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Aaron Rodgers loved with Nathaniel Hackett in Green Bay.
He has spoken glowingly over and over about how much he loves the man.
But it must be pointed out, again, the Hackett didn’t call the plays in Green Bay, the two years they worked together.
Matt LaFleur did.
So the love affair was not based on play-calling.
And while the Jets certainly have a lot of issues on offense not related to play-calling, like offensive line play and receivers not getting much separation, the play-calling could certainly be better.
Does Atlanta’s Artie Smith have a good QB situation? No, but they are now 6-6.
As Bill Parcells liked to say, “There is a way to win ever game.”
But I’m not suggesting Hackett should be fired. I don’t fire coaches.
Just making the point that Rodgers love affair with Hackett, wasn’t related to play-calling in Green Bay . . .
Speaking of Green Bay, it just doesn’t make any sense why the Jets won’t use receiver Randall Cobb.
He’s been active once since the Jets’ win over the Philadelphia Eagles on October 15, and that was last week, when they benched Allen Lazard, to send a message to Lazard, who played a lot today and had no catches. Hard to have an impact when they don’t throw to you.
But not having Cobb in the mix is a little short-sighted.
If your passing offense is struggling, why go with three young undrafted free agents as receivers 3-5?
Not saying those three youngsters don’t have talent, but wouldn’t you want Cobb, a crafty route-runner, who knows all the tricks in the book on getting open, in the mix to help the QB?
Makes little sense to me . ..
Just like it made little sense to start Carter Warren at right tackle today.
Before I continue, I want to make it clear, I think Carter Warren is a terrific prospect and should be a very good pro, he faired pretty well against Buffalo and Miami filling in at left tackle.
But how was he going to help you improve your right tackle position today, if he’s never started at the position in his life?
He was strictly at left tackle at Pitt.
This isn’t guessing. I wrote about it last week when Warren told me he had never played a game at right tackle before.
This idea that he was going to fix your right tackle position, in his first game ever at the position, with a long history on the other side, was a bad idea, and was unfair to the kid.
Down 13-8, with just under 3 minutes left in the game, the Jets were driving the ball, thanks to a 12-yard pass to Jeremy Ruckert, and an 8-yard scramble by Siemien.
On first-and-10 from the Atlanta 48, Falcons DB Richie Grant blitzed off the edge, got by Warren, and then Dalvin Cook did a poor job picking up the safety, had had a strip sack, recovered by Atlanta linebacker Andre Smith.
Blocking a blitzing safety off the edge is hard for a 6-5 offensive tackle, and if Cook had picked him up, the strip sack wouldn’t have happened.
Cook had a press conference after the game, but wasn’t asked about this poor block in this supposed tough media market.
Sometimes Cook seems disinterested as a blocker.
The Jets running game was bad today, and Warren playing out of position didn’t help, in terms of getting much push from the right side.
In time, Warren could be a good right tackle with a lot more work, and heck, he might be the heir apparent at left tackle, if the Jets don’t re-sign Mekhi Becton, but to think he was going to fix the right tackle position today, when he’s never played the position before in a game, was a head-scratcher.
They might have bene better off with a Max Mitchell (even with his recent struggles) or Billy Turner, even though he’s too light, or Dennis Kelly who they waived before giving a chance.
December 3, 2023
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