Don Banks nails it: Woody is the devil

[T0mShane]

The Fall Guy

Rex Ryan has taken his lumps as Jets coach and deserved some of them. But ultimately it’s the man in the owner’s box who’s to blame for the shape the Jets are in

By Don Banks

It has never been a better week to play the blame game and make Rex Ryan the loser every time, but jumping on the Jets’ fifth-year head coach alone is viewing the chaotic events of last Saturday night’s New York Bowl in total isolation. Ryan may be the biggest, easiest target here—although clearly not as big as he once was, in the literal sense—but he’s not the only one deserving to draw a blanket of unrelenting fire.

Mark Sanchez’s fourth-quarter shoulder injury should have never happened. Period. But I could say that about any number of curious and stupefying decisions that have been made in the Jets organization the past few years, and many of them can’t be traced to Ryan. And even the ones that can still pale compared to the blunders made above his pay grade.

So go ahead and pin the tail of fault on this donkey, but don’t forget to save some blame for that shadowy figure standing way in the back, out of the spotlight. The one who answers to “Woody.”

Ryan is the guy taking all the punches this week, while, somehow, the one who set up this whole doomed boxing match—Jets owner Woody Johnson—is watching unnoticed and unassailed from ring side. If we step back from the firestorm of the moment for just a bit, we can see the question of which struggling Jets quarterback (Sanchez or rookie Geno Smith) gets to preside over the dreadful season of football to come in New York isn’t really the most important story here.

Meanwhile, the offense is a mess, and, in worse news, the defense isn't good enough to bail it out anymore. It's going to be a long year, Andy Benoit writes as he previews the 2013 Jets.

The big-picture issue that matters most is Johnson’s lousy leadership of a franchise that continues to make bad decisions with predictably bad results. The Jets are becoming adept at assembling all the ingredients for disaster, playing around with them, and then watching with chagrin as they blow up in their face (see Tebow, Tim). And by now, we’re inclined to look New York’s way at all times, because the explosions keep coming at such a steady pace.

Johnson keeps pushing back against the “circus”’ label that has been attached to his team, calling it patently unfair. And he’s partly right. But his argument would get much stronger if the Jets could keep the jugglers and the clowns away for a full season. And alas, 2013 is not shaping up to be that year of legitimacy.

For starters, it was kind of easy to foresee that the shotgun marriage of new general manager John Idzik and an embattled holdover head coach in Ryan was a bad idea with little or no chance of success. But Johnson likes Ryan and decreed it be that way, despite few recent historical examples where such an arrangement worked long-term in the NFL.

It didn’t work twice for the Bears: The Jerry Angelo-Dick Jauron tandem was short-lived, as was the Phil Emery-Lovie Smith combination. It didn’t work in Cleveland when Mike Holmgren chose to keep Eric Mangini for another worthless season. And ultimately it didn’t work in San Diego, where A.J. Smith inherited Marty Schottenheimer, then proceeded to battle with him for three years while the team was compiling AFC West titles but no real playoff success.

Forcing a new general manager to keep a head coach usually results in a power struggle and a coaching change, and it’s the rare situation where success ensues. The Giants in 2007 were able to transition seamlessly from Ernie Accorsi to Jerry Reese at general manager while Tom Coughlin remained the coach, but it helped considerably that Reese was elevated into the job from within the organization, and wasn’t coming from the outside with his own set of experiences and power base.

So Idzik and Ryan set off to do business together, and what has Ryan gotten out of the deal so far? With Idzik determined to clean up the team’s salary cap mess—which Johnson allowed to develop under the tenure of former GM Mike Tannenbaum—the Jets took Ryan’s oft-avowed best player, cornerback Darrelle Revis, and shipped him off in trade to Tampa Bay. Then Idzik and the front office lined up behind the drafting of second-round quarterback Geno Smith, a pick that clearly complicated the Jets quarterback situation and was rife for creating more melodrama for Ryan.

So while the Jets rot away this year in the AFC East, cleaning up their cap situation and making a serious run at the Jadeveon Clowney draft slot in 2014, Ryan is the guy who will be left twisting in the wind. He’ll be sent out there on a weekly basis to take the heat, and then, when the debacle is finished, he’ll undoubtedly take the fall.

Ryan is far from blameless in this mess, and he’s made his share of mistakes, with self-created problems aplenty. But he’s also a good coach with a pretty decent track record as a head coach (making the playoffs half the time will get you a job in this league), and he shouldn’t even be in this no-win situation. Whether he admits it or not, Johnson has set Ryan up to fail this season, and I’m convinced he and his Jets are going to get it done.

