DESPERATE JETS FACE UNDEFEATED COLTS

DESPERATE JETS FACE UNDEFEATED COLTS
by TJ Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

The Jets very own "Super Bowl" may very well be taking place at 4pm in Lucas Oil stadium. At 7-7 and needing help, the once 3-0 Gang Green take on the 14-0 Indianapolis Colts, needing to win in order to save the 2009 season. How many lives has Gang Green had? LB Bart SCott said jokingly "twelve." This after Rex Ryan called the season over after the horrifying last minute loss to Atlanta 10-7 that stripped the Jets of control of their own destiny from here on out. Who knew that the Raiders  much maligned former top pick QB Jamarcus Russell would later in the day come off the bench and save the Jets? This by rescuing the Raiders against hated rivals the Denver Broncos? Now forget the convoluted wildcard math for a moment, and focus in on this. Santa needs to leave a W by the Jets Christmas tree. Without a win, the Jets are no longer part of the conversation. Period. With a win that will shock the league, out will come the math and combos needed for the Jets to play past December. Gotta beat those Colts though.

 It won't be easy. Or will it? Nobody can quite tell if and when Indy coach Jim Caldwell will take out his starters.  With home field in the AFC wrapped up, all there is to play for is an undefeated season. All there is to lose is the health of key players. Will it be worth it to the Colts brass just to go 16-0?. It's certainly an incredible accomplishment that the Colts have come close twice to obtaining with Manning under center. But will hard hits on the future first ballot hall of fame QB,  should they occur, be worth accumulating in a game that matters only for the history books? What if pass rushing killer Dwight Freeney rushes around end and gets nicked up on the play? How far will the Colts be willing to go to win this game at full throttle? The Jets BETTER expect the Colts to go all the way. Anything less will leave the team flat and unprepared mentally for the challenge of outscoring a team second only to the Saints in total points, second to the Pats in points per game with 22.1 (Pats average 23.3) and fourth in yards per game at 383.00 per game.

 Peyton Manning leads all passers in passing yards with 4,213 and  perennial All pro WR Reggie Wayne is second in receiving yards with 1210, trailing only Andre Johnson, who Darrelle Revis shut down in the season opener at Houston this year. Revis will have to come up big once again as he's done all year against every top wideout the Jets have faced. TE Dallas Clark is having maybe his best year leading all tight ends in receiving yards while averaging 11.2 yards a catch. Expect once benched FS Kerry Rhodes, who has been playing great since the benching, to take that assignment on. Just as he did admirably against Tony Gonzalez for most of the Atlanta game. Versatile pass catching RB Joseph Addai missed practice Thursday due to personal issues but tough rookie out of UConn, Donald Brown, could fill in and keep the ground game going well should Addai miss Sunday's battle. 

Defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis have combined for 23 sacks this season. These two must be blocked by D' Brickashaw Ferguson and Damien Woody with the help of the Jets running backs, if Sanchez is to have any chance throwing it downfield. The last game Sanchez threw with confidence, threw downfield effectively, may have been the loss to Miami in week 5 on Monday night. The Jets, will surely start the game with an initial game plan to "Ground and Pound" it with RB Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene with a little Danny Woodhead mixed in. However, if and when the dam breaks on defense, the Jets could find themselves down two scores earlier than they'd like. Keeping Freeney and Mathis locked up will be the first of three essential steps the Jets will need to complete in order to hang with the Colts. The second will be confident decision making and accurate throws by the rookie QB out of USC. Third, Jet receivers will need to hold on to the catchable balls and also make a few tough grabs along the way. Hear that Braylon Edwards? Yards cannot be left on the field this week. A return to that confidence that was there in week 5, a long time ago, may be needed in a hurry on Sunday.

There are those in the media who DO give the Jets a chance this week, yet solely based on the assumption that the Colts won't finish the game with their starters. The truth is, if Revis and Rhodes can make Wayne and Clark pedestrian, if Rex Ryan's defense can pressure Manning at times, and Sanchez can regain an early season swagger that will not allow the Colts to keep eight in the box, the Jets can beat the Colts. WITH their starters. The real question is, can the Jets shut down two big passing game targets, get pressure on the QB, and attack through the air despite a shaky second half passing resume all on the same day? The answer to that difficult trifecta is days away but at least the three keys puts the onus on the Jets, not on the personnel decisions made by the Colts staff. Or the mindset of Santa Claus in determining which team has been naughty or nice this season. 

