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Florham Park – Dan checks in from behind the scenes at One Jets Drive in Florham Park with some Whispers and nuggets . . .
Jets continue to tweak their blocking wedge on kickoff return.
It looks like they are going to get running back Alex Green involved as a third wheel in the wedge, joining Leger Douzable and Garrett Mcintyre, who is expected to return this week from a knee injury.
The loss of Konrad Reuland to a knee injury a couple of week ago certainly hurt the wedge.
They tried Zach Sudfeld, but he was pedestrian on the wedge.
With the Jets’ struggles on offense, they desperately need to get the kickoff game going to help them with their field position.
Giving Geno Smith long fields all the time isn’t helping the kid . . .
The Jets are pretty thin at outside linebacker right now.
During an outside linebacker drill early in practice, there were only three players – Calvin Pace, Jermaine Cunningham and McIntyre. That was it.
What about Quinton Coples?
Let’s be honest, he’s still a defensive lineman, no matter what the depth chart says (he’s listed as an outside linebacker).
When the Jets break off into position groups, Coples always works with the defensive line and coach Karl Dunbar. He doesn’t work with the outside linebackers . . .
I expect a big role for Kellen Winslow this week.
First of all, he has been the Jets’ most productive weapon the last couple of weeks – being targeted five times and catching all five throws.
And it seems like the young quarterbacks, Geno Smith and Matt Simms, really like throwing to him.
One reason for that is that he runs great routes, is quick out of his breaks, and gets open quickly . . .
Winslow was actually working with the wide receivers in drills today, not the tight ends (early in practice) . . .
Jets were working on a few drills early in practice where blitzing players stripped the quarterback of the ball . . .
We have been critical of Tommy Bohanon’s indecisiveness as a blocker at times. But to his credit, he was more assertive and decisive against Miami.
On the Jets’ first run of the second half, Bohanon did a nice job of taking out linebacker Koa Misi on a Chris Ivory run for four yards off right tackle.
Later in the third quarter, on a second-and-two run by Bilal Powell that gained four yards, Bohanon took out Misi again.
When he lets loose, and doesn’t overanalyze, he seems to block much better . . .
Marv Albert said during the broadcast (more than once), “Jets coaches said Tannehill doesn’t use his eyes properly. He will look left and stay left or will go right and stay right.”
I don’t mean to be flip, but that critique is probably more appropriate for the Jets’ quarterbacks.
Both Geno Smith and Matt Simms are locking on to their primary receivers too much and telegraphing passes.
We have talked about Smith so much already, so let focus on Simms.
As we all know Simms came into the game at the start of the second half against Miami.
On his first possession, which was a three-and-out, it ended with a deep out to Greg Salas on the left side that was incomplete. The pass was late and telegraphed. He didn’t look anywhere else. And when you “bird-dog” passes, it often draws extra defensive backs to the area and leads to picks.
There were two defensive backs in the area, and safety Jimmy Wilson almost picked it off.
Late in the third quarter, he threw a pass down the deep right seam, towards the goalline, to Stephen Hill, and it was nearly picked off by safety Chris Clemons. Also drawn to the area because Simms didn’t look anywhere else where linebacker Phillip Wheeler and safety Rashad Jones. So the pass essentially went into triple-coverage.
We are so fast to criticize Smith for telegraphing passes, but in all fairness, Simms needs a lot of work in this area as well . . .
December 5, 2013
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