SB Nation New York: All Posts by John Butchko

Jets Take Over Late in Fourth Quarter, Beat Redskins

2011-12-05T19:10:39Z

The Jets moved to 7-5 yesterday with a 34-19 victory over the Washington Redskins in Landover, MD. New York stayed in the middle of the AFC Playoff race with the win.

It was over when…
Shonn Greene broke a 25 yard touchdown run with 1:59 to go to put the Jets up 34-19. It was Greene’s third touchdown run of the game and second in under two minutes of game time.

Turning Point:
Santonio Holmes hauled in a 30 yard touchdown pass, running a brilliant slant and go route to get wide open, with 4:57 left in the fourth quarter to give the Jets a 20-16 lead. Mark Sanchez delivered a perfect throw, but Holmes’ route left him wide open. It was the start of a 21 point New York outburst in the game’s final five minutes.

Three Heroes:

1. Shonn Greene: Greene only managed 88 yards on the ground, but he scored three times. The last two in the game’s waning moments came with authority and put it out of reach.

2. Santonio Holmes: For the second straight week, he put the Jets ahead late in the fourth quarter with a touchdown grab. He keeps adding to his legend as a clutch player.

3. Aaron Maybin: Maybin got extra snaps and made Rex Grossman uncomfortable throughout the game. His strip sack after Holmes’ touchdown grab set up one of Greene’s touchdowns to give New York a two score lead.

The Jets come home for a game with Kansas City next weekend.

Jets Fall to Tebow Led Broncos in a Heartbreaker 17-13

2011-11-18T14:42:16Z

The Jets fell to 5-5 last night with a heartbreaking loss to the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow. New York’s hopes for a third straight trip to the postseason are now on life support.

It was over when: Mark Sanchez’s Hail Mary fell to the turf incomplete short of the end zone as the clock showed 0:00. Sanchez had rallied the Jets in the final minute and completed a pass on 4th and 18 to extend the final drive, but New York never had more than a chance to heave it to the end zone to try and win it. The play wrapped up an inconsistent second half for Sanchez. He was 10 for 23 in the final two quarters.

Turning Point: The Broncos started their final drive on their own 5 yard line. On the first play, Tim Tebow took a shotgun snap and threw sideways to Eddie Royal at his own goal line. Jim Leonhard flew up and missed a tackle that would have resulted in a safety and could have iced the game. Had Leonhard made that play, the touchdown drive would have been over before it started.

Three Goats:

1. Mark Sanchez: Sanchez was inconsistent all evening. The Jets only put up 13 points. He also spotted the Broncos their first touchdown with a pick six. He stared down Plaxico Burress. That was really bad because the Jets led 10-3 at that point and were in complete control of the game.

2. Offensive Line: The line did not get much of a push in the run game. The unit was part of the reason Sanchez looked so bad as well. He was sacked 4 times and consistently hit, even once on a one step drop quick pass. Hits can pile up on a quarterback and shake even the confidence of the best.

3. Eric Smith: He was the outside guy on the all out blitz the Jets ran when Tebow scrambled for the game winning 20 yard touchdown. The Jets sent as many men at Tebow as possible to eliminate his running lanes. Smith’s responsibility was to not let him get outside. The touchdown was on him.

The only good for the Jets is they return home next week with some extra rest to play a Bills team they dominated less than a month ago. They likely will need to run the table to make the postseason now, though.

Week 10: New England Patriots (5-3) at New York Jets (5-3)

2011-11-13T17:47:28Z

The Jets host the Patriots this week in a prime time showdown. First place and the inside track to the division title are on the line.

Key Matchup When the Patriots Have the Ball: Sione Pouha vs. Dan Connolly

Stopping a high octane passing game sometimes starts with stopping the run. That is what happened with the Jets last week in Buffalo. Gang Green loaded passing lanes with defenders. This meant giving up a numbers edge in the box and daring the Bills to run it. Pouha and his fellow run stoppers dominated up front, slowed down the run, and allowed this strategy to work. He will have to do the same this week.

Key Matchup When the Jets Have the Ball: Mark Sanchez vs. Secondary
Everything is there for Sanchez. He has great receivers who are starting to pick up their play. The New England secondary is in shambles. The Pats allow more passing yardage than any team in the league. If Sanchez wants to take the leap to the next level, this is the kind of game he has to own.

Three Simple Keys:
1. Take Shots

The Pats are without two of their top three corners from Week 1. The only one still there has allowed more yards in coverage than any corner in the league. In the first meeting, the Jets did not try and exploit the holes in New England’s coverage until it was too late. They need to challenge the Pats early and often down the field.

2. Hit Tom Brady

This might be common sense, but Brady has carved the Jets up when they have not gotten consistent pressure on him in the past. Gang Green has made Brady look very human, though, at times when they have delivered hits. These need not only be sacks. Even if they are drilling him after he releases the ball, those hits add up and make a quarterback and rush things.

