Unless there's some way I'm allowed to keep writing after I graduate, this will likely be my last column for the Hofstra Chronicle. To those of you that have followed my articles since I began writing in March, I appreciate your support. I'm not really sure how many of you do in fact read my stories and analyses, but I'm fairly certain of one thing - Eric Mangini is probably not one of my readers.
Not that I would expect him to be, after all the Jets no longer practice here. And even if they did, I doubt that Mangini would have much time to read the school paper, given the demands of a typical NFL head coach. I get it. I really do. But perhaps it wouldn't hurt Mr. Mangini to pick up a copy of this fine publication once in a while - or at least have one sent to him down in New Jersey.
I am not necessarily implying that my suggestions are better than the game plans that the Jets coaching staff have come up with over the past two weeks. I am simply reflecting on the events (or should I say non-events) that have transpired in New York Jet football since Thanksgiving.
Maybe Mangini and Brian Schottenheimer ate too much turkey and are suffering long-lingering effects of a tryptophan hangover. Who knows? All I know is that it's hard to believe that this is the same team which earlier this season recorded victories over both the Patriots and then-undefeated Titans en route to a five-game winning streak.
There have been no major injuries. There have been no major shakeups on the depth chart. There have been no debacles involving referee Ed Hochuli that have erroneously changed the outcome of either game. Frankly, there really hasn't been much of anything from the Jets, other than disappointing football.
Two numbers hold particular importance when looking at the big picture surrounding this week's 24-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers; the number zero and the number four.
First, number 4 himself, Brett Favre. Favre averaged 4.4 yards per passing attempt in this contest. He threw zero touchdowns on Sunday, the fourth time he has done so in a game this season. And as troubling as the back-to-back sub-61 quarterback ratings are, what is more troubling is the diminishing rapport Favre has with his supporting cast. Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller, the team's leading trio of receivers, were practically invisible against San Francisco, compiling 29 receiving yards combined between them. The trio's total receptions this week: four.
To add to the Jets' passing woes, Favre has gone back-to-back games without throwing a touchdown for the first time in two full years; the last time was in 2006 with Green Bay, weeks 15 and 16. On the slightly brighter side, Brett did scramble for his first rushing touchdown since October 29th of '06. Unfortunately, the Jets once again failed to fuel the running game as a whole, handing off just 11 times against San Francisco.
Given the Jets' offseason shopping spree, which brought three major blocking components to the offense, it is troubling to see the running game go by the wayside. Mike Tannenbaum's intent by adding Alan Faneca, Damien Woody and Tony Richardson was to protect the quarterback, and legitimize the running game to ultimately allow Thomas Jones to wear down and plow through opposing defenses.
Had that objective failed, had the offensive front crumbled then maybe, just maybe Brian Schottenheimer's lack of run plays called would be justified. But even in Jet losses, Jones has run well. In their 5 defeats this season, Jones has over 500 yards from scrimmage, including 460 rushing yards on 77 carries. That amounts to a stifling 5.97 yards per carry- in losses! Jones has 166 rushes for 684 yards in victories, still good for 4.1 YPC.
And oh yeah, guess who leads the AFC in rushing? Thomas Jones.
Can someone please forward that memo to Eric Mangini?
This is at least the third occasion on which I will not only mention, but highlight the disparity in the Jets' record as it relates to Thomas Jones' carries. As recently as last week, I noted that failing to hand off to Jones at least 25 times had resulted in a .267 Jet winning percentage (4-11) over the past two seasons. Make that .250, as they are now 4-12 in such games. So in light of all of these factors, what did Brian Schottenheimer do? He called just 10 rushing plays for Jones against San Francisco. Ten.
Jones ran for 5.6 yards per carry and a touchdown, but New York inexplicably abandoned the running game repeatedly throughout the contest. On the Jets second drive of the game, Jones was stuffed at the line on 3rd-and-1, forcing the Jets to punt. TJ disappeared on New York's following drive, which lasted just5 plays and resulted in yet another punt. Jones reemerged during the Jets first scoring drive of the afternoon, racking up 18 yards on four carries to set up Favre's 2-yard touchdown plunge.
