from cbs sportsline: Eric Mangini is gaining quite the reputation for being a gambler. The New York Jets' coach has gone for it on fourth down, pulled off an onside kick moments after scoring a touchdown and sprinkled in a few trick plays. And that's just in one game. No longer the conservative, predictable team that marked Herman Edwards' tenure as coach, Mangini's Jets have shown to be an aggressive bunch through the first four games of the season. Not that the rookie coach considers himself to be much of a gambling man. "Ummm, no, not really. I've got pretty much index stocks and blue chips," Mangini said Monday. "But I think that anything that's thought out and practiced and worked on and looked at in terms of the situation, I think it's more of an educated risk." Call it what he may, the Jets have become one of the NFL's most exciting and unpredictable teams. They're 2-2, and could have been 4-0 if not for a few plays here and there against New England two weeks ago and Indianapolis on Sunday. "Some of the stuff that we do, he's putting us in the best position to win the game," tight end Chris Baker said. "Indianapolis is one of the best teams in the NFL, so we needed a lot of things to go our way and we needed to take a few more chances than we would need to against, say, somebody else. He put us in a good position and that's part of why that game was so close." In Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Colts, the game was tied at 14 when the Jets got the ball at their 21 with 13:11 left in the third quarter. They slowly marched down the field on a nearly 8½-minute drive and got to the 7. Cedric Houston rushed for 5 yards on first down, but was stuffed for no gain on the next two plays. Faced with a fourth-and-goal against one of the NFL's elite teams, many coaches might have decided to just go for the field goal and put points on the scoreboard. Instead, Mangini went for it. "If I had a chance to do it again, I'd do exactly the same thing," Mangini said. "I'd put the ball in the offense's hands again." The crowd at Giants Stadium cheered the move, but Chad Pennington threw an interception -- his first in the red zone in his career -- on a pass meant for James Dearth, who hasn't had a reception in the NFL since 2001. "We've talked about it, and it's something we have prepared for and that was the approach we were taking," Mangini said. "Whenever you play a team as explosive as the Colts, I think an aggressive approach is a sound approach." The players agreed, saying there's no reason to second-guess the call. "You've got to beat a great team, so you've got to go for things like that," wide receiver Tim Dwight said. Colts coach Tony Dungy wasn't surprised by the call. "Teams that play us do things like that," Dungy said. "Like the onside kick, going for it on fourth down. Teams feel like they are going to need points against us. ... I would've done the same thing against us." Earlier in the game, Mangini set the precedent for how aggressive he'd be. In the first quarter, rookie Brad Smith -- a quarterback-turned-receiver -- lined up under center and Pennington set up as a wide receiver. Smith, helped by a block thrown by Pennington, ran 8 yards for a first down. Moments after scoring a tying touchdown early in the second quarter, Mangini and his coaching staff caught the Colts off guard again. Mike Nugent squibbed an onside kick to the right side that was recovered by Kerry Rhodes. During the ensuing drive, the Jets faced a fourth-and-1 from the Colts 30 and went for it, with Smith again lining up at quarterback. Smith pitched out to Leon Washington, who scrambled for 3 yards and a first down. That helped set up another scoring drive that gave the Jets a brief 14-7 lead. "The plan was to be aggressive," Mangini said. That's why we kicked the onside kick, that's why we went for it on fourth-and-one. That's why we're committed to scoring touchdowns." The Jets weren't done with the trickery. Trailing with eight seconds left after Peyton Manning scored a touchdown following Justin Miller's 103-yard kickoff return, New York was desperate. What unfolded was something out of sandlot ball, but something the Jets said they've practiced many times. Pennington threw a short pass to Washington, who ran for an 8-yard gain and lateraled the ball to Smith. A series of four laterals and two fumbles recovered by the Jets followed before the Colts pounced on one final fumble to end the chaos. Even with the ball flying all over the field and no time left on the clock, the Jets believed they could still win. That's the type of thinking Mangini has cultivated in his short time as a coach. "When it all comes down to it, we're all in this together," Mangini said. "And if we're going to be aggressive, we're going to be aggressive together." http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9701143 " I would've done the same thing against us." oh... you mean try to win the game... is that what you're talking about tony??? coaching so that your team still has a fighting chance... like last playoffs indy @ pitts?? the only thing that keeps you from looking like herm edwards is peyton manning. you have the easiest job in the nfl. you pretentious TOOL!!!!
I don't think Dungy came off sounding pretnetioius there. The reporter was trying to get Dungy to second guess Mangini and say he made a mistake, and Dungy just said he thought it was the right call and what he would have done. I said it yesterday and I'll say it again today though, it was the right call. In the end, you are going to get more points over the course of the season going for it in situations like that. And against the Colts those 3 points weren't going to guarantee you a win. They put up 17 points after that! Who knew we were going to score 14? At that point in the game it's the right call.
Manginis plan on going for it on 4th and Goal was simple. He wanted to finish off a 16 play drive with a TD. I can see where he's coming from, but I still think it would have been more wise to just kick the FG.
Junc..it shouldnt...its exactly the line herm used all the time..when taking a knee..then calling a timeout. How many times did Herm say that line? A hundred? Not pointed at you...but I need a break from here. adios
NYJUNC-- I joined you often in defending herm -- but this going way overboard. This CS has a plan week in and week out. They are agressive when need be. They adjust etc. Herms team did the same thing every week regardless of opponent. It was maddening. Granted, a better team stops the Colts on one of the last two drives. The defense was awful in the last two drives. (I couldnt tell if we were playing a "prevent" or not -- but if so -- bad choice -- 2x). But the call to try to get a td and not settle for a fg -- although I thought they should have kicked -- was fine with me. That would have made the game 17-14 -- early (halfway) through the 3d q -- tons of time left. Now if it were in the 4th Q -- you kick the fg. (Of course, if you kick the field goal there -- the game takes a different path -- if any one decision changes the whole game changes. Its the theory of something or other -- I cant recall the name. Howie Rose mentions it on Mets' broadcasts all the time). This coaching staff is miles ahead of Herms. Miles. Look in the KC Star where they are already yelling and screaming about clock management. (One blow out against the 49ers wont change that). I can live with this loss b/c they played to win the game. Hello? The question is: is this team good enough to win all their remaining games against the BAD AWFUL teams (Hou; Det; @Cle; Mia (2); Oak; @GB)? If they win all those games (or go 6-1) -- then this HC is the real deal.
I am not criticizing the staff overll I am criticizing them for Sunday. Again I am very happy w/ them and I have high hopes for the future w/ them but on sunday some awful decisions were made and it hindered our chances at winning.
You need more than field goals to beat the colts and itcompletely makes sense why Mangini went for it on fourth and goal. It was all about momentum and applying the finishing blow to the opponent. If the Jets go on to score a TD on that play, the momentum is heavily shifted in the jets favor. If the Colts hold the Jets to a field goal after a 90+ yard drive the momentum boost would shift to the Colts. If the Jets go for it and don't make it, there is a really good chance that Indy would start pinned in their end (although that did not happen) and it would give the defense a good chance to make a game changing play (again locking up the momentum) When you have the opposing team in a vulnerable spot you go right for the jugular vein.
I found the rest of that transcript: "because we have a shitty kicker that I don't trust, what a waste of a freakin second round pick" :smile:
