SB Nation - Howard Green

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Carolina Panthers Run Offense

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

by Patrick Semansky - AP

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.

Brandon Mebane in the First Quarter and the Optimal Defensive Line, Pt. 2

John Morgan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:38:26 -0000

Mebane should have Cole's job. The decision to restructure the line around Colin Cole was stupid when made and has led to predictable results. Seattle's third down stand, in which Tapp knifed through Mike Gandy and tackled Wells in the back field, is a great example of how important Mebane was to Seattle. Mebane was on the right, beside Tapp where he belonged. Cole was on the left. Seattle was in a five man front, but Mebane was still double teamed of the snap. It was an ugly, but effective display. He hit his blockers low, getting topped and dropped, but holding ground and most importantly, freeing Tapp. Tapp took apart his single block and used his great inside move to come free to the ball carrier.

Mebane had two more nice looking pass rush moves, but neither effectively freed him. He hustled into a play off end and forced the near interception by Marcus Trufant. Mebane was good, good enough to make those around him better, but not as good as he has been at the one-tech. Cole needs to be worked down in the rotation. His presence stops Seattle from starting an optimal line.

That idea was on my mind as I notated Mebane's day: The Seattle Seahawks optimal, starting defensive line. This season is about next season and this offseason about adding talent where it's needed. Seattle traded for a three tech in his prime and turned him into a defensive end. It's not a bad idea, but with Lawrence Jackson's development, Seattle has options at end. Redding should bulk back up and move inside. He has the motor, length and repertoire of rush moves to be a very good inside pass rusher, but he isn't contributing much from the outside. Mebane should bulk up and reassume the one-tech. Cole would be his rotational partner, what he always should have been, a better Howard Green.

The key to forming this line is complementary skills. Mebane has helped free Jackson, but Jackson is not a great pass rusher. Mebane should be keeping blockers off Tapp. Redding's major weakness is getting high in his stance and subsequently pushed back. Jackons pairs nicely with him because Jackson is very stout for an end and a very good run defender. When Redding sags back, Jackson can drive his man into the hole, narrow it, and even disengage and make the tackle. Seattle might cede some stoutness in the middle, but it fields an elite corps of linebackers. Building this defense to defend the run has, predictably, done just that. When it must defend the pass, be it third and long or playing ahead, it has crumbled.

Seattle could add interior line talent through the draft. A player like Tyson Aluala is a natural complement to Mebane. It doesn't need to though. I think Redding wants to stay and if Seattle can pony the bucks, he will. He shouldn't be outrageously expensive. Concerns about health have passed. He has appeared once on the injury report and not for a knee or groin, but a shoulder. Seattle can not continue to sink over $20 million into Walter Jones, Matt Hasselbeck and Patrick Kerney. The Seahawks could retain their best talent and be players in free agency with that money.

We have months before those decisions are made. Until then, Seattle needs to stir things up and experiment. It needs to test roles and figure out its offseason needs. Seattle had the right game plan against Warner, but used the wrong personnel. It can't start Cory Redding - Brandon Mebane - Colin Cole - Patrick Kerney and expect a persistent pass rush. That line features, arguably, two to three players that are below average pass rushers for their position. And yet, by moving Redding inside and Mebane over center, the resulting Lawrence Jackson - Cory Redding - Brandon Mebane - Darryl Tapp line has three, even four above average pass rushers for their position.

Jim Mora said he was encouraged despite the loss. I would be more encouraged if Seattle did something about the loss. Seattle had zero sacks. It continues to excel against the run, but at what cost? The NFL is a passing league. The Seahawks have a great linebacker corps and three corners that can tackle. It shouldn't need to optimize its line for run stuffing, but it nearly has. It can allow long runs and win. It allowed over 200 yards to Frank Gore, but would have been in the thick of it against San Francisco if not for Matt Hasselbeck's injury. It can not allow another quarterback to sit back and pick apart its zones. Seattle shot of the gates like a contender, but without pass rush, it crumbled, allowing Kurt Warner to become just the latest quarterback to fatten up against the Seahawks zones.

Brandon Mebane in the First Quarter and the Optimal Defensive Line, Pt. 1

John Morgan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:05:46 -0000

More photos » by Ross Franklin - AP

Seattle took an early lead and implemented a smart strategy to defend Kurt Warner. The scheme was right, but the personnel wrong. It has the talent to field an above average pass rushing line, but it needs to sit Colin Cole.