THREE KEYS TO THE COLTS GAME:

Sanchez get in the time machine: C'mon Mark, let's travel back to week 5 and Miami , when you brought the Jets back twice, played a carefree confident style in the pocket and GOT results. Tentative late throws won't help this week. In fact, they'll contribute to a rout. Dustin Keller Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards, it's time to break out, all at once. 300 yards in the air for the first time this season. Let's do it.

Stop the Bermuda Triangle: Manning Wayne and Clark are a deathtrap. True there is Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie and others, we know that. Yet It's those three that do the most damage. Clark is hard to jam at the line. Rhodes will need help but 
what is Rex Ryan's choice? PRessure Manning to speed up release time, have Revis shut down Wayne and Clark bothered play in play out, and there is hope. 
Get burned by this trio and you can warm up the buses by halftime. Oh, and THEN you'll see Colts second unit.

DESPERATION; MOTIVATION If the Jets DON'T come out with the same urgency and desperation that the Giants did in Washington Monday night, kiss 2009 goodbye. If the Colts come out highly motivated to stay perfect in 2009, kiss it goodbye as well. What the Jets could really afford, is a combo of playing desperate against a complacent Colts team that has it's sights already set on the Super Bowl in February. For the Jets, Sunday HAS to be THEIR Super Bowl.

follow TJ Rosenthal on twitter @ thejetreport

NO ROOM FOR ERROR AS THE JETS SECOND HALF BEGINS AGAINST JAGS

NO ROOM FOR ERROR AS THE JETS  SECOND HALF BEGINS AGAINST JAGS
by TJ Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

Watch T.J.'s Video Preview here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf9vWinctQU

Coach Rex Ryan was right when he said earlier this week that this Sunday's battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars is essentially a playoff game. Both clubs are 4-4 and may need the head to head tie breaker at season's end against each other to gain what appears to be the Jets only reasonable path to the postseason; a wildcard berth.

The Jets arrived at  4-4 by falling from the top of the mountain. Once 3-0, two losses to the hated Dolphins combined with an expected loss to the undefeated Saints and an unexpected loss to the then woeful Bills, have changed the mood in Florham Park.  This stretch has, for the time being, grounded Gang Green's early season dreams of a magical run through 2009. The Jets trail the first place Patriots (6-2) by two full games and are just 1-3 in the division.

For the Jags, 4-4 is a welcome place considering the club's 1-3 start. 
Coach Jack Del Rio's club will look to make it four out of five on Sunday while the Jets, coming off of their week nine bye week, hope to avoid a slide that has sunk them into the quagmire that envelops a host of other AFC clubs fighting for those precious few post season invitations.

If the Jets hope to be playing playoff football in 2009, they'll need two things to happen. First, rookie QB  Mark Sanchez will have to protect the ball as he has done over the past two games, unlike the previous three prior, that included a dismal five interception performance. Secondly, the Jet defense, a unit that was poised to become one of the top units in the NFL before the season ending injury  to NG Kris Jenkins during the OT loss to Buffalo, has to create turnovers, field position, and points.

 Running back and Special teams All Pro Leon Washington is also gone for the year, thanks to a broken foot suffered out in Oakland. Rookie RB Shonn Greene filled in beautifully against the hapless Raiders with two TDs and 149 yards, but fumbled on a play  that Dolphins DE Jason Taylor took back for a key TD in the 30-25 loss to Miami two weeks back. A game that still leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Jet players and fans thanks to Ted Ginn Jr's improbable two kickoff returns for touchdowns in the third quarter. Greene will need to be a factor if the Jets want to continue their place atop the NFLs best rushing teams.

