QUOTE: “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” -- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Take a bow, Yahoo Dave. Your Jets are in the final four, and regardless of how they got in the playoffs, they’re for real right now. I’m sure this is exactly how you figured the season would go. I’m glad I made my bet with Matt “I love me some Texans” Bowen instead of you. You clearly can see the future.
Four games Sunday and really only one good game as the three home teams dominated. The Cowboys, who were so hot going into the playoffs and in their first-round win over the Eagles, played as they did two months earlier in Green Bay, making too many mistakes and missing too many field goals.
Here are my postgame thoughts….
The really good
Reggie Bush looked like a new man. He was running harder and tougher than I’ve ever seen him, and his effort will make the Saints think seriously about picking up his option this offseason. His toughness was a welcome addition to their offense.
Brett Favre, not Adrian Peterson, is the key to the Vikings. He proved that yesterday, making incredibly accurate throws down the field. And wide receiver Sidney Rice seems to have Favre’s confidence that he can make plays. Next week in New Orleans, it will be critical for them to have another big day.
The Jets’ defense met the challenge and covered in the secondary better than they had all season. Even though the Chargers did a good job picking up the blitz, the Jets covered their wide receivers and never allowed a big-play passing team to make a big play.
The Vikings’ defensive line proved to be the better line and dominated the game with Dallas, creating pressure on Tony Romo and never allowing him to get comfortable. Six sacks and numerous pressures forced the Cowboys to make mistake. DE Ray Edwards dominated tackle Marc Colombo and was in the backfield all day.
Leslie Frazier, the defensive coordinator of the Vikings, did a good job planning last week and seemed to have a great understanding of the Cowboys’ hot reads off blitz looks. The Vikings’ defense was ready for anything the Cowboys had to offer.
The Colts’ defense is fast, and it used that speed to shut down the running game of the Ravens, which essentially shut down their offense. The Ravens averaged 4.6 yards per rushing attempt, which appears to be a solid number, but they were often in long downs because of their seven penalties along with the Colts winning on first down. Holding the Ravens to just 12 first downs was very impressive.
The good
Jets coach Rex Ryan deferring the ball to start the game put the Chargers offense on the field. Even though his own offense spent the first quarter going three and out, their confidence grew as the game wore on. The Jets started the second half with a field goal and a renewed sense they could move the ball.
Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey, despite playing on a bad foot, was very effective and was a tough player for the Cards in the passing game. When the Saints go empty with Bush and Shockey in the game, they have five very effective receivers.
The pressure the Saints’ defensive front applied to Kurt Warner was the difference in the game. They were fast and active and forced the Cards to get out of their rhythm.
Gary Brackett, the middle backer of the Colts, is playing very well. He doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to tackle in spite of his size. The Colts never complain about missing Bob Sanders because their safeties, Melvin Bullitt and Antoine Bethea, do not allow big runs. They have allowed only 11 20-plus-yard runs all season.
The bad
Joe Flacco’s hip might be injured, but he was not very effective making quick decisions. Once his first option was closed off, he didn’t look definite about where he needed to go with the ball.
The Ravens’ first-down play selection was questionable. Before they fell behind 20-3, they had 13 first-and-10 calls: 11 run, two pass. You might say their second-down calls were not very good either.
The Cards seem to have too much talent on defense to allow 45 points, 35 in the first half, but injuries depleted their secondary. In the past two weeks, they allowed 90 points.
The very bad
The Chargers thinking they could rekindle the magic of LT was their biggest mistake of the day. LaDainian Tomlinson is done, and every time they gave the ball to him in the first half, they did the Jets a favor. All year, the Chargers were a passing team, not LT’s team, and something changed in the playoffs.
Wade Phillips’ decision to attempt a 48-yard field goal early in the game was a move I’m sure he’d love to have back. Faced with a fourth and 1, Phillips sent out Shaun Suisham to try the long kick, which missed. The ‘Boys had been moving the ball well, and had they gotten the first down, things might have been different. Expect a new kicker in Dallas next year.
