NYJets Team Report

EcKo151 · Dec 7, 2006

When a new coaching regime takes over, whether at the pro or college level, fans usually are patient. They often reserve judgment until the new staff has had a chance to bring in "their guys."

But one of the most interesting aspects of Eric Mangini's first season as the Jets' head coach is the job that he and his assistants have done in maximizing the talent of some of the players they inherited, players who were languishing in the Herm Edwards regime.

The most obvious example on offense is third-year wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, a fourth-round draft pick in 2004 out of North Carolina State. Other than a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at St. Louis in the regular-season finale, Cotchery barely made an impact that season, with only six receptions.

Cotchery got a little more playing time in 2005, but only had three receptions through the first eight games. But after third wideout Wayne Chrebet suffered a career-ending concussion against San Diego in the season's eighth game, Cotchery took over that spot and had 16 catches over the final eight games.

But those modest numbers hardly foreshadowed what Cotchery has done this season, as he has 60 receptions for 765 yards and five touchdowns. He had a career-high nine catches for 99 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay, barely missing his second straight 100-yard game.

"He keeps getting better and better," quarterback Chad Pennington said. "I remember when he was a rookie. He just kept making play after play in training camp. Now those types of plays have translated into the game. Now he's making big plays for us three years later in the game."

Cotchery's ascent has been helped by two factors--the hiring of Noel Mazzone, his former coordinator at N.C. State, as the team's wide receivers coach, and incumbent starter Justin McCareins' immediate residency in Mangini's doghouse by flunking a conditioning test at the start of training camp. Still, it's now obvious there was a lot of untapped potential in Cotchery.

On defense, the player who has improved the most under the new regime is Bryan Thomas.

As a defensive end, the 22nd overall pick of the 2002 draft out of Alabama-Birmingham had been somewhat of a disappointment in his first four seasons, although he did have 3.5 sacks in 2005 and had become a solid run defender. When Mangini decided to switch the Jets' base defense to a 3-4, he recast Thomas in the role of a defensive end-linebacker, with the emphasis on the linebacker role. It has been a much better fit, so much so that he recently was signed to a five-year, $25 million contract. Thomas already has 6.5 sacks this season.

Mangini recently said of Thomas, "He has a better feel for being on his feet all the time, in terms of the base defense, a better feel for dropping the coverage, a better sense of rushing the passer from an outside linebacker position as opposed to a down guy. He's stouter versus the run. He just builds a little bit each week and it's not the easiest position in the world to master."

Mangini's tinkering hasn't been perfect, however. While the switch to the 3-4 benefited Thomas, it has hurt defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson. He was a prototypical three-technique tackle in Edwards' system but is miscast as a two-gapping nose tackle, mainly because he's just not bulky enough for the role.

SERIES HISTORY: 93rd meeting. Bills lead the series, 50-42. The teams split each of the previous three seasons, with the Jets winning all three games in East Rutherford and losing all three in Orchard Park. However, the Jets ended that pattern when they won the earlier 2006 meeting on the road, beating Buffalo, 28-20 on Sept. 24. In that game, the Jets led 28-13 with two minutes left. But a Buffalo touchdown with 1:15 to go and a Bills' recovery of the onsides kick gave the hosts a chance to force overtime. But the Jets' defense stopped Buffalo on four plays to seal the victory.

A new five-year, $25-million contract didn't slow down DE/LB Bryan Thomas' motor, as he had 1.5 sacks against Green Bay, including the first strip sack of his career.

"It's great knowing that I'm wanted here," said Thomas, who has flourished in his role as a standup defender, "and that Eric (Mangini) and Mike (Tannenbaum) have a lot of confidence in me. Now I can go out there and earn it and continue to play."

--As he attempts to break through the rookie wall in December, C Nick Mangold can't help noticing another major difference between college and professional football.

"It's weird playing a team two times," he said. "We played New England twice and now Buffalo again. It's different. In college you rarely ever play a team twice in one year. It gives you a great opportunity to learn from your mistakes and see what (the opponent) tried to learn from."

Mangold will have this experience a third time when the Jets finish the AFC East portion of their schedule at Miami on Christmas night. His old team, Ohio State, almost wound up playing a rematch this season, but Florida leapfrogged OSU's arch-rival Michigan in the final BCS rankings to earn a date with the Buckeyes in the BCS title game.

--Willis McGahee has averaged 134.5 yards in his last four games against the Jets, and had 156 yards in the first meeting between the teams this season. Although he's been slowed recently by injured ribs, the Jets obviously are wary of him.

"He's a good runner and every time we've played him, our technique has broken down in certain places," Bryan Thomas said. "We sat down and looked at the big runs that he's hurt us on and we're trying to fix it. Each time we play him, we get better."

