Post Game Thoughts: Jets 37 Chiefs 10
That was the most complete game the Jets have had since the drubbing they gave the Arizona Cardinals in 2008.
Offense
I’m still in a state of shock over what happened on the field today. Not because the Chiefs have a great defense or anything, but simply because of how bad the day began. When the Jets came out after the opening kickoff and didn’t have the right personnel on the field forcing them to call a time out it looked like a nightmare was about to occur. And then they just exploded. RB Shonn Greene had the best game of his career, running for 124 yards, adding another 58 through the air, and setting the tone of the game on the first offensive play of the game. Greene busted through the line and just ran through a Chiefs defender that should have stopped Greene after a 3 yard gain and Greene ran right through him en route to a 31 yard gain where he broke at least one more tackle. It set a tone for what was to come and the Jets just outmuscled the Chiefs from that point forward. He was a machine on the field and showed exactly what the Jets thought they were getting in Greene when their 2009 playoff run came to an end. If Greene can run this well the rest of the way the Jets have an excellent chance to run the table. That was the ground and pound attack that Rex Ryan and the Jets love.
QB Mark Sanchez was efficient on the day. Again the Jets have basically put big shackles on him keeping everything short, but he made some real nice early strikes to TE Dustin Keller and WR Patrick Turner to keep drives alive. The Jets seem to have more faith in him around he goal line to handle ball than in the past. I don’t know if that is to boost his confidence since touchdowns, and he accounted for another 4 of them this week, are often looked at as a barometer of success in the NFL to most observers or because they trust him in those spots more than the runners, but they have a different approach with him there than elsewhere on the field. To his credit he is kitting his checkdown targets and its working pretty well. Two players who deserve a ton of praise are C Nick Mangold and LG Matt Slauson. On Greene’s big 36 yard reception those guys absolutely carved the way out for him. Slauson hit a block about 7 yards down the field and Mangold was still blocking near the goalline. That was the play that effectively ended the game. Mangold also hit a huge block on the LaDainian Tomlinson score. It was shades of watching Kevin Mawae when he used to get out and block for Curtis Martin today. Mangold also sealed the inside on Sanchez’ TD scramble. It’s a beautiful thing to watch when they execute those kind of plays that well.
The only bad showings on the offense were LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson and RT Wayne Hunter. Both got Sanchez killed. Hunters run with the Jets needs to come to an end after this season. He just can’t play and this is the third time I can think of this season where he gave up a sack and Sanchez came off looking hurt. That means he isn’t just getting beat, he is getting run right by and letting guys tee off on his QB at full speed. Ferguson I believe was the guy that got beat on the Tamba Hali sack.
Defense
Yes it’s Tyler Palko but that should not diminish what the Jets did defensively today. It was different than the deer in the headlights game against the Jaguars earlier in the season where Luke McCown was just handing the ball to the Jets. This time the Jets dominated the line of scrimmage and there was no question that they dialed up the intensity this week. Though not the same as the eye opener in Houston in 2009 there was a lot of that attitude being displayed on the field. They came from the inside and outside after Palko. LB Bart Scott had a sack. LB David Harris shoved Palko to the ground and also had a sack. S Eric Smith had a sack off a blitz that I believe DE Aaron Maybin was also just about there on as well. There just was a tone being set on the field that the Chiefs were going to feel it after this game and Kansas City crumbled under the pressure.
The team finished the game with 5 sacks and numerous pressures on the QB. The only real breakdown came on the 4th down play when Dwayne Bowe dropped a ball right in his hands. I’m not sure what the coverage was and if that zone was supposed to be CB Darrelle Revis or CB Kyle Wilson but he was wide open and dropped the ball. The Jets actually had great coverage on their lone TD of the day and Palko threaded the needle on a great pass. Smith probably had a chance to intercept it but seemed to mistime his jump, but that was a difficult play on such a well thrown ball.
The defensive line played great on the day. Kansas City could never get anything going on the ground and the Jets players spent most of the day on the KC side of the football. NT Sione Pouha had another all around solid game and I think was responsible for the safety at the end of the game. He is a free agent next season and is making the most of his opportunity which will probably be limited because of age. DE Muhammad Wilkerson also continued his very good second half of the year. He has improved a lot over the course of the season. The only downside of the day was the loss of S Jim Leonhard which looks to be another season ending injury. The Jets are very thin at Safety and also needed him to field punts. He isn’t a great player, but the depth is so bad, especially after the release of Emanuel Cook that it could be a big blow. You have to feel bad for Leonhard. This is two season enders in 2 years and he is going to be a free agent this offseason. He will be 30 next season and this is really going to hurt his ability to find a home.