3. Win the Special Teams Battle

Close games like these frequently come down to the third phase of the game. New York needs to continue playing special teams at a high level.

Jets Rout Miami, 24-6: A Quick Look Back

2011-10-18T15:38:55Z

The New York Jets evened up their record at 3-3 Mondnay night with a convincing 24-6 win over the hapless Miami Dolphins. The victory ended New York’s three-game losing streak. The Jets now host the San Diego Chargers and then head into their bye.

It was over when…
Santonio Holmes took a short pass over the middle from Mark Sanchez and weaved through Miami’s defense for a 38-yard touchdown with 11:50 left. The Jets went up 24-6. With Miami’s offense, that was enough.

Turning point…
Darrelle Revis’ 100-yard first-quarter interception return for a touchdown gave the Jets a 7-3 lead. New York was reeling at that point. The offense looked anemic. The Dolphins were in the red zone as the result of a gift muffed kickoff. Miami was on the verge of taking a two score lead, which might have made it a very different game against a Jets team searching for confidence. Revis’ play changed the game completely.

Three Stars:
1. Darrelle Revis: Revis was not necessarily in top form. He got beaten by Brandon Marshall a few times as badly as anybody has gotten him in a few years. Ultimately, though, he registered a pair of interceptions, the big touchdown, and allowed less than 50 percent of passes headed his way to be completed.

2. Wayne Hunter: The oft maligned right tackle stood tall Monday. He stonewalled Cameron Wake all night with little help. Wake, one of the best pass rushers in the league, was not a a factor.

3. Mark Sanchez: The start was ugly, but he threw for 201 yards and a touchdown. He seemed to get comfortable after the final drive of the first half. He also made a great audible call to a quarterback draw that led to a rushing touchdown when he saw the middle of the field vacated. Sanchez spread the ball out to seven different receivers.

Jets Seek to End Skid Against Winless Dolphins

2011-10-17T15:31:22Z

The Jets return to action tonight looking to snap their three game losing streak against the winless Dolphins

Key Matchup When the Dolphins Have the Ball: Sione Pouha vs. Mike Pouncey
Matt Moore is starting at quarterback tonight for Miami. He posted a 55.6 passer rating in five starts for the Panthers last year. The Dolphins are probably going to look to run heavily to keep Moore out of passing downs. The Jets might show a lot of four man lines, but the nose tackle handling the center is still very important to control the point of attack and limit the success of the run game.

Key Matchup When the Jets Have the Ball: Nick Mangold vs. Paul Soliai
The Jets have some matchups to exploit on the outside, but they have been unwilling to try and exploit similar edges in the past few weeks. Soliai is underperforming in the season following what looked like a breakout season. If Mangold wins the matchup the way he should on paper, it frees up other linemen to hit the second level.

Three Simple Keys:

1. Load the Box: Miami is going to do everything possible to avoid a situation where Moore has to win the game. That means a ton of running to shorten the game and keep him out of obvious passing situations. The Jets should focus on stopping the run. Even if the Dolphins do try and throw more than expected, the Jets may have the corners, Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Kyle Wilson to lock down Miami’s receivers, Brandon Marshall, Brian Hartline, and Davone Bess.

2. Throw the Kitchen Sink at Moore: The Jets are blitzing less this season. While the Dolphins have an explosive receiving back in Reggie Bush and have exploited the Jets through the screen game in the past, this is a game to attack a shaky quarterback and try and force mistakes. Miami’s pass protection has been spotty this year, particularly Marc Columbo at right tackle.

3. Avoid Penalties: This is a game where field position is likely to be important. One team is starting a backup quarterback. The other is struggling to find any kind of good vibes on offense. Miami’s punter Brandon Fields might have been the MVP of the Dolphins win in the Meadowlands last December. He hits rockets. The Jets need to avoid doing Miami any favors by giving away yardage.

Patriots Down Jets, 30-21: Quick Analysis

2011-10-10T00:43:04Z

The New York Jets fell to 2-3 today with a 30-21 loss to the New England Patriots in Foxborough. New York lost all three games of its three game road trip.

It Was Over When…
Stephen Gostkowski’s 28 yard field goal sailed through the uprights with 1:02 left to make it 30-21 Patriots. It capped a 13 play drive the Pats used to eat up the clock after the Jets had cut it to one score with a touchdown on the previous series.

Turning Point:
On the first play of the second half, Tom Brady found Wes Welker deep for a 73 yard gain, setting up a touchdown to put New England up 17-7. Eric Smith got burned after biting on play action. New England seemed to be in control of the game from that point despite a New York touchdown on the Jets’ next series.

Three Goats:

1. Brian Schottenheimer:The offensive coordinator did not exploit facing what was the worst pass defense in the league entering the game. The protection was good. The running game was working, leaving play action on the table. Until New York’s last drive, the Jets did not try and take shots down the field. New England’s corners squatted on short passes all day. Mark Sanchez hit over 60% of his attempts, but the Jets went three and out on all but three possessions prior to a last drive in garbage time.
2. Eric Smith:Allowed the big play to Welker to start the second half.
3.Donald Strickland: Had problems all day in coverage with Rob Gronkowski.

