" The Sharp Decline of Bart Scott " ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

The Sharp Decline of Bart Scott

Coming back from a commercial break, NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth had a replay at the ready Thursday night so he could tell the nation exactly how the Patriots' Tom Brady had completed an easy 83-yard touchdown pass against Bart Scott and the Jets' defense.

There was Brady, pointing out to running back Shane Vereen that the Jets were aligned in man-to-man coverage. There was wide receiver Wes Welker, setting an oh-so subtle screen to delay Scott's sprint toward the sideline to pick up Vereen. And once Vereen ran his wheel route and Brady lofted the pass to him, there was Scott, losing ground with every step as Vereen coasted into the end zone.

"As soon as Bart Scott got in the game, they knew," Collinsworth said. "They started throwing it."

Aging Jets linebacker Bart Scott has been slowed by a toe injury.That touchdown, the second of the five that New England scored in its 49-19 victory, crystallized a question important to the Jets' present and future: How long can Scott remain one of their starting inside linebackers? Over his four seasons in New York, Scott has been a vocal leader on the NFL's most vocal team, his presence providing the sort of toughness and edginess that Rex Ryan sought for the Jets' defense upon becoming their head coach. (Scott had spent seven years with the Baltimore Ravens, where Ryan was an assistant coach and the defensive coordinator.) But he's 32 years old, elderly by the standards of pro football. After earning a guaranteed base salary of $4.2 million this year, he will have two years left on his contract, and his playing time has declined every season since he signed a six-year free-agent deal with the Jets in February 2009.

He sat out a game last month because of a hyperextended toe—the first game he'd missed since 2004—and the injury has made it harder to judge just how effective a linebacker Scott might have been this season, and might yet be. When Scott injured the toe, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said, the Jets anticipated that he would miss three or four games. Instead, Scott has played despite the soreness."Before he hurt the foot, I thought Bart was playing really well," said Pettine, who added that Scott had one of his best games as a Jet in the team's Week 2 loss in Pittsburgh, recording eight tackles. "Some people will look at it and say there's a changing of the guard or we're phasing him out. That's not the case at all. We're going to get Bart healthy. We're in the business of winning football games, and if Bart can help us win football games, which he can, he's going to be out there."

Ryan and Scott's teammates remained loyal to him in the aftermath of Thursday's loss, defending him for his role in the play that resulted in Vereen's score. "He did a tremendous job in a lot of areas," Ryan said. "He was hitting people. We should have played him more." (Scott had three tackles in the game.)Cornerback Antonio Cromartie said that although Scott was responsible for covering Vereen and "was in a bad position because he was too far inside," the Jets' defensive backs should have recognized the mismatch and checked to a different scheme, one in which Scott would have covered another receiver and a safety would have taken Vereen."He tried his best to get over," Cromartie said, "but we as a secondary put him in a hard place."

That Scott's age and toe injury have slowed him, though, seems beyond dispute. Among the first 51 inside linebackers graded this season by the statistical and scouting service Pro Football Focus, Scott ranks last in tackling efficiency—that is, the frequency with which a player makes and misses tackles. And he has ceded snaps to rookie Demario Davis, suggesting that the Jets do understand they'll soon have to replace Scott in the lineup.In the Jets' previous game, a 27-13 victory in St. Louis, Scott had recovered a fumble by quarterback Sam Bradford and returned it 38 yards. But the Rams' Matthew Mulligan (a former Jet) tracked down Scott and tackled him from behind, preventing him from scoring a touchdown. Afterward, several of Scott's teammates guffawed over the play, teasing Scott for allowing Mulligan, a slow-footed tight end, to catch him. "I'll get some busting on the plane," he said.Four days later, Scott's lack of speed was again a topic of conversation—in the Patriots' huddle, in NBC's broadcast booth, in the Jets' postgame locker room. This time, no one was laughing.

> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...J_topics_obama

[Nike]

bart scott getting exposed isnt all his fault. the jets lbs are old and slow everyone knows this.

[Flaming Mo]

One thing that has been a part of the Jets defense is that it lost its edge and "swagger" (sorry for the lack of a better word). Scott always was the vocal leader, the one who motivated his teammates on the sideline and in the huddle. He was like a captain out there and I think his teammates fed off his fire and competitive spirit. As his play and his snaps declined due to age and injuries, he also couldnt play that role anymore.

The one player who I see right now on the Jets who can take that spot of the feisty leader is Laron Landry. He is a tough guy, big hitter and plays with a lot of emotion. David Harris, Wilkerson, Revis or others are rather quiet guys.

