Woody Johnson expects Holmes to recapture 2010 form

[Jetsfan80]

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/2012/04/woody-johnson-expects-santonio-holmes-to-recapture-2010-form

Woody Johnson expects Santonio Holmes to recapture 2010 form

BY Ebenezer Samuel

April 2, 3:07 PM

He was labeled a “cancer” by his teammates, he feuded with quarterback Mark Sanchez, and he was unceremoniously benched for the final few minutes of the Jets’ regular season finale.

These were the lowlights of Santonio Holmes’ turbulent 2011 season. They made him the face of the Jets’ disappointing campaign, the lingering memory of another unfulfilled Rex Ryan Super Bowl promise.

Yet, Jets owner Woody Johnson remembers something else. Before Holmes was the embodiment of everything wrong in Floral Park, he was a “dynamic” partner for Sanchez, Johnson said on Monday. And Johnson predicts that Holmes will rekindle that relationship in 2012.

“What I remember is 2010,” Johnson told the Daily News at the opening of the NFL’s pop-up store in Manhattan. “That’s the Santonio that I know, and I know we’ll see again this year. (He) is the one that does have success; that is the kind of player that he’s capable of being.”

Last week, Holmes was asked by the Daily News about being the face of the Jets’ locker room dysfunction and he responded quickly: “I don’t care.”

"The media don't make me and the media don't break me," Holmes told the News after his workout in Orlando last week. "I'm Santonio Holmes... and that's it."

Holmes struggled last season, finishing with a career-low 654 receiving yards and averaging just 12.8 yards per catch. As the year wore on, he grew increasingly frustrated with Sanchez’s ineptitude, so much so that he failed to show up when the QB organized a group meeting.

But Johnson refuses to believe that such mercurial behavior is the real Holmes, and he insists that there was never truly a rift between wideout and QB. One of Sanchez’s training partners that plays in the NFL told the News that Holmes “didn’t really care” about the Jets’ move to trade for Tim Tebow, and that “Tone just wants the ball.”

“He said it’s all on Sanchez this time,” the player said. “If Sanchez trips (up), then he’ll be on the bench going, ‘Tebow! Tebow!’ like everyone else.”

Johnson, however, paints a different picture.

“I know he is a strong supporter of our quarterback, definitely,” Johnson said. “And they had such a dynamic year in 2010.”

It will be up to Ryan, Johnson said, to coax Holmes back into 2010 form and blend the Jets’ many locker room personalities, a task that grew even more challenging when the team acquired Tebow last month.

Tight end Dustin Keller said that management has made it clear that Sanchez will remain the Jets’ top signal-caller, but he acknowledged that there would be “friendly competition.”

Keller added that Sanchez “understands the whole thing” of bringing in Tebow.

“A lot of people have been saying he needs a backup quarterback that will push him,” Keller said. “This may be that.”

Ryan must manage his two QBs, Johnson said, while carefully integrating the moody Holmes.

“Every team is like 20 percent different (every year),” he said. “Different players. Those (players) have to be incorporated in the locker room.

“This is what the coach is really good at. And I have confidence he’ll be able to do that.”

[jetscanes331]

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/2012/04/woody-johnson-expects-santonio-holmes-to-recapture-2010-form

Woody Johnson expects Santonio Holmes to recapture 2010 form

BY Ebenezer Samuel

April 2, 3:07 PM

He was labeled a “cancer” by his teammates, he feuded with quarterback Mark Sanchez, and he was unceremoniously benched for the final few minutes of the Jets’ regular season finale.

These were the lowlights of Santonio Holmes’ turbulent 2011 season. They made him the face of the Jets’ disappointing campaign, the lingering memory of another unfulfilled Rex Ryan Super Bowl promise.

Yet, Jets owner Woody Johnson remembers something else. Before Holmes was the embodiment of everything wrong in Floral Park, he was a “dynamic” partner for Sanchez, Johnson said on Monday. And Johnson predicts that Holmes will rekindle that relationship in 2012.

