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A few things to get into today outside the echo chamber . . .
Here is the downside to the zone-blocking scheme the Jets use on offense.
It can be magical at times, like you often see with San Francisco, and honestly with the Jets earlier this year with Breece Hall in some games.
But here is the issue, and I’ve heard this from people around the league: If you can’t run the ball, and have to resort to a pure dropback passing game, the linemen can get pushed around. Why? Because the system calls for smaller, quicker linemen to block on the move on those runs, where you, let’s say, push all the linemen to the right, and the runner cuts back across the grain to the left.
And so much of the Shanahan offense that the Jets run is predicated on having a strong running game with all the bootlegs and misdirections plays the system features.
So when you can’t run the ball, and the QB is forced into a dropback pass game, and the opposing defense pins their ears back and goes after the QB, the pass protection can be shaky, because the linemen aren’t as big as other systems.
Just look at San Francisco, when Jimmy G has to become a pure dropback passer, sans a running game, he doesn’t look very good . . .
Speaking of the offensive line, I think a big problem for them – the veteran tackles have significant physical issues right now. I’m not making excuses, just dealing with the reality of the situation. Duane Brown is playing with his left shoulder harnessed in, and George Fant is playing on one leg with a messed up knee. They are both giving it their best shot, but they are worn down.
I was sitting next to a former NFL lineman who played for many years in the league, and I asked him why he thought the Jets were having so many protection issues today. He said the key to the Seahawks’ success was they were getting a lot of push inside, and collapsing the middle, this was allowing their edge guys to get home a lot, because the pocket was messed up. He also said another factor that helped the Seahawks’ pass rush was Mike White not being a threat to run . . .
I don’t want this to sound callous, but if there was any silver lining to the Jets’ devastating loss in Seattle, it’s that Mike White won’t cost them a fortune to re-sign.
I’m telling you right now, if he played lights out in the last two games, and somehow got the Jets into the playoffs, the pricetag might have been pricy, with other teams making a bee-line for him, and the Jets might not have been able to afford him. A lot of teams need quarterbacks.
And since the Jets have to pay Zach Wilson $20 million next year on his rookie deal, or least that is the cap hit if they cut him, they will need a reasonably priced option to compete with him for the job.
Anybody who thinks White can’t start in this league based on a game in Seattle, with awful offensive line play, where he took a beating playing with messed up ribs, and with his receivers had the dropsies, I don’t know what to tell you.
You watch that Cincinnati game last year, or the Chicago game this year, or the second half in Minnesota, and you don’t think this is a guy who can start in this league, what can I say . . .
The Jets really need to do some serious self-scouting on their run defense this off-season. It was really bad last year, better early this year, but bad since the bye-week.
Look, I know he’s a heck of an interior pass rusher, but Quinnen Williams run defense isn’t on that same level.
On the Seahawks’ first offensive play of the game, RB Kenneth Walker ran for 60 yards up the middle – both Williams and Sheldon Rankins got handled at the point of attack, leading to a big hole up the middle. There was a 17-yard run up the middle in the fourth quarter at Williams and Nathan Shepherd.
Look, you pay edge-rusher, who get a lot of sacks, big money, but what does a contract look like for a DT who is a good pass rusher, but average against the run? You need your defensive tackles to be stout against the run, there is no way around that.
I’m not saying he shouldn’t get a lucrative contract, but this run defense thing is a thing.
January 1, 2022
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