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Aside from a couple of juggernaut teams, there is a lot of mediocrity in the NFL – John Idzik, Rod Graves, Ira and company shouldn’t write off the season.
I keep hearing the narrative from fans and reporter, “Hey, the Jets aren’t going anywhere this year anyway, so they might as well let Geno learn on the job.”
That is a defeatist attitude, and it’s also not steeped in reality.
This is a very mediocre league right now.
Aside from Denver and New Orleans and maybe New England, just maybe, you can throw a blanket over a big chunk of the league. There are a ton of teams on the same level.
The Jets roster isn’t a roster like Jacksonville, where you look at it, and say, “They are rebuilding.”
This is the best Front Seven play we have seen since Rex Ryan has coached the Jets. They are really getting after it. They Jets are a bear to run on.
The Jets are one of the best running teams in the league. Bilal Powell is having a breakout year, and the Jets offensive line is doing some high-level run blocking. Willie Colon has got to be one of the best run blocking guards in the league.
It’s a shame if Vlad Ducasse gets benched because he’s a really good run blocker – very explosive. But if he doesn’t cut down on penalties, the Jets have no choice. I don’t think it’s a good idea to given Brian Winters his first start at guard on the road in the Georgia Dome – that could be too much for the kid.
The Jets have two very good tight ends in Kellen Winslow and Jeff Cumberland.
I’m not going to go up and down the entire roster, but my point is simple – it’s foolish for the Jets to write off this season to develop a quarterback.
It is a watered down league.
One former NFL coach once said, “To win in this league, you need to be able to run the ball and stop the run.”
The Jets can do both.
This isn’t a year they should write off.
And if Geno Smith doesn’t stop turning the ball over, the Jets should give somebody else a try, because they have more than enough talent to compete for a Wildcard . . .
The Jets signing of WR David Nelson is a good move.
The former Buffalo Bill had 94 receptions and eight touchdowns in 32 games with the Bills from 2010-2012.
He’s exactly what they need – a tall, physical receiver. He’s 6-5, 215 pounds. Man, do they need a guy like this.
Stephen Hill is 6-4, and has world class speed, but he’s not that physical (and he might be out a few weeks).
The big question about Nelson is about his knee.
He blew out his knee last year in the Bills’ season opener against the Jets.
He was signed by Cleveland this off-season, but cut on August 31.
From what I hear, the Browns liked him a lot, and he was in the plans, but his knee was acting up this summer, so they had to move on.
We will see if the last month, out of football, he was able to get his knee where it needs to be.
But from a football standpoint, this guy is perfect.
Geno Smith has a tendency to throw high (like when he missed a wide open Jeremy Kerley rolling right in the first quarter in Nashville), so a 6-5 athletic receiver could be helpful to the rookie . . .
October 1, 2013
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