How Sweet It Is!

Sam Darnold. Photo Credit: Adam Hunger/AP.

Yesterday afternoon, the Jets defeated the Dallas Cowboys 24-22 to get their first victory of the season and under the era of Adam Gase. Aside from the Patriots, I couldn't think of a better team for them to get their first victory against than the Dallas Cowboys. I can't stand those scumbags; particularly Jerry Jones and Dak Prescott. My reasons are non-football related, so I won't discuss that here. Besides, I already wrote a post concerning that matter last year. I hate them more than I hate the Patriots.

Personally, I think they should be 2-3; they had no business losing to the Bills on Week One, but what's done is done, no use looking back. Moving forward, it was great for them to get Sam Darnold back, who missed the last three games due to mononucleosis. He threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns, including a 92-yard bomb to wide receiver Robby Anderson.

Speaking of which, those last three games which started with Trevor Siemian, who is now out for the season, and finished with Luke Falk-- who was recently released-- at the helm was god awful, and hopefully, those days are behind them.

On a side note, I was tied up with other things, plus I don't rock with the NFL too much anymore outside of perhaps watching play-by-play online, but I had no idea the game was on TV until I turned it on for a few moments to see the final seconds before turning it off again. Those few moments were great to see. No, it wasn't a Super Bowl victory-- it's not that deep-- but it has definitely made my week, so far.

Now the question is, where do they go from here? Personally, I don't see why they can't bounce back from an ugly start. Throughout league history, there have been teams who came out of the gate slow and had a strong finish. Case in point: the New York Jets. In 2002, under Herman Edwards, they started off 1-4 and finished 9-7 to win the AFC East Division and advanced past the AFC Wild Card round. It's a long season. We'll see what happens.

Prior to the game, I thought to myself how sweet it would be for them to get their first win against the Cowboys, not only for the reason I alluded to above, but because they desperately needed it. How sweet it is.

Is The Jets Season Over?

Sam Darnold. Photo Credit: Bill Kostroun/AP.

Yes, I know. Following the goofy loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday after holding a 16-0 lead for three quarters, they look like the same ol' Jets. Then, I get online today only to find out that Sam Darnold will be sidelined indefinitely with a case of mononucleosis AKA "the kissing disease". Already there are questions and posts on whether or not the Jets season is over.

Before I give my answer, let me say this: taking over for Sam will be Trevor Siemian, a guy who has NFL starting experience, and after watching him for two years in Denver, I like him better as a No. 2 quarterback holding down the fort until the starter returns, which is the situation he's in now.

I wouldn't say he's trash; one even referred to him as being "incredibly average," so he might not be a Pro-Bowler necessarily, but he's adequate enough to get things done-- hopefully, it will be on a consistent basis this time around. Adam Gase's offense suits his skill set, being that he favors the intermediate-to-short throws. Again, my hope is that he doesn't settle for those too much this time around.

Trevor Siemian. Photo Credit: Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com.

There's a great supporting cast starting with the running backs featuring Le'Veon Bell; they added veteran wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who's familiar with Gase's offense going back to their days with the Denver Broncos, to go along with the productive three they have already in Quincy Enunwa, Robby Anderson and Jamison Crowder. Hopefully, the first two are more productive moving forward than they were Sunday.

Despite that let-down in the fourth quarter last week, the defense looks promising-- for the most part. So, is the Jets season over? We'll see, but for a short answer, I will say, no. Besides, that was only the first game of the season, we have a long way to go. Calm the fudge down!!!

The Value of the Nose Tackle

I was reading an article with a take on the progress of the Jets rookies so far in the preseason, and what stood out to me the most was the analysis on NT/DE Quinnen Williams, who can play all positions on the defensive line, but was drafted as a nose guard. The writer talked about how he fared against the Saints; how he didn't record anything statistically, but drew a holding call. He went on to say his play was not enough for a third overall pick and gave him a C-minus.

This reminded me of how undervalued the nose tackle/guards are. Their value typically isn't going to show up on a stat sheet, but rather in intangibles. They're usually asked to engage offensive lineman and occupy space to create lanes for the defensive ends, linebackers and sometimes safeties to make plays. So, some analysts and most spectators tend to think just because the guy didn't record 5-8 tackles and a sack, his day was unproductive.

Usually, when you see the "star" defensive players make the Sports Center highlight plays, it's usually the nose tackles who set it up, tying up the lineman to create lanes for them to make those plays, which brings me back to Quinnen Williams. The previous week against the Falcons, he didn't record a tackle or a sack, but it was his ability to occupy blockers that enabled others to make big plays, as explained and demonstrated in this video.

