SB Nation - Lito Sheppard

Jets 19 Bills 13: O Darrelle Revis We Stand on Guard for Thee

John B — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:44:29 -0000

The Jets are back at .500. It wasn't pretty, but Gang Green defeated Buffalo tonight in Toronto to even the 2009 record at 6-6. Things are starting to shape up, and this team is starting to round into form for the stretch run. I'm not sure it will be enough to end in the Playoffs. If Mark Sanchez's injury isn't serious, though, this is going to be a tough out for the season's final month.

More after the jump.

The Good:

Darrelle Revis: Defensive. Player. Of. The. Year. Once again, Revis shut down a top flight receiver, a guy who had exploded over the past two weeks. Terrell Owens had 3 catches for 31 yards. Revis was in his pocket all night long. T.O. had no room to breathe. Ryan Fitzpatrick told the NFL Network crew he would put it up to Owens even if he wasn't open. When a guy plays Revis these days, that's about the only chance he'll have to get a throw. Catching it? Probably too much to ask. Revis was breaking up passes all night and iced the contest with an interception. It's just incredible how consistently he has dominated this year.

David Harris: Another guy who should go to the Pro Bowl this year. Harris had 11 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. He's been in the middle of almost every play all year long.

Shaun Ellis: Ellis had a pair of sacks. The first was really made by Mike Devito pressuring Ryan Fitzpatrick right into Ellis. The second was all Shaun, a key one on the first play of the final drive that put Buffalo's back against the wall.

Lito Sheppard: He got burned deep by Lee Evans on the first drive. Evans did not have another catch.

Jay Feely: 4 for 4 on field goals, including a bomb from 49. The Jets needed 3 of them to win.

Mark Sanchez: I was surprised to see in the final stats that he only hit 7 of his 15 passes. He made nothing but good decisions. There were no forces. Beyond that, I haven't seen him look so assertive since early in the year. He made decisions quickly and fit some balls into incredibly tight windows. If Braylon Edwards holds onto that bomb, the stat line looks much better. You have to hope he's ok. It would stink if he has to sit right when it looks like he's starting to turn the corner.

Braylon Edwards: I know he dropped the easy touchdown, but I liked the way he responded, making the really difficult catch to extend a drive and fighting for a touchdown. He also did good work run blocking on the perimeter. I can't tell you how many times receivers get lazy when they think nobody is watching.

Offensive Line: 249 rushing yards doesn't happen by accident. The men up front dominated. They blew open huge holes all night for the backs.

Thomas Jones, Shonn Greene, and Tony Richardson: They may have had room to run, but all three looked explosive in the open field. Jones and Greene fought for hidden yardage all night and were able to get through Buffalo arm tackles.

Thursday Night Football: This and the thriller in Foxborough last year. Let's see more Thursday Night NFL Network games in the future.

Toronto: The NFL replaced one of the most hostile venues the Jets play in all year with a stadium that looked pretty empty and sounded like a library. Can we do it again next year?

The Bad:

Kellen Clemens: If you're a reader here, you know I've been willing to excuse Mark Sanchez looking overwhelmed at times. He's a rookie. Clemens gets no such pass. He's started 8 games. He's had 4 years in the system. He took 3 sacks. It was really troubling to see. Frankly based on what I saw, I'm not convinced Kellen knows how to read an NFL defense. Nothing we saw in 2007 suggests he does. Even though the Bills had good coverage on two of those sacks, something in his head should have gone off saying, "Throw it away!" Depending on Sanchez's status, the Jets may have to think of opening the quarterback competition to Erik Ainge and Kevin O'Connell.

Leaving Plays on the Field: The Jets had chances to blow the game open in the first half. Braylon Edwards dropped a pass with nothing but green in front of him. Mark Sanchez missed a wide open guy in the end zone, and the Jets squandered a forced turnover in Buffalo territory.

