OL dept. : " Whether breaking bread or bursting open . . . " ~ ~ ~

kelly · Nov 1, 2009

Whether breaking bread or bursting open holes, NY Jets offensive linemen are a tight bunch
By Dave Hutchinson - Nov. 01, 2009

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2009/11/whether_breaking_bread_or_burs.html

alngtheway · Nov 1, 2009

Whether breaking bread or bursting open holes, NY Jets offensive linemen are a tight bunch
By Dave Hutchinson/The Star Ledger

On Thursday night, the Jets offensive line went to a local streakhouse for dinner to celebrate their historic back-to-back 300-yard rushing performances of the past two weeks.

The night was full of players exchanging playful barbs. Nothing was off-limits. It was the first night out for the group in over a year, since the team moved from Long Island to Florham Park. The food and drinks flowed. Quarterback Mark Sanchez stopped by.

??We talked about a lot of stuff you can?t put in the papers,?? said right guard Brandon Moore with a chuckle. ??We had a good time. The funny thing was watching the rookies (Matt Slauson and Ryan McKee). Their facial expression changed every time somebody ordered a bottle of wine because they thought they would have to pay the bill.??

Left tackle D?Brickashaw Ferguson picked up the tab. He had been taking a relentless ribbing for sticking his linemates with a dinner bill after inviting them out a while back. It was a major dining etiquette faux pas and Ferguson never heard the end of it.

??You have to have some really thick skin to be an offensive linemen around here,?? said center Nick Mangold, who is the resident ring leader. ??We?ll joke about anything. Even if you have a serious issue, we?re still going to make jokes about it. We?re just fun-loving people.??

And perhaps the best offensive line in the NFL. Led by highly-respected offensive line coach Bill Callahan, this band of brothers is strictly business on Sunday afternoons. They know and trust each other so much that all it takes is a pre-snap nod or wink to turn certain disaster into a big play.

Their chemistry and camaraderie is born out of having started 23 consecutive games together, the longest current streak in the league. The starting five will be together again when the Jets (4-3) meet the Dolphins (2-4) in an AFC East showdown Sunday afternoon at Giants Stadium.

The Giants offensive line held the mark at 38 before right tackle Kareem McKenzie sat out last week with a groin injury.

??You don?t want to let the guy next to you down because we know what we?re capable of all together,?? said Moore.

The numbers are mind-boggling. The Jets rank first in the NFL in rushing, averaging an out-of-this-world 184.9 yards per game. Running back Thomas Jones is fourth in the NFL with 602 yards and seven touchdowns, including a 71-yarder.

Last week, the Jets became the first team in 34 years to notch consecutive 300-yard rushing games. The 1975 Buffalo Bills and running back O.J. Simpson were the last. It has happened just six times in NFL history.

The Jets ran for 318 yards rushing in an unfathomable loss to the Bills and racked up another 316 yards in a 38-0 rout of the hapless Raiders. It was the second- and third-most single game rushing yards in franchise history. The team record is 333 yards against New England in 1972.

??This is the best group I?ve ever been around, not just because of the individual players but the rapport, the chemistry, the bond we have with each other in the room,?? said right tackle Damien Woody, an 11-year veteran who played on the Patriots Super Bowl-winning teams. ??That?s what separates this group.??

??We have a lot of respect for each other that you just don?t see on teams. I think that translates onto the field. We play as one.??

Moore cautions that the Jets put up their gaudy rushing numbers against two of the league?s three worst run defenses, but ??it?s something to build off.??

The foundation formed by the group last season was almost destroyed this offseason when Moore, in the prime of his career at 29, was inexplicably cut. His linemates were incensed.

The Jets, however, re-signed him two days later after an attempt to sign Steelers unrestricted free agent guard Chris Kemoeatu fell through.

??I?m glad I was able to stay,?? said Moore. ??I?m comfortable with these guys.??

Mangold, a Pro Bowler who many consider the best center in the league, breaks down his linemates:

* Ferguson, 6-6, 313 pounds, is the politician of the group. He?s always on the fence on every issue, never showing his hand. After a rough start to his career as the fourth pick overall, he?s playing at a Pro Bowl level.

???Brick had done a fantastic job of improving.?? said Mangold. ??His work ethic has propelled him into one of the league?s best left tackles. He has dominated everybody.??

* Faneca, 6-5, 305 pounds, is laid back but is quick to smile. The 12th-year pro and former Steeler appears to have plenty left at age 32.

??Alan has been awesome,?? said Mangold. ??His experience. There?s nothing he hasn?t seen. He has been a huge help to me.??

* Woody, 6-3, 330 pounds, gets teased for high-profile in the media. Despite being slowed by nagging injuries this season, he?s playing well.

???Big Wood? does a great job of being prepared,?? said Mangold. ??You can tell by his questions and comments. With him having played all the (line) positions, he can speak from every perspective.??

* Moore, 6-3, 305 pounds, is the strong, silent type. The Jets? best run-blocker, he?s the longest-tenured offensive lineman on the team in his seventh season.

???Meat? is like that rock,?? said Mangold. ??He?s always a guy you can count on. He?s not going to say much but you know you don?t have to worrry about him.??

* Mangold, 6-4, 305 pounds, is called ??Man-neca?? because he and Faneca are inseparable. A starter as a rookie, he?s smart, athletic and explosive. He?s a force in the run game and screen game.

??The thing about Nick is he has great balance,?? said Moore. ??You don?t see him getting thrown around. He?s smart and has great hands. He?s great at locking his hands on an opponent.??

Offensive line coach Bill Callahan, a former head coach with the Raiders and at Nebraska, is the brains of the operation. The Jets are doing more zone blocking this season, which requires more precision and allows the running back to pick his hole, and often use tackle Rob Turner in ??jumbo packages.??

???Cally? is one of the smartest people I know,?? said Mangold. ??The best thing he does is translate things from his head to us, sort of dumb it down. A lot of people know what to do but they don?t know how to tell somebody what to do.??

Asked about the Jets joining the exclusive back-to-back 300-yard club, coach Rex Ryan lauded the accomplishment but couldn?t resist taking one final shot at the Dolphins before kickoff Sunday.

??That just doesn?t happen, especially in this league,?? said Ryan. ??If you rush for 150 yards, you hear about it for three weeks, like Miami against us last time.??
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not a bad article. i know it was two crappy teams but i'm really hoping the last two weeks is a sign that they've really overcome their slow start...

OL dept. : " Whether breaking bread or bursting open . . . " ~ ~ ~

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