This morning's Star-Ledger: 7 Reasons Why The Jets Will Make The Playoffs (and 5 reasons why they won't): http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1165388132187490.xml&coll=1 Jets Make Playoff Push Wednesday, December 06, 2006 BY DAVE HUTCHINSON Star-Ledger Staff The Jets are 7-5 and have a playoff berth within their grasp. That's something nobody outside of the players' and coaches' immediate families every would have thought possible. Not after a coaching change that followed a 4-12 season. Not after the quarterback struggled through the worst slump of his career and the defense resembled a superhighway for opponents early in the season. But here they are, the hottest football team in New York -- and right now the one that's best poised to make the playoffs. As the Jets prepare for a stretch run, here are seven reasons they'll make the playoffs. And five reasons why that step will still be out of reach this season. Seven Reasons Why The Jets Will Make The Playoffs: 1. The "Penguin" is at the helm. If anybody knows the way to the playoffs, it's the "Penguin," aka first-year coach Eric Mangini. He was part of three Super Bowls with the Patriots under Bill Belichick and he's working from the same blueprint. Mangini's one-game-at-a-time mantra will serve the Jets well. 2. The defense has suddenly found the "on" switch. After getting accustomed to their new 3-4 defense at a snail's pace, the Jets are now stepping on the gas pedal as well as opponents. The unit has allowed just 45 points in their past four games; S Kerry Rhodes looks like a Pro Bowler; DE Bryan Thomas is making plays and players are flying to the ball. This group will only get better. 3. Slump? What slump? QB Chad Pennington, playing with a twice surgically repaired right shoulder, started the season strong and then went into the worst slump of his career. But he appears to be back now. His first-half against the proud Packers (22 of 29 for 241 yards, two TDs and O INTs) was flawless. 4. The schedule-makers are Jets fans. The reward for their 4-12 season a year ago was a marshmellow schedule and the Jets are in position to roast some struggling teams. None of their remaining four opponents -- Bills (5-7), Vikings (5-7), Dolphins (5-7) and Raiders (2-10) -- have a winning record. Conversely, the Bengals, Broncos, Chiefs and Jags, all tied with the Jets at 7-5 for the two AFC wild-card berths, have brutal schedules down the stretch. 5. The coaching staff is clicking. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has rejuvenated Pennington with a no-huddle offense. Defensive boss Bob Sutton, an old Army man, has his troops on the attack. Special teams coach Mike Westhoff has a trio of playmakers in K Mike Nugent, P Ben Graham and KR Justin Miller. O-line coach Tony Wise has been spectacular. Secondary coach Corwin Brown is head coaching material. D-line coach Denny Marcin and his spirited sidekick, Bryan Cox, have their guys in lock step. 6. Rookie center Nick Mangold and the O-line is humming. The play of Mangold can't be stressed enough. He may have single-handed saved the Jets' season because they had no one at center after veteran Trey Teague (ankle) was injured during offseason drills. Mangold is reading defenses, making all the line calls and doing his job to boot. He has been the glue to an underrated unit. 7. Two ways to go deep. The WR tandem of Laveranues Coles (71 catches, 854 yards and four TDs) and Jerricho Cotchery (60-765-5) forces opponents to pick their poison. If they take away Coles, you must deal with Cotchery. Veteran WR Justin McCareins, TE Chris Baker and rookie all-purpose performer Brad Smith can also find the end zone Five Reasons Why The Jets Won't Make The Playoffs: 1. For all his experience, Mangini is a rookie. That fact could come back to bite him in a big spot. He has proven to be a gambler but you have to play it safe this time of year. Please, no more onside kicks to begin the second half? 2. The Jets' running game is unconsistent. At this time of year, you have to have a smash-mouth running game and that's the one thing the Jets don't have. Mangini's running back by committee idea is cute but you need someone to carry the mail in a big game. Is Cedric Houston (22 carries, 105 yards, 2 TDs vs. the Packers) the guy? 3. The Jets lack the talent. The Bengals have WR Chad Johnson and QB Carson Palmer. The Broncos have CB Champ Bailey and LB Al Wilson. The Chiefs have RB Larry Johnson and QB Trent Green. The Jaguars have (DTs Marcus Stroud and John Henderson). Get the picture? The Jets don't have similar big-time playmakers. 4. Mike Nugent remains suspect in a big spot. Nugent has connected on his last seven FGs, but he has yet to prove he can knock one through from 50 yards out with the game on the line. Kudos to him for his 54-yarder vs. the Texans two weeks ago, but the conditions were spring-like at Giants Stadium on that day. 5. They're due for a letdown Call it a series of trap games from here to the end. The Jets have done a masterful job of beating the teams they're supposed to beat. Now comes four more. Whether they can keep their recent intensity will determine their fate.
The whole article is kind of simplistic, but I decided to post it anyway. There's not much there that we don't already know.
Rehash of what we are all saying here, but a good read nonetheless. This line was interesting Secondary coach Corwin Brown is head coaching material. First time I heard that....
Noone, and I mean NOONE is making a 54 yd kick in Giants stadium when the conditions are winter-like...
The Nugent point is well-taken. It was like June out there when he made that kick. I'm still concerned about this guy and the distance on his kickoffs, too.
Jets Lack talent? Ok, heres one for you: Kerry Rhodes Coles/Cotchery< I would take that combo over 1 big name reciever all day IMO
I totally agree. Hutchinson cites these supposed "big-time playmakers" on the other teams and gives no credit for us having some. The Jets are under the radar, I'm telling you, even to this Star-Ledger beat reporter. Hutch will soon be smelling the coffee. I'd love to shove that statement down his throat. Somebody in the Jets locker room needs to put that statement up on the wall.
QB is the position they lack talent and a "playmaker" at. We saw early in the year what Coles/Cotchery could do when they got the ball in a position to do something after the catch. We saw some flashes of this last week in the first half but that's what has been missing the previous month+.
Yet (and I know this was against the Packers, so my remark is tempered accordingly), Pennington really spread the wealth in the first half of Sunday's game... 8 passes to 8 different guys! You have to admit that was quite a show he put on.
nice read. but this whole article is a bit INconsistent. - "we don't have playmakers," yet "Kerry Rhodes is playing like a Pro Bowler." - "Mike Nugent is a Special Teams playmaker," yet "he's still suspect." - "the Jets lack bigtime talent," yet "choose your poison between Coles and Cotchery." - he also says Mangini is using the Pats blurprint, yet we may fail because of the lack of big-time players; Tom Brady was the Pats only super-talented guy. that's what made their run so special -- they had a bunch of good players (not stars) who bought into the system. i mean, i understand he's debating the Pros and Cons, but make up your mind; or at least come up with different arguments for each (i.e. the running game). i'm glad to see the D getting some recognition though. they've played lights-out lately. let's see what happens now that they face a deep threat like Evans and a QB who can get him the ball against the blitz. cheers
There were a handful of typos in that article, but "unconsistent" definitely takes the cake. Anyway, the 5th point in why we won't make it is what concerns me. The schedule looks easy, but it's like those horror movies when everything goes silent. You know something bad's about to happen. "A little too quiet"
