joewilly12 Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 The Jets’ blame game shouldn’t start or end with Idzik By Brian Costello Woody Johnson, John Idzik and Rex Ryan at the press conference announcing Idzik as the Jets' new GM. Photo: Jeff Zelevansky MORE FROM Brian Costello When I saw Jets general manager John Idzik in the press box on Sunday, I wanted to check his back for a string. After all, he is the newest piñata in town. Idzik seems to be getting the blame for everything that is wrong with the Jets. I fully expect to hear next that he drove Geno Smith to the movies on Saturday afternoon. Though Idzik deserves criticism for not addressing the cornerback position well this offseason, this 1-4 mess is not all on him. There is plenty of blame to go around for what is transpiring — and guys who have been around longer than Idzik and Smith should be the first ones we look at. Let’s start at the top. Owner Woody Johnson interrupted his Aspen skiing vacation on Dec. 31, 2012, to fly back to New Jersey and fire general manager Mike Tannenbaum. That day he also met with coach Rex Ryan in Ryan’s office. The two men sat at a round conference table in the middle of the room and Johnson informed Ryan that he was keeping him as the head coach. Three weeks later, Idzik was hired and one of the most uncomfortable arranged marriages was made. The Jets offices are divided by floor. The bottom floor of the Florham Park headquarters is where the coaches’ offices are — along with the locker room, trainers’ room and meeting rooms. The second floor is where the executives are, along with marketing, business, media relations and other departments not directly related to football. Since Johnson’s decision to keep Ryan and hire Idzik, it has felt like those two floors were operating under different missions. Upstairs, Idzik and Co. set out to change the culture of the Jets. They made it clear there would be no quick fixes. Idzik’s plan is to build through the draft, add low-priced free agents to fill some holes and one or two top free agents a year. The plan is one many good teams follow. The key to the execution is being able to identify talent. The early returns for Idzik have not been great, but it only has been 20 months since he took the job. He deserves more time before we declare him an incompetent judge of talent. Downstairs, the coaches have been worried about their jobs for two years now. Ryan received an extension after last season, but it only contained guaranteed money through 2015, meaning he could be fired after this year with little financial repercussions. Johnson put his team in this sort of limbo with the decision to fire Tannenbaum and keep Ryan. He should have fired both and started over at the end of the 2012 season or kept both for one more year to see if they could right the ship. A compelling argument could be made for either. Instead, now you have Ryan in his sixth season fighting for his coaching life while Johnson and Idzik are preaching patience as they slowly build a roster. Fans (and probably Ryan) see $24 million in cap space and scream about the holes on the 2014 roster. Idzik sees the $24 million and knows he will have that next year to give Muhammad Wilkerson an extension, possibly bring back Jeremy Kerley and David Harris on mid-level deals and then spend on one or two top-tier free agents. If Idzik had a second-year coach working for him, it would be an easier plan to accept. That brings us to Ryan. Everyone seems to want to excuse Ryan because of a lack of talent. But this defense has eight first-round picks on it. The defensive line may be the best in football. And it is easy to prematurely rip apart Idzik’s drafts, but the foundation of this team should have arrived before 2013. Under Tannenbaum, Ryan had plenty of say over personnel and he made his share of mistakes evaluating talent. Don’t forget the Jets selected a cornerback in the first round in 2010, but Kyle Wilson is unreliable, which helped create the void at the position. There are no players on this team from the 2008 or 2009 drafts. Wilson is the only one left from 2010 (John Conner just returned last week, but was gone for two years). Ryan’s teams seem to have the same problems every year. He has not developed a quarterback, or really any offensive players. The offense has not had an identity since 2010, vacillating between Ground and Pound and relying on the pass. The defense disappears when it matters most. They commit stupid penalties. All of this falls on Ryan. So, take your swings at the Idzik piñata this week. It’s all the rage. But save a couple of swipes for Johnson and Ryan, too. That didn’t go well I surrender. I give up. You win, Giants fans. I stupidly wrote the Jets had regained control of the town after the Giants looked terrible against the Lions in Week 1 and the Jets showed promise against the Raiders. The headline was: “Why the Jets are clearly the best team in New York.” Clearly, I was wrong. Giants fans have reminded me of that column over the past 10 days by filling up my inbox and my Twitter mentions. WFAN host Joe Benigno seems to feel I have more to do with the Jets’ four-game losing streak than Geno Smith does. When I look back on it, I made two terrible miscalculations. Smith looked like an improved quarterback through training camp and even in that Raiders game when he completed 82 percent of his passes. Since then, it has been a weekly regression. On the flip side, Eli Manning had a terrible preseason and looked lost against the Lions. Since then, it has been a weekly progression. The other mistake I made was believing Tom Coughlin would not be able to turn the Giants around. Coughlin did a masterful job of steering the Giants through crisis mode … again. On the other side of town, Rex Ryan has not figured out a way to quiet the storm around the Jets … again. So, I’m out of the comparison business. I’ll go back to covering the Jets and let Paul Schwartz handle the Giants. Now, with Matt Harvey back I really think the Mets could take over the town next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewilly12 Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 The failures in the draft are killing this team. There are no players on this team from the 2008 or 2009 drafts. Wilson is the only one left from 2010 (John Conner just returned last week, but was gone for two years). