Damien Woody article re : Wayne Hunter - Jets Insider.com Forums

Kentucky Jet · 08-20-2012, 07:11 PM

Damien Woody: Hunter should be right tackle

http://www.metro.us/...be-right-tackle

KRISTIAN DYER
20 August 2012 01:44

In Week 15 of the 2010 NFL season, Wayne Hunter stepped into the starting lineup for the Jets to replace injured right tackle Damien Woody. It was a seamless transition at the time for Hunter, who had only two other starts in his seven-year career. His performance to close out the season and in the playoffs earned him a long-term contract last summer.

It has been all downhill since then.

Hunter was the weakest link of the offensive line last year, getting constantly beaten and targeted by the opposing pass rush. For Woody, the man whom Hunter replaced, it is a confidence issue that translated to Hunter giving up three sacks in Saturday night’s preseason loss to the Giants.

“A lot of times what happens -- you have a bad play and it’s a snowball effect. It’s like ‘Oh man.’ Offensive line is almost like a cornerback,” Woody told Metro. “When you have a bad play as a cornerback, you have to put it behind you. There’s nothing you can do about it, you have to move on. It’s something you definitely have to do.”

Performances like the dud against the Giants in preseason game No. 2 aren’t supposed to happen anymore with Hunter. The Jets spoke all offseason about his improvement and how he would benefit from being involved in team activities unlike last year when the labor negotiations cut into time that would have been vital for Hunter to learn his role as a starter. Woody, now an analyst at ESPN, knows that the player who filled in so admirably for him in 2010 can emerge in 2012 as a consistent part of the unit.

“He’s one of the most athletic guys I’ve ever been around. He’s one of the most athletic linemen in the league. I’ve seen it myself when I was playing with the Jets. The one thing I always told Wayne was to trust his athletic ability. He’s a big, tall, strong guy with great feet -- trust it. Sometimes he has a hard time trusting his athletic ability because he’s so athletic,” Woody said. “When I watch him sometimes it is as if he doesn’t want to make a mistake. You can’t play that way. You have to go out there and trust your athletic ability and that’s how you win your battles. That’s the bottom line. Are you going to get beat sometimes? Yeah. The best of the best get beat.”

Having missed portions of training camp due to back stiffness, Hunter did not play against the Bengals in the first game of preseason and then was thrown into the fire against the likes of Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul, two of the best pass rushers in the league.

A player struggling with confidence after becoming the target of Jets fans much of last season couldn’t have asked for a worse opponent to go up against for his first game action since last season.

While Hunter said after the game that his back “was OK” he was still clearly rusty and the Giants exposed him.

“Wayne wishes he could have done better; there’s no question about it. I tend to hold back because it’s still preseason and guys are working out the kinks. A lot of this comes from last year and Wayne was a big figure as far as -- well, fans are still angry about his performance from last year,” Woody said. “His performance last night, people see the same old stuff happening right now. It’s still the preseason and I’m not going too caught up in it and other people shouldn’t.”

cant wait · 08-20-2012, 07:14 PM

I really don't have any faith in hunter anymore but it is somewhat encouraging to hear this coming from woody

10PennyToColes87 · 08-20-2012, 07:18 PM

Sorry, Damien, nothing you say will make me think otherwise of Hunter.

TheMo · 08-20-2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cant wait

I really don't have any faith in hunter anymore but it is somewhat encouraging to hear this coming from woody

Same... Woody has a reassuring affect on me... not sure why, almost magical lol.

Scoop24 · 08-20-2012, 07:19 PM

i would sign woody off his couch right now if he wanted to play.

Johnny Bravo · 08-20-2012, 07:37 PM

Woody and Hunter are BFF's.

GreenWave · 08-20-2012, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMo

Same... Woody has a reassuring affect on me... not sure why, almost magical lol.

I actually had the same reaction...at first.

But when it's coming from a former teammate, comments like these have to be taken as one guy standing up for a guy he went to war with. Until we see it on the field, any compliments of Hunter are empty.

Johnny Rico · 08-20-2012, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Sometimes he has a hard time trusting his athletic ability because he’s so athletic

...lol what?

Bottomline, he sucks. He is not a starter in this league and should not be starting for our team. It's pathetic we haven't done anything to address this glaring hole and if we really go into the season with him at RT we're f**king screwed. Maybe he does have the potential everyone keeps talking about. But what good is this potential and athletic ability if he's inconsistent? There is no way anyone actually has confidence in him and what good is a lineman without reliability? Sanchez is gonna be shell shocked by week 3 if he's still seeing Hunter line up to the right of him.

