Lack of speed on the Jets

rmeyer52 · 02-27-2012, 10:14 AM

Some of the most memorable images from the Jets' failed 2011 season will be the ones where they couldn't catch an opposing player who was on his way to the endzone for a backbreaking touchdown.

There was the 70-yard score by Oakland's Darren McFadden, who had enough speed to beat New York to the outside before turning upfield. There was the Denver game, where the Jets got "Tebowed," allowing the clutch quarterback to scamper for a 20-yard touchdown run in the game's final minute. And then there was the season-altering catch Giants receiver Victor Cruz made before maneuvering around three Jets defenders and turning it into a 99-yard score.

[B]The Jet's draft class was the only one in the NFL over the past five years that lacked a single player who finished in the top half of his position's 40-yard-dash.[/B] Even if not by design, the picks were part of an offseason in which the Jets got slower as a team whereas the rest of the NFL—taking advantage of league rules that benefit wide-open offenses—got faster.

The retrospective is interesting when considering how the 2011 Jets often appeared to lack team speed.

But speed was an issue with the Jets even in the season-opener against Dallas, when Jason Witten easily beat safety Eric Smith for a 64-yard catch and run, to an ugly December contest in which Philadelphia tight end Brent Celek lit up the Jets for 156 yards and a touchdown. New York's safeties often didn't have the speed or agility to keep up with the league's new breed of tight ends. And matchup problems against such pass-catchers often forced Bart Scott, the team's 31-year-old, $8-million-per-year linebacker, to the sidelines in favor of a corner or quicker linebacker.

Coach Rex Ryan said he "admired" the play of his safeties and that he thought Jim Leonhard (ruptured patellar tendon), Brodney Pool (sprained MCL) and Eric Smith (torn meniscus) —all of whom missed considerable time or played through painful injuries—"gave everything they had." But with Smith being the only one of that group under contract heading into next season, Ryan said he'd be looking to bolster the position through free agency and the draft

Per today's WSJ

detjetsfan · 02-27-2012, 10:19 AM

Get rid of Eric Smith and the Jets' collective speed goes up significantly. Serious. He was either the main culprit or a culprit on most of those "getting smoked" plays last season. One of the worst players in the entire NFL.

Joe W. Namath · 02-27-2012, 10:22 AM

Draft Floyd in rnd 1 and david wilson in round 2. Our team speed on offense increases tremendously.

section314 · 02-27-2012, 10:30 AM

[QUOTE=Joe W. Namath;4377520]Draft Floyd in rnd 1 and david wilson in round 2. Our team speed on offense increases tremendously.[/QUOTE]

You are missing his point. Lack of speed kills you on DEFENSE and causes you to lose games, the main reason we were sitting home during the playoffs.

Austin · 02-27-2012, 10:32 AM

[QUOTE=section314;4377524]You are missing his point. Lack of speed kills you on DEFENSE and causes you to lose games, the main reason we were sitting home during the playoffs.[/QUOTE]

Defense is absolutley NOT the reason we missed the playoffs, regardless of whether we need to get faster on D.

Joe W. Namath · 02-27-2012, 10:36 AM

[QUOTE]Lack of speed kills you on DEFENSE and causes you to lose games,[/QUOTE]

The game has changed. We have had 3 straight coaches(Mangini, Herm, Rex) who have tried to win by the same philosophy(rely on the defense and have a conservative offense).

Enough Already. The last decade tells me we are not winning anything this way.

Put an offense on the field that scares people and can score some points.

augustiniak · 02-27-2012, 10:41 AM

[QUOTE=Joe W. Namath;4377530]The game has changed. We have had 3 straight coaches(Mangini, Herm, Rex) who have tried to win by the same philosophy(rely on the defense and have a conservative offense).

Enough Already. The last decade tells me we are not winning anything this way.

Put an offense on the field that scares people and can score some points.[/QUOTE]

it's great to have a great defense, but that isn't enough.

section314 · 02-27-2012, 10:54 AM

[QUOTE=Joe W. Namath;4377530]The game has changed. We have had 3 straight coaches(Mangini, Herm, Rex) who have tried to win by the same philosophy(rely on the defense and have a conservative offense).

Enough Already. The last decade tells me we are not winning anything this way.

Put an offense on the field that scares people and can score some points.[/QUOTE]

With Sanchez at the controls, no matter what the weapons, the only thing the offense scares are the fans. You really think they brought Sparano in to "open up" the offense? Unless Sanchez becomes more accurate, we are going to run the ball as much as Navy.