Nate Kaeding had made his previous 69 field goal attempts from inside the 40-yard line, including playoffs, but he missed two realistic kicks and one unrealistic one. A missed field goal is like a turnover, so with Kaeding’s three misses and two interceptions by Rivers, the Chargers were minus-5 in the turnover-takeaway column.
San Diego defensive end Shawne Merriman is supposed to be a difference maker in games, but he didn’t make a difference at all Sunday. His play was non-existent.
On a serious note, I would like to send my condolences to the family of Bears defensive end Gaines Adams, who died suddenly Sunday morning after going into cardiac arrest from an enlarged heart. He was just 26 years old. The NFL has lost too many young people in recent years, from Chris Henry to Steve McNair to Sean Taylor to Darrent Williams. Each one is very sad to very hard to comprehend.
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I completely disagree that the onside kick was the wrong decision. It gave the Chargers a chance to get the ball back, and unless the Jets advanced the kick, which rarely happens, the Jets still needed to get at least one first down to safely kick a field goal.
Nate - the reason the onside kick was wrong was field position alone. There was plenty of time, just kick away and play defense for 3 plays. Had they been able to force a punt after the onside kick they still would have been pinned deep in their own territory and with essentially only the outside of the field to work with. Not a recipe for success there against that Jets D. Granted, IF they get the kick things were grand, but......
I don't necessarily think the on-side kick decision was bad. Either way you have to get a stop, and if you figure that the recovery is going to be outside the 30, then it seems unlikely that the Jets would have been interested in attempting a 40+ yard field goal in that situation. Because of the particular dynamics, it ended up being a bad situation, since I doubt Ryan would have gone for it on fourth down if the Jets were in their own territory. Maybe the best compromise would have been one of those high pooch kicks 20 yards down the field. I don't feel we see those enough.
MIIIIIKKKEY.....good times baby good times...appreciate the Jets love this morn. Everyone not only drinking the Rex Ryan Kool Aid..were bathing in it. Jets are playing their best football at the perfect time of year. Like your boy wrote in his column last night...the Jets D makes every QB look soft...and confused. Jets are for real...if anyone wants an explanation to the mid season collapse...its simple...they lost their best offensive player in Leon Washington and their second best D player in Kris JEnkins. Injuries are injuries...but at the time..the playbooks on both sides of the ball were centered around those two players ...jets basically had to start from scratch on both sides..and are now playing their best all season.
and for anyone that ever want to mention Blair Thomas again...or ..my boy Lombaris favorite..Vernon Gholston ....please also mention Revis..who they traded up in round #1 to get....Shonn Green...who was a steal..(thank god bellicheck stock piled 9th round piks instead of taking him) ..David the hitman Harris...A second round pick who is much bettter than Mayo...Mangold...who some said was taken too early for a center....and of course THE SANCHIZE BABY !!!!!!!
One more win Lombardi...then me and you are going out for beers in Miami
Yahoo Dave, nice job gloating without getting obnoxious. Ryan is a very good motivator, as Edwardws was, only Ryan also has a clue how to coach, unlike Edwards. Ryan's comments about being the favorite to win it all turned all the attention, and pressure, off of Sanchez and the players and onto him, allowing the team to just go out and play. JJ used to do the same thing with the Cowboys before big games. However, I take issue with your Kris Jenkins comment. Sure, the team took a hit when he got injured, but every team has injuries to deal with. The Jets were the fifth least injured team in the NFL this year, puttin only one player on IR all season. Every team the Jets played had more injuries to starters than they did.
Kudos on a successful postseason so far. Now we finally get to see the real end of the Colts-Jets game.
