Proposing solutions: A Jets manifesto after five games

In my last post, I outlined a few of the fundamental problems plaguing the Jets right now. What good is pointing out problems though without offering solutions? The ideas which you will read below are all well within reason...no fantasy trades for Maurice Jones-Drew or unrealistic firings. All of them include player or coaching personnel currently under contract and can easily and realistically be implemented. 

1. Replace Eric Smith in the starting lineup with Brodney Pool
Pool is a sixth-year player like Smith, and has been a starter before for both the Jets and Browns. He's also the better player. Week after week, Smith presents a liability in an otherwise relatively solid secondary. Yes, Antonio Cromartie has his shortcomings and the nickel and dime backs are shaky but Smith is the most overwhelmingly noticeable problem. 


Let's take this week's game against the Patriots for instance. Peter King says in his MMQB column that Wes Welker came out ahead vs. Darrelle Revis, when this, in fact, is incorrect. 

Welker got more than half of his yards on a 73-yard third quarter pass play, when it was Eric Smith, not Revis, who was at fault. Watching the replay, Smith bites on the playaction and does not provide the safety coverage Revis is expecting. It's then Revis, not the closer Smith, looking incredibly slow, who catches Welker and saves a touchdown.

Smith is flat out not fast enough to be a starting safety. You don't need to have a burner as the late-Al Davis believed but you need a guy who is at least speedy enough to keep up with opposing TEs.

Smith can't even do that. 

The sight of Smith two steps behind a TE has become an all too common one. In today's NFL, where the TE is becoming even more of a hybrid position, with guys like Aaron Hernandez who have skill sets more similar to a wide receiver, Smith does not cut it. Pool is better in coverage and needs to be put in the starting lineup.

2. Make Tom Moore co-offensive coordinator 
It's no secret that I don't think Brian Schottenheimer is a particularly effective offensive coordinator. Now in his sixth season with the Jets he has called some very good games but those are few and far between when you look at the full body of work. It's only getting worse this season.

I support the idea of re-establishing the run game but Mr. Schottenheimer decided this was the week to do it, against the Patriots, the NFL's WORST pass defense coming into that game. That's the same one that was torn apart by CHAD HENNE and the winless Dolphins.  

The run worked well in the first half but when it stagnated in the second half, he stubbornly stuck with it, as the Jets squandered the defense's three-and-outs against Brady. Nick Mangold was back Sunday, the offensive line played better, there's no excuse for SEVEN three-and-outs for the Jets offense. 


Tom Moore was brought in this season as a consultant. He's the offensive guru who coordinated the Colts' prolific offense with Peyton Manning under center for 13 years. Obviously, he did something right.

I'm not trying to make Schottenheimer a scapegoat, as I'm completely aware of the offensive line issues. However, the Jets have been winning games in spite of Schottenheimer for years and while they tried to sweep reports of players complaining to Rex Ryan about him under the rug, I don't believe those are just being made up. 

Moore is a proven veteran who would offer a change as a play-caller. I'm not naive enough to believe that Schottenheimer will be stripped of the offensive coordinator title. He's often not a bad game-planner, however, his in-game adjustments and play-calling are suspect. Moore coordinated Manning's audible-heavy scheme and I think Mark Sanchez is more well-suited to a no-huddle, rhythm-based offense, so this could be a great fit.

3. Get Joe McKnight involved in the offense
The Jets need a playmaker on offense. For years and years, it's been dink and dunk. Long runs or pass plays are an extreme rarity for Gang Green- and I wonder why.

Is it offensive design and play-calling?   

Or is it the pieces on offense themselves? 

The Jets have not had a true gunslinger quarterback in recent memory. Vinny Testaverde was for a season (1998), Chad Pennington sure wasn't, Brett Favre was over-the-hill and Mark Sanchez is still a work-in-progress. They've had lots of good, dependable offensive pieces at RB and WR, guys like Curtis Martin, Wayne Chrebet and Jerricho Cotchery.

But there haven't been that many truly dynamic offensive threats. Keyshawn Johnson was for a brief time. Leon Washington and Brad Smith have been the closest thing in the past few seasons. Those two each become a valuable change of pace player who could turn a defense on its head- and that's missing right now from the 2011 Jets offense. 

That player (or at least one who can fill that void) is already on the roster though. 

It's Joe McKnight. 

I know he became deeply entrenched in Rex Ryan's doghouse for his rookie shenanigans but McKnight has become a difference-maker whenever he is on the field, whether it be returning kicks, blocking a punt or even applying the pressure on Joe Flacco on defense that forced him to throw an interception.

Dismissing McKnight at his natural position, running back, is a big mistake. It was just one game and a game with little on the line but McKnight carried the ball 32 times for 158 yards in last season's final game against the Bills. 


Shonn Greene is not a big play threat and LaDainian Tomlinson is not as explosive as he was in his Chargers days. McKnight at least deserves some carries to try to provide a spark for this stagnant offense.

Pinpointing Problems: Jets through Week 5

Putting aside the Baltimore game, because that was just a complete abomination, but looking at the OAK and NE games, there are three issues (offense/defense) that have plagued this team and have kept it from being 4-1 instead of 2-3.