Peebag · 02-27-2012, 10:55 AM

[QUOTE=detjetsfan;4377518]Get rid of Eric Smith and the Jets' collective speed goes up significantly. Serious. He was either the main culprit or a culprit on most of those "getting smoked" plays last season. One of the worst players in the entire NFL.[/QUOTE]

tag on Jimmy L. as well....

detjetsfan · 02-27-2012, 11:02 AM

[QUOTE=Peebag;4377548]tag on Jimmy L. as well....[/QUOTE]

If that loser Leonhard is on our roster next season we might as well not even watch. Jimmy L and Eric S are arguably the two slowest Safeties in the entire NFL. Definitely the two slowest starting Safeties by a mile.

jetlifer · 02-27-2012, 11:15 AM

[QUOTE=detjetsfan;4377558]If that loser Leonhard is on our roster next season we might as well not even watch. Jimmy L and Eric S are arguably the two slowest Safeties in the entire NFL. Definitely the two slowest starting Safeties by a mile.[/QUOTE]

Um, I wouldn't call Leonard a loser.

I think he could be a solid backup contributor and system mentor for the more talented athletes that we will bring on board to start at safety.

But loser is too harsh a term for him.

Joe W. Namath · 02-27-2012, 12:04 PM

Its over for Leonard as a Jet. Hes been on IR the last 2 years. he is undersized, slow etc.

If Rex keeps him on the roster, well Rex probably will cause hes too loyal to his guys. Loyal to a fault.

Icer · 02-27-2012, 12:14 PM

Not to sound like a racist but can we move on from slow white safeties already.
I swear every big play on D is allowed by one of them

JB1089 · 02-27-2012, 12:42 PM

[QUOTE=section314;4377547]With Sanchez at the controls, no matter what the weapons, the only thing the offense scares are the fans. You really think they brought Sparano in to "open up" the offense? Unless Sanchez becomes more accurate, [B]we are going to run the ball as much as Navy.[/B][/QUOTE]

Where did this come from?

We're going back to "Ground and Pound." That means we'll be about 50:50, like the 49ers were this year. That's a run heavy offense in 2012. Some people seem to think that we're only going to be throwing 20 times per game.

Sparano has been 52:48, 52:48, 55:45, and 50:50 (exactly) in his years with the Dolphins. That's a "Ground and Pound" offense. The biggest difference you'll see will be more runs on 3rd and short to pickup first downs.

TurkJetFan · 02-27-2012, 12:45 PM

i think this is exacerbated by our safeties...get some athletic safeties and this problem will go away real fast.

TurkJetFan · 02-27-2012, 12:46 PM

[QUOTE=JB1089;4377677]Where did this come from?

We're going back to "Ground and Pound." That means we'll be about 50:50, like the 49ers were this year. That's a run heavy offense in 2012. Some people seem to think that we're only going to be throwing 20 times per game.

Sparano has been 52:48, 52:48, 55:45, and 50:50 (exactly) in his years with the Dolphins. That's a "Ground and Pound" offense. The biggest difference you'll see will be more runs on 3rd and short to pickup first downs.[/QUOTE]

someone who gets it. :yes:

GMCJETS · 02-27-2012, 01:07 PM

[QUOTE=Austin;4377525]Defense is absolutley NOT the reason we missed the playoffs, regardless of whether we need to get faster on D.[/QUOTE]

Our OFFENSE could not score points and lacked in time of possession. The DEFENSE was tired and worn down from being on the field too much.

TurkJetFan · 02-27-2012, 01:12 PM

[QUOTE=Austin;4377525]Defense is absolutley NOT the reason we missed the playoffs, regardless of whether we need to get faster on D.[/QUOTE]

probably true, and the defensive breakdowns at end of games could be attributed to the offensive ineptitude.

but i'll just throw this out there...since 2009 our defense has a tendency to fall apart at the end of games. So it's a bit of a trend, but still can be argued that our offense has always hindered our defense over the course of a game.

GMCJETS · 02-27-2012, 01:16 PM

[QUOTE=TurkJetFan;4377706]probably true, and the defensive breakdowns at end of games could be attributed to the offensive ineptitude.

but i'll just throw this out there...since 2009 our defense has a tendency to fall apart at the end of games. So it's a bit of a trend, but still can be argued that our offense has always hindered our defense over the course of a game.[/QUOTE]

Defensive breakdowns and falling apart at the end of games could be a conditioning problem. If these guys arent in shape this is what happens. When Sal Alosi was here there were also less injuries. Just sayin........