@Nate B: The odds of recovering that onside kick make me think that planning for the three-and-out would have been a smarter decision -- not that it matters, since they couldn't stop the Jets from making it. But, for the sake of principle, I'll argue that planning for the three-and-out means considering the field-position and time left on the clock. You're trusting your defense at mid-field and you're trusting your defense with the offense backed up further. Considering the time on the clock and timeouts left, the correct decision IMO would have been playing for field position and giving my offense its best shot at a TD
firesalt....agreed 100% cant complain about injuries...everyone has them....Im just trying to explain why this looks like a totally different team than that midseason disaster....i dont think they were prepared to deal without those two guys more than anyone... with the exeption of Revis.... those two were the centerpieces of the units....
If they kick away, as opposed to the onnside kick, then the Jets probably punt away that 4th down play as opopsed to going for it.
Fourth and 2 anyone?
The chances of recovering an onside kick are ~20% (based on a rather non-rigorous google search), but I would be interested in seeing the chances when it's an onside kick while the season is on the line. In the second half at the time of the kickoff decision, the Jets had 6 drives and were forced into a 3-and-out on only one of those. The Chargers were facing a 1 in 5 chance of recovering the kick, and a 1 in 6 chance of stopping the Jets (granted a small sample size). The main argument against the onside kick would be that the Jets potentially had 4 downs to get the first down, but if the Chargers could hold them on 4th down, that's probably the same field position as kicking it deep, forcing a 3-and-out and getting an average punt.
The onsides kick was absolutely a terrible call because it meant that Jets were in 4 down territory, not 3. Before the Jets even ran a play, all 22, the stadium and everyone watching knew there was no chance the Jets would do anything but run the ball.
Turner got badly outcoached by Ryan, the same way Lewis did the week before.
I knew when it when the Jets were only down 7 @ half, they would win - they are mentally tougher, physically stronger and a smarter team than the Chargers. The whole team lost composure from Philips' headbutt of D'Brick, Jackson's kicking the flag, and Turner running on the field when the Chargers fumbled the kickoff after Green's touchdown.
Sanchez did enough from the 3rd down conv to Cotchery and the TD to Keller, he wasn't as good as they week before but better than Rivers.
The best thing to about this team is Ryan's ability to adjust. After 3 years of watching Mangini, it seemed the 2nd half always got worse for the Jets. Not anymore. Ryan's Jets are a second half team all the way.
In the postgame press conference, Wade said that it was NOT fourth and one when he decided to attempt that 48 yard FG. He must know something that the rest of us don't.
This debate on onside-kick/no onside kick isn't relevant. Had the players executed, there would have been no need to even ask the question. The Chargers missed so many opportunities in this game, it's mind-boggling.
Especially the offense. The defense played actually a good game considering that the Jets couldn't move the ball for the first part of the game.
But of course, since the O couldn't pull away, the Jets came back. It's on Kaeding, Rivers, LT, the O-Line...
And for what it's worth, the onside kick was the good choice given Mike Scifres' ability to kick them perfectly, and the size of the guys San Diego can line up to pick up the rebound. But, what a telling thing to see only Jets players when the ball finally fell down.
No drive in a lot of these players. That's what killing the Chargers.
This debate on onside-kick/no onside kick isn't relevant. Had the players executed, there would have been no need to even ask the question. The Chargers missed so many opportunities in this game, it's mind-boggling.
Especially the offense. The defense played actually a good game considering that the Jets couldn't move the ball for the first part of the game.
But of course, since the O couldn't pull away, the Jets came back. It's on Kaeding, Rivers, LT, the O-Line...
And for what it's worth, the onside kick was the good choice given Mike Scifres' ability to kick them perfectly, and the size of the guys San Diego can line up to pick up the rebound. But, what a telling thing to see only Jets players when the ball finally fell down.
No drive in a lot of these players. That's what killing the Chargers.
I am gay.
