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Today we get into the good news the Jets received today on the medical front, and also how much this “loafing” thing has been blown out of proportion . . .
Wow, did the Jets dodge a major bullet today.
And I mean major.
The Jets doctors and trainers over the last few days have done a marvelous job with Ryan Fitzpatrick’s injured left thumb.
Since the injury on Sunday night, they have done a great job calming down the inflammation, settling down the pain, and designing a brace that helps him handle the ball effectively.
Now it’s early and who knows what is going to happen in this game and beyond, but it looks they can make this work.
Nothing against Geno Smith, but Ryan Fitzpatrick give the Jets a much better chance to win.
This is the best Fitzpatrick has played over his 11-year NFL career. The stars are aligned just right for the Harvard graduate. This is the best team he’s been on, he knows Chan Gailey’s offense as well as Chan Gailey and he’s got the best supporting cast he’s ever had. Fitz and Brandon Marshall, who truly is a superstar receiver, got on the same page at an amazing rapid rate, and you watch them, and it’s like they have been playing together for five years.
Fitzpatrick makes much quicker decisions than Smith. He’s getting rid of the ball much faster, and making prudent decisions 90 percent of the time. He’s very comfortable in his quarterback skin right now.
While Marshall believes Geno Smith “deserves a second chance,” now isn’t the time for it.
Smith can be a decent #2. He led the Jets on a couple of nice drives against Oakland, but we saw at the end, he’s still got some work to do. He’s still a developing.
Fitz is way past the development stage. At 32, with so much experience under his belt, there is little he hasn’t seen, and it shows in his play.
The medical news the Jets received today likely saved their season, and bid for a wildcard.
The import of what came out today, about Fitz being able to start on Sunday, and likely beyond, can’t be minimized.
It’s huge news for Gang Green . . .
To me this whole “loafing” on defense deal has been blown way out of proportion.
Yes the Jets tackling on Sunday was often atrocious.
But “loafing” connotes a lack of effort, and that isn’t what I saw watching the game in person, and then going over the tape with a fine tooth comb.
DeMario Davis had a couple of rough plays dealing with Taiwan Jones running in space, one being a long touchdown.
Was he loafing? Absolutely not. He’s not wired that way.
Here is the problem and it’s simple.
Davis has very stiff hips. There is nothing he can do about that. And as we have documented over and over it hurts him in coverage, because he doesn’t change directions very fluidly.
So when he’s out in space trying to tackle a speedster with quick feet like Jones, this kind of player can be a major problem for him. A quick cut or two and he can be in trouble, and that is what happened.
And that is what I saw happening to him. Not loafing, just stiff hips.
Also on the long touchdown run, Marcus Gilchrist and Marcus Williams were made to look foolish by great moves by Jones.
They weren’t loafing. They took bad angles, and this athletic gifted scat-back made them pay.
To me, if you want to use the word “loafing,” it only applies to one player – Antonio Cromartie.
He’s an poor tackler, always has been, always will be.
No Jets fans will ever forget when Cromartie, then with San Diego, was reluctant to tackle Shonn Green on a long-time run in a playoff game. It’s probably what got him traded.
Cromartie is a finesse player. The way he tried to tackle Mike Crabtree on that touchdown catch-and-run was just awful technique.
So when it comes to the tackling, you can say Cromartie was loafing, but this isn’t breaking news. He’s always been a poor tackler.
But I think that is where it stops.
I don’t think any other Jets players was loafing.
Their issues were related to poor technique and bad angles, not a lack of effort.
November 4, 2015
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