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This particular game was illustrative of how much this Jets unit underachieved in 2015. And due to this game, a particular player’s standing has probably been embellished.
The performance of the Jets’ secondary against the Oakland Raiders, was one of the worst outings I’ve ever seen from a Jets defensive backfield.
The reason I’m bringing up this game today, is a quote I read from Brett Favre today about Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.
“I don’t know if I consider him a gunslinger,” Favre told CSN Bay Area. “I think he’s a little more polished. And I mean that with all due respect. I think he’s done a tremendous job in Oakland. I like the way he plays. I think he’s a little more polished. I like to watch him. A good player.”
In the blog where I saw the quote, the first paragraph read – “The hype surrounding Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is palpable and warranted heading into his third NFL campaign,” wrote NFL.com’s Kevin Patra.
Against the Jets, Carr threw four touchdowns and had a QB rating of 130.9. He looked like a combination of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
If you watched him after that early November game against the Jets, you saw a drop-off. I watched a December game against the Chargers, he looked totally lost, looked like he couldn’t read defenses. Same thing against Detroit.
But that Jets game, wow.
*In the first quarter, Buster Skrine was beat on a fade in the right side of the end zone by Andre Holmes. He never saw the ball, never turned back.
*In the second quarter, on a third-and-two, Darrelle Revis was beat for a gain of seven by Amari Cooper on a cut to the right sideline. Later on the same possession, Cooper beat Revis for a gain of 11 on the right side.
*In the second quarter, Mike Crabtree had a 36-yard touchdown. He cut away from Antonio Cromartie to the middle and then Cromartie missed a tackle after he caught the ball and he was off to the races. He tried to crash into him instead of wrapping up.
*In the second quarter, Cromartie was beat down the right sideline on a go-route for a 49-yard touchdown by Holmes. He never found the ball.
There was a lot more.
Carr has a great arm and can make all the throws, and what helped him a great deal against the Jets was it seemed like every first read was wide open.
My point is simple – the hype around Carr is a little over the top. He’s been the Raiders quarterback the last two years, and they went 10-22 over that stretch. The Jets made him look like Joe Montana. When I watch him, I see a guy who struggles mightily reading defenses.
As Bill Parcells always said, “You are what your record says you are.”
And my other point is the Jets’ secondary needs to improve A LOT in 2016 if this team is going to challenge for the playoffs.
I do think they will be better. Todd Bowles seemed to have a fatal attraction to Cromartie. He should have been replaced at some point last season.
Now he will be replaced by Marcus Williams or Dee Milliner, and I think that will help.
I think the Jets secondary will be better this year because they will get younger at the spot opposite Revis, and they the players will be more comfortable in Todd’s system in Year Two.
July 7, 2016
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