“What I remember is 2010,” Johnson told the Daily News at the opening of the NFL’s pop-up store in Manhattan. “That’s the Santonio that I know, and I know we’ll see again this year. (He) is the one that does have success; that is the kind of player that he’s capable of being.”

Last week, Holmes was asked by the Daily News about being the face of the Jets’ locker room dysfunction and he responded quickly: “I don’t care.”

"The media don't make me and the media don't break me," Holmes told the News after his workout in Orlando last week. "I'm Santonio Holmes... and that's it."

Holmes struggled last season, finishing with a career-low 654 receiving yards and averaging just 12.8 yards per catch. As the year wore on, he grew increasingly frustrated with Sanchez’s ineptitude, so much so that he failed to show up when the QB organized a group meeting.

But Johnson refuses to believe that such mercurial behavior is the real Holmes, and he insists that there was never truly a rift between wideout and QB. One of Sanchez’s training partners that plays in the NFL told the News that Holmes “didn’t really care” about the Jets’ move to trade for Tim Tebow, and that “Tone just wants the ball.”

“He said it’s all on Sanchez this time,” the player said. “If Sanchez trips (up), then he’ll be on the bench going, ‘Tebow! Tebow!’ like everyone else.”

Johnson, however, paints a different picture.

“I know he is a strong supporter of our quarterback, definitely,” Johnson said. “And they had such a dynamic year in 2010.”

It will be up to Ryan, Johnson said, to coax Holmes back into 2010 form and blend the Jets’ many locker room personalities, a task that grew even more challenging when the team acquired Tebow last month.

Tight end Dustin Keller said that management has made it clear that Sanchez will remain the Jets’ top signal-caller, but he acknowledged that there would be “friendly competition.”

Keller added that Sanchez “understands the whole thing” of bringing in Tebow.

“A lot of people have been saying he needs a backup quarterback that will push him,” Keller said. “This may be that.”

Ryan must manage his two QBs, Johnson said, while carefully integrating the moody Holmes.

“Every team is like 20 percent different (every year),” he said. “Different players. Those (players) have to be incorporated in the locker room.

“This is what the coach is really good at. And I have confidence he’ll be able to do that.”

The most important factor in his success is having second big target to take some of the attention away. Braylon was legit #1 threat.. plax not so much.

[SenorGato]

Braylon was legit #1 threat..

Holy sh*t no he's not. He would kill to be the legit #1 Plax was for most of his career.

[T0mShane]

Thanks, RW. Haha, RW. Yes, RW.

[Jetsfan80]

Holy sh*t no he's not. He would kill to be the legit #1 Plax was for most of his career.

WTF is going on today man. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills, and you're the only person I'm agreeing with. Am I on drugs?

[JetsFanInDenver]

The most important factor in his success is having second big target to take some of the attention away. Braylon was legit #1 threat.. plax not so much.

#1 or not, Braylon was a legit deep threat that Holmes is not. Period. He helped stretch the field that Holmes cannot do at this point in his career.

Woody might just be sending a message to Holmes. Or he is delusional.

[Bleedin Green]

That would be the same 2010 that started off with Holmes being suspended and dumped by his team in the offseason, which was followed by him publicly stating he saw nothing wrong with his behavior that led to either of those occurrences and no intentions of changing. After missing the start of the season, he then proceed to have a very inconsistent season that was overrated thanks to him being too heavily credited for a handful of late wins over crappy defenses, while choosing to ignore his season being filled with an excessive number of drops and fumbles. The very same season which ultimately led to an unbelievably overvalued contract and an insanely over-inflated ego. Oh yeah, I can't freakin' wait.

Holmes better have a FAAAAAAAAR better season than 2010 if he wants to start to justify that contract of his. The Jets were paying him to be even better than the 3/4 of a season they got out of him in 2010, and instead he was far worse.

[Jetsfan80]

#1 or not, Braylon was a legit deep threat that Holmes is not. Period. He helped stretch the field that Holmes cannot do at this point in his career.

You do realize Edwards is like 3 years older than Holmes right? What does the "at this point in his career" comment mean?