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Has Brandon Mebane struggled to transition to the three tech? That is something I will explore deeper this week, but if he hasn't struggled, nor has he proven himself the force he was at the one tech.

Seattle has three players that are nominal three techs: Mebane, Cory Redding and Craig Terrill. Redding plays end, but is very much more a 3-4 end than a traditional 4-3 end. He influences and collapses the pocket rather than disengages and makes plays. He just isn't quick enough to edge rush and though he has been good and great at what he does, he hasn't provided much pass rush. Terrill is the standard organizational soldier type that is in turns under- and overappreciated. Seattle could upgrade but does not have to upgrade.

It has two one-tech types: Colin Cole and Red Bryant. Cole is the most reliable of the two and one of the most active tackles in Seattle's rotation. He can square against most single blocks, but that's his skill set almost in its entirety. Three tech used to be the feature tackle position in a 4-3, but the proliferation of 3-4 schemes has made the nose position in demand and three tech types less popular.

Signing Cole was a mistake. He hasn't proven much as a Seahawk and his ridiculous contract practically forces Seattle to start him. When Seattle needed its front four to provide pressure, it was exposed. Seattle's ends are average. Lawrence Jackson is developing, but is unlikely to ever be a great pass rusher. Darryl Tapp is a good speed rusher, but aside Cole, he isn't getting the one-on-one matchups he thrives against. Patrick Kerney still has burst around the edge, but his spate of injuries have sapped his upper body strength and he is as much a situational pass rusher now as Nick Reed. It's a nice foundation, but it won't strike fear into this season's opponents.

Seattle had a better front four last season, even minus Kerney. Mebane was a better one-tech than Cole, and though Rocky Bernard had little left to give, Mebane and Bernard were better collectively than Mebane and Cole. Mebane is supposed to be making plays and Cole stuffing tacklers, but Cole can't and so Mebane is again doing both. Bane does not get off blocks exceptionally well and his pass rush arsenal isn't developed. He established himself in this league as the type of punishing bull rusher that two blockers struggled to stop.

Anatomically, it's easy to see why: Mebane has an exceptionally low center of gravity, gets lower in his stance than almost anyone and erupts off the snap with such violence that many blockers are beat before they can defend themselves. As a three, a popular way of combating Mebane's explosiveness and exceptional leverage is to fade and draw his weight from over his feet. He gets ahead of himself, so to speak, and can be blocked whence unbalanced.

My notes on Mebane are mostly positive. He ran through a pulling blocker and tackled Beanie Wells for a loss of four at the start of the Cardinals second drive. He then played nose twice in a three man rush and performed ably, but wasn't able to separate. That's the problem for Brandon: He is great off the snap, but he does not consistently separate from blockers. As a one tech, Mebane was able to collapse the pocket into the quarterback and bull rush into sacks. As a three tech, he needs to be able to fight off a single block and show quickness to the ball carrier. That might not be within Mebane's ability.

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Miami Dolphins Run Offense

John B — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:16:04 -0000

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP

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Nobody needs a reminder of what happened three weeks ago. The Dolphins ran all over the Jets with the Wildcat. That's what the Dolphins do. They run it and run it often. Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown are both on pace to go over 1,000 yards this year. They do this even with a fairly punchless even if efficient passing game.

In the first meeting, the Jets got whipped up front. There was only one guy in the front seven consistently winning his matchups. He wears number 77 and is now on IR.

How do the Jets combat this rushing attack? I think they need to go as big as possible. That means a lot of 4-3 sets with Shaun Ellis and Marques Douglas at end, Sione Pouha and Howard Green at tackle, and Bart Scott, David Harris, and Calvin Pace at linebacker. Pace looked very rusty in the first game, constantly overpursuing the play. He's rounding into form and should be much more effective this time around.

I think the approach the Jets took in the first game was flawed. They showed a lot of different looks. The problem is there is very little adjustment necessary in a power rushing game. You aren't going to fool the other team. You aren't going to get them to change what they're doing. You need to find something that works and stick with it. It's all about execution. The Dolphins execute well, running for 6.6 yards per play out of the Wildcat.

The Saints contained the formation last week. What they did was run blitz from the secondary. That's the way to stop it. Part of why the Wildcat works so well is numbers. There's no quarterback handing the ball off. That means the spot the quarterback occupies in a normal offense can be used on an extra blocker. The defense has to bring extra men into the box to combat this.