KingofNY · 08-20-2012, 08:04 PM

Sanchez might not get out of game one alive if Hunter is our starting RT this season. Sanchez got destroyed against the giants and that was only in 2 quarters. Imagine was 4 quarters against Mario Williams is gonna look like? I'm scared to even think of it. Our season will be over before it even starts.

lamont_jordan_rules · 08-20-2012, 08:06 PM

... sorry, even if true his confidence is unrecoverable at this point ...

l-j_r

LockeJET · 08-20-2012, 08:12 PM

We'd be better off if Catfish Hunter was our starting RT.

hatnlvr · 08-20-2012, 08:14 PM

All the pats on the back don't change the fact that the guy has been God awful! Good for Woody, he likes his former teammate but all the talent of athletism and potential mean absolutely nothing when he is still the weakess link on the line.

augustiniak · 08-20-2012, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamont_jordan_rules

... sorry, even if true his confidence is unrecoverable at this point ...

l-j_r

exactly what i was thinking. he has no faith in himself.

Kentucky Jet · 08-20-2012, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamont_jordan_rules

... sorry, even if true his confidence is unrecoverable at this point ...

l-j_r

I agree with you. There is no way a player could perform so badly and still recover!

TheOne · 08-20-2012, 08:18 PM

C Mart · 08-20-2012, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamont_jordan_rules

... sorry, even if true his confidence is unrecoverable at this point ...

l-j_r

Really? is that your professional opinion Dr. ?

southparkcpa · 08-20-2012, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hatnlvr

All the pats on the back don't change the fact that the guy has been God awful! Good for Woody, he likes his former teammate but all the talent of athletism and potential mean absolutely nothing when he is still the weakess link on the line.

From what I see...I agree with this. Hunters performance is way beyond the anecdotal response by Woody.

Gangrene · 08-20-2012, 08:34 PM

I was never a fan of Wayne Hunter and was cynical when he was quickly lauded for a few good games in 2010.

However Rex, Woody and others have frequently referred to his his outstanding athletic ability . I was subsequently shocked to hear that his fundamentals were so off in the Giants game. How can this happen after years and years of football ? I am not a football pro, and I don't even play one on television, but it appears to my untrained eye that Wayne Hunter has all the physical ability he needs to be a good tackle but his confidence appears shot. Woody said he is not trusting his athletic ability. From what I can see, is that this translates as a loss of confidence leading to Mr. Hunter abandoning fundamentals ... not relying on those same fundamentals to carry him through the game.

It's like a golfer who no longer trusts his game, his mechanics are off and he is stuck in a slump. He may never be able to handle the spotlight despite his god-given abilities.

srobjets · 08-20-2012, 08:35 PM

So for 16 games last season he had not faith in himself. He screwed the pooch last game. It's do or die. Who else do we have?

lamont_jordan_rules · 08-20-2012, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C Mart

Really? is that your professional opinion Dr. ?

... is this your i'm a professional D-bag smarmy snide remark-ion ? ...

l_j_r

08-20-2012, 07:11 PM	#1
Kentucky Jet A NY JETS fan! Go Jets! Hall Of Fame Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Ormond Beach, Florida Posts: 10,882	Damien Woody article re : Wayne Hunter Damien Woody: Hunter should be right tackle http://www.metro.us/...be-right-tackle KRISTIAN DYER 20 August 2012 01:44 In Week 15 of the 2010 NFL season, Wayne Hunter stepped into the starting lineup for the Jets to replace injured right tackle Damien Woody. It was a seamless transition at the time for Hunter, who had only two other starts in his seven-year career. His performance to close out the season and in the playoffs earned him a long-term contract last summer. It has been all downhill since then. Hunter was the weakest link of the offensive line last year, getting constantly beaten and targeted by the opposing pass rush. For Woody, the man whom Hunter replaced, it is a confidence issue that translated to Hunter giving up three sacks in Saturday night’s preseason loss to the Giants. “A lot of times what happens -- you have a bad play and it’s a snowball effect. It’s like ‘Oh man.’ Offensive line is almost like a cornerback,” Woody told Metro. “When you have a bad play as a cornerback, you have to put it behind you. There’s nothing you can do about it, you have to move on. It’s something you definitely have to do.” Performances like the dud against the Giants in preseason game No. 2 aren’t supposed to happen anymore with Hunter. The Jets spoke all offseason about his improvement and how he would benefit from being involved in team activities unlike last year when the labor negotiations cut into time that would have been vital for Hunter to learn his role as a starter. Woody, now an analyst at ESPN, knows that the player who filled in so admirably for him in 2010 can emerge in 2012 as a consistent part of the unit. “He’s one of the most athletic guys I’ve ever been around. He’s one of the most athletic linemen in the league. I’ve seen it myself when I was playing with the Jets. The one thing I always told Wayne was to trust his athletic ability. He’s a big, tall, strong guy with great feet -- trust it. Sometimes he has a hard time trusting his athletic ability because he’s so athletic,” Woody said. “When I watch him sometimes it is as if he doesn’t want to make a mistake. You can’t play that way. You have to go out there and trust your athletic ability and that’s how you win your battles. That’s the bottom line. Are you going to get beat sometimes? Yeah. The best of the best get beat.” Having missed portions of training camp due to back stiffness, Hunter did not play against the Bengals in the first game of preseason and then was thrown into the fire against the likes of Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul, two of the best pass rushers in the league. A player struggling with confidence after becoming the target of Jets fans much of last season couldn’t have asked for a worse opponent to go up against for his first game action since last season. While Hunter said after the game that his back “was OK” he was still clearly rusty and the Giants exposed him. “Wayne wishes he could have done better; there’s no question about it. I tend to hold back because it’s still preseason and guys are working out the kinks. A lot of this comes from last year and Wayne was a big figure as far as -- well, fans are still angry about his performance from last year,” Woody said. “His performance last night, people see the same old stuff happening right now. It’s still the preseason and I’m not going too caught up in it and other people shouldn’t.”