Those four rushes equaled 40 percent of Jones' total run plays called in the game. His last two rushes came midway through the 3rd quarter, as the Jets took advantage of David Bowens' interception of Shaun Hill, which he returned to the San Francisco 45 yard line. With less than half the field ahead of them, New York took under two minutes to reach the end zone, tying the game at 14-14. With 5:24 remaining in the third, the Jets hit pay dirt via a 17-yard run by none other than Thomas Jones. Shocking.
Sarcasm aside, the true shock is that Jones' touchdown run was his final carry of the day. For some reason, the game plan that held so strong against the Titans, a team with a legitimate defense, was not good enough to be run against San Fancisco. And believe me, the 49ers defense is far from stifling. In fact, the 'Niners are ranked 25th in the league in passing defense. Yet, the Jets somehow managed to make them look like the '85 Bears.
For having played at such a high level against Tennessee, commanding the tempo of the game with crossing routes and 39 rushing attempts, last weekend's Jets played down to or below San Francisco's level. The 'Niners held Favre below 150 yards for the first time as a Jet, as Brett threw for 137 yards with one interception, and was sacked three times. As a team, the Jets netted only 182 total yards of offense.
As foolish as Gang Green looked when they had the ball, their defense was equally as miserable, making Shaun Hill seem like a seasoned veteran. Hill, in just his tenth game played in his NFL career, threw for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a perfect strike to Bryant Johnson that just barely cleared the outstretched hand of rookie cornerback Dwight Lowery. The score gave the 'Niners a 10 point lead, which they held on to. Johnson was just one of ten 49er receivers to catch a pass, as the Jets secondary looked overmatched yet again.
Hill, who was pegged to be the 49ers' third-string quarterback this preseason, has filled in nicely for the injured J.T. O'Sullivan, who initially replaced former number one pick Alex Smith behind center. The revolving door of San Francisco quarterbacks led them to a 2-5 start, but since coach Mike Singletary made the switch to Hill, the 49ers are 3-3.
The win over the Jets was the first 49ers victory over a winning team this season. Even more startling is that the four other teams San Francisco has beaten- Seattle, Detroit, St. Louis and Buffalo-are a combined 10-42 in 2008. The Jets nearly match those victories with their 8 wins.
The loss to San Francisco was more than just an embarrassing step in the wrong direction for Eric Mangini's crew. The 8-5 Jets are now back in a three-way tie for first in the AFC East, along with Chad Pennington's Miami Dolphins and the always dangerous New England Patriots. Not only that, but should Gang Green falter and play their way out of the division lead, they would also be at least one game behind the Colts and Ravens for the wildcard. At this point, the Jets' best shot at making the playoffs is simple- win the division. They are incontrol of their own fate, at least statistically, and face the freefalling Buffalo Bills at home this weekend.
The bad news is that Gang Green still has to make one more trip to the west coast, where they are 0-3 this season.
The good news is that they play a depleted Seattle Seahawks team with just 2 wins under their belt. The Jets finish the regular season at home against Miami, a game with major playoff implications. That contest may very well determine who wins the AFC East, and includes the added subplot of Chad Pennington's return to the Meadowlands for the first time as a Dolphin.
Just for fun, being that this is my farewell article- here's one more potential twist. Should Gang Green be tied with the Dolphins heading into Week 17, a team with a fish-related mascot from Miami will again have the opportunity to complete a final weekend collapse to send a New York "-ets" team home for an early offseason. Such has been the case in each of the last two baseball seasons between the Marlins and the Mets. Let's just hope and pray that we won't see it with the Jets as well.
Personally, I have my high hopes set on a scenario where the Jets avoid as I call it, "pulling a Plaxico," by not shooting themselves in the leg. Perhaps Mangini can borrow K-Rod to make his first New York save in Jets green as opposed to Mets blue, just a little bit earlier than expected- a Christmas miracle. Have a safe and happy holiday.