This means leaving receivers in man coverage. I'm fine with that. I know Brown completed a pass on the first drive of the first game. That seemed to soften the Jets defensively. I think they should leave the corners against those receivers on an island all day. I think they can handle it. Even if they can't, I'm fine with Brown throwing it. He may hit some passes, but he's a running back. He's not used to throwing it. He can't be totally comfortable. The way to force mistakes in the National Football League is to get guys doing stuff they're not used to. Dare Brown to throw it even if it means giving up a big gain or two.

Jets 38 Raiders 0: Back on Track

John B — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:36:11 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

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All is well again. The Jets are back over .500. They finally got a win on the West Coast and totally dominated their opponent. Sure, it was an opponent that couldn't have looked less dangerous, but a win is a win in the National Football League. It sure beats losing to the Bills (or the Raiders a year ago). The Jets can go into next week's showdown with the Dolphins feeling good about themselves.

More after the jump.

The Good:

Commitment to the Run: Some of us have been begging Brian Schottenheimer for over a year to just use his terrific stable of backs and his big offensive line and just pound opponents with the ground game. All it took was a rookie quarterback meltdown to finally deliver it. I love the 55-15 run to pass ratio. In future weeks, not every team will be as outclassed up front as the Raiders. That disparity will have to go down. It's just nice to see the Jets finally focus on the ground game. The tendency in the past has been to start putting it up when things don't click early. Today it was a bit of a struggle early, but the Jets kept with their gameplan of pounding it and eventually worked into a groove and wore Oakland out up front. The end result is a second consecutive game with over 300 yards on the ground.

The Offensive Line: Just a dominant performance up front one through five. The guys had holes to hit all day long. Things are finally clicking for this unit with a physical opponent coming up.

Shonn Greene: For whatever reason, some talented rookies don't get a chance to shine until the team has no choice. I think back to a pair of promising inside linebackers the Jets had earlier in the decade. Jonathan Vilma couldn't sniff the field until Sam Cowart got hurt. Ditto David Harris three years later until Vilma went down. Enter Greene. Shonn looked really good in limited action prior to today. The coaches still wouldn't give him much playing time. Today Leon Washington's injury forced the Jets to play Greene. The result? 19 carries, 144 yards, and 2 touchdowns. He looked like a complete runner. He showed he had the vision and burst to hit the holes, the power to break tackles, and a second burst running away from defenders that frankly took me aback. The book on Greene is that he's a power runner. I know the opponent stunk, but we have something special on our hands.

Thomas Jones: Struggled early but got stronger as the game went on and wore the Raiders out. A second straight big outing, 121 yards on 26 carries.

David Clowney: We're seeing this guy mature as a receiver. The knock on him has always been he's a one trick pony, a guy who can run the vertical route. What I saw today really impressed me. He showed a lot of intelligence breaking off his route on a third down when the Raiders brought heat on Mark Sanchez. He run a good comeback route on one of his receptions. He made a great adjustment on the football on his long touchdown reception. This is a guy who is improving in front of our eyes. With Leon Washington out, the Jets need to find a new homerun threat. This could be an answer.

Wallace Wright: For the first time, this is not for his special teams play. He had a pair of catches and looked pretty quick in short space out of the slot. A possible replacement for Chansi Stuckey?

The Fake Punt: Three for three this year. This was clearly the Jets scouting out the Raiders and Oakland not correcting what it's been doing wrong. There was no way that was ever going to fail the way the Raiders just immediately released down the field, not even looking at the punter. Give the quality control coaches a game ball.

Calvin Pace: Nice to see Pace being the difference maker this defense needs him to be. 7 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. As teams use more maximum protection schemes against their blitzes, the Jets are going to need guys to win one on one matchups. Pace is going to play a big role. It's great to see him swatting when the quarterback leaves the ball exposed. His strip sack on the first play was huge. It seems like the Raiders just resigned themselves to a long day after that.

Darrelle Revis: He's in here every week. He dominated his assignments and had a great interception.

Dwight Lowery: It looks like he's passed Donald Strickland on the depth chart, and it's easy to see why considering all the plays he made when the ball came in his direction. The Jets have to be thinking twice about the Lito Sheppard trade given Sheppard's inability to stay on the field and Lowery's return to his early 2008 playmaking form.

Total Defense: There were some outstanding individual performances, but the defense pitched a shutout. Three of the four turnovers were forced by intense pressure. Always great to get the other quarterback benched.

The Bad:

Leon Washington's Injury: As great as it was to find out about Shonn Greene, there had to be a better way than losing Leon. He's going to be missed big time, especially next week. He always gives the Dolphins fits.