02-27-2012, 10:14 AM	#1
rmeyer52 All League Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Simi Valley, California Posts: 2,709	Lack of speed on the Jets Some of the most memorable images from the Jets' failed 2011 season will be the ones where they couldn't catch an opposing player who was on his way to the endzone for a backbreaking touchdown. There was the 70-yard score by Oakland's Darren McFadden, who had enough speed to beat New York to the outside before turning upfield. There was the Denver game, where the Jets got "Tebowed," allowing the clutch quarterback to scamper for a 20-yard touchdown run in the game's final minute. And then there was the season-altering catch Giants receiver Victor Cruz made before maneuvering around three Jets defenders and turning it into a 99-yard score. [B]The Jet's draft class was the only one in the NFL over the past five years that lacked a single player who finished in the top half of his position's 40-yard-dash.[/B] Even if not by design, the picks were part of an offseason in which the Jets got slower as a team whereas the rest of the NFL—taking advantage of league rules that benefit wide-open offenses—got faster. The retrospective is interesting when considering how the 2011 Jets often appeared to lack team speed. But speed was an issue with the Jets even in the season-opener against Dallas, when Jason Witten easily beat safety Eric Smith for a 64-yard catch and run, to an ugly December contest in which Philadelphia tight end Brent Celek lit up the Jets for 156 yards and a touchdown. New York's safeties often didn't have the speed or agility to keep up with the league's new breed of tight ends. And matchup problems against such pass-catchers often forced Bart Scott, the team's 31-year-old, $8-million-per-year linebacker, to the sidelines in favor of a corner or quicker linebacker. Coach Rex Ryan said he "admired" the play of his safeties and that he thought Jim Leonhard (ruptured patellar tendon), Brodney Pool (sprained MCL) and Eric Smith (torn meniscus) —all of whom missed considerable time or played through painful injuries—"gave everything they had." But with Smith being the only one of that group under contract heading into next season, Ryan said he'd be looking to bolster the position through free agency and the draft Per today's WSJ

02-27-2012, 10:19 AM	#2
detjetsfan Supports Coach Ryan All League Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 3,999	Get rid of Eric Smith and the Jets' collective speed goes up significantly. Serious. He was either the main culprit or a culprit on most of those "getting smoked" plays last season. One of the worst players in the entire NFL.

02-27-2012, 10:22 AM	#3
Joe W. Namath Darrell Bevell for HC in 2014. All Pro Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 7,819	Draft Floyd in rnd 1 and david wilson in round 2. Our team speed on offense increases tremendously.

02-27-2012, 10:30 AM	#4
section314 ABA hoops expert Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,015	[QUOTE=Joe W. Namath;4377520]Draft Floyd in rnd 1 and david wilson in round 2. Our team speed on offense increases tremendously.[/QUOTE] You are missing his point. Lack of speed kills you on DEFENSE and causes you to lose games, the main reason we were sitting home during the playoffs.

02-27-2012, 10:32 AM	#5
Austin WINNING All Pro Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Upper East Side Posts: 6,185	[QUOTE=section314;4377524]You are missing his point. Lack of speed kills you on DEFENSE and causes you to lose games, the main reason we were sitting home during the playoffs.[/QUOTE] Defense is absolutley NOT the reason we missed the playoffs, regardless of whether we need to get faster on D.

02-27-2012, 10:36 AM	#6
Joe W. Namath Darrell Bevell for HC in 2014. All Pro Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 7,819	[QUOTE]Lack of speed kills you on DEFENSE and causes you to lose games,[/QUOTE] The game has changed. We have had 3 straight coaches(Mangini, Herm, Rex) who have tried to win by the same philosophy(rely on the defense and have a conservative offense). Enough Already. The last decade tells me we are not winning anything this way. Put an offense on the field that scares people and can score some points.

02-27-2012, 10:41 AM	#7
augustiniak All Pro Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 8,102	[QUOTE=Joe W. Namath;4377530]The game has changed. We have had 3 straight coaches(Mangini, Herm, Rex) who have tried to win by the same philosophy(rely on the defense and have a conservative offense). Enough Already. The last decade tells me we are not winning anything this way. Put an offense on the field that scares people and can score some points.[/QUOTE] it's great to have a great defense, but that isn't enough.

02-27-2012, 10:54 AM	#8
section314 ABA hoops expert Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,015	[QUOTE=Joe W. Namath;4377530]The game has changed. We have had 3 straight coaches(Mangini, Herm, Rex) who have tried to win by the same philosophy(rely on the defense and have a conservative offense). Enough Already. The last decade tells me we are not winning anything this way. Put an offense on the field that scares people and can score some points.[/QUOTE] With Sanchez at the controls, no matter what the weapons, the only thing the offense scares are the fans. You really think they brought Sparano in to "open up" the offense? Unless Sanchez becomes more accurate, we are going to run the ball as much as Navy.

02-27-2012, 10:55 AM	#9
Peebag being disappointed since January 13th, 1969 All Pro Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: great midwest -well not so great Posts: 7,108	[QUOTE=detjetsfan;4377518]Get rid of Eric Smith and the Jets' collective speed goes up significantly. Serious. He was either the main culprit or a culprit on most of those "getting smoked" plays last season. One of the worst players in the entire NFL.[/QUOTE] tag on Jimmy L. as well....

