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Anybody like Mike Lupica, who thinks that it’s best for the Jets to lose the rest of their games, to get a better draft spot, should have been in their locker room after the game.
It was like Mardi Gras.
And Rex Ryan was so giddy in his post-game press conference, you would think he was a kid who woke up on Christmas morning and got the latest Madden video game.
You see, no matter what the record is, players and coaches want to win. They put too much work in during the week to feel otherwise.
And football is such a physical sport, these guys beat up their bodies like few others sports, and wins make the pain much easier to deal with.
But there is definitely a feeling of “what if” in that locker room.
“What if” Mike Vick had been made the starter earlier in the season?
Vick had another efficient game today, just like last week. Vick had a 116 QB rating today. This was after a 105.7 rating in Kansas City last week. Marty Mornhinweg is a strong believer in QB ratings, and these are both very good scores.
John Idzik made a big mistake.
And this isn’t Monday Morning Quarterbacking.
I’ve said it all along, and honestly, it’s not rocket science.
Vick is a much better quarterback than Geno Smith.
The guys in the locker room knew it, but are trained to say the right things.
The portrayal by some in the media that Vick didn’t look that good in the spring and summer is bull. He was fine.
For Idzik to put a roadblock up, and not allow Vick to compete for the starting job, was ill-advised.
But what helps Idzik on this front is Woody Johnson was on-board with this Smith “learning on the job” approach.
Johnson said about a month ago that he thinks Smith can be “a franchise quarterback.”
Expect the columnists to start going after the Jets on this topic. What might have been if they started Vick earlier?
I say, at the very least, they are 4-5 right now.
Aside from the good work by Vick today, another big factor in the Jets’ upset win over Pittsburgh was Rex Ryan’s defensive play-calling. Ben Roethlisberger came into this game perhaps the hottest QB in the league. The Jets cooled him down. Why? Because Rex Ryan has his number. When was the last time “Big Ben” torched Ryan’s Jets. Ryan also did a good job against him in Baltimore. Rex has a great feel for how to stop this quarterback. He really does.
And I think the Jets are going to win their next game as well.
The reason they lost to Buffalo the first time were those three picks in the first quarter, and the hole it created. Vick came in with no first-team practice reps, and a game-plan for Geno Smith, and was inconsistent.
This time, Vick will have two weeks to prepare as the starter. This will make a huge difference. Also, the Bills’ offensive line is awful, and the Jets’ defensive front should dominate at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
November 9, 2014
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