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Premium – Let’s take a closer look at the first quarter action from the Jets-Saints game on Sunday – a lot happened in the first stanza . . .
Mo Wilkerson got off to a rough start with a natural zone infraction on the Saints’ first offensive play, but went on to dominate the first quarter.
His work in the first quarter, would be considered an impressive entire game for other players.
A few plays after this penalty, he slipped by guard Ben Grubbs, and had Drew Brees in his grasp, but the quarterback somehow got a pass off, and hit wide receiver Lance Moore for a gain of gain of 11.
A few plays after that, Wilkerson managed to get by Grubbs again, and hit Drew Brees as he was throwing, but slapped him on top of his helmet, and was called for a ridiculous penalty. True he touched Brees’ helmet, but there was no harm, and should have been no foul.
But the fact that Wilkerson torched Grubbs in two plays in such a short period, blowing up the pocket twice, shows you how dominant he has become. Grubbs is a good player – a solid veteran, who was the first round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2007 draft.
On Brees’ 51-yard strike to tight end Jimmy Graham, Wilkerson destroyed Grubbs again, and was bearing down on the quarterback as he threw.
Late in the first quarter, Wilkerson shed right tackle Zach Strief, and had Brees in his grasp, but the quarterback flipped the ball ahead to avoid the sack (he did this a lot).
Quite the body of work for Wilkerson in the first quarter . . .
Geno Smith had a very bad first quarter against the Saints, throwing for six yards. It was really, really clear, that after the two Pix Six performance again the Cincinnati Bengals, he was playing not to make a mistake.
The Jets first possession ended with Smith throwing behind Bilal Powell over the short middle. He was under a little pressure, but not enough to impact this pass to such a negative degree.
He also was low and incomplete to Tommy Bohanon in the right flat.
He also had a pass tipped by DE Cameron Jordan on a left side slant attempt to Jeremy Kerley.
He also got called for an illegal formation – not setting on a Josh Cribbs Wildcat run.
After the pick by DaMario Davis, off a tip by Dawan Landry, there was a long run by Chris Ivory, and then a couple of plays later, on third-and-10, Smith was high to David Nelson (who is 6-5) on an out to the left side.
Nelson was open, but this pass needs to be thrown really early, and since it wasn’t, Smith threw it high and wide, because the last thing he wanted, was another Pick Six. There is no question Geno had “avoid a Pick Six at all costs” on his mind on this play. Veteran cornerback Jabari Green was breaking on the ball.
This is a quarter Geno would want back, but the Jets were fortunate he didn’t go in the tank after such a bad start, and bounced back to make some plays . . .
Bohanon was struggling in the kickoff wedge, and was removed from that unit against the Saints.
The two-man wedge was Garrett McIntyre and Konrad Reuland with Greg Salas as the third man (unattached, since it’s illegal for three men to lock arms) . . .
November 6, 2013
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