02-27-2012, 11:02 AM	#10
detjetsfan Supports Coach Ryan All League Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 3,999	[QUOTE=Peebag;4377548]tag on Jimmy L. as well....[/QUOTE] If that loser Leonhard is on our roster next season we might as well not even watch. Jimmy L and Eric S are arguably the two slowest Safeties in the entire NFL. Definitely the two slowest starting Safeties by a mile.

02-27-2012, 11:15 AM	#11
jetlifer hopes that John Idzik can clean up this mess Rookie Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 842	[QUOTE=detjetsfan;4377558]If that loser Leonhard is on our roster next season we might as well not even watch. Jimmy L and Eric S are arguably the two slowest Safeties in the entire NFL. Definitely the two slowest starting Safeties by a mile.[/QUOTE] Um, I wouldn't call Leonard a loser. I think he could be a solid backup contributor and system mentor for the more talented athletes that we will bring on board to start at safety. But loser is too harsh a term for him.

02-27-2012, 12:04 PM	#12
Joe W. Namath Darrell Bevell for HC in 2014. All Pro Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 7,819	Its over for Leonard as a Jet. Hes been on IR the last 2 years. he is undersized, slow etc. If Rex keeps him on the roster, well Rex probably will cause hes too loyal to his guys. Loyal to a fault.

02-27-2012, 12:14 PM	#13
Icer All League Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 3,147	Not to sound like a racist but can we move on from slow white safeties already. I swear every big play on D is allowed by one of them

02-27-2012, 12:42 PM	#14
JB1089 Now is the time... All Pro Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 5,710	[QUOTE=section314;4377547]With Sanchez at the controls, no matter what the weapons, the only thing the offense scares are the fans. You really think they brought Sparano in to "open up" the offense? Unless Sanchez becomes more accurate, [B]we are going to run the ball as much as Navy.[/B][/QUOTE] Where did this come from? We're going back to "Ground and Pound." That means we'll be about 50:50, like the 49ers were this year. That's a run heavy offense in 2012. Some people seem to think that we're only going to be throwing 20 times per game. Sparano has been 52:48, 52:48, 55:45, and 50:50 (exactly) in his years with the Dolphins. That's a "Ground and Pound" offense. The biggest difference you'll see will be more runs on 3rd and short to pickup first downs.

02-27-2012, 12:45 PM	#15
TurkJetFan Praise Idzik All Pro Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 6,097	i think this is exacerbated by our safeties...get some athletic safeties and this problem will go away real fast.

02-27-2012, 12:46 PM	#16
TurkJetFan Praise Idzik All Pro Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 6,097	[QUOTE=JB1089;4377677]Where did this come from? We're going back to "Ground and Pound." That means we'll be about 50:50, like the 49ers were this year. That's a run heavy offense in 2012. Some people seem to think that we're only going to be throwing 20 times per game. Sparano has been 52:48, 52:48, 55:45, and 50:50 (exactly) in his years with the Dolphins. That's a "Ground and Pound" offense. The biggest difference you'll see will be more runs on 3rd and short to pickup first downs.[/QUOTE] someone who gets it. :yes:

02-27-2012, 01:07 PM	#17
GMCJETS Been there done that. Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5,658	[QUOTE=Austin;4377525]Defense is absolutley NOT the reason we missed the playoffs, regardless of whether we need to get faster on D.[/QUOTE] Our OFFENSE could not score points and lacked in time of possession. The DEFENSE was tired and worn down from being on the field too much.

02-27-2012, 01:12 PM	#18
TurkJetFan Praise Idzik All Pro Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 6,097	[QUOTE=Austin;4377525]Defense is absolutley NOT the reason we missed the playoffs, regardless of whether we need to get faster on D.[/QUOTE] probably true, and the defensive breakdowns at end of games could be attributed to the offensive ineptitude. but i'll just throw this out there...since 2009 our defense has a tendency to fall apart at the end of games. So it's a bit of a trend, but still can be argued that our offense has always hindered our defense over the course of a game.

02-27-2012, 01:16 PM	#19
GMCJETS Been there done that. Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5,658	[QUOTE=TurkJetFan;4377706]probably true, and the defensive breakdowns at end of games could be attributed to the offensive ineptitude. but i'll just throw this out there...since 2009 our defense has a tendency to fall apart at the end of games. So it's a bit of a trend, but still can be argued that our offense has always hindered our defense over the course of a game.[/QUOTE] Defensive breakdowns and falling apart at the end of games could be a conditioning problem. If these guys arent in shape this is what happens. When Sal Alosi was here there were also less injuries. Just sayin........