Recco Report: A Win Is a Win Is a Win Jerry Recco jets@wfan.com East Rutherford, NJ (WFAN) -- Alright, so it wasn't 27-9 (as I predicted in my Friday game preview blog). But it should've been. And really, 26-14 isn't that far off, is it? Ok, I'm done patting myself on the back. Make it 3 for 3 for the Jets and Eric Mangini when coming off the bye. Even though the offense was average at best, I thought the defense played great. Yes, Ryan Fitzpatrick was the quarterback but it doesn't change the fact that the Jets front seven dominated the Bengals offensive line. It doesn't change the fact that Kris Jenkins physically beat up Whitworth, Ghiaciuc & Williams, who all took turns trying to double team him. It doesn't change the fact that Dwight Lowery and Darrelle Revis did a very nice job on Houshmanzadah and 85. And it certainly doesn't change the fact that Leon Washington is a return beast! The one phase I thought the Jets played poorly was the offense. Even though they hung 26 points on the board, they should've scored more. They started several drives outside their own 40 yard line and stumbled too many times. Brett Favre was picked off twice near the goal line, which is two times too many. But like Favre said in the post game press conference, "You can't throw 6 TD passes every week. A win is a win!" And the Jets will take it. They are now 3-2, having won all three games that they were supposed to win and having lost both games most believed they'd lose. The next two are very winnable (at Oak and home vs. KC) before taking on the Bills on November 2nd in Orchard Park. Get these two and the Jets will have an opportunity to show people that they're a really good football team. Can you believe I am starting my fifth paragraph before I finally mentioned Thomas Jones. TJ's three touchdowns (2 rushing and 1 receiving) was a career high for him in one game. Funny, I asked him point blank in the postgame press conference if he'd had a 3-TD game with either Arizona or Chicago and he didn't know. PR specialist David Tratner had to tell me from across the room that he did not. Two weeks ago, Favre & L Coles were very aware that they set personal career highs with the 6 TDs and 3 TDs respectively. Anyhow, back to Jones. He had a workman-like 65 yards rushing, but more importantly, he ran very tough near the goal line scoring from 7 yards and 1 yard out. The offensive line created enough spacing to allow Jones to pick up important yards. Two huge plays: The Jets were up 20-14 (a very uncomfortable lead) with 8:40 to play. On the drive, they were faced with two critical third down plays. On 3rd & two from the Cincinatti 35 (probably still out of FG range) Favre hit J Cotchery on a screen pass that Cotchery turned into a 10 yard gain, not only giving the Jets a first down but certainly putting them in Feely's range to make it a two-score game. Then, three plays later on 3rd and two again, Jones ran off right tackle for four yards and another first down. Four plays after that, Jones was in the end zone and the Jets put the game out or reach, all the while taking over 6 minutes off the clock! Good teams put games away and that's what the Jets did in that situation. Key Stats: * First and foremost time of possession....The Jets had the ball for over 35 minutes, while the Bengals had it for less than 25. * The Jets defense held Chris Perry & Cedric Benson to a ridiculous 20 yards on 15 carries! Unheard of in the NFL. * Even though alot of the completions were for short gains, Brett Favre missed on only 8 of 33 passes (really only 6 of 33 if you count the interceptions by Lynch and White....Ha ha). * Leon Washington had a 46 yard kickoff return. * The Jets had five more sacks, giving them 18 through their first five games. They are tied with the Eagles and Steelers for the most in the NFL! What a difference one year, a new dynamic LB (Pace) and a load of a DT (Jenkins) can make. Not to mention having another solid CB (Lowery) in the secondary. Pretty good additions wouldn't you say? Two final observations. I spent a lot of time watching Vernon Gholston in this game. It is clear that his strength is overpowering but he is still a step too slow. For some reason, he gets to the quarterback a shade late all the time. It really does look like he making progress but be patient as he is still learning. Fortunately, both Bryan Thomas and Calvin Pace are tearing things up (Thomas has 4 1/2 sacks, Pace 3 1/2) so pressure on the QB is not an issue. The other thing, Shaun Ellis is spending significant time at nose tackle and excelling at it. On one 3rd down play in particular in the 2nd quarter, the Bengals were backed up at their own 7-yard line. Fitzpatrick took the snap & before he could even take his five step drop Ellis busted through a double team and disrupted everything forcing Fitzpatrick into a hurried incomplete pass. It is becoming very clear that when Jenkins needs a break, Ellis is very capable of moving inside! JR
Hmmm Ellis playing nose while Jenks is out? Its interesting to say the least. This is def a position i think they will address in next years draft.
Good idea. All this talk of giving up a 4th or 5th for Tony Gonzales doesn't take into accout this need. If Jenkins ever goes down, we're in trouble. We also need our heads examined if we don't go after a future QB.
so true and one was a sure TD. and one of the ints came off a ball that cotchery could have had! It bounced off his hands yet the media does not mention this. Plus one TD was called back because ofa STUCKEY penalty.
Exactly--its though the guy who wrote this was looking at the box score and entirely forgot the reality of the game. Also, Ellis at NT on passing downs is a very interesting and apparently, a difficult move for the OL to adjust to. Its the kind of ingenuity manginius showed in 2006. But as is alluded to, in no way is he an every down replacement for KJ.
I wonder how often we'll see Ellis at NT - I know they wanted quick pressure up the middle to fluster an inexperienced QB, but I'm interested to see how often that formation appears in the future.
Yeah, I think it's more about the situation than it is relieving Jenkins. Ellis can penetrate the gap quicker, which is why they used him there on 3rd Down. It just so happens, that's also the down Jenkins comes out because it's a passing down. But if Jenkins comes out on like 2nd and 4 and the CS is playing run, I doubt you'll see Ellis in the middle.
Ellis was moved in mostly on passing downs, with Pace taking an end spot to give us three pass rushers on the line. It seemd to work out ok. I would love love love to get Terrence Cody from 'Bama in the draft. If not him BJ Raji from BC is a decent NT prospect as well.
The Jets experimented with moving Ellis to DT full-time in the early years of the Herm Edwards regime. It didn't work out and then it took him a while to transition back to DE. Interesting that moving him inside is being tried again with, apparently, greater success.
