Year: 2012

Jets Crush

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By Kevin Harrison 

It was a home-coming of sorts.  Brett Favre, the Jets fearless leader for one not quite magical season just two years ago, returns to the Meadowlands for the first time since 2008’s end of season collapse.  This time; however, he’s wearing purple.   This game has Monday Night Football written all over it.   Brett Favre is in the midst of controversary after reports surfaced that he was taking pictures of his tally-wacker and sending it to a female Jets employee.  Randy Moss also returns to the Meadowlands for his second time this season also now wearing purple since his trade from our division rivals, the Patriots.  This game also marks the return of our summer hold-out, Darrelle Revis who looks to shut down, Mr. Moss, and put him on his island.   Oh wait…did I forget to mention the debut of Santiono Holmes in a Jet uniform fresh off serving his four game suspension for a substance violation?  And let’s not forget the return of Calvin Pace, the team’s best pass rusher, coming back from his pre-season injury.

Things were looking good back in 2008 with Favre at the helm.  We were 8-3 which included a game where the Jets destroyed the then undefeated 10-0 Titans. From there, things then basically went to the crapper. The off-season was a typical “will he retire” or “won’t he retire” game which football fans have grown accustomed to over the last few seasons.  Luckily, the Jets decided to move on and make a trade with the Browns to snag Mark Sanchez who will hopefully lead this team to the Promised Land.  Now, in front of a national audience, the Jets defense needs to payback Mr. Favre for his time spent in Green and White by putting him on his ass.

Come on; all of us Jets fans were thinking the same thing.  Here we go again.  Favre with the ball,  only down two points.  I was surely thinking disaster.  But, I’m learning that these are a totally different bunch of Jets.  These Jets are winners.  These Jets are closers.  These Jets are atop the AFC East, winners of 4 and a row, and are a team on a mission. 

At started out as a snoozefest as we were going to field goal them to death.  Folk did have a nice 53 yard FG to go along with four other ones we booted through.  We just couldn’t move the ball that well when having the ball in good field position and always knocking on the door of the Vikings.  Part of the issue had to be the rain or whatever that monsoon was.  It looked like it was snowing.  LT had a great game running and Shonn Green had huge touchdown run in the 2nd half to put us up by two scores.

The defense looked good except for a few second half drives.  We shut them out in the first half with some great play by Cromartie on Moss.   Bart Scott had a fumble recovery when Favre tied the record with Warren Moon for the most career fumbles.  Later in the game Favre breaks the record with his second fumble of the evening which was then recovered by Darrelle Revis.  I liked that Darrelle wasn’t on Moss.  Cromartie did a great job.  It gave Darrelle a break in getting into game shape.  The second half things got a little hairy with the Vikings connecting on a 3rd and 17 for their first score of the game and then a short while later on 3rd and 19, Favre connects to Randy Moss for his 500th career touchdown.  It was such a perfect pass that I have to give Cromartie a pass on that one.  The defense for the most part put on some great pressure.  Jason Taylor had a huge sack at the end of the game.  Dwight Lowery had a monsterous interception for a touchdown that sealed the game putting us back up by two scores.   Drew Coleman also had a nice game getting a sack and feeling like he was all over the field.

And our special teams were great.  Brad Smith responded for a Vikings touchdown by darting 39 yards to the Vikings 20 yard line which set us up for our fifth field goal. 

It wasn’t the prettiest game but when the field was dry and the rain stopped, the offense and defense stepped up their game to seal the deal.

http://khbirdmantalkingjets.blogspot.com/ 

 

Jets Antonio Cromartie

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Cromartie gets 8 million per year for 4 years, which compared to Johnathan Joseph (just under 10 million per year) and Nnamdi Asomugha (12 million per year), doesn’t seem like a great value for Cromartie, who has an off and on motor and only does well in certain types of coverages. However, Cromartie was the last of the top tier cornerbacks and the Jets didn’t feel comfortable going forward with Kyle Wilson in 2011 as a team that could win it all, so you can kind of understand why they overpaid.

Grade: B

 

Jets 38 Bills 14

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By Steve Janis 

Wow. The Buffalo Bills are beyond pathetic/embarrassing. I am not sure exactly what is beyond that other than the Bills and I know it is ugly. This game was pathetic from the onset. There is no point to breaking it down or delving into this one. It was just under the Patriots SNF game from 2007. 

The worst part is there is no hope. At least after that game we were still 5-5 and Ralph wasn’t yet 90 (he’ll be 92 10/17). I don’t even want to ask if things can get worse because what if they can?

Worst case scenario is they leave Buffalo. Right now that doesn’t seem like that much worse. Perhaps after the numbing pain wares off that statement won’t be true but jeez. This is bad.