Howard Green and Sione Pouha: And I could put the other defensive linemen there. They weren't getting off thier blocks well enough and allowed too many big runs. That's scary with a physical offensive line and the Dolphins up next week.

Bart Scott's Injury: What's a guy that valuable doing on the field with 3:00 left in a 38 point game?

Mark Sanchez's Antics: I know a lot of you will disagree with me, but I really was upset with what I saw out of Mark Sanchez today. You stunk last week. The team took the keys from you. Stop showing up your opponent by throwing the ball through the goal post after a 3 yard run in open field or eating a hot dog on the sidelines. Show some respect for the other team. Act like you're totally focused. You still have a lot to learn. You're not good enough yet to be doing that stuff.

Other Thoughts:

The next time you call an NFL player greedy for complaining about his contract, think of Leon Washington. Leon did everything right. He didn't hold out. Now because of his serious injury, he may very well lose out. I know. He's making way more than you are or I am. We're not also playing a violent game for a living that will affect us for the rest of our lives at a position when a career span is under 10 years.
Nice touch pouring the Gatorade on Bill Callahan. Great to see Rex leading it. It's stuff like this that makes the team love its coach, and it's why I believe these guys are going to keep battling for him. Keep the faith with our coach.
Braylon Edwards' hidden effect was shown today. He was constantly drawing double teams, opening things up for David Clowney. Look out for Jerricho Cotchery once he gets better.
This was the original formula, pound the ball, let the defense dominate, and don't ask too much of the quarterback. It's kind of a credit to Sanchez it took the Jets this long to get to it. He showed he was capable of handling more up to last week.

Great way to bounce back. The Raiders weren't much of a test. In fact, they seemed content handing the Jets the game. Still, a nice confidence builder heading into the Miami game.

Howard Green Resigned

John B — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:38:57 -0000

In an unsurprising move, the Jets resigned Howard Green to take Kris Jenkins' spot on the roster.

Jenkins tore his left ACL in Sunday's 16-13 OT loss to Buffalo. Green, expected to help fill in for Jenkins, was released last Saturday to make room on the active roster for wide receiver Danny Woodhead.

The Jets also signed defensive tackle Antonio Garay to the practice squad.

Green was the most obvious choice since he knows the system. He'll probably be the new Sione Pouha where Pouha will try and fill Jenkins' big shoes.

My Monday Musing

David_Wyatt — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:34:34 -0000

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So had around 24 hours to think about the game, and believe me that has been all I have been able to think about. Vivid images of yellow flags, opposing field goals splitting the uprights, green throwing to white. I need counselling.

So with all that behind us, just a few things to say today about the state of the team, some things that I really wasn't happy with yesterday, not just the obvious points that we lost and Mark Sanchez wasn't able to find anyone in green and wouldn't of been able to even if he were at a Kermit convention.

So some Monday musings after the jump

First off Dustin Keller, who might of been mistaken for dustbin Keller, the only difference being, when you toss garbage to the trash it usually hangs on to it. I'm not going to jump on Mark Sanchez and not look at anyone else, maybe there was a reason that Mark wasn't looking his way against Miami.

I think I read that over the off-season Dustin had gained some weight in muscle, perhaps to be a more menacing sight, become a better blocker, or just to look better on the cover of GQ, however he seems to have lost a little burst off the line. The mis-matches that were promised are not materializing, when the ball does come his way he either makes a half hearted attempt at a catch, is completely out of sync (obviously partly Marks fault) or drops the ball entirely.

He was targeted 10 times in Yesterday's game, he dropped two of them, caught two of them (for 16 yards) and on countless others looked like he could of had them and would of had them last season. Maybe it's just me looking for a scapegoat to accompany Mark on the lonely road this week, but has anyone noticed Keller's regression this season?

He has 5 receptions for 47 yards over the past three games, it's no mistake that we are struggling.

It seems like Mark Sanchez was apologizing to Keller after the Miami game for not getting him the ball, well take that apology, bundle it up and send it on back to Mark this week (this is of course assuming that he caught that apology that was sent his way)

Brian Schottenheimer, what can we say about you. Possibly the most frustrating offensive coordinator's in the game. He is as frustrating a Mike Heimerdinger. He seems hell bent on getting both facets of the offence working no matter what. If the passing game is working, he is going to pound the ball, if the run game is working he will take to the air. The offensive line was doing a hell of a job yesterday, there were some runs that were stuffed, but overall we needed to keep the ball on the ground. When he gets it spot on like the Houston game he looks like a genius, but when it's bad, it's really really bad.