Breakdowns: On the same note, the Bills didn't sustain a drive on the Jets in the first half. Their points were set up by A) Lito Sheppard getting burned by Lee Evans, who he otherwise handled. B) Buffalo's blockers sealing all Jets up front during a brief sequence while the Jets dominated the trenches the rest of the night before and after.

The most important thing is the Jets got a win tonight and are now 6-6. Now we must all root for Miami like crazy this weekend (I can't believe I just said that).

Keys to Victory: Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

Kurupt — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

Browse more photos »

The New York Jets and Buffalo Bills travel up to the Great White North tonight to square off in a not-so-key AFC East divisional battle. It's a home game for the Bills, but the atmosphere isn't expected to resemble that of Ralph Wilson Stadium in any way. Both teams are coming off of strong defensive performances and look to continue their success in the Rogers Centre.

Mark Sanchez is battling a minor knee injury, but is expected to play, while the Bills will be going with Ryan Fitzpatrick's hot hand again. In the teams' first meeting, Thomas Jones ran for 210 yards, while Sanchez threw an absurd five interceptions. Fitzpatrick came off the bench for a concussed Trent Edwards and connected with Lee Evans for the game-tying touchdown; Rian Lindell hit a 47-yard field goal in overtime to win it. It was an ugly game, and the good people of Toronto are hoping for a more explosive affair this time around.

What do the Bills need to do to give their pseudo-home fans reason to celebrate? We've got six key factors for you after the jump that, if met, will make Buffalo's job infinitely easier this evening.

Ride Fred Jackson: With Jackson getting the start last week against Miami and picking up the majority of the touches out of the backfield, the Bills' offense looked better than it has since very early in the season (coincidentally with Jackson as the starter then). It's pretty evident that behind this patchwork offensive line, Jackson's talents are better suited to picking up chunks of yards than those of Marshawn Lynch. Perry Fewell seems more comfortable with Jackson, and that needs to continue this week. With Jackson netting 73 yards rushing on 15 carries, the Bills finished with 129 total yards on the ground. In the first matchup, the team rushed for 142 yards against the Jets. With an emphasis on Jackson, establishing the run and going against a Jets run defense without their best player in Kris Jenkins, the Bills could very well have one of their better rushing games of the season. Jackson was also more involved in the passing game last week (five receptions for 43 yards), so look for more of that this week. The Bills will probably go as Jackson goes in this one.

Hit some big plays: The vaunted Fitzpatrick-to-Terrell Owens connection has combined for 14 receptions, 293 yards and two touchdowns the past two weeks. Under Fewell, there has been a strong push to get the ball into T.O.'s mitts. It has worked as the Bills had hoped it would when Owens was signed earlier this year. Look for the Bills to try hitting some deep balls with Owens again this week, especially if the running game is keeping the Jets' safeties honest.

Take advantage of Lito Sheppard: Darrelle Revis might be the best cornerback in football right now. He has shut down some of the best receivers in the NFL all season, including Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (twice), Marques Colston, Steve Smith and that T.O. guy. Those five big-time receivers combined for just 19 receptions, 144 yards and one touchdown in six games against Revis. He's as good as it gets. Opposite Revis, however, is the mediocre Sheppard, a guy the Bills really need to target in the passing game this week. Evans beat him for the touchdown in the first game. Expect the Bills to work Sheppard's side with both Owens and Evans this week. If they can take advantage of the opportunities, those big plays could be there.

Pressure Sanchez: We all saw first hand how bad Sanchez can be when he feels some pressure and is forced to make plays down the field. With Jerricho Cotchery playing this week and the controlled indoor conditions, it won't be as easy to force Sanchez into mistakes. Therefore, he needs to feel the pressure. Buffalo's defense seemed to get after Chad Henne a lot better in the fourth quarter last week, leading to three poorly thrown interceptions. Sanchez is obviously mistake prone; it's up to the defense to force him to make them again this time around.