Of course, getting sacks and tackles-- for losses, in particular-- are a plus, and I want to see that from him, however, most guys who play the anchor position typically won't generate a lot of sacks because of what they're asked to do, for the most part. Players like Jay Ratliff, who played the anchor position back in the early 2000s are rare. I think people will see more of his pass rush prowess when they move him around on the line, versus him playing strictly as the anchor.

Overall, I wanted to shed more light on how valuable the nose tackle/guard/anchor position really is. While they usually won't have the same Pro Bowl-caliber stats as an Aaron Donald or J.J. Watt, they bring more to the table than most realize or give them credit for. They do the grunt work while others get the glory.

The Eagle Has Landed...in New York

Joe Douglas during his tenure with the Eagles.

The Jets search for a GM is finally over. On Friday, they hired former Eagles VP of Player Personnel, Joe Douglas as their new general manager. Before I give my take on the hire, I'm noticing this perception that reporters are creating about the Jets that gives me mixed thoughts. An ESPN reporter stated that the Jets would not take no for an answer from Douglas, claiming that each time he turned them down, they came back more relentlessly, until he relented.

Until or unless officially stated from someone in the Jets front office, to me, the only thing that gives this claim any validity is because from my understanding, they requested an interview from the Vikings' George Paton on more than one occasion. Otherwise, it seems that people are on this low-key smear campaign to make the Jets look like hopeless beggars.

Anyway, because Douglas was viewed as a favorite to the land the job from the beginning, and being an acquaintance of head coach Adam Gase, one of my reactions to this is "duh." Being familiar with Gase should help things run more smoothly. Not saying that they will always agree on everything, but I think more than likely they will be on the same page in terms of what players will fit and will not fit.

On a side note, Gase's last move as an interim GM was re-signing running back Bilal Powell, a move I wasn't expecting, and much better than the cheap trade-off getting only a sixth round pick for Darron Lee.With his versatility as a runner and receiver, Bilal should be a great fit in Gase's offense.  The backfield just got deeper with this acquisition, along with Ty Montgomery, Elijah McGuire and the major signing of Le'Veon Bell.

As I alluded to in my last post, I'm good with this hire because Douglas comes from two stable organizations in Baltimore and most recently Philly, so he has seen and knows what a championship-caliber team looks like. Known for being an integral part of turning teams around, it will be intriguing to see what he brings to the table. My optimism is that he will continue his penchant of helping turn a team from low-seed to steady championship-caliber contenders, this time from a higher position, being given the keys to the team's football operations.

That's not to say that success will happen overnight, it usually doesn't, but I'm optimistic that it will be sooner than later. After a three-week search and several interviews, it's official, the eagle has landed in New York. I call this: Broadway Joe: The Second Act.

My Choice for the Jets GM Job

Ozzie Newsome. Photo Credit: USA Today Sports.

As the Jets continue their search for a general manager, interviewing four out of the five candidates this past weekend. First, they interviewed the Seattle Seahawks' Co-Director of Player Personnel Scott Fitterer, the New Orleans Saints' Director of Pro Scouting Terry Fontenot, the Philadelphia Eagles' VP of Player Personnel Joe Douglas and finally, the Chicago Bears' Assistant Director of Player Personnel Champ Kelly from the Chicago Bears.

One of the candidates, George Paton of the Minnesota Vikings rejected the Jets request for an interview-- for the third time! They just don't get it, do they? Will they ever learn from dealing with Minnesota? This reminds me of that lame who keeps pursuing a woman who wants nothing to do with him. Leave that broad alone and find someone who wants to be on your team, so to speak. I try not to use choice words on this blog, so I'll give my advice to the Jets concerning him in an acronym: FTMF.

The favorite out of these candidates from the start has been Joe Douglas. He's familiar with Adam Gase, and from my understanding, he wants to run his own team. What I like about this candidate is aside from the familiarity with Gase, he comes from two stable organizations: currently Philadelphia and previously the Baltimore Ravens.

The Eagles won a championship two years ago, and they usually maintain a team that are contenders, as well as the Ravens. Assuming he's learned from the guys on those franchises, I like what he could possibly bring to the table.

Speaking of the Ravens, this brings me to the subject of this post. Needless to say I'm not a part of the recruiting/hiring process, but my personal favorite, if I could pick someone to manage the New York Jets, it would be former Ravens GM and current advisor Ozzie Newsome.

Ozzie Newsome (right), Lamar Jackson (left). AP Photo/Patrick Semansky.

