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Dee Milliner had a rough game, which is totally understandable, since he shouldn’t have been starting.
He had issues with route recognition.
On the Buc’s first series of the game, on the third play, Milliner was beat for a gain of 20 by Vincent Jackson. The wide receiver started out on the left side, and cut into the middle, leaving Milliner way behind him.
Late in the first quarter, Milliner was beat for a 17-yard touchdown by Mike Williams. Another player, he didn’t seem too sure of where he should be.
In the third quarter, on a third-and-eight, Milliner was way off Mike Williams, and once again, the player cut away from him, going from the right side to the middle. A few plays later, Williams beat Milliner on a slant for a gain of 15
The bottom line is this – he wasn’t ready to start.
Think about how little this guy has practiced since the draft.
First he was held out of the spring with after labrum surgery, then he missed the first week of camp due to a hold out, and then he missed the last couple of weeks of practice with an Achilles injury.
I’m sorry, it was ridiculous to start Milliner in this game.
Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s a very good prospect, and is going to be a terrific player, but why start him after he missed SO much time?
I would have started Darrin Walls until Milliner was truly ready. He had a very good summer.
But sometimes the Jets have a caste system where they few certain guys a certain way, and won’t think outside the box.
Walls is viewed as the fourth corner, that’s it, and can’t seem to break out of the stigma, even though he’s clearly better than Kyle Wilson.
Milliner had a bad game. There is no way around that.
He wasn’t ready . . .
The Jets ran so many bootlegs to the right against Tampa Bay, you know New England is going to be all over this.
The reason Marty Mornhinweg was running this so much was to cut the field in half for Geno Smith, and limit his reads. When you roll out, you only have to read half the field.
It’s hard to see this play being very successful Thursday night. You know New England is going to sit on it . . .
Woody Johnson and John Idzik spent a lot of time talking to trainer John “Unchained” Mellody about injuries on the sideline during practice, and they certainly have a lot.
They are going to be thin at wide receiver.
Jeremy Kerley (concussion) isn’t going to play (he wasn’t even on the practice field today), and Clyde Gates is also banged up with a knee issue, but he should be able to go.
So expect to Ryan Spadola to get some quality playing time . . .
Antonio Cromartie was limited today with a hip injury, and you have to wonder if that ailment impacted his performance against Tampa Bay. Honestly, he wasn’t much better than Milliner.
“Cro” has had some hip issues over the years, and was limited late in camp.
Honestly, football really beats up your hips, and a lot of guys need hip replacements after their careers are over . ..
Talking to some people around the team, it’s pretty clear this is a brutal week for the players physically.
The first game of the regular season really takes it’s toll on players. Keep in mind, this is the first full football game the starters have played since last season. Most only play sparingly in the preseason. And there is limited contact in the practice during the summer due to the new CBA.
So the day after the first regular season game, guys are feeling it, and they still work their way back into football shape.
And now you compound that with a short week.
Both teams have to deal with the same thing, but playing Thursday after Week One, is a big challenge.
As one player told me today, “We need to stay off our feet as much as possible this week.”
September 9, 2013
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