Key on Thomas Jones: Jones had the two longest runs of his career in the first game... on consecutive carries. The Bills' rush defense was terrible that day, allowing well over 300 yards on the ground. Jones will be the centerpiece again this week, and he's having a terrific season. After witnessing Sanchez implode against the Bills in the Meadowlands, don't expect the Jets to rely on him too much if they don't have to. The Bills will need to keep Jones under wraps and prevent him from moving the chains. Do that, and we might get to see some Sanchez turnovers again.

Keep up the intensity and confidence: The Bills have looked like a different team under Fewell. His energy and controlling presence on the sidelines have really given a spark to his players. In what is expected to be a sterile environment in Toronto, Bills players will again need to dig deep and continue playing tough, confident ball. If they come out flat and play without any passion, this could be one boring game.

*******

It's kind of cool getting a Bills game in prime time on a Thursday, isn't it? The Bills could move to 3-2 in the division with a sweep of the Jets in front of a "nation television audience." My advice to you all is to get through the work day as soon as possible, grab some Labatt's and plant yourself on the couch to root for the Bills on foreign soil. Go Bills, eh?

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. Buffalo Bills Pass Offense

John B — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:14 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Browse more photos »

Everybody remembers how poorly Mark Sanchez played in the first meeting between these teams. Ryan Fitzpatrick was better, but he didn't play particularly well either in relief on injured Trent Edwards. Fitzpatrick was 10 for 25. He'll get the start again on Thursday. He also started against the Jets in a game last season with the Bengals, a lethargic New York victory. I'm not convinced the Jets have a tremendous amount to fear through the air. There are some guys who lack the mental capabilities to effectively play the quarterback position. Fitzpatrick has those. He's smart and tough. It just doesn't seem like he has the physical tools. He has below average arm strength and accuracy. He can do a bit of damage as a runner, though.

Since interim head coach Perry Fewell replaced Edwards as the starter with Fitzpatrick, Terrell Owens has really come to life. The controversial wideout had been putting together a very quiet season, raising questions whether he was in decline. He's come back to life in the past two weeks. He's averaged 7 catches, a shade under 150 yards, and a touchdown. At this point, though, does anybody out there think he's going to have that kind of success on Darrelle Revis? Revis handled him in the first meeting. There's a good chance he'll do it again. There's no receiver in this league I'd take over Revis.

Lee Evans against Lito Sheppard? This gives me a little bit more concern. Evans has speed deep. He's the kind of receiver I'm not sold Lito can contain by himself. Josh Reed in the slot? If he's against Drew Coleman, we may have found Fitzpatrick's primary target. Also look for some passes out of the backfield to Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. Both have over 20 receptions on the year. The Bills might particularly look for Jackson, a speedy playmaker, to give Fitzpatrick some safe reads and keep him from being exposed from the blitzes against his young and below average offensive line.

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Carolina Panthers Run Offense

John B — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:15:40 -0000

by Patrick Semansky - AP

View full size photo »

Like the Jets, the Panthers own one of the best rushing attacks in the league. Unlike the Jets, they lean on two different backs instead of one. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart might be the best tailback tandem in football. Williams has 982 yards, 7 touchdowns, and a 5.1 average. Had the Panthers not snatched him up in the 2006 Draft right before the Jets went on the clock, there's a chance the Jets may have grabbed him instead of Nick Mangold. Stewart has 509 yards, 6 touchdowns, and a 4.6 average. Williams is the complete package as a runner. Stewart only really lacks breakaway speed. Stewart has been battling an Achilles injury but participated in practice fully on Friday and should be ready to go.

The Panthers are a great run blocking team. Ryan Kalil fights with Nick Mangold and Miami's Jake Grove for the title of best run blocking center. Sione Pouha and Howard Green will have their hands full. David Harris and Bart Scott had better be comfortable working in traffic. The Jets have shown more four man fronts since the Kris Jenkins injury. I wouldn't be surprised to see that trend continue. Carolina will miss Jordan Gross on the left side. Travelle Wharton represents a major downgrade at left tackle. The rest of the Panthers line is full of solid blockers from Jeff Otah to Keydrick Vincent to MacKenzy Bernadeau.

