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New Jersey – After the terrific performance by the Jets’ offensive line in the team’s recent win over Miami, there has been talk that Brian Winters, who started in that game for Willie Colon (knee), should keep the starting job.
I don’t agree.
No question Winters has improved, but while the Jets’ offensive line en masse was terrific against Miami, Winters individual was inconsistent.
To his credit, Winters had a number of impressive plays in this game.
In the first quarter, Nick Mangold and Winters doubled Ndamukong Suh and Chris Ivory ran behind them for a touchdown.
In the second quarter, Winters pushed Suh in back of the runner (Ivory) deep into the backfield, and this helped (along with a few other blockers) the play gain seven yards.
In the third quarter, Ivory had a gain of 24 to the left side and one of the key blocks was by Winters pulling left and chipping LB Kelvin Sheppard.
In the third quarter, Ivory had a nine-yard gain to the left side. Winters pulled left and chipped DE Terrence Fede which helped Ivory.
But while Winters had several nice plays, there were just as many shaky ones.
First of all, he had two penalties, a false start in the third quarter and a holding call in the fourth quarter.
Remember that impressive 14-yard scramble by Ryan Fitzpatrick in the third quarter? On the play, Suh pushed Winters back into Fitzpatrick, but quarterback did a great Harry Houdini imitation, escaping and running for a nice gain.
In the third quarter, Koa Misi blitzed and Winters didn’t do a great job of picking it up and Fitzpatrick was forced into an incompletion. On the next play, nobody blocked Suh and Zac Stacy lost five. Winters pulled left and nobody picked up Suh. Breno Giacomini, who was dealing with somebody else, tried to help at the last minute, but it was too late. I can’t 100 percent blame Winters on this play without knowing what offensive line coach Steve Marshall wanted from him, but the idea of nobody picking up Suh, the best player on the Dolphins, made little sense.
Now it’s only fair to point out the Suh is a rare talent and would give most guards trouble. So for the most part, Winters held his own.
But that being said, there was still too much inconsistency to anoint him the start over Colon right now.
So yes, Colon, if healthy, should get his job back.
While Winters might be a little more athletic than Colon, Willie has a lot more experience, and is more assignment-savvy. Plus, Giacomini and Mangold, the men to the right and left of the right guard, are much more comfortable with Colon. The three are truly on the same page.
There is no question Winters has starting potential at some point down the road, but right now, this is a veteran team, a playoff contender, so sticking with the veteran right guard makes more sense right now, as long as he’s healthy.
October 13, 2015
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