Given the inevitability of it all, I can understand why Ryan lost it a little bit in his post-game news conference Saturday night. He can see where this thing is heading, and the Sanchez injury that he allowed to happen is just another brick in the wall that will eventually cave in on him. What do you want to bet that Johnson, the architect of the Jets collapse, gets away relatively unscathed?

They say in the NFL that head coaches and quarterbacks get too much of the credit when they win and too much of the blame when they lose, and that’s usually the case. But in New York this year, that handy rule of thumb really shouldn’t apply. When the Jets go down in flames this season, most of the fault should belong to the guy at the top. The Jets are Woody Johnson’s team, and this is definitely a disaster of his making.

[T0mShane]

http://mmqb.si.com/2013/08/28/rex-ryan-woody-johnson-new-york-jets/

[Larz]

poppycock

 

more assumptions with no quotes or sources

 

he kept rex to see if he could pull it off

 

he kept sanchez because he's cheaper to play than cut, and could actually be a good back up QB.  there is value to that

 

he's dork, and should keep his mouth shut

 

but he pays the bills and hired idzik to be the grown up who rights the ship and ends the circus

 

he doesn't have a good QB

 

thats true of 22 owners

[Lizard King]

Glad Woody is being called out. Tx for posting

[JoeKlecko]

poppycock

 

more assumptions with no quotes or sources

 

he kept rex to see if he could pull it off

 

he kept sanchez because he's cheaper to play than cut, and could actually be a good back up QB.  there is value to that

 

he's dork, and should keep his mouth shut

 

but he pays the bills and hired idzik to be the grown up who rights the ship and ends the circus

 

he doesn't have a good QB

 

thats true of 22 owners

 

I disagree.  With the exception of his comments about trading away Revis, I think he's spot on.  The owner sets the tone for the organization.  He's the one that hired Tanny and allowed him to make a royal mess.  There was a rumor that Woody kept Schotty for so long because he didn't want to keep paying him once he was no longer with the team.  Woody was the one who decided to keep Rex this year because he reminded him of his father.

 

Woody deserves to get bent over and reamed royally.  Maybe he'll either wake up and learn or get so embarassed he'll sell the team.  Either would be a win for us.

[ZachEY]

Unless someone is going to step up with a billion dollars, not much will change on that front.

[RSJ]

Thanks for posting. Banks totally nailed it.

 

If Idzik gets a pass for not bringing any talent in here because of the cap (which is a lame excuse btw), then Ryan should get a pass too. He is not blameless - but he is a good coach and his guys play hard for him. As ugly as it looked most of the time his team did not quit on him last season. 

 

Rex has a better resume then Idzik does and Woody is just a moron, which most of us have known since he bought the team. He has just been reinforcing the point in different ways since then.

[RSJ]

poppycock

 

more assumptions with no quotes or sources

 

he kept rex to see if he could pull it off

 

he kept sanchez because he's cheaper to play than cut, and could actually be a good back up QB.  there is value to that

 

he's dork, and should keep his mouth shut

 

but he pays the bills and hired idzik to be the grown up who rights the ship and ends the circus

 

he doesn't have a good QB

 

thats true of 22 owners

 

So Idzik got Rex no talent and Rex is supposed to win with it? Is that the way it works? A small part of me wants Rex to leave this year so he could take over another team. Jets fans won't like those results. 

[T0mShane]

Rex sucks. His teams quit two years running. They barely showed up last year and were blown out by double digits eight times. Sucks.

[RSJ]

Rex sucks. His teams quit two years running. They barely showed up last year and were blown out by double digits eight times. Sucks.

 

His defenses were ranked pretty high, and he had a ton of criminals on his team. Mostly his fault for wanting those guys, I agree. So, even if we agree on that point (and we dont), what makes you think John Idzik is going to do any better? Did we wind up with this dollar store GM because a good one would never work in this situation? Based on Idzik's resume I have to think so.

[T0mShane]

His defenses were ranked pretty high, and he had a ton of criminals on his team. Mostly his fault for wanting those guys, I agree. So, even if we agree on that point (and we dont), what makes you think John Idzik is going to do any better? Did we wind up with this dollar store GM because a good one would never work in this situation? Based on Idzik's resume I have to think so.

You're driving past a demolition job and wondering why there's no fresh paint on the building. This is what Idzik has done: he's set himself up to move forward with a core of Milliner, Richardson, Geno, Winters, Bohanon, Brick, Mangold, Ferguson, Wilkerson, Ivory, Goodson, and Coples, with literally everybody else being expendable. Every mistake on the team is gone next year.

[RSJ]

You're driving past a demolition job and wondering why there's no fresh paint on the building. This is what Idzik has done: he's set himself up to move forward with a core of Milliner, Richardson, Geno, Winters, Bohanon, Brick, Mangold, Ferguson, Wilkerson, Ivory, Goodson, and Coples, with literally everybody else being expendable. Every mistake on the team is gone next year.

