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New Jersey – A lot went down on Tuesday at One Jets Drive in Florham Park. Here is my take on the proceedings . . .
Maybe I’m in the minority, but I like the Jets’ plan moving forward.
“I’ve been given a great opportunity by Mr. Johnson to move forward,” Rex Ryan said. “This is a new chance for me and that’s how I’m approaching it. This is a beginning. It’s certainly not an end.”
I know it’s easy to be cynical about a coach saying “this is a new chance,” after four years, but in some ways, I understand where he’s coming from.
I truly believe that Rex can get this done, with the right GM and an accomplished offensive coordinator.
The man can coach – his defense has been terrific for most of his time here, and players respond to him – they Jets have some issues, but quitting hasn’t been one of them.
Hiring Tony Sparano was a mistake. It was a bad fit, and the Jets did the right thing eating the final two years of his contract.
First of all Sparano was inexperienced as a coordinator, and it showed at times.
Plus, he’s an ultraconservative coordinator, in an era, where spread offenses are lighting up scoreboards.
It’s not that Rex is looking to become “Air Coryell” moving forward, but he clearly wants to open things up a little and become less predictable.
He made one point pretty clear today – he wants his offense to have the same approach as his defense – more riverboat gambling, less close to the vest.
“I want a physical, aggressive attack-style football team whether it’s offense (or) defense, unpredictable in all three phases,” Ryan said. “That’s what I want. I don’t think I’ve done a good enough job of getting that through to the entire football team. I certainly think it’s gotten through to (the) defense more than it’s gotten through to the other (groups) and special teams. I don’t think it’s necessarily gotten through from schematic things. We are going to be a dangerous football team, I can promise you that.”
That quote gives you a clear understanding of what he wants moving forward, no more arch-conservatism . . .
One very important point came up in the middle of today’s press conference – the fact that Mark Sanchez is guaranteed $8.25 million next year, will not be a factor in who the starting quarterback will be.
“There’s going to be a lot of things that go into it, but money, the financial part of it, will not be a consideration for it,” Ryan said . . .
It’s hard to say whether Dennis Thurman will be a good defensive coordinator or not, because he hasn’t done it before.
But one thing I’ve always been impressed with is that he’s a straight-shooter.
In a PC era, he doesn’t sugarcoat things with his players.
He tells is like it is.
Players respect him, and know he’s not a pushover.
Manish Mehta broke the story about Thurman getting promoted, but I can assure you, he didn’t get it from Thurman.
People guess on sources all the time, but somebody in the know, told me, he doesn’t get stuff from Thurman.
“Thurman doesn’t like Manish,” said the source . . .
The GM interviews continue, and don’t expect the Jets to rush into this.
Think about it – they are paying Jed Hughes, and his company, a pretty penny, so why would they want to do a search that lasts a couple of days?
I know we live in an instant gratification society, but why rush it?
Make sure you get it right . . .
There was an overflow crowd at Tuesday’s presser (pictured above). It was standing room only.
January 8, 2013
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