For the second week running, Rex has made mistakes with game management. He is a rookie HC, and we have to remember that, but challenging that play in the 4th, for a few yards. You better be 100% when you make that challenge. We lost a challenge, a TO and a chance right there. Also calling the time out on 4th and 2 just to send Sanchez back in to try and catch the Bills off-side, complete waste. Sanchez should of been flagged there for his head bobbing, you can't do that.

That time out that was wasted would of come in handy as Jay Feely lined up that FG that he missed. Special teams running on with 20 seconds to go. Yes they were set with 10 seconds to go, but you can't say that they were comfortable in that rush.

I really could go on for ever here, but you have probably already read 100 articles just like this one today, so will end on the devastating news today, that just about completed one of the worst 24 hours I can remember being a Jets fan.

Kris Jenkins, the irreplaceable cog on the Rex machine is done for the season. A torn ACL that requires surgery. Words can not actually describe how big this is for us. Howard Green will be re-signed and Pouha will have his chance, but you don't replace a Kris Jenkins. He is a beast, a freak of nature. Excellent size with unparalleled athleticism. Rex said that we will need to rotate the line to keep people fresh, well that in itself presents problems.

I think that is the 4th straight game that we have been caught with too many men on the field, it seems that way anyway. Another time out had to be burned on that. The way we use and lose our time outs have to be an issue that is resolved among the coaching staff.

Just one quick thing, Rex had to pull Sanchez after his 3rd-4th interception. Had to, no excuses. His head was not there, and you could just see him forcing it. In a OT situation like that, you insert a veteran of sorts like Clemens and ask him not to lose the game. Tell him not to be a hero, just go in, don't force the pass, don't turn the ball over.

Eric Mangini came under a lot of criticism last season for his inability to recognise when you needed to make a bold move. Benching Favre towards the end of last season might of saved our play-off hopes. Don't mistake this for losing faith in Sanchez. I'm merely saying that you bring in Clemens you take the win, then you get Sanchez prepared.

Less said about the holding penalty on Ben Hartsock, the personal foul on James Ihedigbo and all the other fouls combined the better.

Coors Light Jim Mora Press Conference Ad (via apjung)

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Houston Texans Run Offense

John B — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:00:41 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

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A year ago, the Denver Broncos came into the Meadowlands Thanksgiving weekend and blew the lid off the Jets' vaunted rush defense with their zone blocking scheme. New York's rush defense was never as effective the rest of the season. Gary Kubiak ran the same zone system as Denver's offensive coordinator before becoming the head coach of the Texans. Kyle Shanahan, Houston's offensive coordinator, is the son of former Broncos head man Mike Shannahan.

A prevailing theme from the national media during the first few years of Texans history was how poor their offensive line play was. The anchor was supposed to be Tony Boselli, Jacksonville's cornerstone left tackle. He was the first pick of the expansion draft, but injuries prevented him from playing a game with the franchise.

It looks like the Texans finally have a solid offensive line. Alex Gibbs, the founder of the zone blocking scheme, took over as offensive line coach a year ago. The results were obvious. While the Texans might not have as good of a line as the Jets do, it's finally an asset, not a liability. They have all important continuity as all five started every game last season.

The biggest edge the Jets will have will be in the middle. Kris Jenkins if fully healthy will have a huge edge against Chris Myers. Early last season, Jenkins was a one man wrecking crew for opposition running games. Jenkins will need to have a big performance with Shaun Ellis suspended and Mike Devito to see more snaps than usual. Devito will be at a disadvantage against Eric Winston. The Jets will want Devito to be on the field, but if Houston has enough success running right, they will force Gang Green to use more Howard Green and Sione Pouha than they want. Marques Douglas against Duane Brown will be a strength against strength matchup on the other side.

It will also be interesting to see the role Kerry Rhodes plays. This new defense frees Kerry up to move more over the field. I'm guessing we'll hear his name a lot in run support.

I like the way the Jets can match up against this scheme. The idea is to use speed and technique over power. It's tough to beat Jenkins off the line, though. Even if they do and get to the second level, Bart Scott and David Harris are excellent at getting off blocks.

If the Jets tackle well, they should be able to slow down Houston's speedy back, Steve Slaton. Since I think the Jets match up well in their blocking schemes, the Texans will probably work to get Slaton the ball in space. What scares me is the thought Gang Green will bottle Slaton up but get beaten by a big play or two by the homerun hitter.