Best case scenario is what, Ralph lives a few more years and we continue to be mediocre? Nah he could have a succession plan and we could hit on a QB next year and Chan could be fired and Parcells could be brought it and Maybin could realize he is an NFL player or at least was drafted to be one and and eh fkk it.

http://wnywatercooler.blogspot.com 

 

Jets

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Jerry Hughes

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Rush Linebacker/Defensive End

TCU

6-2 254

40 time: 4.59

Draft board overall prospect rank: #28

Draft board rush linebacker rank: #3

Overall rating: 83*

1/21/10: 26 sacks in the last 2 years for TCU for a guy just learning the defensive end position, after playing running back for most of his football career, is amazing, but he may be maxed out bulk wise at 257 pounds and he doesn’t have ideal height at 6-2. He’s a better fit as a rush linebacker, but he can play on the line some, though he’d be a liability against the run. He has a great motor and has shown plasticity and ability to learn new positions in the past. He also has good hands because he’s played on the offensive side of the ball before, but I’m not sure about his ability in pass coverage.

10/3/09: Jerry Hughes is a former running back who has put on muscle and switched to the defense side of the ball to play defensive end. Hughes learned the position quickly, winning conference defensive player of the year with 14.5 sacks in his first year as a full time starter in 2008. He was able to put on the muscle without losing his quickness from playing running back. He is one of the fastest defensive lineman in college football and could run a 40 in the 4.5s. He’s extremely athletic and explosive as well. Because he played on the offensive side of the ball for awhile, he has good hands and caught two picks last year as a defensive end, something you rarely see. He has good hands and can drop back in pass coverage which is huge for him. He will likely have to play 3-4 rush linebacker in the pros, because he simply isn’t big enough to play in the trenches in the NFL. A lot of defensive ends who transition from end to linebacker have to work awhile in pass coverage, but Hughes won’t have to as much. He can keep up with tight ends and running backs out of the backfield and can make some plays on the ball. He isn’t the ideal 6-3, 6-4 height you’d like out of your pass rusher, but 6-2 isn’t bad. It will be a minor disadvantage, one that will be minimized by his placement at rush linebacker. If a 4-3 team drafts him and tries to play him on the line, he could still be a decent pass rusher, if he uses his speed to get around big guys, but he’ll be blocked backwards far too often which will hurt a team’s run defense. In addition to his great initial burst he has good chase speed and good closing speed and chases down running backs in the open field well. He plays with great intensity on the field and doesn’t take plays off. He breaks through countless double and triple teams with ease. He needs to develop a bigger arsenal of pass rush moves and his stats may be plumped a little by the fact that he plays in a weaker conference, though the MWC is not much worse than any of the BCS conferences. At this point he is a one year wonder and doesn’t have a lot of experience so he’ll have to continue his dominance throughout the 2009 season to make it in the first round. If he gets drafted by a 3-4 team who puts him at linebacker, he could be a future Pro-Bowler, but he could also be a guy who is doesn’t make it and it just written off as another undersized speed rusher without a big arsenal of moves.

NFL Comparison: Joey Porter

*=For a breakdown of what this means, click here

Jerrell Powe Scout

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Nose Tackle

Mississippi

6-2 335

Draft board overall prospect rank: #50

Draft board nose tackle rank: #2

Overall rating: 78 (Mid 2nd) 

40 time: 5.27

2/16/11: Powe is an amazing football player, with good mobility as a 345 pound nose tackle, but has a history of academic problems. The most notable of his academic problems the fact that it took him three years after committing to Mississippi to be academically eligible to attend and thus play for the University because he did not complete his courses in high school.

But there also was an instance when the police came to his house after giving him a written notice about the noise that was being created from some parties he had been throwing. Powe told the police that the reason he did not follow the warning is because he cannot read, which was first interpreted as a joke to avoid trouble. However, his mother has also been quoted as saying “Jerrell really is a good child, but he just can’t read.” Either his mom is hilarious or he really can’t read, or at least couldn’t at the time. Opposing fans got a kick out of that and held signs that said things such as “Jerrell Powe, can you read this sign?”

However, he puts in the effort in the weight room, dropping 20-30 pounds of fat since joining the team and has also significantly reduced his body fat percentage. He’s a massive run stopper that projects as a starting nose tackle in the NFL, which could make him a 3rd round prospect because of how rare true nose tackles are and how many teams have switched to the 3-4 and therefore need nose tackles.

All things equal, I would rather have a football player who struggles with academics than a football player who gets good grades, but doesn’t put in the effort on the field and in the weight room, because you don’t need to know how to do much school stuff in the NFL. As long as you can read the playbook which I assume, since he’s a college student, he can, he should be fine.

If not, than this might be the first player to score a negative score on the Wonderlic. Either way if he makes it as an NFL player, it would be quite an inspirational story because of how much he’s been through, a story so inspirational that they might make a movie out of it like they did with his former Ole Miss teammate, Michael Oher. That movie was titled “The Blindside.” If they make one about Jerrell Powe, it could be called “Jerrell Powe, can you read this movie title?”

NFL Comparison: Jamal Williams 

Jerrel Jernigan Scout

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Wide Receiver

Troy

5-9 185

Draft board overall prospect rank: #131

Draft board overall wide receiver rank: #14

Overall rating: 61 (4th round)

40 time: 4.32

4/18/11: Jerrel Jernigan is a do it all speedster who has put up nice stats on the small school level over the past two years. He has 2791 receiving yards and 842 rushing yards in the past 3 years, though it’s worth noting his receiving yards dropped significantly from his junior year total of 1101 to his senior year total of 822. He also contributes in a big way on special teams with 2 years experience as a kick returner and one year of experience as a punt returner, with a TD of both as a senior.