[Timmy®]

Bart was barely average when he got here. His value was definitely oververated playing with Rae Lewis and a great Ravens defense.

[kelly]

Originally Posted by Timmy®

Bart was barely average when he got here. His value was definitely oververated playing with Rae Lewis and a great Ravens defense.

agreed.
he's slower than SLOW









cheers ~ ~

[beemer]

In the postgame show, Adam Schein said that if Rex wanted to send a message to the defense, he'd cut Bart Scott immediately. I have to agree.

[GeorgeSauer]

Originally Posted by Timmy®

Bart was barely average when he got here. His value was definitely oververated playing with Rae Lewis and a great Ravens defense.

Does that speak to our coach's inability as a talent evaluator or does it speak to his stubbornness and loyalty to play those veterans he is close with. Either is not a good trait for a head coach who wants to build a winning program.

[kelly]

Originally Posted by beemer

In the postgame show, Adam Schein said that if Rex wanted to send a message to the defense, he'd cut Bart Scott immediately. I have to agree.

~ ~ oh,...ugggh ,....you were serious 'bout me getting out of new york ? ?

[fidelioion]

Originally Posted by GeorgeSauer

Does that speak to our coach's inability as a talent evaluator or does it speak to his stubbornness and loyalty to play those veterans he is close with. Either is not a good trait for a head coach who wants to build a winning program.

I thought he brought in Scott to deliver a mentality with which he wanted the Jets to play. And it worked for two years.

The fact that he's still on the team and playing is due to his ridiculous misguided loyalty.

Also, my guess as to why Sanchez hasn't been benched and this now comical "he gives us the best chance to win" non-sense is because at some point after the Tebow acquisition, when everyone was saying it's a matter of time before Tebow starts, Rex promised Sanchez that the rumors weren't true and he would not bench him for Tebow.

So even though it's obvious anyone would be better than Sanchez right now, Rex gave him his word...Team and fans will suffer but Rex's integrity is intact.

[beemer]

Originally Posted by kelly

~ ~ oh,...ugggh ,....you were serious 'bout me getting out of new york ? ?

[Beerfish]

Sharp decline? I don't think so. In Rex's/Tannys eyes maybe but they never seem to realize a player is past it until to years later. Scott, Pace, Leonard, Eric Smith, etc etc etc.

[SlickBri481]

Originally Posted by beemer

In the postgame show, Adam Schein said that if Rex wanted to send a message to the defense, he'd cut Bart Scott immediately. I have to agree.

Rex is too loyal to "his guys" to hang one of them out to dry midseason. If Scott is on the roster next year, however, that is a sad joke. His solid playing days are long gone, this was apparent even last season. Thanks for coming Bart, you had some nice moments, gave us a great quote after the Pats playoff victory, but it's over. Go see if you can turn your big personality into an analyst gig at ESPN or NFL Network. Just leave my team ASAP

[kelly]

Originally Posted by Nike

bart scott getting exposed isnt all his fault. the jets lbs are old and slow everyone knows this.

" ...everyone knows this. "

~ ~ everyone ? ?....YOU sure tanny & rex does

[fidelioion]

Originally Posted by Beerfish

Sharp decline? I don't think so. In Rex's/Tannys eyes maybe but they never seem to realize a player is past it until to years later. Scott, Pace, Leonard, Eric Smith, etc etc etc.

I completely agree and this is the biggest problem I have with Rex. His loyalty should be to the fans of the NYJ's. Not the players.

We pay his salary.

[chirorob]

Originally Posted by Timmy®

Bart was barely average when he got here. His value was definitely oververated playing with Rae Lewis and a great Ravens defense.

No, he was a good player 4 years ago. He was important to bring to the team, he helped change the defense. But he's not the same player that he was the 1st two years here.

[kelly]

Originally Posted by beemer

YOUR choice...the person in the chair

[Buzzsaw]

There was no sharp decline, he's gradually gotten slower the past two seasons and should be a reserve player at this point, not a starter.

[Dreamers]

Originally Posted by beemer

Escape From New York was a better movie then Escape From LA IMO.

[jetsfan1983]

Collinsworth's thoughts went down the drain when he tried to absolve Sanchez of blame by saying that Moore was owned by Wilfork on that play.

What a joke... He had no idea what he was looking at. Moore wasn't owned by any means and actually got the better of Wilfork initially. He let himself fall after it was clear that a runner was hitting him from behind, basically as linemen always do.

[Icer]

Bart has been a mediocre player during his entire tenure here. He would get as much attention as Bryan Thomas if he didn't have a big mouth