Read the following article on ESPN today. http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/tag/_/name/2013-nfl-midseason-report-afc-east :jets:
GRADING THE NEW YORK JETS Position Grade Analysis Quarterbacks C+ Because he's a rookie, Geno Smith is graded on a curve. The arm talent is obvious, but his decision-making remains suspect. His ability to perform in the clutch (four winning drives in the fourth quarter and overtime) has been a pleasant surprise. The passing game has ground to a halt the past two weeks; he has to pick up the pace for the team to make a strong playoff push. Running Backs B- Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell form a solid one-two combination, with Ivory emerging in recent weeks as the No. 1 back. You can't call them Thunder and Lightning because there hasn't been much lightning (save for Sunday), but the Jets can win games with these two backs. Wide Receivers D+ Injuries (mainly Santonio Holmes) and ineffectiveness (Stephen Hill) drag down the grade. They've already used 10 different receivers, making it tough to build continuity with Smith. Jeremy Kerley has held up his end, and David Nelson has been a nice addition to this banged-up unit. Tight Ends C There hasn't been much production in the passing game, as the tight ends have combined for only 37 catches and four touchdowns. Kellen Winslow still leads in receptions even though he missed the past four games while serving a suspension. Jeff Cumberland has demonstrated big-play ability, but he doesn't get enough opportunities. Offensive Line B- The Jets have allowed way too many sacks (31, the third-highest total in the league), but a lot of them can be attributed to Smith, who holds the ball too long. The run-blocking has been decent, but they struggle against big, physical fronts. The left side (D'Brickashaw Ferguson and rookie Brian Winters) needs to step it up. Defensive Line A This is the strength of the team. The Jets are No. 1 against the run, and they already have 27 sacks, only three shy of last season's total. Muhammad Wilkerson (eight sacks) should be in the conversation for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Sheldon Richardson is having an all-rookie kind of season. Linebackers B+ Thanks to DeMario Davis and a lighter, quicker David Harris, this is a more athletic unit than last season. As a result, the linebackers have become better space players. Quinton Coples has plenty of talent, but he needs to be more consistent on a down-to-down basis. Secondary D This used to be the strength of the team. The Jets have allowed 251 passing yards per game (21st), with only five interceptions. Antonio Cromartie has slipped from his Pro Bowl form, and rookie Dee Milliner has disappointed. The bright spot is Antonio Allen, a unique athlete with better-than-advertised coverage skills. Special Teams B+ In terms of the return and coverage units, the Jets have been fairly average across the board, but the overall grade is high because of one man -- Nick Folk, who is 23-for-23 on field goals. Folk has won three games with clutch kicks. That's the difference from last season, when special teams actually cost them games. Coaching A- This was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but Ryan has his team in the playoff hunt. He reinvented himself, allowing him to overcome huge challenges -- a rookie quarterback, seven new starters on defense and the pressure of having to please a new GM. If the Jets make the playoffs, Dead Coach Walking will hold the hammer in contract-extension talks.
Grading is overall pretty fair. The LB's grade is a bit high, considering we lost Barnes. Coples and Davis are still learning, and can certainly add more impact as they improve. I'd drop to a B- until i see more from that unit. Conversely, the secondary has been bad, but not quite D bad. I'd give them a C. We need Milliner to improve, and last week was a very nice step in right direction. I also don't think Landry has been as bad as some are saying. He'd be better suited for SS, but has been around the ball and making some plays at FS. The Oline i've enjoyed, but they are correct in the struggles against more physical teams. So B or B- seems about right. Coaching i'd flat out give an A. They have this team fired up and believing. They have also had some excellent game plans and adjustments, really adapting well to what they have (and don't have). ST would be an A if they could get better Punting. Folk has been amazing. They don't mention Cribbs who has also been a great addition. So i guess a B+ is fair.
The secondary and receiver positions have had a rash of injuries. When healthy both units are C or better. Otherwise the grades are spot on.
Not really the secondary, just Milliner really and he's been spotty at best in coverage. The secondary has been a huge issue for us and pretty much lost us the Cinci game but I can see them taking a step forward after the Saints game. They just need to communicate better if you ask me there's way too many breakdowns and missed assignments.
Punting has actually been solid. quigs is a much better directional punter than Malone. Yes Malone has the leg to drive a punt 60-65 yards but you run into problems of over kicking the coverage or not being able to place a punt where u would like. While Quigs punts aren't as long, he surely knows how to place a punt where it needs to be and maintain better field position for the defense.
They fail to mention the majority of kick offs have been touch backs from Nick Folk. Also our special teams have not allowed many big returns. By the same token, we do not have many big returns from our players. I am not going to nit-pick a ST grade but it could be higher. Everything else is spot on.
I would strongly disagree with the OL getting a B. The OL along with the secondary have been the weak leak of the team. The OL at best deserves a D-. The Run blocking has been awful. Mangold and Ferguson are having awful years. Mangold, Colon and FerGuson all rank among the 10 worst blocking OL in the entire league according to PFF. Winters has been having a very rough time with run blocking. As bad as the run blocking is the pass protection has been even worse. Ferguson has been a turnstyle all year. Winters has struggled as has Mangold. One has to wonder if it we may have to consider replacing Ferguson much sooner than we thought. Take a look at last weeks game against the Saints possibly the worst pass protection game one can see. On almost every pass play against the Saints there was as uncovered rusher with a straight line to the QB. Geno was left with a second to make decision and get rid of the ball on most plays. While it was nice to finally see the run game against a poor rushing defense it was not the OL that got us the rushing yards. The Saints missed 12 tackles in the game 8 above their average. Of Ivory's 139 yards 100 were after contact. The OL has been horrible this year and the pass protection is what needs to get fixed in the bye week.
I would separate corners and safeties within the "Secondary" category. The safeties are in the B- range, especially with the way that Allen has played top tier tight ends. Landry has been as advertised, decent but not special. But the corners have flat out sucked, I'm fine with a D for them.
That's because the ESPN scribe who wrote the article doesn't follow the Jets and probably doesn't even know Cribbs is on the team :rofl:
I'd say qb is a b+. Geno has been constantly put into 3rd and long situations thanks to a lack of a running game (excepting the last game) and penalties and managed to get first downs thanks to laser beam passes fit into tiny windows. His guys aren't getting open yet he's still managing to move the ball and put points on the board. This makes up for the few extra interceptions. Maybe Brady or Manning would do better. Maybe. But not too many other qb's would accomplish much with the wr, te, ol and rb's that Geno has to work with.
Geno has shown flashes but if you think he deserves a B+ you're crazy. He was awful against the Saints, Titans, first Patriots game, and Steelers.
Bullshit. This season has played out exactly as I said it would BEFOREthey got Sanchez hurt. That Geno, as a rookie has kept them in it, he earned his grade. I said, a priori, this was an 11 win team status quo ante. They had no business losing week 2, or to pitt, which would have had them leading the division, with 7 games to go, 4 wins short of the 11 win target. They may still get to 11, but week 2 as I said, was the game to decide the division. I also pointed out that N.O. Would be beatable outside in Nov. Everyone scoffed at the NE and NO predictions. SOJF. The entire team, deserves an A - for keeping it together, with a rookie QB from a non pro style system. And the minus is for not taking the ball out of Geno's hands in a 3 pt game week 2. The fact that they got help in 2 wins ...well...there are many times the ball doesn't bounce your way, this time it did. Fuck ESPN, and every other paid to opine moron that trashed this team, just because its the Jets. Or Maybe I am just that smart. Not. It was that OBVIOUS.