Jacksonville's pass defense is ranked 23rd in the NFL. Sanchez and prized acquisition, former Browns star WR Braylon Edwards may be able to get loose on Sunday. Second year TE Dustin Keller had 76 yards and a TD in the 30-25 loss to the Fish. Provided that WR Jerricho Cotchery, hampered by hamstring issues over the past month is healthy,  this may be the first time that this current WR corps is working on all cylinders in '09. Add speedster David Clowney into the mix after the departure of slot WR Chansi Stuckey to the Browns ,and perhaps the Jets, a team that possesses the league's number eight  rusher in the NFL in Thomas Jones, can provide some quick strikes and scores via the air at the Meadowlands
Sunday.

To beat the Jaguars you have to stop Maurice Jones Drew, the quick bulldozing running back who leads all NFL rushers with eleven TD's. WR Mike Sims-Walker is blossoming into one of the leagues best at 16 yards per catch. Jets CB Darrelle Revis will have his hands full as the Jets aim to pressure QB David Garrard with their new rotation at nose guard of Mike Devito, Howard Green and Sione Pouha. Drew is also sixth in the NFL in rushing yards so attention must be kept on him at all times.

On paper, the blueprint week in and week out these final eight games for the Jets will be simple.  A ball controlled ground and pound game plan on offense that strikes when the opportunities are there, combined with an attacking defense looking to create the turnovers and drive ending sacks that have eluded them so far. This despite the constant pressure on quarterbacks, and a physical aggressive presence that has helped  redefine the unit's personality since the departure of former mundane head coach Eric Mangini. 

This week's challenge against the Jags kickstarts that blueprint, as the Jets look to become a  consistent mistake free, opportunistic club, that backs up the tough talk it has come to be known for.

THREE KEYS TO THE JAGUARS GAME:

TURNOVERS: The Jets must keep them to a minimum and start to create some themselves. The offense, which may led by two rookies in Sanchez and Greene from here on out, will undoubtedly  be aided by big plays made by special teams and defense. An element that LB Bart Scott, a former Raven, admitted was key to both Baltimore and then rookie QB Joe Flacco's success in 2008.

THOMAS JONES VS MAURICE JONES DREW: The team with the lead running downhill in the fourth will be in the driver's seat. Thats because Drew is sixth and Jones is eight in the NFL in rushing this year. The back with more yards on Sunday will be the back on the winning team.

MIKE SIMS-WALKER vs DARRELLE REVIS: Again the Jets will call on "Revis Island " to slow down a top flight wideout. Keep Walker quiet and the Jags quick strike ability becomes seriously hampered.

Jets Titans Recap-By T.J.Rosenthal contributing writer Football Reporters Online

THE JET EXPRESS ROLLS 24-17: THE TITANS ARE THE LATEST VICTIM-By T.J. Rosenthal contributing writer
Football Reporters Online

The Jet express is rolling. Sunday's come from behind 24-17 win against the desperate Tennessee Titans in front of another frenzied home crowd passed two tests. First, the Jets  defied a trap game that had LETDOWN written all over it.. Second, they weathered their first real mistake laden storm that saw a 14-0 lead turn into a 17-14 deficit. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez responded to his own careless stretch to help the Jets regain the lead late in the 3rd after a crucial Tennessee muffed punt.  The fumble and ensuing Jet TD became the momentum change of a game that from that point on, saw the Jets never looked back. 

In week one, the mighty Texan offense was smothered. In week two Tom Brady was baffled. Sunday, the Titans were in the end, outmuscled. The 24-17 win sets up a week 4, marquee matchup  with Drew Brees and the 3-0 Saints. THAT however, will be then. THIS, is now. Now, means enjoying a hard fought victory against a team with the number one rushing defense and one of the  leagues top RB in the dangerous Chris Johnson. The Titans become the latest victim for a Jet team that few  envisioned would be in the AFC East drivers seat so soon in the Rex Ryan era. 

The old AFL  rivals, both in their vintage wear ( Jets in their ugly blue 1960 NY Titans  gear and the Titans in their "Luv Ya Blue" Houston Oilers uniforms. Houston being where the franchise originated from) took to the field in a tale of two cities. The Titans, 13-3 in 2008 came to the Meadowlands  0-2 and in desperate need of a win after losses in OT to the world champion Steelers and the high powered Texans in a wild shootout in week two. The Jets came in to the contest 2-0 and riding high after knocking off the despised Pats at home for the first time in a decade.