Special Teams
Not much to talk about. Jeremy Kerley got his punting job back because of the Leonhard injury and fielded all 3. He had a really nice return on one of them. K Nick Folk hit all his extra points and P TJ Conley was passable. The Chiefs did have two decent returns and the Jets got flagged on a return, but it was a big improvement over the last few weeks.
Coaching
I don’t know if it was the presence of Tom Moore or the players being better prepared but it was a really well called game on offense. Nothing crazy. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just solid football. The screen designs were exceptional. They had the blockers in perfect position for Greene and the use of Kerley on the TD to Tomlinson drew the Linebackers to the opposite side of the field. The first Sanchez runs was run last year against the Steelers, but more impressive was that he went back to a play that worked just a few weeks ago for the score on the draw out of shotgun. One of the critiques made by certain former players on the Jets has been that they have successful plays and the staff dislikes calling them again in the same situations. This was a direct contradiction to that.
There is no explanation as to what happened at the start of the game with the botched personnel and that is completely unacceptable at the high school level, let alone the professional level. I don’t think I have ever seen that happen on the first play of a game before in my 30 or so years of watching. That’s on Rex Ryan. I also have no clue why he still had certain starters in the game late, including Sanchez. I get that guys need work, but the Jets are basically in do or die situations every week and a few less hits should help. Still Ryan said the Jets playoffs have already begun and they sure played like it today. He definitely had them amped up and playing physical “January football”.
Overall
Everything broke perfect for the Jets today. The Titans lost to the Saints, the last big opponent on the Titans schedule, and the Bengals lost to the Texans on the last play of the game. As I type this the Raiders are being blown out by the Packers and the Broncos are down 7 points to the Bears. So the Jets now control their own destiny. Win and we’re in. It also gives the Jets a chance to lose a game and still get some help. Had the Titans won the game today the Jets would have had no wiggle room with the Titans playing the Jaguars and Colts before wrapping it up in what would likely be a meaningless game for the Houston Texans. Tennessee could lose one of those three but its highly unlikely they would lose two had they beaten New Orleans.
The word of the week around the facility has to be overconfidence. The Jets needed a game like this one, but they have to guard against overconfidence as they prepare for the Philadelphia Eagles next week. When the Jets beat the Jaguars in week 2 the defense patted themselves on the back about how great they did and how the Cowboy game was a fluke. They lost the next three games with the defense getting ripped in two of them. When the Jets won three in a row Bart Scott told reporters they didn’t know what they were talking about when they said the defense wasn’t playing as well as they did the prior two years and the Jets knew what had to be done. They got ripped the next week by the Patriots and gave up the game winning drive to the Broncos 4 days later. The more the Jets talk the worse they seem to get and they have to guard against it.
With Mike Vick back at QB the Philly game becomes a very interesting one. The Jets don’t have the speed to match the Eagles offense. If Andy Reid calls a decent game instead of 90% dropbacks the Jets could have trouble. The Jets LB’s are going to have a really difficult time with Vick and McCoy and Cromartie and Revis could have trouble with DeSean Jackson if Jackson feels like playing. That isn’t a knock on Revis, who is the best player in the NFL, that’s just knowing that he is allowed to freelance and if he gives Jackson an inch, Revis doesn’t have the speed to catch up. If Greene runs as he did today, though, I have no idea how the Eagles undersized players can match up with the Jets running and screen game. So it makes for an interesting matchup, but one where NY has to play disciplined football rather than getting too tricky against a team with tremendous speed and athleticism.
It’s a great week to be a Jets fan. Everything went well for the team and other than an injury there is nothing negative in the win. There was no being handed victory. There was no miracle finish. It was just a dominant performance by a team looking like they were playoff ready and playoff hungry. Lets hope it happens again next week. Go Jets!
I absolutely love your insightful analyses. You know that; I tell you on a regular basis. But, I truly believe losing Jim Leonhard will have more of an impact on the team than you give him credit for. He is amped up for every single game, and while I don't like seeing a safety making a tackle (because it generally means the opponent just picked up some yards), I am amazed at how Jim Leonhard throws himself into the tackle of someone three times his size. He is fearless, he is a sure handed tackler, and he is an emotional leader on the defense.
Having said that, I feel in my heart that his career is all but over now; especially given his age. I, for one, will miss him.