Opening Day Roster

John B — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:03:11 -0000

by Bill Kostroun - AP

Danny Woodhead making the team is probably the biggest roster news.

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QB: Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge
RB: Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, Shonn Greene, Danny Woodhead
FB: Tony Richardson
WR: Jerricho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey, David Clowney, Brad Smith, Wallace Wright
TE: Dustin Keller, Ben Hartsock
C: Nick Mangold
OG: Alan Faneca, Brandon Moore, Matt Slauson
OT: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Damien Woody, Michael Kracalik, Wayne Hunter, Robert Turner
DE: Shaun Ellis, Marques Douglas, Ropati Pitoitua, Mike DeVito
DT: Kris Jenkins, Sione Pouha, Howard Green
LB: Bryan Thomas, David Harris, Bart Scott, Jamaal Westerman, Calvin Pace, Vernon Gholston, Brandon Renkart, Larry Izzo, Jason Trusnik, Marques Murrell
CB: Darrelle Revis, Lito Sheppard, Dwight Lowery, Donald Strickland, Drew Coleman, Marquice Cole, Ahmad Carroll
S: Kerry Rhodes, Jim Leonhard, Eric Smith, James Ihedigbo
PK: Jay Feely
P: Reggie Hodges
LS: James Dearth

Thoughts:

Danny Woodhead fans, celebrate. Your man is on the roster. Readers here could probably sense I was back and forth. In the end, I think keeping him was the right call if for no other reason than the game he played against the Eagles. He showed an ability to make plays and an aggressive and elusive running style. I get it was against backups, but his speed and athleticism are real. It's good to find a spot for a guy like this. From Chadron State to the NFL, an incredible story. We may have the next Chrebet on our hands.

I also notice the lack of blockers on the roster, two tight ends and one fullback. I said early today I was fine with it. My guess is Brian Schottenheimer used his influence here. The Jets used a lot of Robert Turner and Wayne Hunter at tight end last season. With a defensive head coach, he has bigger influence, and it looks like he used it.

Two players on the above roster will be gone. The first will be out when Shaun Ellis comes back in Week 2 and the second when Calvin Pace's suspension is over Week 5. Michael Kracalik, Ropati Pitoitua, Brandon Renkart, Drew Coleman, and Marquice Cole are the early favorites. Kracalik and Pitoitua may have only made the roster because they play Pace's and Ellis' positions respectively, and the team needs extra depth. Kracalik is one of five tackles on the roster. The two other backups are the aforementioned Hunter and Turner, who figure to be important cogs in power sets and have experience lining up at tight end. Cole and Coleman are in danger with seven corners, Revis, Sheppard, Strickland, and Lowery the top guys and Carroll a special teams ace.

Shaun Ellis' Suspension Makes Week 1 a Potentially Defining Moment for Sione Pouha

John B — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:57:45 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Rex Ryan will get a good look at Sione Pouha against the Texans.

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The Shaun Ellis suspension might give Sione Pouha one last chance to make an impact with the Jets. Terry Bradway took Pouha in the third round of the 2005 Draft to help replace departed Jason Ferguson. He made little impact in his rookie season. His second year was spent on injured reserve after Pouha tore his ACL. 2007 appeared to be a breakout campaign. Eric Mangini was hesitant to turn to him with Dewayne Robertson struggling. However, Pouha played himself into the lineup late in the season, appearing to come of age in a Week 16 game at Tennessee in which he dominated the point of attack playing on the nose and registered eight tackles.

This seemed to suggest big things for Pouha in the future. Based on the way he finished the season, it seemed like he had a shot to crack the starting lineup in 2008 or play an integral role in a rotation. The coup of a trade for Kris Jenkins ended that possibility, but it seemed like Sione would be a perfect backup. He would be able to give Jenkins rest. It didn't work out that way. The Jets consistently lost the battle up front with Pouha spelling Jenkins on the nose. The Jets couldn't give Jenkins more rest when he got dinged up late in the season because Pouha could not provide a stable anchor. The new coaching staff brought in a new reserve tackle, Howard Green, to take Sione's role.

Because of his experience, Pouha is likely to make the roster. How much of a role he will play is unknown. He will have a golden opportunity in the first game. Shaun Ellis is suspended. The Jets will be running short on bodies. Nobody else at end is anything more than a rotational player. Pouha will probably get a shot. If he succeeds, perhaps he'll play a role with the 2009 Jets. If not, his time in green and white will probably be that much closer to ending.