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East Rutherford – What is going on here? Does John Idzik really want Rex Ryan to succeed? Let’s take a closer look in the aftermath of the Jets’ loss to Miami . . .
I have nothing against Matt Simms. He’s a terrific young man, but I just didn’t see anything special this summer in Cortland on the practice field.
I think John Idzik overvalued Simms’ work late in the Giants’ preseason game (after Mark Sanchez’s shoulder injury) and the fourth preseason game. All this work was against backup defenders, many of whom are out of the league. And in the fourth preseason game, against Philadelphia, he didn’t throw a touchdown pass in that game.
I’ve said this many times – Simms doesn’t put enough air under his passes.
On his interception in the fourth quarter, he rolled right and threw it right to cornerback Brent Grimes in the front of the end zone. Stephen Hill was in back of him. There was no air under the ball to create the possibility of at least a jump ball scenario.
It was reminiscent of what happened in Buffalo, when Simms threw a very similar pass to the right side of the end zone, and threw it right to CB Leodis McKelvin, who dropped it, and Hill was in back of the cornerback.
You can’t throw through people in the NFL.
I don’t think Simms reads defenses any better than Geno Smith, and also has a tendency to hold on to the ball too long.
On Simms’ first possession of the game, in the third quarter, he had a three-and-out, and on third down, he threw a mid-range out on the left side to Greg Salas, who was open, but by the time Simms delivered the pass, the window closed and safety Jimmy Wilson broke it up.
I’m starting to wonder about John Idzik’s ability to evaluate quarterbacks, getting enamored of Geno Smith and Matt Simms.
Getting rid of Greg McElroy was foolish – a smart game-manager who at the very least was a serviceable backup.
I keep hearing from fans – they Jets shouldn’t play David Garrard because they need to let Smith and/or Simms learn on the job.
You tell that to Mo Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Willie Colon – all guys that had steam coming out of their ears after the game they were so pissed.
Garrard needs to be in the conversation for the Oakland game because if this offense has a third straight embarrassing game led by a raw, inexperienced signal-caller who isn’t ready, I’m telling you, Rex Ryan is going to lose the locker room . . .
I know people might find this hard to believe, but there are people in the league that think John Idzik isn’t giving all the support he can to Rex Ryan, because he doesn’t want him to return as coach.
I know that sounds insane to some, but two different league sources threw that out to me today, and one offered a piece of anecdotal evidence about a resource that Idzik took away from Ryan, that I’m not a liberty to share right now . . .
Dee Milliner was replaced by Darrin Walls in the second half, and then Walls was replaced by Ellis Lankster.
This was a bizarre scenario. We know why Milliner was benched, but why Walls?
I asked Walls after the game, and he said the coaches just wanted Lankster to get some reps, and he wasn’t benched for messing up . . .
November 2, 2013
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