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New Jersey – It’s time for a helping of Friday Night Whispers from Jets Camp in Florham Park, with notes on Eric Decker and more. Let’s get this underway . . .
Eric Decker was practicing today with a medical sleeve on his right leg to help his hamstring.
He thinks he should be able to play.
I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but this is likely going to be an issue all year, on-and-off.
Remember, it was a problem in training camp, he managed to stave it off for a few weeks, and then it reared it’s ugly head in Week Two, and then in Week Three.
A doctor I know, who deals with a lot of sports injuries, and is an active athlete himself, told me a couple of year ago, that once you pull a hamstring, it’s never the same.
Now don’t take that the wrong way. Of course most players come back from hamstrings and play for a long time. But nonetheless, the doctor says it’s never truly the same. I found that pretty interesting . . .
There is a good chance the Jets use Decker in a limited role this week with a lot routes that involve running straight more than cutting . . .
I heard a lot of chirping after the Jets-Bears games about a lack of weapons in Green Green’s passing attack, after Decker left the game.
The weapons lobby is back!
You know how I feel about weapons. They are important, but some really smart football people have told me over
the years, “Quarterbacks make receiver, receivers don’t make quarterbacks.”
All of sudden Decker is Larry Fitzgerald, and when he left the game, the Jets’ passing game was in dire straits.
Jon Gruden said a couple of times after the Decker injury, “The Jets receiving corps is decimated?”
Losing one player, who is more of a #2 or #3 receiver (but a very, very solid player) is sidelined, and that means a receiving corps is “decimated?”
That is ridiculous.
Jeremy Kerley, Greg Salas, David Nelson (because they didn’t lose the fumbles), Jeff Cumberland, Jace Amaro (aside from the one drop) and Chris Ivory, all did some good things in the passing game against the Bears.
Kerley and Salas are both underrated players.
Salas is textbook when it comes to playing receiver – good routes, good hands and so forth.
Today in practice, in a pass-catching drill, that required catching over the head, like Willie Mays, Salas did it so well, tight end coach Steve Hagen yelled, “That is how you do it fellas!” . . .
LaAdrian Waddle likely isn’t going to play for the Detroit Lions. He is doubtful with a calf injury.
You might say – “So what, who is LaAdrian Waddle?”
Waddle is the Lions’ starting right tackle.
I’m not putting him in Canton, but the problem for the Lions is his backup, Corey Hilliard, was put on IR, earlier this month. So the Lions will likely have to start journeyman Garrett Reynolds, who they signed in September 10.
The Jets outstanding defensive line should be able to feast on Reynolds . . .
September 26, 2014
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