His timed speed matches what you see on the tape with a 4.32 40 at his Pro Day after a surprisingly slow 4.47 at the Combine. He’s closer to 4.32 on tape so I’m going with that time. It’s worth noting that of his 822 receiving yards as a senior, 209 receiving yards came in one game and since that opponent was lowly Arkansas State, that’s not a great sign. Neither are performances of 27 yards against Louisiana-Monroe, 32 yards against Florida International, 40 yards against Bowling Green and 40 yards against Middle Tennessee.

Starting receiver prospects should dominate those types of teams and 4 bad performances against 4 weaker teams is a bad sign. I think he’s a slot guy at the next level. His height is also an issue at 5-9. He’s not a vertical threat or a red zone threat. It’s also worth noting that he was barely the leading receiver on his own team. Troy had 3859 passing/receiving yards as a team and Jernigan’s percentage of them, 21%, isn’t all that impressive.

In the end, Jernigan is going to go a lot higher than he should because he’s a workout wonder. He looks great in open field drills in workouts and times really well and NFL teams love speed, especially with the way guys like DeSean Jackson and Mike Wallace have set the league on fire in recent years. Jernigan is not on their level. He’s a solid slot receiver who can occasionally carry the ball and a strong special teamer. I don’t see a starting receiver in him; of course I said the same thing about Mike Wallace.

NFL Comparison: Antonio Brown

 

Jeron Johnson Scout

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Safety

Boise State

5-10 212

Draft Board Overall Prospect Rank: #97

Draft Board Overall Safety Rank: #4

Rating: 68 (late 3rd-early 4th)

40 time : 4.55

2/28/11: Excellent job bulking up. Johnson is a strong safety at the next level so getting up to 212 from the 190s is very helpful, of course, provided he runs well.

2/20/11: In terms of pure football ability, Johnson is a 2nd round prospect. He is a very instinctual football player against the run and holds his own against the pass. He’s not an elite athlete with a mid-late 4.5 40 at under 6 feet and under 200 pounds, but he knows how to play the game well. He’s got an elite mean streak and a non-stop motor. He’s always around the football, with 271 tackles in the last 3 years. He takes good routes to the ball and wraps up well most of the time, though occasionally his aggressive gets the best of him.

He’s not a ballhawk and doesn’t make a lot of plays on the ball in the air. He’s decent in coverage, but his deficiencies in coverage and lack of athleticism make him a strong safety and that’s where the problem lies. That’s why he’s not a 2nd round prospect. He’s very small for a strong safety. Not only could he have issues with more physical running backs in the NFL, his body could break down really fast, a la another smaller strong safety, Bob Sanders. Even bigger safeties, Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, have trouble staying healthy because they have to hit like a linebacker at the size of a cornerback.

He has similar issues to Mike Mayock’s favorite sleeper, Ahmad Black. Black, however, is significantly smaller, about 5-9 and 180 or 185 pounds. That’s an even bigger risk and I think Johnson is the better football player, on top of that. That’s why I have Black as a 5th round grade, though guys like Mayock have a 2nd round grade on him.

That being said, I’d still use a late day 2 early day 3 pick on Johnson. Even if his career might not be that long, he’s still got value in the short term. He’s ready to play and could probably start year one. He says he models his game after a healthy version of Bob Sanders and I see a lot of that in his game, though, I’m not ready to say he’ll be as good as the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year.

His 40 time will be really important because if it falls into the 4.6s or lower, he could slip. As a prospect, he reminds me a little bit of TJ Ward, who I wasn’t a huge fan of, but Ward, after making a surprise leap into the 2nd round, was one of the better defensive rookies in the league this year. Johnson could have a similar immediate impact, even if he doesn’t get drafted in the 2nd like Ward.

NFL Comparison: TJ Ward

 

 

Jeromey Clary Chargers

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4 years 20 million is a reasonable rate for a starting caliber right tackle in the NFL and Clary has started most of the games for the Chargers at right tackle these past few years. The only problem, he sucks. The Chargers had Brandyn Dombrowski and Steve Schilling ready to compete for the starting right tackle job. I have no idea why they decided to spend 20 million on this clown.

Grade: D

 

Jerome Simpson Vikings

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Simpson will miss 3 games with suspension for getting arrested for marijuana, but he was a solid #2 receiver in Cincinnati last year with 50 catches for 725 yards and 4 touchdowns. I mentioned this when I mocked Matt Kalil to the Vikings over Morris Claiborne. The Vikings priority of this year (since they aren’t going to win a lot of games no matter what) should be to figure out if they have a keeper or not in Christian Ponder at quarterback.

You simply can’t fairly evaluate Ponder with the lack of offensive supporting cast he had last year. Simpson gives him another weapon and more importantly a veteran weapon because young receivers tend to struggle out of the gate (AJ Green and Julio Jones aside). They’ll only have him for 13 games, but they aren’t paying him much at all (2 million over a year) so this was a worthwhile investment.

Grade: A