Westhoff Doesn't hold back talking Jets...from NJ.com

[AFJF]

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/mike_westhoff_rips_jets_coaches_for_ridiculous_dec.html

 

FLORHAM PARK — Mike Westhoff, the former Jets special teams coach, makes a living these days as an analyst for SNY-TV, and he's rarely shy about sharing an opinion on the current state of the team.

In an appearance on ESPN radio 98.7 on Wednesday, Westhoff went all in on the Jets' coaching staff, including head coach Todd Bowles, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, and special teams coach Bobby April.

Yes, Westhoff is a frequent critic of the Jets. And, yes, he's also a rather crotchety sort. But get a load of some of what he had to say on Wednesday.

• On the defense: "Last week, they lined up with a heavy front—an eight-man front. And I thought OK, here comes the blitz; they're bringing the house. Well, you can't have a heavy front to stop [a so-so running back like] Alfred Blue. Are you kidding me? And then they didn't blitz, put [cornerback Darrelle] Revis on—you talk about on an island—on an island with no help in the middle of the field, and wonder why DeAndre Hopkins beats him. I think it's ridiculous. I thought it was a terrible call. I was shocked that they did that," Westhoff said.

• More on Revis: "I know one thing: If Darrelle Revis had been in New England, he'd be put in a situation like that. Never. If you're going to play that front, and play that zero coverage behind it, you have to blitz, and make them throw hot. They didn't blitz. They rushed four. Forget it. Quit criticizing Revis everyone. Leave him alone. He's a heck of a football player," Westhoff said.

• On Patriots using a safety back in Week 7 to contain running back Chris Ivory: "Everybody's doing the same thing. The Jets must adjust their first-down thinking. They've got to do some things differently." Westhoff also said the Jets should use wideout Brandon Marshall in the slot and in motion to keep teams from doubling him. But the Jets have used Marshall in the slot quite a bit.

• On special teams: Westhoff said the Jets made a mistake by not addressing Special teams during the draft, especially by taking wideout Tyler Lockett, who's been making an impact with the Seahawks. "It's like that they didn't even know that that part of the game existed."

PLUS: Jets QB options for 2016

• On Jeremy Kerley as a punt returner: Westhoff said Kerley, a wideout, has been "atrocious" while trying to field punts inside the 10-yard line. He said April has to come up with some principles for reading the spin on the ball near the goal line. "So Jeremy Kerley, quit catching the ball on the 3-yard line," Westhoff said. And when Kerley caught a punt Sunday against the Texans—who do not have a great punt coverage team—he didn't run right away. "Jeremy Kerley caught his first punt with a 15-yard cushion," Westhoff said. "Please! Run! Right now!"

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• On special teams, Part II: Westhoff said the Jets need to have a dedicated return man, which they did for kickoffs until wideout Chris Owusu was placed on injured reserve. The Jets have since turned to cornerback Antonio Cromartie, whom Westhoff said is good when he can reverse field. But that's it. "Because when he has to get it up in there, he looks like a third-grader jumping in the pool for the first time," Westhoff said. "He's got his eyes closed and he's tiptoeing."

• On kickoff returns in general: "You have to have a principle: Unless you can return a kickoff running forward out of the end zone, never bring it out. It's a simple rule. Never bring it out."

[joewilly12]

I wish Mike Westhoff was the head coach. 

[AFJF]

I love Westhoff and would be thrilled if he came back, but in fairness, didn't Kerley have a ton of bone-headed fair catches in Westhoff's final season when he was coaching him? I feel like he was regularly calling for fair catch inside or on the 10.

[Savage69]

I wish Mike Westhoff was the head coach. 

He's not politically correct that's why he never got a shot.. I'd take Westoff any day for HC he's a no crap type of coach..

[TuscanyTile2]

I wish Mike Westhoff was the head coach. 

Same here.  Would've loved him as HC of the NYJ over Rex.

[T0mShane]

He's not politically correct that's why he never got a shot.. I'd take Westoff any day for HC he's a no crap type of coach..

Westhoff is a giant pain in the ass who wanted to use 4th round picks on punt gunners. Every team he's been with in his 86 years of coaching concluded that he was a Special Teams coordinator and he never got a sniff of even an interim HC gig. He's not wrong about the Revis point, though. 