Week 5: New York Jets (2-2) at New England Patriots (3-1)

2011-10-08T15:50:12Z

The Jets head up to Foxboro this weekend to take on arguably their most bitter rival, the New England Patriots. They return to the site of their worst loss of last season, a 45-3 humiliation, and greatest win, a 28-21 Playoff victory, of last season.

Key Matchup When the Jets Have the Ball: Nick Mangold vs. Vince Wilfork

New England is now a 4-3 team so Wilfork will not be lined up directly over the ball. He still will face Mangold plenty. The Jets offensive line has struggled a lot both run blocking and pass blocking. The return of Mangold to the lineup after missing two weeks is a boon for the Jets. Part of the problem for the Jets was Colin Baxter’s inability to win matchups without getting help. Requiring help as Baxter did took an offensive lineman from blocking somebody else. If Mangold wins this matchup, the offensive line can get back on track and make life easier for New York’s offense. If Mangold’s ankle is still giving him problems, and he cannot do the job, problems will persist.

Key Matchup When the Patriots Have the Ball: Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski vs. Jets Linebackers and Safeties

You might think it is Darrelle Revis against Wes Welker, but the Jets should be confident in Revis’ ability to at least hold Welker off his historic current pace of production. Where the Jets have real matchup problems are against New England’s two athletic tight ends. They have nobody who can win a matchup so they will need to rely on scheme. The Jets clogged the middle of the field with zones in the Playoff game and closed passing lanes. They will need to scheme to take away these tight ends again. They are more dangerous than the receivers the Pats have on the outside.

Three Simple Keys:

1. Mix Things Up: The Jets have beaten the Pats three times since 2009. There has been one common thread. They have changed their looks. A quarterback as smart as Tom Brady will pick up on tendencies and exploit weaknesses if a defense repeats itself. The Jets need to constantly throw new looks at him to try and confuse him. Sometimes they have confused Brady up front and attacked him. Sometimes they have confused him in the back with coverages.

2. Get the Run Game on Track: The Jets should probably avoid going back becoming the power run team they were in 2009 and 2010, but they need to run it more effectively. Without the threat of the run, pass rushers have an easier job because they can just fly up the field. Mark Sanchez is going to get killed if the Jets cannot rely on the rushing attack to get more yardage. It also would not hurt to run the clock a bit to limit Brady’s chances.

3. Get Mark Sanchez’s Confidence Up: After a bad game, it behooves the Jets to give Mark Sanchez some easy throws early to get him into the flow of the game.

Ravens Down Jets in Ugly Offensive Performance for New York

2011-10-03T13:38:12Z

The Jets fell to 2-2 last night, suffering an ugly. 34-24 defeat at Baltimore. The Ravens defense was the highest scoring unit on the field.

It was over when…
Lardarius Webb jumped a screen pass intended for Santonio Holmes and returned it 73 yards for a touchdown. It put the Ravens up 34-17 with 8:49 left in the third quarter. The Jets at that point where in range to make it a one score game as a result of a strip sack by Aaron Maybin the Jets recovered. On a night the Jets only gained 150 yards, a 17 point second half deficit was far too much.

Turning Point…
It came on New York’s first offensive snap. Ed Reed blitzed and ran free to the quarterback and stripped Mark Sanchez, who held onto the ball too long. Jameel McClain recovered and ran it back 6 yards for a touchdown that made it 7-0 Baltimore. The Jets trailed the rest of the night.

Three Goats
1. Mark Sanchez: He had three turnovers that resulted in Baltimore touchdowns. He was 11 of 35 throwing. His passer rating was 30.5. It is difficult to win a game when the quarterback plays like that. The Jets scored two non offensive touchdowns and still lost by 17. That is on the quarterback.

2. Offensive Line: It is difficult to single anybody out because all six linemen who saw significant action looked pretty bad. There were constant false starts and blown assignments. Part of it was due to missing Nick Mangold, but there were plenty of blown assignments and mistakes away from the center spot also. Sanchez was bad in his own right, but him spending most of the night on his back did not help.

3. Brian Schottenheimer: Given how poorly his offensive line and quarterback executed, it might not have mattered, but Schottenheimer probably should have tried to move Sanchez around more on bootlegs and roll outs to buy him some time and get him some easy completions to build some confidence.

Silver Linings…
The defense bounced back in a big way from a brutal outing in Oakland. It is easy to overlook the Ravens averaging less than 4 yards per play and turning it over thrice given the way the offense was playing.

Joe McKnight had a 107 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a forced fumble on special teams, and a pressure as a blitzer on defense that resulted in an interception. That is a pretty good night considering he is really a running back.

Next Up…
The Jets head to Foxborough, the site of both their worst lost and greatest win of last season for a showdown with the 3-1 Patriots. New England won at Oakland Sunday.