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Morris County – Time for a heaping helping of Friday Night Whispers . . .
In practice on Wednesday, there were a bunch of punts that landed out of bounds by where the media was watching practice.
Jets PR director Bruce Speight caught one, after dropping one, creating a light moment – even Todd Bowles laughed.
But after getting over the comedic aspect of this scene, I realized what was going on.
After that punt return for a touchdown against Carolina, on a low punt right down the middle of the field, the Jets were having punter Lachlan Edwards put in some extra time working on directional punting.
Bowles said today he talked to Edwards about that punt.
They all know that short punts down the middle can’t happen anymore . . .
Brian Winters is questionable for the Chiefs-Jets game with two different injuries – an ankle and a groin.
He was limited in practice this week.
Dakota Dozier should start for him. To start Winters with two injuries, over a healthy Dozier, would be a case of stubbornness.
Look, I’m not putting Dozier in Canton, but the guy has certainly paid his dues, working hard as in reserve the last four years waiting for his chance. He’s a thickly-built 6-4, 313-pound road-grader who is a more than capable guard.
I have nothing against Winters, but if Winters starts with two injuries ahead of a healthy Dozier, that makes little sense to me, especially since the Jets’ offensive line hasn’t played very well lately, outside of the Buffalo game . . .
The Jets are committing too many penalties, and had a couple of real killers last week in the second half against Carolina.
How do you fix this?
Well the fear factor certainly would help. I have seen this work with guys like Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick.
You need to pull players, bench them, at least temporarily, if they are committing bad penalties.
“Players understand when you take away the stage and that is the only way to get through when you don’t allow them to play,” said ESPN’s Louis Riddick, a former NFL safety and executive.
But you just don’t see that very often around here.
It seems to me, Bowles isn’t a benching kind of guy.
But I’m telling you, when you have a program that punishes guys who make bonehead mistakes, they are less apt to make bonehead mistakes, because the specter of losing their job is always hanging over there heads . . .
Don’t be surprised if Jets kick/punt returner JoJo Natson takes one all the way before the seasons is over.
Jets haven’t had a guy with these kind of “quicks” back there in quite some times. He has amazing short-area quickness.
He showed flashes in his first two games, but some fans are down on him for going backward a couple of times, and losing yards he gained.
But keep in mind, these were his first two NFL games returning. We live in a such an “instant gratification” society. Can you give the kid at least a few games to figure this out?
“I think he just has to get more comfortable back there,” said Jets special teams coach Brant Boyer. “It’s only his second game in the league. I think the more reps you see out here of him catching it, he’s more comfortable every day. I think he’s just going to improve and improve and improve.”
I agree, and I think he’s going to break one.
December 1, 2017
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