reporter was putting Butler in Canton, the Jets know from first-hand experience how to deal with him
December 23, 2015
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