Coach Eric Mangini said that he and his staff will "evaluate some of the things we did the first game, take a look at how they have approached the running game since that point, then put together the (game) plan."

BY THE NUMBERS: 25 -- That's the number of receptions Jerricho Cotchery had in his first two NFL seasons. He has 60 in 2006.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We'd like to get him stopped. He's a good running back, they have a good offensive line and they have had some success against us. At some point, it's got to stop." -- FS Erik Coleman when asked about the repeated success Buffalo RB Willis McGahee has had against the Jets.

As the starting running back turns: Kevan Barlow was inactive last week and is getting a crash course in special teams. That should keep him active this week. Cedric Houston got the start last week, and did have a 5-yard touchdown run in the earlier meeting between the Jets and Bills. Leon Washington won't be deactivated as he now becomes the Jets' No. 1 punt returner in the absence of the injured Tim Dwight.

The right cornerback situation may be getting settled, as Hank Poteat has started two consecutive games. But on this team, that doesn't guarantee he'll start Sunday against Buffalo.

PLAYER NOTES

--DE Shaun Ellis (ankle), who briefly left the Green Bay game, practiced full Wednesday and is probable.

--CB Hank Poteat also got one punt return in the absence of Tim Dwight against Green Bay. Although Leon Washington figures to get the bulk of the work, Justin McCareins and Jerricho Cotchery also are candidates for the role.

--DL Rashad Moore (hand) practiced and is listed as probable, although he was ineffective playing against Green Bay with a club on the injured hand.

--T Adrian Jones was active against Green Bay, yet didn't get into the game. Jones was inactive the week before after a DWI arrest, and his days as a Jet may be numbered.

--LB Anthony Schlegel had two special-teams blunders against Green Bay. First, he touched an onsides kickoff that was recovered by the Pack, then he committed an illegal block, wiping out an 18-yard punt return by Hank Poteat.

GAME PLAN: The Jets want to run better than they did in the first meeting, when they netted only 74 yards at 3.1 a carry, and should be able to against a smallish Bills' line. Chad Pennington only was sacked once in that game, and if given time, he can burn a suspect Bills' secondary. However, standout Buffalo LB Takeo Spikes, who sat out the September game with an injury, is back in the lineup and had nine tackles versus San Diego.

Willis McGahee had 150 yards rushing in the first meeting and has averaged 134.5 yards in his last four games against the Jets, but has been troubled lately by injured ribs. The Jets' defenders say they're more comfortable with this defense than they were early in the season. We'll see. J.P. Losman is starting to mature as a quarterback, so the Jets need to pressure him the way they did Brett Favre last week.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Jets LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson vs. Bills RDE Aaron Schobel. Ferguson held Schobel, a Jets' nemesis in the past, without a sack in the Jets' 28-20 victory in September.

Jets SS Kerry Rhodes vs. Bills QB J.P. Losman. Rhodes had two strip sacks against Losman in the first meeting, and LB Victor Hobson returned the second fumble for a 32-yard touchdown. Rhodes also had 10 tackles and a pass breakup in that game.

INJURY IMPACT: The season-ending injury to WR-PR Tim Dwight means that Leon Washington is now the No. 1 punt returner. But he is averaging only 4.3 yards on four punt returns this season. Justin McCareins has inherited Dwight's role as a third-down receiver, but coach Eric Mangini implied this week that intended receiver McCareins could have done more to prevent at least one of Chad Pennington's interceptions against the Packers.
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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/teamReport?categoryId=67057&type=StrategyAndPersonnel

JonathonVilmaPwnsnub · Dec 7, 2006

Im happy Mangini thinks that J-Mac could have done more to prevent at least one of those interceptions. That might lose him playing time and put Brad Smith in a bit more.

gustoonarmy · Dec 8, 2006

JonathonVilmaPwnsnub said: ↑

Im happy Mangini thinks that J-Mac could have done more to prevent at least one of those interceptions. That might lose him playing time and put Brad Smith in a bit more.
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Mangini has already indicated that Dwights playing time will be split between JMac , Smithy and William Wallace :wink:

KOZ · Dec 8, 2006

Interesting tidbit about DROB- the rest of us see him as coming around and actually doing quite well over the last 3+ weeks, the author sees it as the opposite.

We're right anyway so who cares?

Coach K · Dec 8, 2006

KOZ said: ↑

Interesting tidbit about DROB- the rest of us see him as coming around and actually doing quite well over the last 3+ weeks, the author sees it as the opposite.

We're right anyway so who cares?
Click to expand...

that part jumped out at me, hes been a stud lately. lets just hope it continues.

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