Content available exclusively for subscribers
Premium – Is the Jets’ offensive line bad? Well the Jets have been one of the best rushing teams this year, but what about pass pro? Let’s take a closer look . . .
As people continue to spin for Geno Smith about his lack of a supporting cast, they are going after the offensive line.
I don’t think this group is as bad as some people will lead you to believe.
First of all, I will say the false starts need to stop, especially from Willie Colon. Those are inexcusable. The push-ups arne’t working.
But this is a pretty good run blocking group, and the rap on that they aren’t giving Smith enough time is overblown.
Is the pass protection perfect? No.
But when a quarterback consistently holds the ball too long, and doesn’t have great pocket presence (the ability to move around to create time in the pocket with good footwork), you are putting offensive linemen in a very tough spot.
Going over the Jets-Chargers game closely this week, I will say this, Geno Smith got better protection than Phillip Rivers.
On the Jets’ second pass of the game, Greg Salas was open on a shallow cross. Smith held the ball too long, and was pressured by DT Kendall Reyes into a bad throw. Plenty of time to get this done, but he didn’t make quick enough decision, which is huge at that position.
By the way, Smith had plenty of time to throw on the last play of this short possession, and overthrew an open David Nelson down the left sideline. He had a step on the defender.
In the first quarter, Smith had an incompletion on a pressure by linebacker Kavell Connor. On this play, every offensive lineman was accounted for. There was nobody back there to block Connor. This is often the responsibility of the quarterback to find a hot read when an extra rusher comes through. This almost never happens with the Jets.
Also in the first quarter, this happened again. Cornerback Brandon Flowers blitzes, all the blockers were accounted for. The quarterback needs to make the secondary pay with one less corner (and one of their best), and Smith threw the ball away.
On a pass Smith threw away in the second quarter, on a pressure by Corey Luigit, Greg Gumbel said, “I think Geno had a little more time to throw than he thought he did.”
“He did have time,” said Trent Green.
He’s feeling ghost pressure, and looking at the defensive linemen too much, and not keeping his eyes down field.
The top quarterbacks keep their eyes down field, and don’t fixate on the rush.
Rivers threw a touchdown pass to Antonio Gates in the first half as he was getting hit by Mo Wilkerson.
Late in the second quarter, Mo Wilkerson had him dead in the water, and Wilkerson hit him, and before going down, Rivers dumped to Branden Oliver in the right flat for a gain of 50.
Look, I don’t expect Smith to be Rivers in his second year. That is unfair.
My point is, while the line needs to play better, on a lot of plays he’s putting them in very tough spots.
Geno held the ball too long at West Virginia, and he continues to hold the ball too long.
He’s got to work on that.
And until he steps up in this department, his line is going to have quite a challenge.
October 8, 2014
Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Thursday.