[JetsFanInDenver]

You do realize Edwards is like 3 years older than Holmes right? What does the "at this point in his career" comment mean?

Its based on play. Holmes looked at best below average last season. Nothing to do with Braylon's situation.

[Jetsfan80]

That would be the same 2010 that started off with Holmes being suspended and dumped by his team in the offseason, which was followed by him publicly stating he saw nothing wrong with his behavior that led to either of those occurrences and no intentions of changing. After missing the start of the season, he then proceed to have a very inconsistent season that was overrated thanks to him being too heavily credited for a handful of late wins over crappy defenses, while choosing to ignore his season being filled with an excessive number of drops and fumbles. The very same season which ultimately led to an unbelievably overvalued contract and an insanely over-inflated ego. Oh yeah, I can't freakin' wait.

Holmes better have a FAAAAAAAAR better season than 2010 if he wants to start to justify that contract of his. The Jets were paying him to be even better than the 3/4 of a season they got out of him in 2010, and instead he was far worse.

You forgot to include the caveat "And Holmes would have had a superb 2010 season if he had a functional QB that didn't lose control of his bowels on a regular basis."

[SenorGato]

#1 or not, Braylon was a legit deep threat that Holmes is not. Period. He helped stretch the field that Holmes cannot do at this point in his career.

Woody might just be sending a message to Holmes. Or he is delusional.

Holmes average almost 18 YPC early in his career, and he's not exactly an old guy.

Sooooo.....more hogwash and bs.

[Pac]

I wish Tanny and Woody would stop publicly kissing Santonios a$$. What motivation is there for him to change if he's constantly told how great he is. Act like a boss.

The irony is Holmes has gotten immeasurably more "coddling" than Sanchez has this offseason.

[SenorGato]

You do realize Edwards is like 3 years older than Holmes right? What does the "at this point in his career" comment mean?

Literally nothing these people are saying has any basis in fact.

[T0mShane]

Holmes average almost 18 YPC early in his career, and he's not exactly an old guy.

Sooooo.....more hogwash and bs.

Yes, Holmes is secretly an elite receiver. He's just waiting until his tenth or eleventh NFL season to, you know, show it.

[Jetsfan80]

I wish Tanny and Woody would stop publicly kissing Santonios a$$. What motivation is there for him to change if he's constantly told how great he is. Act like a boss.

The irony is Holmes has gotten immeasurably more "coddling" than Sanchez has this offseason.

There is literally nothing else they can do. If you try to take the hardline stance on Holmes he'll quit on everyone. You have to let him be the diva, act like you still support him, and hope Sanchez doesn't sh** himself again this year. He's our most talented skill player on offense and we're stuck with him for a while. Damage control is all you can do.

[SenorGato]

Yes, Holmes is secretly an elite receiver. He's just waiting until his tenth or eleventh NFL season to, you know, show it.

The receiver doesn't have to be elite, the QB does. Holmes is more than adequate if you actually have someone worthwhile throwing him the ball.

[T0mShane]

The receiver doesn't have to be elite, the QB does. Holmes is more than adequate if you actually have someone worthwhile throwing him the ball.

I agree with this. If Holmes was playing in Denver this year, or New England or San Diego, he'd have 80+ grabs for 1100+ yards. He's that kind of talent. But because he's such a giant a$$hole, no team other than our stupid team wants him anywhere near their locker room, as evidenced by the fact that Pittsburgh basically gave him to us for pocket change.

[New York Mick]

When did players turn into such spoiled ******* pussies? They all need to shut the **** up and do their job. The NFL in the 70s, 80s and early 90s was a lot more fun.

[Bleedin Green]

You forgot to include the caveat "And Holmes would have had a superb 2010 season if he had a functional QB that didn't lose control of his bowels on a regular basis."

Based on what exactly? Don't get me wrong, Sanchez sucks and it of course has an impact on his receivers, but Holmes has never actually shown the ability to have this so-called "superb season" you claim he would have, particularly since he was too busy getting himself suspended for 1/4 of the season.

