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The popular segment – “Looking at the films” is back. In the first installment, Dan looks at the Jets passing game from Gang Green’s preseason loss to the Football Giants.
It was a horrible start for the passing game.
On his first pass, Mark Sanchez forced a quick slant to L.T., into double coverage, it was tipped by LB Michael Boley, and picked off by safety Antrel “Shake, Rattle and” Rolle.
This was a ridiculous play call and decision. It was like some of the Jets offensive coaches wanted to show the football nation that the classy runner still has “it.” Remember, on the first play of the Jets scrimmage in Cortland, they threw to him deep.
This was a totally forced throw, and Sanchez, should have gone to his second read.
But after this disaster, Mark settled down and did some good things. On the second possession, Sanchez took the Jets on a 14-play touchdown drive that took almost nine minutes. He hit Dustin Keller for nine and 10 yard gains, but his best pass was a seven-yard square out to Jerricho Cotchery on third-and-three. It was thrown perfectly, only where Cotchery could grab it. The longest completion on the drive was a third-and-13 pass to Tomlinson that gained 14 yards. It was a short pass on the left side and the runner did a great job of making CB Terrell Thomas miss in the open field.
The drive wrapped up with a touchdown pass to Brad Smith on the left side. Helping the Jets cause on this play was that Smith was uncovered. The Giants are putting in a new defense under Perry Fewell, and there was mass confusion on this play.
The Jets third possession was another good one for Sanchez. He opened things up by hitting Jerricho Cotchery for 13 yards on an out route on the right side. Cotchery had just one player on him – Sha’reff Rashad, so Sanchez did a good job spotting this mismatch. Two plays later, Sanchez hit Braylon Edwards on a 20-yard dig route down the right seam. Two plays later, he connected with Edwards for a nine-yard completion on the left side. This play was example of them now being on the same page. Sanchez threw it to a spot where Edwards could only catch it and it seemed like they had worked on this. This ten-play drive ended up in a field goal. But before we put this offense in Canton, keep in mind this drive was the Jets offensive starters against the Giants backup defense.
The next possession, Sanchez’s last, didn’t go that well. He was sacked on the first play by Jason Pierre-Paul. This wasn’t Sanchez’s fault. Pierre-Paul blew by Woody right after the snap.
Kellen Clemens entered the game in the third quarter and played well. His first pass was a 16-yard completion to Danny Woodhead on a burst route. On the next play, he hit Santonio Holmes for a gain of 13, and then a few plays later, he hit Holmes for a gain of 19 on a perfectly run comeback route down the right seam. This drive ended with a Nick Folk field goal. While Clemens played well, it’s only fair to point out that Holmes against backup corners is a mismatch of biblical proportions.
Kevin O’Connell finished up the game, and didn’t help himself with two picks, including one on his first pass, a deep throw down the left side to David Clowney.
It wasn’t all bad. O’Connell did some nice work with Andrae Allison in the fourth quarter. Allison continues to look really good.