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New Jersey – We have more good stuff from behind the scenes in Florham Park, including notes on Star L, a telegraph alert, Ellis and more . . .
We talked a couple of days ago about a potential tough match- up for the Jets between defensive tackle Star Lotulelei and guard Brian Winters.
Winters is struggling, and Lutulelei is having a tremendous rookie season.
Another match-up issue for the Jets is Panthers MLB Luke Kuechly vs. Geno Smith.
Kuechley’s instincts are unreal, and Smith tends to lock on his primary receiver. This is a dangerous combination.
Kuechley is amazing at reading the quarterback’s eyes.
Also, the Panthers have some pretty savvy veterans in the secondary, who are also good at reading the eyes of the quarterback.
“One thing is just the experience of those guys,” Kuechly said about the Panthers secondary. “You look around, Drayton Florence, I think he (has 11 years of experience). Quintin Mikell’s up there, too. Those guys have been around for a while. Mike Mitchell, he was in Oakland for a couple years. Captain Munnerlyn has been around. They’re from all over the place, but they do have a lot of experience.”
Jets better leave the telegraph machine at home this week.
If not, they are going to have issues . . .
I was very hard on Kenrick Ellis his first couple of years in the league for his technique and being on the ground too much.
I can’t tell you have impressed I am with his improvement.
He has taken a quantum leap in Year Three. He’s been terrific.
In the third quarter, he overpowered Raiders left guard Khalif Barnes, bursting into the backfield to stop Marcel Reece for no gain.
In the second quarter, he blew up the center, Steve Wisniewski, destroying a rushing attempt up the middle by Reece, setting up David Harris to make the tackle, after a gain of two.
Ellis has done a nice job of spelling starting nose tackle Damon Harrison, here and there.
And this is a teachable moment about competition in Green Land.
Ellis lost his starting job this summer to Harrison, and this was a wake-up call to Ellis, and he has responded.
Legitimate competition is a good thing. Faux competition is a bad thing . . .
Quietly, Alex Green has become a very good special team’s player.
So often running backs aren’t very good at tackling, but this guy is.
He’s did a very nice job in the Raiders’ game . . .
There is something surprising going on at cornerback spot for the Jets.
We hear that Ellis Lankster is getting starting reps ahead of Darrin Walls at Antonio Cromartie’s cornerback spot. Cromartie has a concussion.
I absolutely don’t understand this.
Lankster is very tough, and a terrific hitter and tackler, but his coverage instincts are suspect. When he came into the Jets-Dolphins game after Dee Milliner was benched, Brian Hartline beat him on back-to-back plays.
Walls is the more instinctive corner.
I think this is a big mistake.
The proof will be in the pudding. We will see what happens Sunday.
It might be a moot point if Cromartie can play . . .
I think Nick Mangold’s left wrist injury is impacting his play at times.
In the third quarter of the Raiders’ game, rookie defensive tackle Stacy McGee shed Mangold and blew up a Bilal Powell run on the line.
Also in the third quarter, defensive tackle Vance Walker shed Mangold, blowing up a Chris Ivory run, and paving the way for linebacker Kevin Burnett to make the tackle.
These aren’t plays you expect to see from Mangold. It stands to reason that a painful wrist injury is going to impact an lineman’s ability to sustain blocks, and that seemed to be the case on these two plays . . .
December 10, 2013
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