While some (including Simms calling the game) may not have agreed with with onside kick, it was by no means a BAD call. The ONLY thing that it allowed the Jets to do was go for it on 4th down on SD's side of midfield instead of punting. Weighing that against the chance to get the ball back immediate via onside kick (AND in good field position), I don't see one call being better than the other. But can anyone explain the use of SD's final timeout with respect to the two minute warning? Ultimately it didn't matter, but why didn't they take it immediately after the 1st down play with about 2:10 left? That would have meant that the 3rd down play would have started at 2:00 instead of 1:55 as actually was the case....
Lost in all of the consternation of the Chargers meltdown is the fact that the Bolts have never been able to get it done. No Superbowls in 50 years is a history of choking when the big game lights come on. Blame it on the Marty Schottenheimer factor.
Wow Yahoo, you're so giddy you've come out of the closet....good for you....
@Bates
You wait on the timeout so that the Jets can't pass the ball. Timeout at 2:07 or so (which was the choice, not 2:10) means the Jets can call a pass and still likely burn the 7 seconds on an incomplete and get to the warning. You might argue the Jets' passing isn't really a big threat, but what you want is the predictability of a run so that you can commit your D fully to stopping it--that's worth more than 7 seconds of time.
JT,
The fact that the Jets weren't rushing up the middle for no gain even on 1st down when there was a 100% certainty of them not running a pass play meant that there was no way Sanchez was going to be asked to drop back on any of those three (or four) downs. I know what you are saying as a general strategy, but in this case it made no sense. And honestly, the Chargers' pass D is significantly better than their run defense so why not tempt them to pass? It just seemed like a waste of 5 seconds considering the situation AND both teams' strengths and weaknesses.
My mistake, I forgot that the 1st down play was for no gain. But still, I just can't see any way Sanchez gets asked to try and make that first risk while risking an INT or sack and fumble.
The onside try was a horrible decision. Kaeding has to go. Vincent Jackson had a better kicking day. lol
Mike, you left out the ex-Bears factor in Minny's big win, on both sides. Les Frazier was a cover corner on the '85 Bears team. And don't forget Bernard Berrian, especially when he wore those jazzy yellow fringed shoes. And for the Pokes, Marc Columbo and Marcus Spears got used and abused. The Bears should get some kudos from the Vikes!
I'll take my medicine and am still in shock that the Chargers went back to being the Chargers I've known since I was kid that gets you thinking that this is the year and the team to go all the way then completely disentegrate into a steaming pile of monkey crap with absolutely no warning at all.
Interesting when the Giants played the Chargers and were in a similar situation (4th and 1 on the goal line) they kicked a field goal to go up by 6 and lost the game.
Coaching matters. It's not all on the players.
Last year the Giants killed the Cardinals by playing tough physical football. The 49ers also killed the Cardinals the same way this year.
So what if these high flying offenses go up by 10 - 14 points. If you punish them while they do this you can win the war of attrition. this year the Giants defense only punished the loser teams, but the good teams were untouched.
Ryan has it right. Next week the Colts may win but there going to need the two weeks before the Super Bowl to recover if they do. The Colts are going to need the Jets offense to turnover the ball to win.
Very good article.
Thanks.
Looking ahead to the offseason and a probable uncapped year; are the restrictions on the contract length for draft picks covered under the CBA or was that a separate agreement between the NFL/NFLPA?
Looking ahead to the offseason and a probable uncapped year; are the restrictions on the contract length for draft picks covered under the CBA or was that a separate agreement between the NFL/NFLPA?
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Jan 18, 2010
11:39 AM
Mike,
I think you can't consider the 57yd FG a turnover since it was the end of the half, but I agree with the others. Nate missing the other FGs pretty much doomed them. Also, Norv doing an onside kick was a poor decision. Oh well, Indy doesn't have to worry about SD knocking them out. Peyton will probably light up the Jets in response to that first loss.
Would you give Reggie an extension based off this game? It looked to me like he was playing for a contract. As a NO fan, I was happy with his production, but would be nervous sinking a lot of money into him.