The Jets wasted no time in proving to the home crowd and to themselves, that coming out flat would NOT be part of the equation. A balanced and controlled opening drive highlighted by throws from Sanchez to Dustin Keller and Jerricho Cotchery led to a gutty TD. Sanchez ran 14 yards for in the score thanks to a nasty head on collision with the Titans Michael Griffin at the goal line. Stretching the ball over before it was knocked loose, the play symbolized the new Jet toughness. It furthered the notion of Sanchez as a leader perhaps beyond his years. The 7-0 lead was also a great start that was about to get better. 

On the ensuing kickoff, Jets Special teamer Jason Trusnick delivered a jarring hit on Ryan Mouton setting the ball free. The Jets recovered and suddenly were in position to go up two scores. On third and goal from the four, a pretty play action by Sanchez to a diving decoy RB Thomas Jones action left back up TE Ben Hartstock all alone. Sanchez's short toss and Hartstock's catch made it 14-0. The Titans offense hadn't taken the field yet. The Jet defense came out strong as well, pressuring veteran QB Kerry Collins and leaving Chris Johnson (197 yds in week two)  with little room to find big runs. After one ,the Jets were in control on the scoreboard and emotionally, 14-0.

The second quarter did not follow the same script as the first. The well coached Titans settled down after the initial firestorm, and began to close in on Sanchez. Finally they got to him, stripping the rookie QB of the ball, and the Jets, of control of the game. Putting together a solid drive of their own off the turnover, QB Kerry Collins got hot with accurate throws under pressure and tight coverage. Then bruising RB Lendale White entered the stage. Taking the ball from the Jet 6 White bounced his way of off a plethora of hits like a pinball for the first TD scored on Gang Green's D in 2009. 7:24 to go in the half Jets 14 Titans 7. The Titans were back in the game.

Sanchez then continued to struggle , with balls now slipping from his hand on throws in the falling rain. Other tosses missed their target. Meanwhile the Jets ground game of Jones and home run threat Leon Washington , for the third straight week, had trouble establishing itself early on. A Rob Bironas FG with 4:38 left cut the Jet lead to 14-10. The half ended that way and as both clubs hit the tunnel. It was now the Titans who now owned the momentum.

Jeff Fishers club rode this momentum to a 17-14 lead four minutes into the third.  thanks to former Steeler speedster Nate Washington's 9 yard TD catch from Collins. As the 3rd wound down, the Jets were slowly becoming in danger of entering the 4th trailing a team with a two headed ground churning monster. Johnson and White, thanks to a succession of Jet three and outs, were now becoming a threat. A Titan pair that moved chains and ran out clocks out on a regular basis in '08. 

 Another 4th down punt by Steve Weatherford from the Jet 40, was to send to the ball back to Tennessee, up 3 and looking for more. Instead , a muffed punt, again by Ryan Mouton gave the Jets the mouth to mouth resucitation their offense needed. The turnover was the turning point of the game.The Jets early on in 2009 have become sound at capitalizing on opportunites. They didn't let this chance pass by either. A key throw from Sanchez to Jerricho Cotchery left the Jets on the 3. Cotchery was called on again holding onto a 6 yard slant thrown like a bullet by Sanchez (17-30 171 yds 2 TDS) for the lead 21-17. Now it was the Jets who looked to roll out their defense for the kill as the 4th quarter began. End of three, JETS 21 TITANS 17.

The stadium was rocking again as the Jets stood 15 minutes away from their second straight home win against a top notch AFC team. Before they could go for the kill, the Jets needed to deliver the knock out punch. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer then dialed up the play. A bomb to Jerricho Cotchery. Sanchez faded back and threw a beautiful () yard  fade to Cotchery who made a difficult catch in tight coverage. The Jets were in the red zone. The drive stalled there. on third down, Sanchez, under pressure, rolled out and found FB Tony Richardson brielfy alone in the end zone. Fullbacks are not accustomed to working the sidelines and the high throw became a bit too much for Richardson to negotiate. Still, a clutch Jay Feely FG gave the Jets a 24-17 lead with 11:30 left.

