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Nick Mangold had a possession at the end of the third quarter he’d like to forget, but overall, the Jets offensive line did a lot of good things in the second half of the team’s win over San Diego.
On the Jets second offensive play of the second half, Mark Sanchez scrambled for 25 yards to the right side.
A few plays later, Sanchez attempted a bootleg to the right side, and OLB Shaun Phillips didn’t bite on the play-fake, stood his ground, and sacked Sanchez for a loss of eight. Patrick Turner did a poor job of attempting to block Phillips on the right side, which didn’t help matters. This possession really didn’t go anywhere following the long Sanchez scramble.
On the first play of the Jets next possession, Shonn Greene ran up the middle for a gain of 10 right behind Nick Mangold. This play is a testament to what a nightmare the 225-pound Greene can be for safeties. Eric Weddle, who did make the tackle on the play, was shaken up by his collision with Greene, who is a violent runner. Weddle had to be helped off the field.
On the next play, Phillips beat Wayne Hunter, got in Sanchez’s face, and the quarterback had to throw the ball away on the left side.
Later on this drive, with the Jets on the Chargers 19, Greene ran for a gain of15 off right tackle behind Wayne Hunter and Dustin Keller. Typical Greene, he helped his own cause by breaking a tackle in the middle of the run. Two plays later, Sanchez hit Burress for a touchdown.
Late in the third quarter, on the first play of the Jets next drive, Sanchez hit Jeremy Kerley for a gain of 11 on the left side, but the play was called back, because Mangold was called for being an “illegible man down field.”
On the next play, a blitzing inside linebacker, Donald Butler, blew up a Jets run play in the backfield, and the play went for no gain. Not only did Butler beat Mangold on this play, the center was called for holding him. So the Jets had a first-and-25 scenario here, and they never recovered, and had a three-and-out after the two penalties.
Also on this disastrous possession, Greene did a poor job on a blitz pickup, and Sanchez was forced to throw a pass away.
On the play right after the 64-yard interception return by Revis early in the fourth, Green ran for 10 yards to the left side. D’Brickashaw Ferguson did a nice job of sealing the edge, and Burress had a key block in the left flat.
On the Jets next possession, which resulted in a field goal to make it 27-21, right after the two minute warning, Greene ran for seven yards off right tackle behind Keller, who has really improved as a blocker.
This drive ended with Sanchez being sacked by Phillips, but this wasn’t really the fault of an offensive lineman. Sanchez was scrambling around looking for a target in the end zone, but instead of forcing a pass, he went down as Phillips came near him, and the Jets settled for a field goal. Sanchez decided to error on the side of caution, and not do anything crazy, with a lead, and a short field goal on the way.
The one big negative for the offensive line in this game were the three penalties by Mangold, one bringing back a touchdown.
Rex Ryan said on Monday Mangold’s high ankle sprain probably contributed to these bad plays.
So if that is the case, why did the Jets waive their backup center, Colin Baxter, a couple of days after the game.
Perhaps they think Mangold will heal over the bye week.
Overall, this was a solid game by the Jets protectors – Sanchez generally had plenty of time to throw, and the run blocking was outstanding.