[Persiussa]

There was an awesome interview with Victor green on the lets talk jets podcast this weeks too. He was also extremely honest and called it the way he saw it. That was one of the best interviews I've heard in awhile. 

[TheMagicRat]

I love Westhoff and would be thrilled if he came back, but in fairness, didn't Kerley have a ton of bone-headed fair catches in Westhoff's final season when he was coaching him? I feel like he was regularly calling for fair catch inside or on the 10.

IIRC Kerley returned a punt for a td the last year Westhoff coached.

At the same time, his special teams were also atrocious his final year too.

[afosomf]

Westhoff is a giant pain in the ass who wanted to use 4th round picks on punt gunners. Every team he's been with in his 86 years of coaching concluded that he was a Special Teams coordinator and he never got a sniff of even an interim HC gig. He's not wrong about the Revis point, though. 

the old revis never needed any safety help, this version does...so yes a big mistake.

[Beerfish]

He's not saying anything at all that we didn't already know.  The whole idea behind having CB's play man and take that risk is so you can blitz the hell out of the jag street free agent qb on the other team, bring more than they can block.  You can find guys to return kicks that know what they are doing, are a threat and have other uses, you just have to go after those type of players.  Another good idea but fail move with the Idzik draft, draft a guy like Saunders who can return kicks and play some slot at least WR?  Great idea!  He just picked the wrong one.

[Beerfish]

the old revis never needed any safety help, this version does...so yes a big mistake.

Even the old REvis could count on pressure on the Qb to some extent.  The whole idea behind leaving the cbs on an island is to get after the Qb.  Any coach that leaves any of his cbs one and one and then diddles around with 4 man pressure is a mook.

[PatsFanTX]

The Jets payed Revis $16MM a year to takeaway the opponents number 1 receiver one-on-one without safety help.

Now Revis needs safety help over the top?

You can pay a JAG CB $3MM a year to do the same thing with help over the top.

[T0mShane]

Westhoff's point is that you either bring the blitz there -or-keep a safety back. To do neither was a major fail, especially considering you have one of the top 3 receivers in the game on the outside. Consider a few weeks ago when Beckham beat Malcolm Butler with safety help for that 85 yard TD. It's going to happen to all of them if the receiver is any good. The only time you don't have to worry about the deep ball is when you're playing against Brady, because he can't throw it vertically to save his life.

[PatsFanTX]

Westhoff's point is that you either bring the blitz there -or-keep a safety back. To do neither was a major fail, especially considering you have one of the top 3 receivers in the game on the outside. Consider a few weeks ago when Beckham beat Malcolm Butler with safety help for that 85 yard TD. It's going to happen to all of them if the receiver is any good. The only time you don't have to worry about the deep ball is when you're playing against Brady, because he can't throw it vertically to save his life.

OK, I just went back and read his quote, you are correct.

[JetsFanatic]

I wish Mike Westhoff was the head coach. 

Please! It's very easy to sit back and criticize. It's another to do the job.  I remember when Phil Esposito was a Rangers announcer  back in the mid 1980s.  He spoke in the same critical manner that Westoff does today.  The Rangers actually hired him as GM, and he was a disaster.

[joewilly12]

Please! It's very easy to sit back and criticize. It's another to do the job.  I remember when Phil Esposito was a Rangers announcer  back in the mid 1980s.  He spoke in the same critical manner that Westoff does today.  The Rangers actually hired him as GM, and he was a disaster.

Where have the long list of head coaches gotten us since 1969.

[TuscanyTile2]

Please! It's very easy to sit back and criticize. It's another to do the job.  I remember when Phil Esposito was a Rangers announcer  back in the mid 1980s.  He spoke in the same critical manner that Westoff does today.  The Rangers actually hired him as GM, and he was a disaster.

Wow, you remember that.  Espo had to be the single worst GM I've ever seen.  He even put Idzik to shame.  I remember when he traded Mike Ridley and Kelly Miller for Bobby Carpenter.  Then he turned around about a month or so later and turned Carpenter into Marcel Dionne.  Basically 2 up and coming young players were turned into a star from essentially a previous era who was on his last legs.

He also brought in Guy LaFleur (who actually scored some goals) though I can't remember if it was the same season. 

