The Takeaway: Week 2

The only place where the Jets are perfect is in the standings. Despite their 2-0 start, the team has issues in a number of areas. These issues, and how they are dealt with, will likely determine the course of their season. There is no bigger area of concern than on their offensive line, which has been exactly that.

For the second consecutive week right tackle Wayne Hunter had a tough game. According to Pro Football Focus, Hunter surrendered one hit and three pressures. This is actually an improvement over Week 1 against the Cowboys when he was beaten badly by DeMarcus Ware. In that game, Hunter allowed one sack and six pressures. Now that All-Pro Nick Mangold will miss at least two games with a high ankle sprain, the line will come under even more scrutiny. It doesn't help that they will have to face teams with strong defensive lines in Oakland, Baltimore and New England.

While the offensive line has struggled, the running attack has been non-existant. Shonn Greene is averaging 2.9 yards per carry. In two games he has carried the ball a total of 25 times. However, because the offensive line has struggled, it's hard to place all of the blame on Greene. It also didn't help that the Jets were playing from behind against the Cowboys for much of that game and were not able to set the tempo they wanted.

The success of Week 2 has to be attributed to the defense. They beat a team, and a quarterback, that they were supposed to. Antonio Cromartie had two interceptions and also had a good opening kickoff return to set the Jets up for their first score. Good for Muhammad Wilkerson getting a sack and a safety. He was more productive in one game than Vernon Gholston was his entire time here.

The Takeaway

So the Jets are now 1-1 on this preseason after a 27-7 victory against the Bengals. Cincinnati has been outscored 61-10 in two games. Though it’s only the preseason, it looks like it is going to be a long year in the Queen City.

Mark Sanchez completed 12 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown pass was to Santonio Holmes on, what else, a slant pattern. Plaxico Burress playing in his first game had three catches for 66 yards and an over-the-shoulder grab for a touchdown. Again, it’s the preseason, and the Bengals aren’t very good. However, for a guy who hasn’t played in more than two years, his stat line was impressive.

Will the real Nick Folk please stand up? He missed from 43 yards, made it from 50 and had an out-of-bounds penalty on a kickoff. Nick Novak made his only field goal attempt from 30 yards.

Andy Dalton did not have a good game finishing 8 of 19 with two interceptions. It didn’t matter what defense was out there for the Jets, they played well. Even Aaron Maybin got into the action with a sack and forced fumble. I could be wrong, but I don’t ever recall Vernon Gholston doing any of that in a preseason game. 

The Takeaway: Week 1 Preseason

1)      Losing Robert Turner for any length of time will hurt this team.

He is the jack-of-all-trades on the offensive line. He can fill in at either position and for a team already struggling with O-Line depth, his loss could prove devastating. Vlad Ducasse did not look ready for prime time as Greg McElroy got hit a few times in the second corner, eventually fumbling the football on a sack and setting up a Texan touchdown. Robby Felix did a solid job, but he’s the third-string center. Do you really trust him to protect Mark Sanchez?

       2)      Mark Sanchez looked OK for the one quarter he played.

Coming into the game, there was talk about how the offense would look considering their struggles in practice. Sanchez would finish with six completions in seven attempts for 43 yards and threw a nice pass to Santonio Holmes running the slant route. He didn’t really air it out, but he was efficient in his passes.

       3)      Ignoring touchbacks, the Jets brought out the ball.

Coming into the final preseason game of Week 1 much had been made about the NFL’s new rule that kickoffs will take place from the 35 yard line. There had been a much higher rate of touchbacks in the preseason this year as compared to last year. That didn’t seem to stop the Jets from bringing the ball out.  It didn’t matter if it was Jeremy Kerley, Joe McKnight or Dan DePalma, they were going to run it. Will this continue into the regular season?

       4)      The kicking battle continues.

Nick Folk was 2 of 2 in field goals, making them from 33 and 40 yards out respectively. Nick Novak made his only attempt from 35. Novak has had a great camp, but I like Folk. I know he was shaky at times last year, but he did come through in the playoffs against Indianapolis.

      5)      I do not envy Rex Ryan’s headset.

The last image I have of the 2010 season is Rex Ryan smashing his headset on the field in Pittsburgh. It almost seems fitting that my first image of 2011 should be Ryan smashing his headset on the field for having 12 men on the field in a preseason game. Ah yes, football is officially back.