Ozzie created a strong, stable, contending foundation in Baltimore. Most of his draft picks have been successful; Terrell Suggs, Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, Ed Reed and Haloti Ngata to name a few, and they won two Super Bowl titles under his watch. I'll admit, another reason is the fact that he's a brother, and while I'm for seeing people succeed in general, for me, it's extra special to see one of my own succeed.

I can hear the voices of certain people now: "Why everything has to be about race?" Screw you. Moving on, most would call this "wishful thinking," but hey, a brother can be optimistic, can't he? You never know.

Instigation and Speculations: My Take on the NY Jets "Drama"

Adam Gase. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II.

Yes, I know I'm late to the party in terms of reporting it, I've been wanting to give my thoughts on the fiasco that has been going in the Jets front office, but I've been busy with projects of my own. That being said, unless you've been living under a rock, the Jets unexpectedly-- to us, anyway-- fired Mike Maccagnan, who was the General Manager of the team since 2015.

Honestly, I thought his job was in question after the season, but they (initially) decided to keep him. Then, during the draft, word went around that there was some rift between Maccagnan and Adam Gase, and that Maccagnan was on his way out of the door, both allegations at that time were denied.

Maccagnan's track record wasn't particularly impressive, especially when it came to drafting. His standouts so far are Leonard Williams, Jamal Adams, Marcus Maye, and I think Sam Darnold and Chris Herndon has a high ceiling. Jordan Jenkins, Elijah McGuire and Lachlan Edwards has been decent. He tried to finish on a strong note, signing some notable free agents such as Le'Veon Bell and CJ Mosley, and trading for two-time Pro-Bowler Kelechi Osemele, but that apparently wasn't enough.

Now, I don't know about the "rift" between the former GM and head coach, but the latter became obviously true after Maccagnan was let go nearly two weeks ago. Going back to what I mentioned about his job security, it wasn't so much the fact that he was let go that surprised people, it was the timing of it.

Mike Maccagnan.

Most chimed in that it was a decision they could've made after the season ended, where they could've brought in someone and started the new season off in a different direction as far as the GM's vision in a coach, player, and team versus waiting a few weeks after the draft, where now you have to hire someone on the fly.

Gase, who was named the interim GM immediately afterwards, made his first move by trading Darron Lee to the Kansas City Chiefs for a measly sixth round pick. I understand that although he showed some signs in his last two seasons, particularly last season, he didn't quite live up to his expectations as a first round pick, I was thinking they could've at least got a fourth rounder for him. Gee!

On a side note, if the Chiefs are going back to a 4-3 as I'm expecting, I think Darron's better served in that formation as weakside linebacker, versus being an inside/middle linebacker. Darron was too small to play in the middle of the defense where he would have to take on extra blockers, which is why I say I think he would thrive in a defense where there's an extra lineman to protect him up front, if they place him in the middle in Kansas City. Again, I think he's better served as a Will linebacker. Of course, there are exceptions in terms of small inside linebackers thriving, such as the late, great Sam Mills, but I'm talking about Darron Lee here.

Anyway, back to the drama. This brings me to the title of this post. Since Maccagnan's firing, there has been all types of speculating and instigating such as Gase ingratiating CEO Chris Johnson to overthrow Maccagnan, Gase being against the signing of running back Le'Veon Bell, rumors about them possibly trading Bell.

I think the allegations, particularly about Bell, is nonsense. One of the speculations out there that I think has some merit is Gase not wanting to pay that much for a running back. Especially when you consider that running backs aren't as valued as they were 10-20 years ago. Very few teams emphasize a run-oriented game. However, I don't know anyone who wouldn't want a top-three back on his team.

Then, there was talk about Peyton Manning taking the GM position. Again, I could see where this would have some merit, seeing that Manning has looked out for Gase, putting in recommendations for him to land the head coaching jobs at Miami, and now New York. He's the reason Trevor Siemian is now a New York Jet. However, the chances of that happening were/are slim.

 People just need something to talk about. I mean, football season is approaching, but the Jets gave them some material for them amplify in the meantime. Hey, if I'm wrong about any of my take of this Jets "drama," I stand corrected, but unless any of this is confirmed, it's all speculation and instigation.

Taking Flight: Part Two: Grading the Rest of the Class

Jachai Polite. Don Juan Moore/Getty Images.

After my exclusive post on the Jets first round pick, Quinnen Williams-- which I usually do for the first round pick or picks, if there's two or more-- here's my take and recap on the rest of the Jets 2019 draft class.

