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How, as a reporter, should you handle this?
Robert Saleh said about Zach Wilson’s rough game against New England, which included three interceptions:
“To try to attack a young man for four or five plays that are four or five teachable moments in my mind. I think we’re missing the big picture on it. That’s all,” Saleh said on Wednesday.
I’m not going to lie, as a reporter I find this a little perplexing.
So does this mean, when a young player struggles, we aren’t supposed to criticize the bad plays, and just call them “teachable moments?”
I want to make it perfectly clear, I’m not being flippant, and I’m not taking a shot at the coach, who is doing a very good job this year.
I’m just confounded by this.
As reporters, are we supposed to point out the gravity of those three picks by Wilson, two that led to six points, in a game they lost 22-17, or just call them “teachable moments?” After all, this team is in the playoff hunt at 6-3, they aren’t the Chicago Bears, in a clear rebuilding year? Loses like that New England game could be the difference between making or not making the playoffs.
Should there be a Next-Gen stat – “Teachable Moments?”
Once again, I’m not being a wise guy, I’m just nonplussed by this, that is all . . .
Jets guard Nate Herbig didn’t practice again and was on a side field working with trainers. His injured left shin was heavily wrapped.
Perhaps this was a very severe “kick in the shin” during the Jets’ win over Buffalo.
You get the sense the Jets think there is a shot he can play with this.
Speaking of shots, and I’m not saying Herbig is going to do this, I have no idea, but I’m sure many of you are aware, that before NFL games, many NFL players line up in the trainer’s room for Toradol shots.
It’s a pain-killer for your whole body that lasts the entire game.
“I’m here to tell you, a Toradol shot at age 29, made me feel like 18 again,” said one former NFL receiver.
The key for the shot to last the entire game is the timing. You don’t want to get it too early.
“It’s a timely injection,” the receiver said. “You go through pregame warmups and then you get to a point before kickoff you want to get that shot so it lasts throughout the entire 60 minutes of the game.”
Keep in mind, no player is forced to take these. It’s of their own volition, but it’s a huge help getting through games when you are hurt . . .
One of the reasons the Jets picked Zach Wilson in the 2021 draft, was they felt he was a good fit for the Shanahan-offensive system they were installing under coordinator Mike LaFleur.
“Shanahan’s system, the stretch bootleg system, you create a lot of easy opportunities for the quarterback,” said former NFL scout Bucky Brooks of NFL Network. “You just need to be mobile enough to get to the edge of the tackle box on the bootleg. If you can do that, you can play in this system. With all the play-action, they make it easy.”
That is kind of what I was getting at yesterday. This is a system, if operated correctly, that can create a lot of easy throws for the quarterback.
But, you have to make all the layups. You can’t afford throws like the one against New England, in the first meeting, which sailed over the head of a running back, and was picked off by LB Ja’Whaun Bentley.
Against Buffalo, Zach Wilson was much better at making the lay-ups this system can provide.
November 17, 2022
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