It seems you forgot to include the caveat that over the course of a 6 year career, it is somehow in no way Holmes' fault that he has been unable to put together even one complete season where he performed at the level of the true #1 WR he supposedly is. Sorry, but Sanchez sucking a$$ doesn't suddenly excuse the performance of everyone else on the field, especially not a horribly overrated, massively overpaid player who's a locker room cancer and a puff away from a year off. The fact that a repeat of 2010 is the Jets optimistic view of what they're hoping to get from Holmes is really scary, because that's nowhere near living up to the contract they gave him, or enough to count on him as a #1 WR.

[Bleedin Green]

Yes, Holmes is secretly an elite receiver. He's just waiting until his tenth or eleventh NFL season to, you know, show it.

Don't be silly, it's obviously all his QBs fault every time he doesn't perform as one of the NFL's best. The fact that he was out-performed every year he was in Pittsburgh by a 30-something possession receiver in Ward and massively out-performed by his replacement in Wallace is completely irrelevant to that.

[Pac]

There is literally nothing else they can do. If you try to take the hardline stance on Holmes he'll quit on everyone. You have to let him be the diva, act like you still support him, and hope Sanchez doesn't sh** himself again this year. He's our most talented skill player on offense and we're stuck with him for a while. Damage control is all you can do.

disagree.. Parcells would pimp slap him in private and in the media. and it would work.

[Bleedin Green]

The receiver doesn't have to be elite, the QB does. Holmes is more than adequate if you actually have someone worthwhile throwing him the ball.

This I do actually agree with, but when you're paying your receiver to be elite and help improve the play of your QB, and instead he's amazingly inconsistent and a major locker room problem, there's no endless list of excuses that suddenly makes that ok. The Jets would be better off spending 1/10 of the amount on the mediocre locker room choir boys of the NFL and dealing with the minor drop in play they'd get at the receiver position from those times when Holmes actually feels like doing his job.

[SenorGato]

Don't be silly, it's obviously all his QBs fault every time he doesn't perform as one of the NFL's best. The fact that he was out-performed every year he was in Pittsburgh by a 30-something possession receiver in Ward and massively out-performed by his replacement in Wallace is completely irrelevant to that.

Yeah the Steelers offense now is the exact same as what they were doing with second year Ben. Context schmontext is what I always say.

[SenorGato]

This I do actually agree with, but when you're paying your receiver to be elite and help improve the play of your QB, and instead he's amazingly inconsistent and a major locker room problem, there's no endless list of excuses that suddenly makes that ok. The Jets would be better off spending 1/10 of the amount on the mediocre locker room choir boys of the NFL and dealing with the minor drop in play they'd get at the receiver position from those times when Holmes actually feels like doing his job.

He threw up 8 TD last year with Sanchez spending the whole season whiting his bed. I know we're all of this belief that our meany poo WRs just lollygagged the season, but how many WRs as bad and mean as Holmes is have BAD years where they put up 8 TDs?

[Bleedin Green]

Yeah the Steelers offense now is the exact same as what they were doing with second year Ben. Context schmontext is what I always say.

That's a really nice try and all, but hate to break it to you that Ben was in his 6th year in Holmes' last season there. Of course, it's easily probably explained by the textbook big jump that QBs always take between years 6 and 7.

He threw up 8 TD last year with Sanchez spending the whole season whiting his bed. I know we're all of this belief that our meany poo WRs just lollygagged the season, but how many WRs as bad and mean as Holmes is have BAD years where they put up 8 TDs?

I don't know, how many WRs as amazing and unstoppable as Holmes just about single-handedly lose their teams games by the end of the first quarter, or have games where they are twice told off by different teammates in the offensive huddle before being benched for a 4th stringer who immediately outperforms his entire game output in a single play?

[JetsFanInDenver]

Holmes average almost 18 YPC early in his career, and he's not exactly an old guy.

Sooooo.....more hogwash and bs.

And last season ?