 

Will half of those guys be any good? Lots of question marks in that list.

[JoeKlecko]

So Idzik got Rex no talent and Rex is supposed to win with it? Is that the way it works? A small part of me wants Rex to leave this year so he could take over another team. Jets fans won't like those results. 

 

I'm not worried about the results if (not when) Rex gets another HC gig.  I don't think he's capable of learning, growing and changing.  He is what he is. He's a very good DC who is clueless about offense and is too darned lazy to make the effort to learn.  It's amazing in a very real way.  How can you be so good at stopping opposing offenses and understand so little about them and how they work?  From handling the media to his QB to the locker room Rex is clueless and I don't expect that will ever change.  

[CM28]

Will half of those guys be any good? Lots of question marks in that list.

While I agree with you that there are some question marks in that list, that group include the backbone and ones we are still hopeful about (I might add Kerley).

 

This is the first year of the rebuild and it will be ugly for sure, but there is only so much a new GM can do in one offseason. Next years will be critical with a possible/probable HC change, a lot more money for smart free agency spending etc and his own draft. That is when I will start to rate our new GM. 

[Lizard King]

You're driving past a demolition job and wondering why there's no fresh paint on the building. This is what Idzik has done: he's set himself up to move forward with a core of Milliner, Richardson, Geno, Winters, Bohanon, Brick, Mangold, Ferguson, Wilkerson, Ivory, Goodson, and Coples, with literally everybody else being expendable. Every mistake on the team is gone next year.

If true which I think is possible, we won't even have a shot until 2015 earliest, and I think it is more like 2016. Also, no Harris on this list?

[CTM]

not sure Woody is mostly to blame but good observation on Rex vs Idzik and the looming disastrous season.. it's funny watching it play out on these boards as the Rex fanboys endlessly debate the Idzik fanboys about whose more to blame for a season that hasn't even started yet

[sirlancemehlot]

So Idzik got Rex no talent and Rex is supposed to win with it? Is that the way it works? A small part of me wants Rex to leave this year so he could take over another team. Jets fans won't like those results. 

Idzik?  Dude has nothing to do with the state of the team as it stands.  The Jets haven't played a single regular season game with Idzik on the payroll.  They sucked the last two seasons while Idzik was two time zones away working for an NFC team in the Pacific Northwest.  He didn't screw Rex with a lack of talent, that was Tannenbaum.  Pissing away tons of draft picks on questionable trades and trade-ups, overpaying players to kill the cap, bringing in big names instead of solid depth, signing players to make the back page (Tebow?  Really?).  Idzik and Rex inherited his mess borne horrendous decision after horrendous decision.  I think you're hating on the wrong GM to be honest.

[jack48]

I'm not worried about the results if (not when) Rex gets another HC gig.  I don't think he's capable of learning, growing and changing.  He is what he is. He's a very good DC who is clueless about offense and is too darned lazy to make the effort to learn.  It's amazing in a very real way.  How can you be so good at stopping opposing offenses and understand so little about them and how they work?  From handling the media to his QB to the locker room Rex is clueless and I don't expect that will ever change.  

 

Rex is great with the defensive X's and O's, but I have come to believe that it is either embedded in his DNA or the result of osmosis.  I see no reasoning ability in this guy, and no executive skills that are clearly required for running a 53 man business.  No media skills beyond bluster, no sense of propriety in his statements.  Keeping him was an egregious mistake.  It forced Idzik to cross off a year.  Oh he got the cap down, but what about talent?  If he wants another guy, getting Rex the kind of talent he needs this year could just set his vision for the team back when they new guy comes in.  As I have said many times, Woody is a tool.

  

[Kleckineau]

 

 

Decent record as a head coach with his inherited roster. Poor record with the roster he helped construct.

Big mouth loser.

[FloridaJetsFan]

I listened to Curtis Martin in an interview yesterday, and he was asked if Rex had lost the locker room. Curtis replied with something to the effect that there's no way Woody would keep Rex around if he thought that were true and basically praised him as an owner. I'll put my stock into what Curtis says rather than a writer who gets paid for making sh*t up.

[bitonti]

i might be the only football fan left who believes this team can win games, this year. The offense looks way better, no matter who is in charge. Fun fact the Jets are 5th in PPG this preseason. Everyone is basing their 2013 predictions on the 2012 season, history has proven this isn't how it works.

[peebag]

i might be the only football fan left who believes this team can win games, this year. The offense looks way better, no matter who is in charge. Fun fact the Jets are 5th in PPG this preseason. Everyone is basing their 2013 predictions on the 2012 season, history has proven this isn't how it works.

