Content available exclusively for subscribers
At first, it looked like it was going to be a good day for the Jets protectors, but then things came apart at the seams. Hunter had plenty of company . . .
On Shonn Greene’s second carry of the game, Green ran for 12 yards behind Matt Slauson who locked up linebacker Casey Matthews. Two plays later, Greene ran for 13 yards up the middle. On this play, John Connor led with way by taking care of DE Trent Cole, and Brandon Moore locked by LB Jamar Cheney. Moore did a nice job of getting to the second level on this play.
But then this once promising drive fell apart on the next two plays. First a screen to LT, on the left side, was blown up by Matthews, for a loss of four. Nick Mangold didn’t seem to get out into the flat fast enough to take care of the linebacker. But Matthews did such a good job of snuffing this play out, I don’t know how much Nick could do. After the Jets big day on screens against KC, obviously Eagles DC Juan Castillo had his players well-prepared for these plays.
Then on the next play, Santonio Holmes fumbled, and the Eagles returned it for a touchdown. The offensive line provided good protection on this play.
On the third play of the Jets second series, DE Jason Babin beat Wayne Hunter for a sack. The Eagle used a lot of stunts in this game to confuse the Jets, but this was just a guy getting beat one-on-one. Babin did a great job of using his hands to shed Hunter’s block attempt, and he was in the backfield in a flash, and Sanchez had no chance. Sanchez attempted a play-action on this play, but it didn’t slow down Babin one bit.
The Jets got the ball back quickly after muffed punt, but on first down, Greene was stopped for no gain by Cole, who blew by Vlad Ducasse. Then Sanchez threw a pick on the next play on a pass that bounced off Santonio Holmes.
On the Jets next possession, they set up a manageable third-and three, after gains of two and five by Greene. On the five-yard gain by Greene to the left side, Brick Ferguson and Slauson both locked up players, and Green ran right between the two of them on the left side.
But then this third-and-three turned into a third-and-eight due to a Hunter false start. Babin then beat Slauson for a sack of Sanchez. Babin started out over Hunter, but looped all the way from being over the right tackle to left guard area, and the unsuspecting left guard couldn’t pick him up.
Early in the second quarter, a Jets possession lasted three plays, ending on a Sanchez fumble, on a scramble up the middle. Sanchez ended up scrambling after he turned to handoff to a player who didn’t exist. This was on Sanchez (or a maybe a back who blew the assignment) – the offensive line had nothing to do with this mishap.
Actually, the offensive line helped put Sanchez into a manageable third-and-two on an eight-yard run by LT on first down behind Hunter who locked by LB Akeem Jordan. LT ran for no gain on second down, but third-and-two is what you are looking for offensively.
On first down of the Jets next series, Hunter locked up Babin, and Green ran behind him for a gain of six.
But this possession got set back a little thanks to a sack by former CFL star Phillip Hunt. While Hunt got the sack, the reason the pocket ccollapsed was that DE Juqua Parker beat Brandon Moore, and this forced Sanchez into the arms of Hunt. But thanks to a 41-yard strike to Dustin Keller, in the middle of this possession, the Jet were close enough for a field goal to make it 28-3.
The Jets got the ball right back when Jamal Westerman forced a fumble on the kickoff.
The Jets took over on the Philly’ 24, but this didn’t advance the ball much, but did manage a 25-yard TD pass from Sanchez to Santonio Holmes to make it 28-10. The protection on the TD pass was very good.
There were actually to shaky plays by offensive lineman before the TD pass.
On the first play of the possession, the Jets attempted a screen to Shonn Greene on the left side, but while Slauson got over there, he failed to pick up LB Akeem Jordan, and he stopped the runner for no gain. Then two players later, DT Cullen Jenkins got by Ducasse, and stopped Green for a loss of one. Then two plays later, Ducasse was called for holding. Vlad is a terrific guy, but I’m just no sure this is going to work out.
Slauson had a false start late in the first half.
On the Jet next series, Hunter had a rough possession. On third-and-seven, he had a false start, and then on the next play, Sanchez was sacked by Babin. Babin started out basically seven yards back in the middle, like an inside linebacker, but then swooped all the way to Hunter’s side to get the sack. I’m not sure you can totally blame Hunter on this play; Babin was lined up seven yards in front of Mangold, and then came all the way around. The Eagles have a brilliant D-Line coach, Jim Washburn, and he coached his butt off in this game.
It’s time for the mercy rule. I’m not going to get into the fourth quarter. It was garbage time.
If this game didn’t get out of hand, Greene could have gone over 100 against these guys, but the lopsided score played right into the hands of the Eagles talented pass rush, especially Babin, who isn’t very good against the run, but that didn’t matter in this game.
People are all over Hunter for this game, and rightfully so, but he had plenty of company.
Premium will return by 11:30 am on Tuesday morning with a look at the Front Seven, a group that didn’t distinguish themselves in this game.
