Gang Green Can't Afford To Have O-line Falter

[SoFlaJets]

Gang Green can't afford to have O-line falter

Mark Cannizzaro

Given the relative genius of Bill Callahan coaching them and the returning veterans with strong pedigrees, the offensive line should be the last thing the Jets should have a concern about entering this season.

Yet after an alarmingly sloppy performance in their preseason opener, the offensive line has become exactly that for the Jets at the moment: A concern.

Seven sacks yielded and at least five more quarterback "hits" is not what a Super Bowl contender gives up in a preseason game -- or any game for that matter. But that's what the Jets yielded Monday night in Houston.

TAKE CARE OF THE MARK: Mark Cannizzaro says in order for the Jets to succeed, Vladimir Ducasse (left), Nick Mangold, Matt Slauson and the offensive line must do a better job protecting Mark Sanchez than they did in Monday night's preseason opener.

Mark Sanchez was sacked twice in his short time behind center before giving way to rookie Greg McElroy, who was sacked five times for losses of 35 yards and bounced around like a pinball many times more than that.

In fairness, there were reasons for the sloppy performance. Neither starting center Nick Mangold (stinger) nor starting right guard Brandon Moore (offseason hip surgery) played. And backup Rob Turner, who started in place of Mangold, was lost in the game -- and for at least two months -- to a broken right leg.

The loss of Turner, the Jets' most dependable and versatile backup, exposed their depth as cigarette-paper thin.

Second-year player Vladimir Ducasse, who played both right guard and right tackle in the game, looked like he was playing for UMass against an NFL defense.

So sure, there were reasons for the poor play, but the Jets know they have to start protecting better.

"I don't want to make any excuses for it, because seven sacks and five hits is not acceptable by any means no matter what the issues are," left guard Matt Slauson said yesterday.

Slauson, in his second season as a starter, was quick to add a dose of confidence to the early concern.

"I wouldn't put too much stock in how the first preseason game went," he said. "I think we're going to be an even better line this year than we were last year."

If the line is, indeed, better than it was a year ago, it will be in large part because of Callahan, regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in the game.

Callahan was quick to point out it wasn't until five days ago he had his entire starting line practicing together for the first time.

Mangold is expected to play tomorrow against the Bengals. Moore, who has been practicing, will be held out for precautionary reasons, so the only preseason game the starting line will likely be intact for will be against the Giants on Aug. 27.

"No alarm," Callahan said, referring to the Jets' porous play in the preseason opener. "It all kind of culminated in that game Monday night, but we didn't panic."

A lot of the no-panic approach on the Jets' line comes from Moore, the senior and resident even-keel member of the group.

On a team whose DNA -- largely because of coach Rex Ryan's XXXL personality -- is all about chest-thumping bravado, Moore is one of the few players in the locker room who keeps things grounded and in perspective. This is why he didn't find himself panicked watching Monday's performance.

"I don't get caught up in the hype of it all," Moore said. "I know Rex has his job to do and you guys [(the media] like it, but I live in a world of reality. I'm different than a lot of guys around here, I'm fine with that."

Moore said he gets razzed by his fellow line mates and Sanchez as being a "negative Nancy," but he said, "I just keep things in perspective -- whether it's good or bad."

"They call it negative. I call it speaking the truth," Moore said. "We have a saying in the offensive line room that the [bleep] rolls downhill and it comes right into our meeting room. Every week, we bear the brunt of that. But it's never as bad as you think it is and never as good as you think it is."

It looked pretty bad on Monday night, but given Callahan and the returning starters like Moore, Mangold, Slauson and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, it likely will get a lot better once they're all on the field together.

It has to.

[TNJet]

Moore's right. In Mondays game 75% of the snaps were played by undrafted new players and Vlad fukin Dikass, thats where the bad plays came from. To grade our whole oline on that isnt fair to our true starters. Brick, Slauson, Mangold, Moore and Hunter is still a top 5 nfl line. As terrible as Dikass is, playing next to Mangold in the first half sunday should help him, and if he still gives up 3 sacks after that he should be cut before the season.

[Integrity28]

Calling for Ducasse to be cut at this point is dumb. We aren't on the hook for huge money with him, you can't coach size (which he has) but you can coach technique. I'd agree with the impatience being shown by everyone IF we were desperate, but he is a depth player right now that is being developed... so stop all this sally-a$$ whining about cutting him as though he's a terrible starter.

[Integrity28]

Cannizaro is just trying to pick some low-hanging panic fruit here by the way, reminding us all to fret over what we saw last week... which really has no bearing on regular season, but that's what the beat writers do... they kick the high-strung sky-is-falling same old Jets fans right in their anxiety dicks.

[Larz]

jets beat writers on the case