08-20-2012, 07:14 PM	#2
cant wait to silence the non-believers Veteran Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 1,986	I really don't have any faith in hunter anymore but it is somewhat encouraging to hear this coming from woody

08-20-2012, 07:18 PM	#3
10PennyToColes87 Hall Of Fame Join Date: May 2005 Location: SoFla Posts: 15,381	Sorry, Damien, nothing you say will make me think otherwise of Hunter.

08-20-2012, 07:19 PM	#5
Scoop24 Up in the clouds somewhere All League Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: brooklyn,NY Posts: 4,668	i would sign woody off his couch right now if he wanted to play.

08-20-2012, 07:37 PM	#6
Johnny Bravo SNUBBED! Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 10,695	Woody and Hunter are BFF's.

08-20-2012, 08:04 PM	#9
KingofNY Fire Sparano, Tanny and bench Sanchez. Hall Of Fame Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 2,983	Sanchez might not get out of game one alive if Hunter is our starting RT this season. Sanchez got destroyed against the giants and that was only in 2 quarters. Imagine was 4 quarters against Mario Williams is gonna look like? I'm scared to even think of it. Our season will be over before it even starts.

08-20-2012, 08:06 PM	#10
lamont_jordan_rules Can't Wait To See Marty Mornhinweg's Offense! Hall of Fame Charter JI Member Join Date: May 1999 Location: Atlanta via NJ Posts: 6,242	... sorry, even if true his confidence is unrecoverable at this point ... l-j_r

08-20-2012, 08:12 PM	#11
LockeJET pooping, but thinking of you! Hall of Fame Charter JI Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 15,960	We'd be better off if Catfish Hunter was our starting RT.

08-20-2012, 08:14 PM	#12
hatnlvr Jets Fan for Life! All Pro Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,267	All the pats on the back don't change the fact that the guy has been God awful! Good for Woody, he likes his former teammate but all the talent of athletism and potential mean absolutely nothing when he is still the weakess link on the line.

08-20-2012, 08:18 PM	#15
TheOne Rookie Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 791

08-20-2012, 08:34 PM	#18
Gangrene Glad Sparano is gone, on the fence about Mornhinweg.. Veteran Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn ... Posts: 2,044	I was never a fan of Wayne Hunter and was cynical when he was quickly lauded for a few good games in 2010. However Rex, Woody and others have frequently referred to his his outstanding athletic ability . I was subsequently shocked to hear that his fundamentals were so off in the Giants game. How can this happen after years and years of football ? I am not a football pro, and I don't even play one on television, but it appears to my untrained eye that Wayne Hunter has all the physical ability he needs to be a good tackle but his confidence appears shot. Woody said he is not trusting his athletic ability. From what I can see, is that this translates as a loss of confidence leading to Mr. Hunter abandoning fundamentals ... not relying on those same fundamentals to carry him through the game. It's like a golfer who no longer trusts his game, his mechanics are off and he is stuck in a slump. He may never be able to handle the spotlight despite his god-given abilities.

08-20-2012, 08:35 PM	#19
srobjets Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,455	So for 16 games last season he had not faith in himself. He screwed the pooch last game. It's do or die. Who else do we have?