Carolina also has an excellent lead blocking fullback, Brad Hoover, although they do like to run a lot of three receiver and double tight sets so Hoover, who is battling an ankle injury may not see much time. It's going to be really important for the secondary to assist in run support. Muhsin Muhammad in particular is an excellent blocking receiver. Lito Sheppard might be called on to get off a block and make a key tackle when the Panthers send Williams outside.

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. Carolina Panthers Pass Offense

John B — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:02:32 -0000

More photos » by RUSTY KENNEDY - AP

Browse more photos »

There are a lot of similarities between the Jets and the Panthers. One of them is both teams have talented quarterbacks capable of taking over a game or losing it by constantly throwing it to the opposition. It's been more of the latter this year for Carolina. Jake Delhomme has only 8 touchdown passes against 14 interceptions on top of his all time horrific Playoff start last year against the Cardinals. His passer rating right now stands at 66.

Steve Smith will draw Darrelle Revis. Smith is one of the top deep threats in the game and owns great speed. He leads the Panthers with 45 receptions, 599 yards, and 4 touchdowns. With Donald Strickland and Dwight Lowery out, Lito Sheppard will rejoin the starting lineup. He'll spend much of his day covering Muhsin Muhammad. This seems like a decent matchup for Lito. Muhammad is not a deep threat. He does a lot of his work underneath, runs good routes, and battles. I like the matchup between the starters.

The Panthers are a better running team than passing team, but there are some areas they can try to exploit the Jets if they are willing to open up their playbook a bit. Then again, that requires putting it into Delhomme's hands instead of their excellent running backs. In any event, Drew Coleman will be the nickel. Coleman is coming off one of worst performances in NFL history against Wes Welker (and that is not hyperbole). In four years, Drew hasn't really developed any cover skills or shown he should be on the field in anything other than extreme passing subpackages. Carolina's third receiver, Jersey product Dwayne Jarrett, has only 10 receptions on the year, but the Panthers could look to exploit this matchup. We could also see them target tight ends Jeff King and Dante Rosario, who split time. They have combined for 31 catches.

The key will be bringing pressure and forcing Delhomme to make decisions quicker than he wants. This is how opponents approch New York's mistake prone quarterback. It's how the Jets should go after Carolina's. The Panthers are playing without Pro Bowl tackle Jordan Gross, who is on IR with an injured ankle. Travelle Wharton will start in his place. He had some struggles against the Dolphins last week. The overload blitzes this week could go primarily to his side.

Patriots 31 Jets 14: Bitter Revenge

John B — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:58:22 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

Browse more photos »

The slide continues. The Jets are 4-6 and now a Playoff longshot. The Patriots dominated them today, winning 31-14 in Foxborough. This is the kind of Jets-Pats game we've come to know and hate. If New England wanted to get revenge for Week 2 and make a statement, they sure did that. This one was ugly and uncompetitive from the start.

More after the jump.

The Bad:

Mark Sanchez: Another ugly day for the rookie. He looked confused and rattled by New England's pass rush all day on his way to an 8 of 21, 5 turnover affair. There were a lot of bad mistakes. He made bad reads, had some horribly inaccurate throws, and threw one interception off his wrong foot, against his body, and into coverage in the face of a heavy pass rush instead of just throwing it away. He just looked lost out there for most of this one. Unfortunately, days like this are part of having a rookie quarterback. The only way to learn is to make mistakes. With the season pretty much lost, I think all calls for his benching should end. At least the last 6 games can be used to get more time under his belt.

Braylon Edwards: Only a catch for 10 yards. He was silent and had a drop that ended a drive early. Who knows how that could have changed the complexion of the contest?