[JustInFudge]

That would be the same 2010 that started off with Holmes being suspended and dumped by his team in the offseason, which was followed by him publicly stating he saw nothing wrong with his behavior that led to either of those occurrences and no intentions of changing. After missing the start of the season, he then proceed to have a very inconsistent season that was overrated thanks to him being too heavily credited for a handful of late wins over crappy defenses, while choosing to ignore his season being filled with an excessive number of drops and fumbles. The very same season which ultimately led to an unbelievably overvalued contract and an insanely over-inflated ego. Oh yeah, I can't freakin' wait.

Holmes better have a FAAAAAAAAR better season than 2010 if he wants to start to justify that contract of his. The Jets were paying him to be even better than the 3/4 of a season they got out of him in 2010, and instead he was far worse.

This part was epic. F that guy, doing his job and winning games and sh*t. lol

Holmes was pretty damn good in '10. Sanchez loved him. I remember reading an article for FF about him being targeted more than some of the top notch receivers during a 8 week stretch. He was good and showed exactly why we traded for him. Dont see why that cant happen again if Sanchez gets his head out of his a$$.

[SenorGato]

And last season ?

Clearly old age and injuries caught up to him.

Both WRs have the same YPC for their careers. One isnt battling knee problems.

[JetsFanInDenver]

Clearly old age and injuries caught up to him.

Both WRs have the same YPC for their careers. One isnt battling knee problems.

You are all over the place. Both WR's ? For their careers ? I was talking only about Holmes and his atrocious performance last season.

[SenorGato]

You are all over the place. Both WR's ? For their careers ? I was talking only about Holmes and his atrocious performance last season.

Yes, both for their careers. Strange to see a WR's performance tank as a QBs performance tanks. It's as if there's some kind of relationship....

[JetsFanInDenver]

Yes, both for their careers. Strange to see a WR's performance tank as a QBs performance tanks. It's as if there's some kind of relationship....

Why are you so all over the place. Is it by nature or by design.

Once again, I was talking only about Holmes and his atrocious performance last season. And I have not heard anything concrete from you saying otherwise.

[Smashmouth]

Holmes average almost 18 YPC early in his career, and he's not exactly an old guy.

Sooooo.....more hogwash and bs.

Oh cut the crap already the guy had one very good year out of the 6 he played . Other than that one year he did nothing special with the Steelers in 4 years there.

He needs a number one WR next to him and then I think you will see him elevate his game. Braylon was not a number one WR either but they complemented each other well. Holmes is a number 2 WR who can not deal with the constant double teams he delt with last year. If you want to be a number 1 guy in this league you can't give up because your not getting the ball at certain times during the game you suck it up and keep pushing thats what the great ones do and Santonio has not seemed to learn that yet im not sure he ever will.

[THE ILK]

But will JiF still be able to beat him at basketball?

[SenorGato]

Why are you so all over the place. Is it by nature or by design.

Once again, I was talking only about Holmes and his atrocious performance last season. And I have not heard anything concrete from you saying otherwise.

Maybe you missed it:

STRANGE HOW THE WR PRODUCTION FELL OFF WHEN THE QB FELL TO CRAP. IT'S AS IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF RELATIONSHIP BTW THE POSITIONS.

[Bleedin Green]

This part was epic. F that guy, doing his job and winning games and sh*t. lol

Holmes was pretty damn good in '10. Sanchez loved him. I remember reading an article for FF about him being targeted more than some of the top notch receivers during a 8 week stretch. He was good and showed exactly why we traded for him. Dont see why that cant happen again if Sanchez gets his head out of his a$$.

No point in going back and forth on the game by game details of this, but you know as well as anyone that even when I was in support of bringing back Holmes last offseason, I said then that I thought he was vastly overrated, and thought he was way overpaid when they gave him that contract. It's just that when you combine it with what we saw last year that it becomes a whole other issue. I certainly think he has the ability to be a lot better than he was last year, but my point is he also needs to be better than he was in 2010, which we both know is exactly what the Jets were expecting to get when they signed him to a new contract.