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This is Part I of Dan Leberfeld’s three part analysis (with some Whispers) of the Jets-Houston game. This series will appear over the next three days . . .
Rex Ryan’s handling of Vlad Ducasse is short-sighted.
The coach repeatedly said in camp, he wants him to keep him at offensive tackle, and then he plays him expensively at guard in Houston.
And I hate to say it, but on the play that Rob Turner broke his leg, part of the reason for the injury was Ducasse getting beat for a sack on the play, and Turner getting caught in the pile related to the sack.
Last year, Ducasse was being trained at right tackle and left guard, and now Rex is starting him at right guard. Crazy.
This isn’t the kind of player you want to keep moving around – he’s a better visual learner than classroom. It takes him a while. It’s not an intelligence issue. Part of it is he still thinks in Creole, the language of his native Haiti, so in the classroom he has to translate languages in his head.
Listen, I’m just going by what Rex said; he wants to keep him a tackle.
He’s contradicting himself with his own actions.
I’m not going to go over all of Vlad’s bad plays, but here are a just a few of note –
First, on the play that Turner was hurt, Ducasse was beaten soundly on an inside move by DE Earl Mitchell, who sacked Sanchez.
Then in the second quarter, Vlad was late coming off the ball, and OLB Jesse Nading went untouched on a bee-line to Greg McElroy, and the sack resulted in a fumble, recovered by Houston. To show you what a leader McElroy is, he took the blame for this play when addressing the media, even though it wasn’t his fault.
At the end of the half, Ducasse, back at right tackle, seemed obliviou to OLB Xavier Abidi, and he came off the edge to sack McElroy to end the half.
I think pushing him inside to guard so much is messing up this tackle mechanics.
Rex, do the kid a favor, make him the backup swing tackle and just leave him there . . .
I hear Rex said during a TV interview that Derrick Mason could catch 90 balls this year. And based on the first quarter, maybe he’s on to something here.
Mason caught three passes in the first quarter, and clearly Rex and Schotty were sending a message to opponents, via television and actions.
If you focus on stopping Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress (who sat out with an ankle), the Jets will feature Mason in the middle, and he will eat your up.
Pick your poison . . .
If I’m Dustin Keller, I’m a little nervous.
This Jeff Cumberland is something else.
Granted, he needs to work on his blocking, but this guy is a rare bird.
I know he’s a little inconsistent, but did you see the movement skills of the 6-4, 260 pounder last night. He can fly. Not only does he run 4.4 (legitimate, this isn’t embellished), but he’s very rugged running after the catch.
I’m not saying he’s supplanting Keller this year, but Cumberland’s huge upside could impact the amount of money Keller is offered by the Jets next year, when he becomes a free agent.
Cumberland led the Jets with six catches for 77 yards . . .
Whisper – You want to here something pretty amazing. Dan DePalma, who looked really good returning three punts for a 15.7 average, wasn’t used as a punt returner in camp. He wasn’t given any reps in practice. He was told at halftime he was needed to return punts, and was thrust out there, and looked really good. The Jets felt like Jeremy Kerley was being overused in other roles, so they didn’t want him returning punts, and DePalma was thrown into the role at halftime, and looked like a natural.