Defensive Approach: I haven't been very critical of the coaching staff, but the first half left a lot to be desired. The Jets played a base 4-3 and send the linemen. In such a scheme, there are three guys whose job is to generate a pass rush. The nose tackle, Sione Pouha, was there to draw a double team. The three responsible for the rush were ends Bryan Thomas and Calvin Pace. These guys were both considered first round busts because of their respective inabilities to rush the passer as 4-3 ends. Shaun Ellis played the under tackle. Remember how Herm Edwards tried to move him there early in his career and how ineffective he was? This scheme put guys in positions they are proven to not be adept at, although Ellis did have a good game. The only way to stop Tom Brady is to get pressure on him. I'm not sure I get why the Jets didn't come out with the apporach that worked so well in the first meeting, sending pressure from all angles.

There was also the time the Jets disguised a blitz, moved everybody to the line, sent 3, and left nobody deep. I tend to believe there's never a good time to rush 3, but the idea of doing that is to minimize the possibility of a big play. Moving everybody to the line and sending nobody is the worst of all worlds. There's little chance to generate a pass rush, and guys are out of position. Wes Welker had a long grab to set up a score.

Speaking of Welker, the Jets hung Drew Coleman out to dry. Coleman is the fifth best corner on the roster and hardly has any cover skills. He has no business playing man on Welker. Coleman was burned as often as any corner I've ever seen play in a single game. Welker had 15 receptions for 192 yards. Couldn't anybody else cover him? Was something wrong with Lito Sheppard?

Drew Coleman: I know he had no business playing on Welker, but I reiterate that was one of the worst performances of all time.

Kerry Rhodes: About the only time we heard his name, he was either missing a tackle or arriving late in coverage.

The Good:

Special Teams: A few weeks ago, we had people calling for Mike Westhoff to be fired. I don't think we'll see that today. There was a blocked punt that gave the Jets life in the second and David Clowney and Dwight Lowery both had returns in excess of 35 yards.

Darrelle Revis: Maybe Randy Moss will give him a little credit now. Revis quieted Moss again to the tune of 5 catches for 35 yards and several passes defensed. Even in the passes Moss caught, Revis was in perfect coverage, and he didn't do much after his receptions.

Thomas Jones: Quietly compiled another 100 yard game.

David Harris: Led the team with 14 tackles and was the one guy to make Welker pay for going over the middle.

Shaun Ellis: Had a pair of sacks.

Effort: I will give the Jets credit for not quitting in the second half like the Titans did in Foxborough a few weeks back. It was clear these guys battled until the end, and they even turned a 24-0 game into a competitive contest for a bit.

There's not really much else to say. The Pats were so dominant today it wasn't even funny. They made a statement about who the best team in the East really is. The Jets are probably playing out the string at this point.

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. New England Patriots Pass Offense

John B — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:32:12 -0000

by Michael Perez - AP

View full size photo »

Last time the Jets shut down Tom Brady with non stop pressure. That's been their formula for success against Brady in the past, sending men from all angles, confusing his protection, and forcing him to throw early. It's the only way to beat an offense like this. If a quarterback this good has time, he'll find a window. If receivers this good have time, they'll eventually get open.

This kind of matchup favors the Pats. The Jets probably won't change much from what was successful the first time. Why would they? New England has the ability to adjust. It's funny because in the past, New England adjusted to New York's blitzing of Brady by the formula they tried in the first game, spreading the field and getting the ball out quickly. That won't work because the Jets will just send more men than blockers once again. At least one guy will run free to Brady and force an early throw. This time I think the Pats leave in extra blockers. As long as they leave Brady standing, he can find somebody.

In the first game, Darrelle Revis shut down Randy Moss with very little safety help. The Jets played a lot of cover zero and cover one. When he had help, he didn't need it. The one area the Pats found success was working the middle with Julian Edelman, a shifty slot receiver. Wes Welker will be in the lineup this time. He and Edelman will be working the middle a lot. We'll also see a lot of quick throws and screens to Welker and let him make plays. To get to Brady, the Jets are going to have to ask a lot out of Lito Sheppard, Donald Strickland, and Dwight Lowery. If the Jets are going to win, these guys in particular are going to have to cover and tackle well.

