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San Francisco – This strong opinion by a Jets player on a national radio show made the news. While I respect his forthrightness, I don’t agree with the premise.
Jets guard, or perhaps former Jets guard, Willie Colon, said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, “We have to take the leap where it’s not all about Brandon, putting so much weight on Brandon,” Colon said Wednesday to Bob Papa and Shannon Sharpe on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I know he may want it all on him, but I think we have more weapons to offer. I think if we get the tight ends involved and guys like Jeremy Kerley to The Show, we’ll have more of a complete offense.
“We didn’t do well on third-and-short, which hurt us. We have to have more of a consistent running game so Fitz (Ryan Fitzpatrick) doesn’t have to make those Tom Brady-esque throws. [We need] more of a complete offense, like you see what Cam [Newton] is doing right now. If we’re able to do that, we’ll be at The Show next year.”
I agree with his point that the Jets didn’t do well on third-and-short, so that points to the need for more consistent offensive line play.
I agree they need to get tight ends more involved. I understand that Chan Gailey has never been a big tight end guy, but lack of involvement to this degree was absurd. Jeff Cumberland is 6-4, 260 and runs 4.5. Against Jacksonville, he had a 44-yard reception, where he looked like Antonio Gates in his prime. That was all she wrote. They stopped throwing to him after that. Look, I’m not putting Cumberland in Canton, but we all saw that play. Wouldn’t that play whet the appetite of the decision-makers?
But I don’t get the Cam Newton comment. Newton ran 132 times this year. Ryan Fitzpatrick was criticized by some for running too much and taking too many big hits. You really want him running more?
But the main point – I don’t think the Jets went overboard throwing to Brandon Marshall this year. His mere presence might have been the biggest reason they went 10-6 this year. He spearheaded the quantum leap the Jets’ offense took.
And his production led to a huge year for Eric Decker, who got a ton of favorable match-ups due to the attention Marshall garnered. Decker had 80 catches and 12 touchdowns. I don’t see where the problem lies here.
As for the third receiver, Quincy Enunwa did some very good work in the slot before and after his suspension. Kenbrell Thompkins also did some good work as a third option.
The mistake that was made in the receiver situation was based on pure politics, not ball distribution.
When the Jets put Devin Smith ahead of Kerley. And then, they put Smith ahead of Thompkins, who was deactivated for several games, due to draft pick politics. Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan were flat-out wrong for doing this. And if Smith didn’t get hurt, you might not have seen Thompkins in those late-season games. That 43-yard catch in Dallas that set put the game-winning touchdown wouldn’t have happened.
And honestly, the Jets did a really nice job using Bilal Powell as a third or fourth option in the passing game late in the year before he hurt his ankle against New England, forcing him to miss the Buffalo game. They really missed Powell as an option in Buffalo. It had a big impact on the game.
So no, I don’t agree with Colon. If Marshall catches 100 passes again next year, that is just fine for the Jets.
February 5, 2016
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