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kay_gee Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Brian Costello misses you, Mark Sanchez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#27TheDominator Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 The failures in the draft are killing this team. There are no players on this team from the 2008 or 2009 drafts. Wilson is the only one left from 2010 (John Conner just returned last week, but was gone for two years). Well.. they did get the Josh Bush pick for the pick they got for Lowery (Colts took Tim Fugger!) and Drew Stanton! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoicsentry Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Sure it should. With 1 or 2 more low-priced pieces (Jones or Cromartie or Flowers, etc.) this team is at least 2-3, which is just fine given the schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmaster2 Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 This guy should get all the blame ,he is picking the players , the Jets have the same problems for the last 3 or 4 years , the WR suck , the OL can not block and the secondary can not cover anyone ,there always next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiFtheOracle Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 The Jets had talent and Rex could win. Now they don't and he can't. Weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Mart Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 This guy should get all the blame ,he is picking the players , the Jets have the same problems for the last 3 or 4 years , the WR suck , the OL can not block and the secondary can not cover anyone ,there always next year What guy? Idzik? He wasn't here the past 3-4 yrs. However, Rex has been. Hmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T0mShane Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Eight first rounders on defense, you say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Mart Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Eight first rounders on defense, you say? LOL. And people wonder why the Jets don't have the weapons on Offense. And the D is still overrated and can't create turnovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmaster2 Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 What guy? Idzik? He wasn't here the past 3-4 yrs. However, Rex has been. Hmmm.What has Idzik done to improve the team? The Jets are under the cap big deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 The Jets had talent and Rex could win. No they don't and he can't. Weird. It is the coaches job to impress upon the GM what kind of guys he wants. Rex quite obviously had huge influence over talent acquisition with Tanny, and it doesn't appear to be much different now. Rex has good moments as a coach, particularly on defense, but he by no means even checks in as average at just about any other job requirement for a head football coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Eight first rounders on defense, you say? Laughable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxgreen Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Jets fans don't know who to blame after 40 years? You're kidding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbatesman Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Under Tannenbaum, Ryan had plenty of say over personnel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiFtheOracle Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 It is the coaches job to impress upon the GM what kind of guys he wants. Rex quite obviously had huge influence over talent acquisition with Tanny, and it doesn't appear to be much different now. Rex has good moments as a coach, particularly on defense, but he by no means even checks in as average at just about any other job requirement for a head football coach. Word. He was good when he had talent. Now his roster sucks and so does he. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T0mShane Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Legit wheezing laughter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Mart Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 What has Idzik done to improve the team? The Jets are under the cap big deal He's used 3 first round picks on D players. Coincidence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bitonti Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Brian Costello Idzik sees the $24 million and knows he will have that next year to give Muhammad Wilkerson an extension, possibly bring back Jeremy Kerley and David Harris on mid-level deals He has not developed a quarterback, or really any offensive players. Love to hear about the great players the Jets will extend. Mo, sure. David Harris hell no. but Jeremy Kerley is always mentioned. He's good enough to extend but Rex has never developed offensive players. Kerley was a 2011 draft pick, a 5th rounder that actually made the roster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt39 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Love to hear about the great players the Jets will extend. Mo, sure. David Harris hell no. but Jeremy Kerley is always mentioned. He's good enough to extend but Rex has never developed offensive players. Kerley was a 2011 draft pick, a 5th rounder that actually made the roster. He's a slot receiver who gets open against bad secondaries and zone coverage. Poor PR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bitonti Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 He's a slot receiver who gets open against bad secondaries and zone coverage. Poor PR. He's better than Jalen Saunders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt39 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 He's better than Jalen Saunders. yes..