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You could hear him in South Orange
Jets DC Gregg Williams was barking up a storm on the Jets’ practice fields in Florham Park this week, even more than usual. This was probably by design.
You know he heard all the talk in the media and with the fans about his practice lacking something. This was based on comments from safety Bradley McDougald and linebacker Avery Williamson.
Safety Bradley McDougald on SNY: “Slow practices and it correlates to the game. We’ve yet to have one complete, dominating week of practice.”
Linebacker Avery Williamson on WFAN:, “Sometimes, in practice, guys are missing tackles or we’re not doing things right. We haven’t been as crisp as we should be at times. We don’t start fast at practice.”
Once again, I don’t agree with McDougald and Williamson, but they are asked all these questions about what is wrong with the defense, and they really can’t give the real answer, so you come up with cliche answer like this. I get it. They can’t throw teammates under the bus and say the problem is personnel-related, not practice related.
Gregg Williams was asked about the first play of the game last week – an 80-yard TD run.
“That’s the first play of the game that we practiced about five or six times during the week, we said that would be the first play of the game,” Williams said. “We had three new guys right there at the point of attack and it was a learning lesson for them, but you know we got to set the force faster, we’ve got to cap it faster.”
How can you cap if faster, when the players over there aren’t fast?
You can practice something a million times, but you have a 5.0 forty defensive end over there, who should be playing inside, and a linebacker just signed who is still getting into shape, this isn’t a practice problem – it’s a player utilization problem.
The Colts have two speedy backs – Ryhiem Hines and Jon Taylor – so if the Jets don’t stop asking slow-footed ends to set the edge, expect this problem to continue . . .
People make such a big deal about the Jets’ injuries, but I just finished going over the weekly NFL injury report for my Saturday radio show on SiriusXM NFL Radio, and I’m telling you, the Jets have plenty of company – there are so many teams ravaged. This probably has to do with no NFL off-season programs.
Look at the Colts – they will be without two of their top defensive backs this week – CB Rock Ya-Sin and safety Malik Hooker. Also out are running back Marlon Mack and wide receiver Parris Campbell. These are four key starters.
People need to stop taking a myopic view and pretend the Jets’ injury situation is so much worse than other teams.
And with Ya-Sin and Hooker out, and even with some Jets receivers injuries, they should be able to throw the ball with their current receivers and tight ends. Let’s not forget, the Colts top corner now is Xavier Rhodes, who the Minnesota Vikings got rid of after last season because he lost a step, and he hasn’t looked great early in the season.
So I don’t want to hear any excuses – the Colts aren’t strong in their secondary – with Chris Hogan (two rings), Braxton Berrios (TD catch last week), Josh Malone (11 TD’s his final year at Tennessee), Lawrence Cager (6-5 with huge catching radius), La’Mical Perine (very good receiving back) and tight ends Chris Herndon, Ryan Griffin and Trevon Wesco (time for them to throw to the tight ends a lot more), they need to get the job done.
The Colts are secondary is ripe for the picking.
Excuses are for losers.
As Larry the Cable guy says, “Get-er done.”
September 25, 2020
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