Enter the Jet defense. Though Chris Johnson (22-97yds 0TD) broke free for a scary 30 yard run on the following drive, the march towards a tying score died there as pressure on Collins was turned up by Rex Ryan's crew(Collins missed his last thirteen throws of the game).The teams traded another pair of  three and outs  as the 4th reached the midway point. Former Raven, the dependable S Jim Leonard then returned a Titans punt to the Tennessee 40 as the Jets sought to ice it. On the follwoing play, Sanchez threw high to Chansi Stuckey and was intercepted by S Chris Hope. This thwarted a chance to leave the Titans for dead. 

Collins and Co. began the march downfield once again with under 7:00 to go,  as White and Johnson took it to the Jet 40. Run stopping mammoth NG Kris Jenkins then made a huge 1st down stop of Johnson; a 5 yard loss that forced the Titans into a long yardage situation. The situation  led  Collins to a  mistake. Unable to step into a throw due to a collapsing pocket, Collins was picked of by LB David Harris. This ended a drive that had the Ttians with their best field position since the early 3rd quarter. 4:13 left.

The Titans last gasp drive started with with no timeouts and just over two minutes left . After more pressure then a David Harris sack , a 4th down incompletion sailed harmlessly over Jet secondary's heads. Final score:JETS 24 TITANS 17

Soon  the J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS will head to New Orleans for a showdown with the high scoring Saints. A club whose offense regained its balance thanks to the return of starting RB Pierre Thomas. Something will have to give.  A high powered offense and a wild high flying shutdown defense.The showdown next week in the Big Easy is a marquee matchup thanks in part  to the Jets latest win over the Titans. For Gang Green, the confidence is growing. So is the win column. 2009 couldn't be off to a better start for Rex Ryan's Jets, perhaps the newest darlings of the NFL.

NFL Draft: Mark Sanchez Interview, New York Jets

 

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Sporting a dark green tie purchased by his aunt Marlene and a New York Jets sports cap, now former USC Quarterback Mark Sanchez came down to the Interview Room at Radio City Music Hall to a small group of media people including yours truly about 30 minutes ago from the start of this blog post.

Sanchez fielded a set of questions starting with my query to determine if it was true he left USC early to avoid the possibility of losing to Cal this year. The Jets' newest signal called got a kick out of that one and recalled the last game played at Berkeley, a rain-soaked affair that USC won when John David Booty was the quarterback, 24-17.

On the matter of how it feels to be a jet, "Oh," he sighed, "It's really special. I'm really grateful that Mr Mike Tannenbaum (Jets GM) and Mr. Woody Johnson (Jets owner) made the trade (up to the number 5th pick, trading places with the Cleveland Browns, who gave their first- and second-round picks, and adding defensive end Kenyon Coleman, safety Abram Elam and quarterback Brett Ratliff)

But Sanchez added "Nothing's been accomplished yet, I've only gotten into a uniform. It's going to take a lot of practice and hard work.

The underclassman Sanchez who has a 14-2 record at USC offered that the reason he came out early (he has one more year of eligibility) was a personal decision arrived at after the Rose Bowl and after talking it through with his family and his high school coach Bob Johnson. "I thought about it long and hard and ..this is what I really want to do."

Will Not Hold Out On Jets

Sanchez' agent David Dunn told me they don't anticipate a hold out situation to develop, but he's concerned about the economy's impact on the ability to get good endorsement deals. "It's definetely a factor, Dunn said.

BRETT FARVE TO THE NEW YORK JETS - PACKERS SCREWED UP

BRETT FARVE TO THE NEW YORK JETS - PACKERS SCREWED UP

You can find over at NFL Business Blog, too, but it's important. Green Bay Packers Quarterback Brett Farve is now former Packers QB Farve as of today. Marshall Fauk on the trade deal.



My personal feeling is that the Green Bay Packers and Head Coach Mike McCarthy in general, really screwed up. I'll get into that in more detail later.

New York Jets Training Camp Video - Jets Confidential

It's the start of training camp and the first football games of preseason are not far away. While in New York for my CNN appearance, I went to New York Jets Training Camp with my good friend and business buddy Bill Chachkes. In this video we get a glimpse of the Jets passing offense, Chad Pennington, and an interview with Dan Leberfeld of Jets Confidential