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Premium – Dan checks in with some interesting stuff on the second quarter, and a take on running back Mike Goodson . . .
While Greg Salas did a nice job as a receiver in the Jets win over New Orleans, he also contributed as a blocker.
The blocking on Chris Ivory’s three-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was textbook, all the way round. Guard Willie Colon locked up DT Akiem Hicks, and Austin Howard handled DE Cameron Jordan, and the running back burst through this gaping hole on the right side.
But the block in the end zone by Salas should not be ignored. He did a great job of handling cornerback Keenan Lewis, who could have made the tackle, but he couldn’t get off the block of Salas.
Salas, like David Nelson, is a big, physical receiver (6-2, 215), who is a major asset in the running game . . .
Having big, physical receivers who are good blocker is huge for the running game.
Run blocking can be a tough chore for a small receiver like Jeremy Kerley (5-9, 188), and because he’s really not built to block, this might have led to his dislocated left elbow injury.
He was attempting to block on an Ivory run off left tackle, and cornerback Jabari Green pushed him back, as he was attempting to block the wide receiver, and he fell to the ground and Ivory fell on his elbow.
Kerley is a very tough guy, but he’s just not stout enough to be a factor as a run blocker, and unfortunately, his struggles in this area, likely led to his injury . . .
Marty Mornhinweg calls a lot of bootlegs to the right side for Geno Smith. Considering how well the Jets are running the football, you would think this would lead to a little more success on these play calls. The success rate has been underwhelming.
Before a second quarter Jets field goal, Geno Smith rolled right on third down, in the red zone, but whose two primary targets on that side, Nelson and Salas were covered tightly.
Also in the red zone in the second quarter, Smith ran for three years on a bootleg right. He wanted to throw first, but Stephen Hill and Zach Sudfeld were covered tightly.
Teams are sitting on these bootlegs against the Jets.
It’s no secret that Mornhinweg, just like most coordinators with rookie quarterbacks, wants to cut Geno’s reads in half, by cutting the field in half, so there is little surprise to defenses on this call, so they are sitting on these plays.
I’m not criticizing Mornhinweg here. You have to call these kind of plays for rookie quarterbacks, but for the most part, defenses have had this covered . . .
In a lot of ways, John Idzik has done a terrific job with the Jets in his first year, with the drafting of Sheldon Richardson, and the signing of Josh Cribbs, David Nelson and Greg Salas being some good examples.
But he made a mistake signing Mike Goodson – there were too many red flags on this guy before they signed him, and before he got arrested. This isn’t Monday morning quarterbacking after the arrest and indictment on gun charges.
Let’s put it this way, if you were going to sign him, you don’t give him a big signing bonus, which the GM did, considering his laundry list of indiscretions off the field before he arrived. You just give him a make good contract, where you get the money by behaving and playing well.
November 8, 2013
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