[Larz]

and stop turning it over ! and stop getting penatlies ! and score in the redzone !

lol

 

[JetsFanatic]

 

 

 

[JetsFanatic]

Wow, you remember that.  Espo had to be the single worst GM I've ever seen.  He even put Idzik to shame.  I remember when he traded Mike Ridley and Kelly Miller for Bobby Carpenter.  Then he turned around about a month or so later and turned Carpenter into Marcel Dionne.  Basically 2 up and coming young players were turned into a star from essentially a previous era who was on his last legs.

He also brought in Guy LaFleur (who actually scored some goals) though I can't remember if it was the same season. 

Espo did suck as GM. He talked a great game but found out when he got the job how difficult it was.  How about when he fired Bergeron 2 days before the playoffs started and appointed himself as HC and the Rangers were swept?

Gut LaFleur was 1988-89, the bad trades you sited was the 1986-87 season.

[CrazyCarl40]

Those who can't do, commentate. 

[TuscanyTile2]

Espo did suck as GM. He talked a great game but found out when he got the job how difficult it was.  How about when he fired Bergeron 2 days before the playoffs started and appointed himself as HC and the Rangers were swept?

Gut LaFleur was 1988-89, the bad trades you sited was the 1986-89 season.

List of trades made by "Trader Phil":

http://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_GM/Phil_Esposito/30/1

 

Also, Espo did bring in LaFleur. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Lafleur

Against the Edmonton Oilers in a 1988 exhibition game, Lafleur played well enough to earn praise from the Oilers' Mark Messier and convince Rangers general manager Phil Esposito to sign Lafleur to a one year contract

[TuscanyTile2]

Espo did suck as GM. He talked a great game but found out when he got the job how difficult it was.  How about when he fired Bergeron 2 days before the playoffs started and appointed himself as HC and the Rangers were swept?

Gut LaFleur was 1988-89, the bad trades you sited was the 1986-89 season.

Also, I cited trades from the '86-'87 season:

 

Washington Capitals acquire	Date	New York Rangers acquire
Bob Crawford Kelly Miller Mike Ridley	January 1, 1987	Bobby Carpenter 1989 2nd round pick (#40-Jason Prosofsky)

Los Angeles Kings acquire	Date	New York Rangers acquire
Bobby Carpenter Tom Laidlaw	March 10, 1987	Jeff Crossman Marcel Dionne 1989 3rd round pick (#60-Murray Garbutt)

 

 

[Jolot]

I appreciate Westhoffs career but I'm sick of his mouth , imo he's awful on sny as well, Huge downgrade from Klecko....Klecko was a Jet legend who actually cared about the current team and wanted it to succeed, can't have that gotta get rid of him, hurry up and bring in another snarky talking head to rip the team.

[Savage69]

Those who can't do, commentate. 

That's called a Fan I believe..

[JetsFanatic]

Also, I cited trades from the '86-'87 season:

 

Washington Capitals acquire	Date	New York Rangers acquire
Bob Crawford Kelly Miller Mike Ridley	January 1, 1987	Bobby Carpenter 1989 2nd round pick (#40-Jason Prosofsky)

Los Angeles Kings acquire	Date	New York Rangers acquire
Bobby Carpenter Tom Laidlaw	March 10, 1987	Jeff Crossman Marcel Dionne 1989 3rd round pick (#60-Murray Garbutt)

 

 

Thanks, it was New Year's Day when the Carpenter trade was announced!.  So in essence we gave Crawford, Miller, Ridley & Laidlaw for Crossman and Dione. Awful.  I always was a big fan of Ridley.

[TuscanyTile2]

 

Thanks, it was New Year's Day when the Carpenter trade was announced!.  So in essence we gave Crawford, Miller, Ridley & Laidlaw for Crossman and Dione. Awful.  I always was a big fan of Ridley.

Me too. Loved Ridley.  Miller was a gritty player too 

[Tinstar]

I don't remember Westy's special teams being any thing special the last few yrs of his jet career. It's easy to criticize when it's not you who's being critique.

[Mike135]

The only time you don't have to worry about the deep ball is when you're playing against Brady, because he can't throw it vertically to save his life.

Or in practice vs Fitz.

[jackhuntr]

Can you imagine the conversation between Westie and Joe Namath drinking in a bar watching a Jet game?