Third Round: Jachai Polite, DE/OLB, Florida

The edge rusher position was addressed with one of their two third round picks with the selection of Jachai Polite. To me, the Jets got a steal with this pick. He's explosive getting up the field, he uses his hands very well, and using subtle dip moves to evade double blocks, and is also able of doing some two-gapping, which is rare for a player his size. He has a non-stop motor and is willing track down the ball carrier to make the play. To me, he has some traits similar to Quinnen Williams, except Polite is smaller.

The seemingly downside I keep hearing about him is "character issues" and "maturity." I'm looking more into this, but from what I've seen so far, it seems to me that this character issue thing is overblown. I've seen him over pursue on some plays, and I didn't see him drop in coverage that often, which could've been based on his role in the defense.

Update: From my understanding, his "lack of maturity" is based on his poor combine results. Due to apparent weight gain, which caused him to run a slower 40 time, which can turn off a lot of coaches and scouts. There was an issue with the Green Bay Packers staff, where he was asked to explain what happened on some bad plays he made. I'm not sure what his answers were, but apparently it didn't bode too well for him.

I can understand where this can be a cause for concern, but at the same time, these mistakes can be easily corrected. People are acting as if he shot or molested somebody. From what I can see so far, I was correct, somewhat. To an extent, these issues they're bringing up are overblown. Granted, you want to be mindful of these matters because small things can lead to bigger things, but again, with self-discipline and wisdom on Polite's part, this can be corrected.

Third Round: Chuma Edoga, OT, USC

Sam Darnold (14), Chuma Edoga (70). Circa 2017. Courtesy of  newyorkjets.com

This pick addressed another need in terms of helping protect Sam Darnold. Speaking of Sam, Chuma was a teammate of his at USC, so there's familiarity there. Aside from that, from my understanding, he's athletic and agile for a guy his size, has good footwork, versatile and he's more of a run than pass blocker.

Scouts and experts were concerned about him being slightly "short" for an OT (He's nearly 6-4), but that's the least of my concerns. Like Polite, he has also been said to have maturity issues; also like Polite, so far, I've only found one thing from his collegiate career that stands out, which was violating team rules/policies, but nothing specific. I'm still looking into it. It has also been said that he can get lackadaisical and not finish blocks. If that's accurate, that definitely bothers me.

All in all, I'm fine with the pick. It seems that he has a lot of upside, just a bit raw, and his shortcomings on the field can be coached. His familiarity with Darnold might give him an edge and have him among the starting lineman come Week One.

Fourth Round: Trevon Wesco, TE, West Virginia

Temitayo Adesokan/The Daily Athenaeum.

This one was a head-scratcher. Nothing against the young man personally, I've heard they found a gem in him, but I thought they could've drafted a cornerback here. He was used primarily as a blocking tight end, but his role was expanded a bit in the second half of the season in the passing game. He can line up inline as a tight end or in the back field as an H-Back.

Trevon looks like he could be a sneaky good addition to the Jets offense. A perfect complement to a faster, more athletic Chris Herndon. The only issues I have with this pick is there are a bunch of tight ends on the roster already, and on top of that, they already have a player like Trevon in Eric Tomlinson. They basically just drafted Eric Tomlinson.

Fifth Round: Blake Cashman, ILB, Minnesota

Blake Cashman (36).

Another head-scratcher. but not as much as the aforementioned. The only things I see sensible about this pick is depth behind linebackers CJ Mosley and Avery Williamson, and an immediate contributor on special teams.

They have also made it clear that they're done with Darron Lee-- who I thought would get traded at some point during the draft. Aside from that, although he's not that big or fast, he has been said to have a tenacious motor and is a sure, willing tackler. At Minnesota (University) he was a walk-on and eventually earned his way to a starting spot his senior year. Can he do the same in New York?

Blake seems to be an underdog story who seems to be the type that's not physically gifted such as great speed or athleticism, but he more than compensates for that by being a hard worker.

Sixth Round: Blessaun Austin, CB, Rutgers

Blessuan Austin. Photo Credit: Chris Pedota/The Record.

With their final pick of the draft they finally addressed the corner position, drafting Blessuan Austin. From what I've gathered, he's a capable cover corner with decent size, but he's injury prone, suffering two torn ACLs the past two seasons. I'm interested to see how he fares. If his knee(s) hold up, he might be a hidden gem as well.

Overall, I thought the Jets did well with this draft, but it could've been better. I love the Williams and Polite picks; I'm good with Edoga; the Wesco and Cashman-- particularly Wesco-- picks were questionable. I'm glad they addressed the cornerback spot with Austin, but I thought they should've addressed it sooner (with the fourth round pick) than later (with the sixth round pick). The selections of Williams, Polite and Edoga earned them an A; the grade starts dwindling from the 4th-6th rounds.

Overall Grade: B