Deja Vu?
I'm going to deal with key sequence of this game separately. You can bet we'll have a lot more about it all week in our NY-centric Media Counter Punch. I speak from the perspective of a Jets fan, but trying to separate myself from that miserable lot of losers that deserve all of their so-called suffering (despite being past the point in life when one realizes that real suffering is reserved for victims of things like disease and natural disasters).
It is a delicious irony that the Jets seemed to have fallen victim to the very thing that extended the life of their season last week -- conservative playcalling and laying up for a field goal that was not a chip shot.
Now let me be clear here. I would have thrown a pass on second down and ran the ball on third down without getting hung up on the clock (though I would have called the TO with three seconds left). But the kneel down is red herring because the Jets had planned to sacrifice the third-down play before the Led Zeppelin-like Communciation Breakdown between coaches, players and referees.
While the situations that Schottenheimer and Edwards face seems similar, that's only on the surface. San Diego had great success moving the ball against the Jets for over a quarter. The Jets were clearly a tired team. And the Chargers had a wet field and a rookie kicker.
Conversely, the Jets had almost given up a sack on a third-down pass moments earlier before Brien's first miss. The risk/reward margin narrows significantly when you factor in that the Jets had one snap inside the Pittsburgh 20 in eight quarters at Heinz Field during the last month (after which they were promptly sent backwards). Pennington and the offense didn't make a signifcant play all day. Should Herm have gambled that they would have done more good than harm if given a chance once they got inside the Pittsburgh 25? It's debatable.
Brien was 10-for-11 from 40+ yards this year and 7-for-9 from that distance on grass as a Jet. He had made two 40+-yard kicks in similar conditions at Heinz field a month ago and ealier that day had easily nailed a 42-yard field goal desite a high snap that broke his approach to the ball. What about these stats that the Herm bashers are saying about the difficulties that Heinz presents to kicker. Depends on the numbers you look at. How about 2004, when visiting kickers went 10-for-11 including 4-for-5 from 40+ yards. That's what was so ridiculous about CBS noting that the longest field goal at Pittsburgh this year was 46 yards, as it implied longer kicks were missed (when none were even attempted).
Jets fans have their suffering. But it's not a wistful suffering. It's nasty and venomous. Seemingly drunken in its rage. And, if you've been to as many Jets games as I have, feel free to remove the "seemingly" from the prior sentence as the liquor flows in the parking lot before games like water through a sewer. Alas, it's all of the bottom-shelf variety.
(I remember sitting at a Monday night game against the Bills in the '80s that had quickly gotten out of hand and wondering why it was misting despite the clear skies. I soon realized it wasn't mist but the drunken slobs in the upper deck deciding to pee en masse on their fellow fans.)
It is a delicious irony that the Jets seemed to have fallen victim to the very thing that extended the life of their season last week -- conservative playcalling and laying up for a field goal that was not a chip shot.
Now let me be clear here. I would have thrown a pass on second down and ran the ball on third down without getting hung up on the clock (though I would have called the TO with three seconds left). But the kneel down is red herring because the Jets had planned to sacrifice the third-down play before the Led Zeppelin-like Communciation Breakdown between coaches, players and referees.
While the situations that Schottenheimer and Edwards face seems similar, that's only on the surface. San Diego had great success moving the ball against the Jets for over a quarter. The Jets were clearly a tired team. And the Chargers had a wet field and a rookie kicker.
Conversely, the Jets had almost given up a sack on a third-down pass moments earlier before Brien's first miss. The risk/reward margin narrows significantly when you factor in that the Jets had one snap inside the Pittsburgh 20 in eight quarters at Heinz Field during the last month (after which they were promptly sent backwards). Pennington and the offense didn't make a signifcant play all day. Should Herm have gambled that they would have done more good than harm if given a chance once they got inside the Pittsburgh 25? It's debatable.
Brien was 10-for-11 from 40+ yards this year and 7-for-9 from that distance on grass as a Jet. He had made two 40+-yard kicks in similar conditions at Heinz field a month ago and ealier that day had easily nailed a 42-yard field goal desite a high snap that broke his approach to the ball. What about these stats that the Herm bashers are saying about the difficulties that Heinz presents to kicker. Depends on the numbers you look at. How about 2004, when visiting kickers went 10-for-11 including 4-for-5 from 40+ yards. That's what was so ridiculous about CBS noting that the longest field goal at Pittsburgh this year was 46 yards, as it implied longer kicks were missed (when none were even attempted).
Jets fans have their suffering. But it's not a wistful suffering. It's nasty and venomous. Seemingly drunken in its rage. And, if you've been to as many Jets games as I have, feel free to remove the "seemingly" from the prior sentence as the liquor flows in the parking lot before games like water through a sewer. Alas, it's all of the bottom-shelf variety.
(I remember sitting at a Monday night game against the Bills in the '80s that had quickly gotten out of hand and wondering why it was misting despite the clear skies. I soon realized it wasn't mist but the drunken slobs in the upper deck deciding to pee en masse on their fellow fans.)
Entry #110597578103485963 posted by Catherine Salfino at 9:40 AM
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