BT Has a Big Hand in P.M. Practice Tempo Published: Tue, July 29, 2008 - 8:18pm EST By Randy Lange Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J. File Under: Darrelle Revis, Eric Barton, Bryan Thomas, Mike Nugent, Leon Washington, Jason Pociask, Hail Mary change font email article 07/29 ? For those who asked about Bryan Thomas, No. 99 played a major role during today's second training camp practice that just concluded at Hofstra. Early on, Kellen Clemens tried to laser a pass to TE Dustin Keller (Kellen-to-Keller). But Keller couldn't hold it and the fans in the stands let out a collective groan, as if to say, "Dustin, how could you?" Meanwhile, Thomas raised his hands to the sky. Keller didn't drop it. Thomas, dropping in coverage, got a piece of the ball as it whizzed past. In hockey, that deflection would have been a goal and a roar of approval for Thomas. But BT got his cheers later. The Jets were working on their "rare plays" (APBA Baseball and Football term), which included Hail Marys, two-point plays, and then their Stanford Band special as they lateraled the ball all over the field as they did at the end of the Indianapolis game in 2006, trying to score an improbable game-winning TD. On one such multi-lateral play, Leon Washington passed back across the field and Thomas swatted the ball down. But since the pass was a lateral and Thomas didn't cover it, the offense recovered and continued the play. A few seconds later, Washington had the ball again and again threw a backpass. A no-doubt-exhausted Thomas again batted it down, but this time fell on it to end the play. Whew. Darrelle Revis made the most dramatic pass defense. Clemens scrambled a bit and saw Wallace Wright seemingly open on the sideline. But Revis was all over the route, intercepted the pass, pried himself away from Wright and took off down the sideline for a pick-six. LB Eric Barton made a couple of strong PDs himself. S James Ihedigbo broke up two Pennington Hail Marys, rejecting one out of the end zone and swatting the other down at the goal line. Brad Kassell also broke up a desperation throw. Offensively, TE Jason Pociask kept up his streak of nice receptions. Brett Ratliff's toss into the end zone was just a little far for Pociask, so he got his right hand on the ball and tipped it back so that he could get both hands on it for the score. RB Jesse Chatman also broke into the secondary on a jitterbug run during the offense's two-minute drive to run out the clock and secure a victory. On the FG watch, Mike Nugent went 7-for-10, with his long successes from 41 and 48 yards and his misses from 46, 53 and 58.
Baker had better be getting his butt off the bike and on the field, or there may be no spot for him. What is with Barton this camp? His name comes up every day. Clemens may put a contract on him
Maybe dropping him back in coverage so much last year was a blessing in disguise. His stats suck, he built up a skill for the long run, and now he's got to prove he's learned from his lack of seemingly wasted, definitely shitty season.
When a beat writer for the Jets team site needs to cite one tipped pass in a week of TC, and stopping a CaL-Stanford lateral play as ways to flatter the work he's done so far, it becomes pretty obvious Bryan Thomas hasn't done much yet...
let's see Thomas transfer his "awesome practice" skills, into a productive season. Everyone is an all-pro, in training camp.
if Thomas improved his coverage skills and Gholston can learn them, that will make this D exponentially better because the opposing O will have to guess who's blitzing/covering, since both players are capable of each.
Was thinking the exact same thing. Always loved Randys coverage of the Jets..and now I cant even read or take seriously anything he says.
You would think BT would have to be motivated this season after admitting to slacking last season and having the Jets draft Gholston.