I also think the Pats will look to exploit Benjamin Watson and Chris Baker and test out Eric Smith. Eric will be playing Jim Leonhard's role now, not working underneath and as a blitzer in subpackages. We'll also see Kevin Faulk on a lot of screens out of the backfield to try and catch blitzers overpursuing.

One thing to watch on the line is the play of rookie Sebastian Vollmer, who replaced the injured Matt Light about a month ago. Vollmer has held up exceptionally well against some of the best rushers in the game like Dwight Freeney last week. Light had been the weak link on the line. The interior guys, Steven Neal, Dan Koppen, and Logan Mankins, as well as right tackle Nick Kaczur have been good in pass protection. The Jets should focus again on overload blitzes. It's going to be tough to consistently win matchups against these guys. Just overwhelm them to one side and hope the protection can't slide quickly enough.

Jaguars 24 Jets 22: A New Low

John B — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:40:03 -0000

by Bill Kostroun - AP

View full size photo »

The Jets are 4-5 after their 24-22 loss to Jacksonville in the Meadowlands today. That makes 5 losses in 6 games. It's the 4th of those 5 to be decided in the final 2:00. It's yet another crushing loss in a season that started so well.

More after the jump.

The Bad:

Kerry Rhodes: I've officially had enough of hearing Kerry talk about how great he is. Tone it down until you back it up on the field. Despite the defense's success, he hasn't transformed into the playmaker many expected. He was burned on the decisive play that set up a chip shot field goal.

First Half Defense: The Jets did not force a punt in the first half, and the front seven was completely manhandled. Jacksonville's run blockers constantly sealed their men and gave Maurice Jones-Drew holes to explode through. He almost because the first 100 yard rusher against New York this season in the first half alone.

Last Drive Defense: The pass rush wasn't there. I know this is a great defense, an elite unit. It would be nice if they could get the big stop, though. This is the third time in six games the other team has put together a game winning drive late in the fourth.

Rookie Mistakes by Mark Sanchez: This game was not a total wash for the rookie quarterback. He made some plays that flashed his promise and showed signs of what he will become with more seasoning. There were subtle errors, though, like not elevating the ball Quentin Groves interception. Don't get me wrong. It was an incredible display of athelticism and coordination by Groves. Great, great play. However, part of being a quarterback in the NFL is to make sure a quick throw to a receiver is high enough to get over a lineman. There was the timeout on the goal line he burned in the second half with plenty of time left on the play clock. There were a few attempted throw aways that Jacksonville defenders touched. These didn't affect the game, but it's playing with fire. If you're throwing it away, put it in the second row, not within reach of a defender. These things come with time and illustrate how tough it is to win with a rookie quarterback.

Dustin Keller: I know it's really tough to get on him. His 6 catch, 58 yard day was productive and encouraging. He's starting to emerge in the passing game. There were also a couple of key drops. In addition, a guy with his athleticism ought to be able to make somebody miss or break a tackle every now and then.

Braylon Edwards: Again, tough to get on him with 79 yards on 3 receptions, but his fumble was a killer. So was his drop on the two point conversion after the Jets took the lead in the fourth. It was not an unforced error but still a ball a number one receiver can't let hit the ground. He also never should have thrown it on his option pass. He had open field and a blocker in front of him and could have picked up a first down by tucking and running.

Lowery/Sheppard Combo: Dwight Lowery and Lito Sheppard are good football players. They have been good to very good this season. They had trouble with Torry Holt and Mike Thomas. Darrelle Revis shut down Mike Simms-Walker, but Jacksonville's top wideout scored a touchdown when Revis wasn't on him.

