http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2011/09/santonio_holmes_feels_fine_say.html Santonio Holmes feels fine, says Jets' offense is 'on the rise' after win Published: Monday, September 19, 2011, 3:49 PM Updated: Monday, September 19, 2011, 11:43 PM By Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger Santonio Holmes said he was fine on Monday after coming into Sunday's game against Jacksonville listed as questionable. Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes said he made the decision to play against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday morning, and that he feels fine today. He had been listed as questionable with injuries to his knee and quad. "I think I played every snap but about 20, but that was by choice," he said. "I didn't want to overdo it, I felt like I was in good enough shape to play, I wasn't hurt too bad to where I couldn't play." Holmes looked healthy during the opening drive, where he scored the team's first first-quarter touchdown in 16 games. He got matched up in single coverage and put a smooth double-move on William Middleton for the score. He called the throw from Sanchez "perfect" and that it was high for a reason. "It was just something we were working on in the red zone, that we knew we could get the guys on if they gave us the right coverage," Holmes said. "And knowing that we can get No. 29, (William Middleton) in single coverage with myself as opposed to (Rashean Mathis), we got him in position to run a great route for him." The concern, beyond injuries, right now is to keep progressing. He called the Jets offense "on the rise." Holmes said that the offense isn't concerned about pass distribution, and that something like Burress not getting any catches is — in a way — expected during the week depending on what coverages the Jets see from opponents on film. "Veterans know how games play out and depending on the way we practice during the week, we know how things are going to go once game-time comes around," Holmes said. "And putting ourselves in position to beat those guys by (29) points kind of propelled us to know they're not going to allow us to throw as much as we'd want to and just force us to run the ball. But we all knew, as veterans, how to understand that game." Holmes said that the offense was more happy about scoring on the first drive for Rex Ryan than they were for themselves. Ryan called out the team the night before and was bent on breaking their first-quarter streak. "It was more so toward our head coach," Holmes said. "Rex challenged us that we needed to go out and score on the opening drive of the game and we did what we had to do. We had a good week of practice, everyone was on key, we were making the right plays. We made a few penalties that stopped the drive later in the game but to start the game out the way we really wanted to was big for us." * * * Rex Ryan said that Mark Sanchez is just bruised after hitting his forearm off Matt Roth's helmet late in Sunday's game. Ryan reiterated that he should not have been trying to force the ball to Plaxico Burress at that point, which is why Sanchez was back to pass. * * * Ryan said that a few members of the Jets defense will receive game balls after getting shut out last week. One of which was Antonio Cromartie, who finished with two interceptions and came within an inch of taking a pick in for a touchdown. "The Cromartie kid did okay, I guess," Ryan said. "Cro is just, he's zero to 60 in a second, just boom. His explosiveness is unreal." Cromartie also averaged 42.5 yards per kickoff return. * * * Of Sanchez's decision-making, Ryan said: "Well we could be better there, that's for sure. I think he was over 70 in his completion percentage which was good to see. But I think he'd like to have two throws back." * * * After watching the film and seeing Wayne Hunter penalized twice Sunday, once for holding and once for a facemask, Ryan said it wasn't all bad. "There were good moments as well, but unfortunately you see the penalties." * * * Rex Ryan said that the team would entertain receiving the ball after winning the coin toss in the future. "I think we could switch it up sometimes," he said. "It was just a challenge we put out there to our offense, but it was something we wanted to change. When I saw the stats and all that jazz it was like, I know we're much better than this. I want to issue the challenge to these guys and they stepped up and did it. And after they scored they were kind of giving me the business."
This is why completion % is just overrated in this offense. Sure, its always good to have, but since Sanchez was criticized last year for having such a low percentage, it seems like he is forcing it in there for interceptions more often.
There was a play on Sunday where he was trying to get the ball to Burress just because Burress hadn't had anything all day. And Sanchez paid the price for it too, because he was fucking drilled. So if I'm reading a bit between the lines with what Holmes says, they probably had a discussion after the game about "it's not necessary to have everybody get the ball in every game... the win is the most important thing," or something to that effect. I like the fact that Ryan challenged them to get a score in the first drive. This is something we were discussing in anyother thread last week, about the slow starts. Ryan must have been thinking the same thing and also about last year, where it seemed to be a problem too. So now he's on that and challenging them to keep those 1st downs coming in that opening drive. I knew as soon as we made that first conversion that the game was going to go well. Once this team starts converting on 3rd down it seems to take the edge off.