At this juncture, I am cautiously optimistic about the Jets' playoff chances. I say "cautiously" because the Chiefs are a very troubled team. But, I say "optimistic" because this was more than the Jets beating up a team that couldn't punch its way out of a paper bag. Up until the fourth quarter, and after the opening 10 man debacle, the Jets appeared to be on a mission. They were focused, and they were executing.
I agree with you regarding Sanchez. It did appear as though the shackles were back on. That makes me a little nervous because that worked OK against this team. I don't really see that working against a solid defense.
I pray the Jets build on this win, and that they continue to play like they are in the playoffs. I've got a frozen crow in my freezer, and I will gladly eat it (my .500 season prediction) just to see my Jets in the playoffs once more. OK, I don't really have a frozen crow, but the metaphor still stands.
GO JETS!!!
Jazz- I think there is a big difference between getting injured in practice and getting injured on the field when it come to rattling a team. Plus they are better prepared mentally for it this time around. I would agree there is a good chance he is done. I wonder if the Jets would be nice and offer a small bonus to come back or will just wash their hands of him. Its the rough side of the business for sure..and definitely the shackles are on Sanchez. The head coach clearly seems to have zero trust in him and just doesnt want him to screw it up. Its not really fair but when you heard him gush about Brady and then Sanchez followed it up with a stinker in Denver where he handed them 7 I think its pretty clear what the thoughts are on him and its up to Mark to convince him otherwise.
KC's offense is in rough shape, but it was nice to see the d-line look so dominant and see Wilkerson become more of a disruption and force, he is showing something out there. It is a shame about Leonard, but I thought the safety play was at it's best last year in the playoffs and he was out for those. I think Poole has more range, and this might compensate for Smith's lack of range and hopefully the experience last year will help keep communication/coverage issues to a minimum.
Special teams looked good, coverage on ko's was a bit rough but I thought that returner was pretty good. The 80 yard drive of penalties (early second half?) when KC could not get out of it's own way was something to behold, I have not seen anything like that before.
Go Jets!
If the Jets get the 6th seed in the AFC (and it's nearly impossible for them to get any higher), they are lined up to play HOU in the 1st round if HOU, BLT and NE all win out. If NE loses a game, Jets would play NE. If Balt loses a game, the Jets would play Pitt. If HOU loses a game, Jets play HOU.
I think if you're the Jets, you're biggest fear in the playoffs is Balt. I'd rather see them get in a shootout with NE, because I don't think they can win a defensive struggle against the Ravens. Jets offense is too prone to turnovers in that scenario. Pitt and Hou have good defenses, but they just don't intimidate like Baltimore's.
2. I'll take the win, a blowout is always nice. But KC is a very weak team, weaker than their record shows.
3. The loss of Jim Leonhard is worrisome. Not that he is great, he is ok. But he is the QB of teh defense. This means Pool and Smith are the starters, and I'm concerned there will be several blown coverages = several 15+ yard completions.
4. I was pleased with Greens pass catching!
5. Sanchez's TD to Holmes was not that well placed. Holmes caught it, but Sanchez made some not so great throws. I wonder how much of his good performance was due to facing a weak defense.
For them to make the play offs, let alone reach the Championship (realistically I will be satisfied if the Jets make it past the first round, and more than satisfied if the lose in the Championship, no way they can go higher) they need Sanchez to play a lot better. Not just cut down on picks, but better ball placement. Like the one to Green where Green caught it in stride and made a good gain.
jay- I guess its possible for the game to be meaningful. They lost to the Ravens though (and beat Pittsburgh) but they may still be able to beat the Pats in a tiebreaker. I wouldnt worry about playoff seedings just yet, but Id agree the Ravens are the team they want the least. I think the team they want the most is the Pats and that may be their best matchup.
Brandon- I think the Miami loss could derail them now. They were playing for 500 and cant get it. Doesnt mean they wont try against the Jets, but I think that game may have just gotten significantly easier. I tell you what--if the Giants win against the Redskins next week and Dallas wins against Tampa, Rex should stay quiet the whole week rather than fueling the game. If the Giants win the Jets game to them is essentially meaningless unless the Jets give it meaning. You know Coughlin isnt going to make his team lay down, but the players are a different story for the Giants. If they know they have to win in week 17, week 16 is almost a waste of time...Sanchez has alot of work he still has to do and hitting his WRs in stride is one of them. Hes still a target thrower most of the time and in the NFL you do great when you hit moving guys and pass before they break rather then waiting until they sit down in the zone and hit them when they are standing waiting for you.
Just bad luck, or deliberate injury? The team has said nothing.