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The Jets culture is totally messed up right now.
Culture is so important in football. Culture is believing you are going to find a way to win every Sunday no matter what – injuries, opponents and so forth.
Obviously the New England Patriots have that culture. The Minnesota Vikings now have one of those powerful cultures. They were playing today without both starting offensive tackles and obviously Adrian Peterson and perhaps their best receiver Stefon Diggs. No problem.
The Jets aren’t a team right now. They are a bunch of individuals who happened to be on the same team.
One thing that contributes to a messed up football culture, especially in a cap sport, is when the top paid players on the team are not earning that money.
I’m talking about Darrelle Revis, Mo Wilkerson and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
That is $17 million guaranteed this year, $17 million a year and $12 million this year, respectfully.
And the Jets aren’t getting much in return.
That is just awful for a football culture. Not just because you need them to contribute on a high-level, but because I they don’t, it creates resentment. Most players make much less than them.
I know Revis didn’t play today, but that contract is one of the worst deals in NFL history. He’s playing like a league-minimum journeyman. The money they are paying him is mind-boggling. But we have been over this a million times, no need to belabor it.
As for Wilkerson, I couldn’t believe my eyes today in Pittsburgh. Wilkerson was handled by third-string right tackle. On paper, this makes no sense, but it happened. And when you have a $17 million-a-year defensive linemen get handled by a third-string right tackle, that is a huge problem.
And then after the game, Mo wanted knowing to do with talking to the media. Look, you know me, I don’t really care if guys talk to the media. It’s not front-and-center with me. But when you pay a guy that kind of money, and make him a face of the franchise, when things aren’t going well, he probably needs stand in front of the cameras and make some strong statements about what is going on – send a message.
But more importantly, the Jets are wasting their money playing him as a 4-3 end. It’s ridiculous. He’s out of position. He’s not Dwight Freeney. Jets need to go back to the 3-4 defense.
The Jets lack of a pass rush is really hurting the Jets’ secondary, which is average, but they would look a little better with a pass rush.
Go to the 3-4, and let Mo wreck havoc inside, taking up double-teams, and that will create opportunities for the outside linebackers.
As for Fitzpatrick, he was been average, but the play-calling hasn’t been great.
And man does he miss Chris Ivory.
The Jets made a big mistake not re-signing Ivory, but that is connected to the Revis contract.
Ivory would break myriad tackles. Matt Forte isn’t bad, but rarely breaks tackles. If there is a hole, he runs through it, but he’s not going to break two or three tackles on many plays, like Ivory did with regularity.
The Jets football culture is in a bad place right now.
October 9. 2016
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