Great article. Thanks for posting it. It's a great thing for Holmes to come out and say right after a game in which his targets were a bit low. His adoption of a team first attitude is going to be integral for Sanchez to develop as a passer who spreads the ball around as the most successful teams in the league do. I'd love to hear the same from Burress.
I disagree. I think completion % is incredibly important for the sake of building a rhythm in the passing game. I've seen the emphasis on completion percentage manifest itself in the development of a short passing game moreso than in the poor throws he's made.
There was a quote from him after the game, that says so. It was in reference to the fact when Sanchez almost got hurt trying to get Burress the ball and PB was double covered the entire game. Burress said'" Don't worry about me lets just win, I will take the double team". I do not know the exact quote.
Yeah- I like getting the kickoff to start the 2nd half, but when we score first it gives our defense leverage. Most of the teams we play will not do well when they are trying to play catch-up against our D. Great article. I expect we'll take the ball first this week if we win the coin flip.
Sanchez is doing exactly what he said he wouldn't do "please everbody" Sanchez said he was going to give the ball to the open man, and if the WR's didn't like it, oh well. Man up!
Yes, I read the same, somewhat hard-to-find article yesterday and therefore cannot quite quote the source (maybe someone can dig it up). But taking it a step further, in the article, Ryan "took blame" for the play in which Sanchez tried to get the ball to Plaxico and said, "It was my fault" and that Sanchez was almost hurt on the play and that is wasn't worth it. Bottom line, Plax is cool with not getting the ball and Holmes is cool with not everybody getting into the action. It all depends on practice that week and who they expect to target based on DB matchups.
Here's one that I found after Puck mentioned it: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f.../2011-09-19_no_catches_no_issue_for_plax.html The article also has Rex assuming responsibility for the forced throws to Plax.
This is not the article I read but it will do: "Ryan was so aware that Burress was getting shut out Sunday that he had Sanchez attempt a second pass to him in the end zone on third down after the QB air-mailed the first one. But Sanchez got pounded as he released the ball and banged his hand against a Jaguars helmet. The ball floated and fell incomplete."
I'd love to know the defensive stats when the Jets are leading in the 1st half and how they keep the lead. For my memory's sake, I can't remember the last time the Jets handed a game over to a team late in the game besides the Bears game. That may have been the only one in Rex/Sanchez's tenure.
BTW, Ryan also accepted guilt for this play after the game, saying that, (I'm paraphrasing) "It was my call and I accept responsibility." Me thinks this is a chapter we won't have to repeat, hopefully. Who gives two shits who gets the ball? If we have to worry about Plaxico's ego (or anyone else's), get the hell off the team, period. I have to say that Plax seemed pretty cool about it though. He knows his time will come. I am convinced this guy is going to make the difference.
Good point. We seem to be the team who starts off late and comes from behind, recent Jags game excluded, of course.
yep completion percentage in itself is the biggest horseshit stat ever. you or me could be in at QB and complete 75% of our passes checking it down to the RB every single snap
Totally disagree about completion percentage. We throw a lot of short passes. No reason the completion percentage shouldn't be higher. Some games, you have to play differently than others, but it's not like Sanchez is this gunslinger in a wide open offense. We have been a ball control offense, predicated on getting long drives to wear down defenses. Completion percentage is huge for that. It means you're completing passes and moving the ball. Top 4 in completion percentage last year were Brees, Peyton, Rivers, Brady. Rodgers was 6th. Like all NFL stats, you can't look at it by itself. You can complete 62% of your passes and not score many points like Chad Pennington would sometimes. But Sanchez was also 26th in yards/attempt at 6.49 last year. Statistically, he's there with Kerry Collins, Shaun Hill, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. At the end of the day, his job is to move the chains, score points, and win games. He's been doing a great job of winning games, which is the most important part. But a lot of QBs could have won with this team. The key is that he matures into a quarterback who can win when the rest of the team slips. There's every reason intangibles-wise why he should do it. His teammates love him, they're playing without much ego getting in the way, and from all accounts, Sanchez works very hard. On the field, he's mobile, and he has a pretty good arm that can make the throws you need, but he's got to get more consistent. The lack of consistency is why his completion percentage was so low. You can even see him wasting throws now, just making bad throws without giving his receiver a chance. They've come less often this year, which is great, and hopefully he keeps improving. He should keep improving. How much he improves will determine how much this offense will improve. As well as the offensive line, which has been pretty bad so far. But you all knew that already. If he cuts down on the turnovers (4 in 2 games isn't good), then there's a very good chance the offense improves where we need it to. However, the o-line needs to keep him upright and healthy to facilitate that.