First Play Call: One thing I've always said about Brian Schottenheimer is that he has incredible acumen of X's and O's but doesn't know how to apply his knowledge. It reminds me of this teacher I had in high school chemistry. He was a brilliant guy who knew the concepts inside and out. He just couldn't communicate them so nobody in my class left with the slightest clue about chemistry. The first play of the game made sense on the chalkboard. It ended with Jerricho Cotchery wide open. The problem is it's really too hard for a rookie quarterback to roll left and make an accurate long throw against his body. The result was failure.

Let me talk about the Edwards throw. Part of the blame goes on Braylon for making the throw with open field in front of him, but why would you want him throwing with the game on the line? He's not used to doing it. It's not what he does best.

Darrelle Revis Returning Punts: Let me go on record. This is a horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible idea. I know he was great returning punts at Pitt. I know he had an incredible return against West Virginia. I watched that game and was blown away. There is absolutely no reason for him to be returning punts. By far his most important role on this team is shutting down the other team's best receiver. Why get him hit and potentially injured by running punts back? Is the risk worth the benefit? How much better will the team be with him instead of Jim Leonhard even if he is a little better as a return man? By the way, his long on 2 returns was for 3 yards.

Lack of Intensity: I'm sure we'll hear all week about how Rex Ryan giving the team 6 days off during the bye led to such a sloppy performance. That's a really simplistic explanation, but the poor performance full of mistakes in the first half will give these people plenty of ammo.

Up Men: The Jets got lucky on Jacksonville's surprise onside kick. That's all there is to it. The front line left early. They've been doing it all year. It was only a matter of time before somebody exploited it. The Jaguars executed, and the Jets got a few lucky bounces. It was frustrating to see these guys continue to leave early even after that. This needs to be corrected.

The Good:

Thomas Jones: He hit holes, broke tackles, and grinded out tough yardage on his 77 yard, 21 carry day.

Mike Devito: He played really well in the middle of the line, winning his matchups and getting off his blocks.

Jim Leonhard: He was all over the field with 7 tackles and a sack.

Brad Smith: Made some nice plays on coverage units.

Jaguars Fans on This Site: All week Jaguars fans graced us with their presence here on GGN, and I can't say enough about them. They were classy, knowledgable, and added a lot to our discussion here. In the year and change I've run this blog, I've come across some great fan bases. The Bills and Texans come to mind. The Jaguars fans we came across this week top the list. Congrats on the win. Good luck the rest of the way. Please do continue to stop by.

Halftime Adjustments: The Jets played much more inspired football in the second half.

Other Thoughts:

You really can't say enough about Maurice Jones-Drew. It's been a long time since a football player impressed me like he did today. He's the total package. He's got speed and vision. He hits hits holes. He's bruising between the tackles. He's a threat as a receiver. He blocks well. He's got football intellect and is selfless like when he went down on the 1 instead of padding his stats with a touchdown so the Jets wouldn't have a chance to get the ball back. He was the difference.
David Garrard also gets props. He made the plays on that last drive.
It's funny how things even out. Two weeks ago, the Jets pretty much manhandled the Dolphins but essentially handed them the game by making silly errors. This week, the Jags really had the better of the play for most of the game, but a missed field goal, a guy tripping himself going into the end zone, and a botched exchange from the one foot line were enough to almost gift wrap the Jets a win.
I find this a bit easier to swallow than the Miami game. It's one thing when the opponent plays better than you like the Jaguars did. It's another to constantly shoot yourself in the foot like the Jets did two weeks ago. There was no doubt the Jaguars were the better team today.
It's frustrating because it's clear the Jets are on the verge of being a good team, but they just can't finish games. Kind of like Mark Sanchez. He makes plays that show the ability is there, but it just hasn't all come together yet.

Well, these are surely not the circumstances you want heading to Foxborough. This team is in bad shape after a series of bitter losses. At this point, the Playoffs have begun. The Jets probably need to win their last 7 to make it. How disappointing.

