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Let’s be honest, we have no idea how this unit will do.
And neither does Joe Douglas, who put them together.
Talking about the Jets’ offensive line which was reconstructed this off-season, and then had no spring practices today. All the time they had to prepare for the season were a few weeks of work in August and early September.
So when a reporter perhaps got a little ahead of himself in praising the unit on Monday, Douglas kind of pumped the breaks.
Connor Hughes, The Athletic: Joe, I remember this offseason when you were talking about kind of rebuilding the offensive line, you spoke, I believe it was back at the combine and a couple times about not necessarily finding the five best players but finding the five right players. It seems like you’ve kind of been able to do that because these guys have been able to find quick chemistry and they genuinely seem to enjoy each other’s company, so can you just talk about that process and how you were able to piece, like you would kind of describe as the right five players up front?
Douglas explained the process on how he put this group together, but then at the end of his answer said: “Look, there’s a lot of plays to be had in the season, and no one’s saying that this is The Hogs, or anything crazy, but this is a group that you see getting better every day.”
With all due respect to the reporter, how do any of us know if they were “able to find quick chemistry?” There is no evidence of that yet. They might “enjoy each other’s company,” but as far as jelling on the field, we will find out a lot more in Buffalo. Bills head coach Sean McDermott, and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who runs Buffalo’s defense together, are going to really test the Jets’ front with a lot of stunts and twists. We really won know if this group found “quick chemistry” until we see them real games. There is only so much you can glean from practice, which is like “flag football.”
The Jets’ new offensive line was already behind the eight ball in their preparation with no on-field work in the spring, and then, during camp, both starting guards, Alex Lewis and Greg Van Roten, missed time with injuries, creating even more of a chemistry challenge.
So many people think the Jacksonville Jaguars are tanking this year. That actually makes no sense because if they do, HC Doug Marrone and GM David Caldwell will get fired, so why would they tank? But one reason I think they will win some games this year, is they return their offensive line intact, which actually has some good talent. That is huge this year, with so little time for a new line to get on the same page, which is the Jets’ big challenge.
Douglas is a realist. He knows it could take time with this line. That is why he shot down the premise by saying, “Nobody say this is the Hogs.”
For the uninitiated, The Hogs were a great offensive line from Joe Gibbs time coaching the Washington Football Team.
September 8, 2020
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