1. While the Jets defense was one of the top units in '09 and '10, I remember it being more a bend-but-don't break unit then a complete shutdown group. And that worked. Instead of allowing touchdowns, the other team would get in the red zone and the Jets would generally hold them to a FG. I think the numbers would back me up on that.

This season...

Against Oakland: Three TOUCHDOWNS from the 23 yd line or closer
Against NE: Three red zone TOUCHDOWNS

Lose by 10 to OAK, lose by 9 to NE. Change two of those TDs to FGs and you may have different results.

2. The safeties and LBs are just too slow. They cannot contain the edges and it's not a matter of if Eric Smith gets burned each week but how badly. It's a given. The Jets need to try Brodney Pool or someone else (is there anyone?) in that spot because Smith just isn't working AT ALL.

3. Time to move to the offense and while there have been issues that you do hold the players accountable to, like Burress' dropped balls and the O-line breakdowns, the overwhelming problem is Brian Schottenheimer. I just have no doubt about this. This is the sixth season of this nonsense and nothing has changed.

Maybe it's because for more than a decade (outside of Al Groh, who wasn't even the first choice) the Jets have had head coaches with defensive backgrounds. From Parcells to Edwards to Mangini to Ryan, it just seems like the offenses have been plagued by incredible conservatism. 

In my lifetime of really watching the Jets (starting in '98), Dan Henning has been the ONLY offensive coordinator that has given me any promise of spark or explosiveness in the Jets offense. Paul Hackett was the worst, Mike Heimerdinger didn't work out and here we are with Schottenheimer, who is plagued by inconsistency and predictability.

I sometimes believe Schottenheimer has created a good gameplan. The offense works well in the first half (as it did in Oakland and in spurts of this NE game). But then the other team's defense adjusts but Schottenheimer misses that memo. Today for instance, he pounded the Ground and Pound into the ground so much so that it became ineffective.

The predictability of this offense is astounding. I'm not a coach but watching every Jets game it's amazing how often I know what's coming. I don't watch game film but from what I see each week there seems to be fundamental issues in the design of routes.

I watch other teams who are able to hit 15-20 yard pass plays or (gasp) even longer ones. It appears these do not exist in the Jets' playbook. They're running 6 yard curls on 3rd and 8. Seriously?

There's just no imagination. I'm not asking for imagination as in reverses or RB passes or some kind of extravagant trickery. I just want some variety. The Jets rarely work the middle of the field and I don't think they've even taken ONE shot down the field this season....ONE.  It's curls, sideline outs and two-step drops that require perfect timing.

Yes, there are problems with pass blocking and the offensive line but something has to be done to open up the offense.

I know the Jets offense and Schottenheimer so well that I'm willing to put money on them running a playaction deep bomb to Santonio Holmes on our first offensive play next week. I'd go to Vegas and bet on it if it's a proposition.

These problems are not impossible to fix. The Baltimore loss was a blowout but the Jets were in both of these last two games. They're 2-3 and while there are problems, it's not time for doom and gloom...yet. It will be if there are not steps taken to try to solve them.

Five players to watch: Jets Preseason Week 1

The Jets kickoff the preseason tonight in Houston (8 PM, ESPN). Here are five players to keep an eye on.

1. Wayne Hunter

The veteran steps in as a full-time starter for the first time. He’ll take the place of the retired Damien Woody. The Jets have built one of the strongest offensive lines in the NFL around Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson.  Matt Slauson seamlessly transitioned into the left guard spot vacated by Alan Fancea last season. Hunter’s a good pass protector but will need to hold up well in the run game, as the Jets love running right.

2. Muhammad Wilkerson

Another spot vacated by a veteran is along the defensive line, with Shaun Ellis now a member of the hated Patriots. It’s rookie 6-4, 315 lb. Muhammad Wilkerson out of Temple who has been anointed the starter from day one by Rex Ryan. Wilkerson was a dominant lineman in the MAC , recording 9.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in his senior season. The Jets will need him to adjust to being a NFL DE quickly, as Ellis, their longest tenured player, still had dynamic moments at that spot (see Jets/Patriots Divisional playoffs).

3. Jeremy Kerley

Not a top pick, like Muhammad, the fifth-round selection out of TCU has impressed as a jack of all trades in Florham Park. Brad Smith’s gone but the Jets would like Kerley to fill his role. He’s already atop the depth chart as kick and punt returner and has been taking snaps from the Wildcat. Smith was a valuable gamechanger but never really developed as a receiving threat. Kerley can out-do Smith if he can become that in the slot.  With Plaxico Burress out, he should see even more time tonight.

4. Kyle Wilson

There were high expectations for corner Kyle Wilson going into his rookie season. Thrown into the fire fast, the first round pick struggled and never really got going. Year two is a new opportunity for Wilson to become the strong cover corner the Jets are hoping he’ll be. It doesn’t hurt that Wilson gets to learn from Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, two of the game’s best.

5. Jamaal Westerman

We all know one of the Jets’ biggest defensive deficiencies last season was the lack of a pass rush. For Rex Ryan’s defense to reach its maximum potential, there needs to be edge rushers who get to the quarterback. Vernon Gholston was anything but that and he’s now gone. Calvin Pace has not proven to be effective enough at doing it. Westerman has been a contributor predominantly on special teams in his two seasons but Rex Ryan is talking him up, so take notice if he can perform starting tonight.