 

but when you're on the bottom there's no place left to go but up

[Bleedin Green]

but when you're on the bottom there's no place left to go but up

 

Yeah, that seems to be the Jets' recipe for (relative) success.  It's always better for the Jets when everyone thinks they'll suck.  Now don't get me wrong, there's plenty of instances in the past of people thinking the Jets will suck and then they do in fact turn out to suck, but yet they still seem to have a much higher rate of success when people expect nothing of them than when people think they'll actually be good.  Anything positive being said about the Jets is a guaranteed recipe for disaster.

 

I think nothing better exemplifies that all, in recent history, than the Jets 2008 season, which even when they were winning games early on, nobody had any faith in them, until they completely stomped on the 10-0 Titans and that's when they immediately transformed into the darlings of the NFL and the Super Bowl talk began, even in the mainstream media.  At that exact moment, the entire season completely imploded and I remember it all too clearly being at that horribly miserable Broncos game the following week.

[JoeKlecko]

i might be the only football fan left who believes this team can win games, this year. The offense looks way better, no matter who is in charge. Fun fact the Jets are 5th in PPG this preseason. Everyone is basing their 2013 predictions on the 2012 season, history has proven this isn't how it works.

 

Nope, Mad Max and a few others agree with yout.

[T0mShane]

Fun fact the Jets are 5th in PPG this preseason.

Rex Grossman leads the league in passing right now.

[Bleedin Green]

Rex Grossman leads the league in passing right now.

 

The Jets should trade Sanchez, Geno, McElroy and next year's first rounder for Grossman.  Then he'll be ready and waiting to go at a moments notice as the backup to Simms.

 

Championship.

[Jacked4JetsFB]

Motives matter. Whether its developing or leading a company, a product, a sports franchise, motives matter. Woody has made it painfully clear that his motives are:

 

1) Making money

2) Getting attention

3) and a distant 3 at that, winning

 

If Woodys motives were:

 

Winning first and foremost, he would probably make more money, and get more attention.

 

In every aspect of life, motives matter.

[Bugg]

i might be the only football fan left who believes this team can win games, this year. The offense looks way better, no matter who is in charge. Fun fact the Jets are 5th in PPG this preseason. Everyone is basing their 2013 predictions on the 2012 season, history has proven this isn't how it works.

The 2012 Jets were 28th in scoring offense, 30th in passing yards. That simply is FAIL. And as long as Pick 6 is the QB that is not getting better in 2013.

[bitonti]

The 2012 Jets were 28th in scoring offense, 30th in passing yards. That simply is FAIL. And as long as Pick 6 is the QB that is not getting better in 2013.

 

Ill bet Jets are better than both of those stats this year. 50 bucks? 

 

The offense is well organized and takes shots. regardless of the QB it will score more points than last year, guaranteed.

[Larz]

I listened to Curtis Martin in an interview yesterday, and he was asked if Rex had lost the locker room. Curtis replied with something to the effect that there's no way Woody would keep Rex around if he thought that were true and basically praised him as an owner. I'll put my stock into what Curtis says rather than a writer who gets paid for making sh*t up.

 

 

yup

 

there has never been any evidence woody has basically said to anyone. "I'm in charge here, don't win, don't get good players, just get me headlines"

 

that media narrative has always been based on assumptions

 

most "good" owners stepped in sh*t and drafted a franchise QB in the 3rd or 6th round or went 1-15 the year before manning comes out

 

most "bad" owners haven't found one yet

[faba]

Woody has his faults but you can not accuse him of holding back and being cheap-

[Larz]

Motives matter. Whether its developing or leading a company, a product, a sports franchise, motives matter. Woody has made it painfully clear that his motives are:

 

1) Making money

2) Getting attention

3) and a distant 3 at that, winning

 

If Woodys motives were:

 

Winning first and foremost, he would probably make more money, and get more attention.

 

In every aspect of life, motives matter.

 

 

ok manish.  back that up with facts, quotes and sources.  

[Bugg]

Ill bet Jets are better than both of those stats this year. 50 bucks? 

 

The offense is well organized and takes shots. regardless of the QB it will score more points than last year, guaranteed.

Will grant you Morninghweg has to be better. The issue is whoi is under center. 

[budda12ax7]

Rex and Woody....bad combination.....both just suck. Woody, clueless. Rex, not a good role model, or a ball buster. The team needs an old school coach to come in and bust some balls.

[Jacked4JetsFB]

ok manish.  back that up with facts, quotes and sources.  

manish?? not sure what that means, but OK:

 

Hard Knocks

Tim Tebow

Forcing Rex on new GM because he is under contract

"We are in the entertainment business"

"You can never get enough Tebow"

 

And there are many, many more examples.