Saturday, August 11, 2007

Thoughts on the Jets first pre-season game

Everyone who watches football knows that you can't put too much stock into pre-season games. Teams are trying new plays, lineups and basically exploring their potential in a consequence-free enviornment. Not to mention that, once you get to the second half, you're watching a bunch of players who will most likely be cut before the season starts and will be bagging groceries at your local supermarket.

However, I believe you can glean a little indication of the state of your team by watching pre-season games. Here are my thoughts:

-Loving Thomas Jones more and more. He was very effective in limited work and showed a glimpse of the tough between the tackles running that he will no doubt exhibit during the season.

- Leon Washington is going to be a very good change of pace back. While his overall speed is not exceptional, his burst is and he will catch more than a few teams by surprise this year. He also had a very nice kickoff return and should be a serviceable backup to Justin Miller.

- The Jets QB situation needs some work. Chad wasn't allowed to throw any passes in his stint, but we did get an extended look at Kellen Clemens and Brad Smith. Clemens had a good game (three TD's, though against a 2nd team defense which was hardly the Baltimore Ravens), but appears to have a terrible condition called Happy Feet (an inability to execute proper footwork...also, tends to panic a bit in the pocket). He is still young, though, and he might grow out of it. Brad Smith is a playmaker who can be effective in a variety of different roles, but NFL QB is not one of them. He chooses to run in the face of the slightest pressure and scrambling QB's, though entertaining, almost never lead their team to a Super Bowl.

- Justin McCareins may have role with the Jets after all.

- The linebacking group is in good shape. Vilma, Barton and David Harris all contributed and were almost always in the right area to make a play.

- The Defensive line is, unfortunately, just the opposite. They produced almost zero pressure on Harrington or Redman. A better QB, of which there are plenty, will be given the time to pick apart the defense at will if this continues. Jerious Norwood sliced through the line for his td with ease while Dewayne Robertson got manhandled by the Atlanta center. Not a good beginning at all.

- The Secondary played reasonably well, considering there was no pass rush. However, the Jets need Revis to come into the fold much sooner rather than later. If Justin Miller's injury turns out to be a lingering one, the Jets are in big trouble on both corners.

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