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Pass Offense

John B — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:33:16 -0000

by Phil Coale - AP

View full size photo »

The Jaguars bring an element to the passing game New York's pass rush has not seen this season. David Garrard is the most mobile quarterback the Jets have faced all year. He has 191 yards on the ground and 5.0 per carry. If his pocket collapses, he has the ability to extend plays to give his receivers extra time and to make plays on his own with his feet. It's going to be important for blitzers to stay disciplined, keep in their lanes, and tackle properly. A whiff on a sack will give Garrard a chance to make plays.

The good news is the Jets will have a great chance to put Garrard under constant pressure. Jacksonville has made five lineup changes on the offensive line through its first eight games. An offensive line functions as a unit. What the guy next to you does bears a direct impact on how difficult your assignments are. Just think of D'Brickashaw Ferguson. Do you think it's an accident his worst season as a pro was 2007, the year Adrien Clarke lined up next to him? Or that his play took off to Pro Bowl caliber level once the Jets signed Alan Faneca? A lot has to do with comfort level with those surrounding you. Part of the reason the Jets have such a great offensive line is talent. It's also that all five have started 24 consecutive games with each other.

It looks like the Jets will be against a pair of rookie tackles, Eugene Monroe and Ebon Britton. They both show flashes of potential, but their pass blocking has been an issue at times. Monroe has given up 4 sacks and Britton 3. Britton has allowed an unsightly 26 quarterback pressures, while Monroe is at 14. That puts both tackles in the top fifteen in the league. Center Brad Meester might have a tough time with Sione Pouha and require help. The guards, Vince Manuwai and Vince Manuwai are probably the best on the line.

Maurice Jones-Drew is a surprisingly solid pass blocker despite his small size, but the Jaguars will want to involve him in the passing game and get him the ball in space. If the Jets get to Garrard, Jacksonville will have to leave their back in more than they want. Same with their tight end, Marcedes Lewis, who has 17 receptions. They will also involve Ernest Wilfork in double tight sets, but Lewis is a better pass protector.

Again, it will likely come down to Garrard's ability to buy himself some extra time and the Jets' ability to bring pressure quickly. By this point, we know Darrelle Revis can take any receiver out of the game. He's only one player, though. The Jaguars have two good receivers, Torry Holt and Mike Sims-Walker. Dwight Lowery is starting opposite Revis instead of Lito Sheppard. I like Dwight. He's played well, but if Garrard buys himself some extra time, I worry about his ability to cover either for an extended period. Holt has lost a lot of his speed, but he is still an excellent route runner going to work on an inexperienced corner. Sims-Walker is starting to emerge as a big play threat for Jacksonville. Dwight's got great ball skills, but can he maintain coverage? It might be a good idea to get Lito in there if Garrard's mobility becomes a factor.

Overall, though, I like the matchup. The Jets feast on unstable offensive lines.

Lito Sheppard to Return Sunday

John B — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:37 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

Browse more photos »

Lito Sheppard says he's playing against the Jaguars on Sunday.

Lito Sheppard was especially giddy when I spoke with him. That's because the starting right cornerback proclaimed this is the week he returns to action, which coincidentally comes against the Jacksonville native's hometown team.

"I’m back; I’ll be back this week," he told me before offering up an unsolicited shout out to his old stomping grounds, "Duval County!"

Sheppard has missed five of eight games this season, including the last two against the Raiders and Dolphins after re-aggravating a quad injury suffered in the Week Two win against the Patriots. So the training staff wanted to make sure Sheppard was fully healed before he attempted to returned again.

Not exactly earth shattering news. It seemed like an extra week off would cure an injury like this. Rest is the best balm.

It will be good to get Lito back in action. Dwight Lowery has played well in his place, but all hands need to be on deck next week to try and shut down New England's high flying attack. It's good that Sheppard will get a game under his belt before then and not have to make his return in Foxborough.