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Word. He was good when he had talent. Now his roster sucks and so does he. Logically people would explain it this way—the way I've talked about it for 6 years. He has sucked all along, but when the roster had more talent on it it hid his deficiencies. It is sad to think that what he inherited from Mangini represents the talent peak for this team in the past decade, but it goes to show you that there is more to being a head coach than just being a motivator. Rex's achilles, amongst other issues, has been his complete disconnect from legitimate talent evaluation and understand how he needs to inform the GM towards building the team the way he wants. It bums me out that he didn't grow at all in the role as HC, he actually got worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiFtheOracle Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Logically people would explain it this way—the way I've talked about it for 6 years. He has sucked all along, but when the roster had more talent on it it hid his deficiencies. It is sad to think that what he inherited from Mangini represents the talent peak for this team in the past decade, but it goes to show you that there is more to being a head coach than just being a motivator. Rex's achilles, amongst other issues, has been his complete disconnect from legitimate talent evaluation and understand how he needs to inform the GM towards building the team the way he wants. It bums me out that he didn't grow at all in the role as HC, he actually got worse. Team got worse. Last year was actually his best performance considering the talent on this team is the worst in the league. Tough to do it twice. He inherited absolute dog sh*t from Mangini and had to revamp the team to make them a good team. Shame. Give him the horses and he's good. Just like every other coach in the history of sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T0mShane Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Team got worse. Last year was actually his best performance considering the talent on this team is the worst in the league. Tough to do it twice. He inherited absolute dog sh*t from Mangini and had to revamp the team to make them a good team. Shame. Give him the horses and he's good. Just like every other coach in the history of sports. Full troll status here^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgb Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Eight first rounders on defense, you say? defensive genius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaJetsFan Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 So you're saying Rex is to blame for Vick being the backup quarterback and being completely unprepared? Uhh, okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Team got worse. Last year was actually his best performance considering the talent on this team is the worst in the league. Tough to do it twice. He inherited absolute dog sh*t from Mangini and had to revamp the team to make them a good team. Shame. Give him the horses and he's good. Just like every other coach in the history of sports. He inherited a slew of veteran leadership from Mangini. There is absolutely no coincidence between the veterans leaving and the team tanking under Rex. The veteran players, as they do for most bad teams, held sh*t together where the coach could not. And this "revamp" thing you are talking about is where the team went from Mangini's veterans who made the playoffs and knew how to win in the post-season, to the clown show that has quit on Rex 3 of the last 4 years. No talent on the team is the excuse you use, but the guys on the roster are Rex's guys. Part of his job is identifying the horses he needs, and knowing what to do with them. He failed at that. Your logic around this is literally the most juvenile perspective I've seen across multiple Jet sites on the subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 So you're saying Rex is to blame for Vick being the backup quarterback and being completely unprepared? Uhh, okay. They are both to blame. Vick for not preparing. Rex for not making sure he prepared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgb Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 They are both to blame. Vick for not preparing. Rex for not making sure he prepared. there ya go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsFanInDenver Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 They are both to blame. Vick for not preparing. Rex for not making sure he prepared. No blame for MM. To me MM has sheet the bed more than any other coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Dierking Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Rex inherited some smart and experienced players. Has has now made all the players DUMB. They are a true reflection of their leader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiFtheOracle Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 He inherited a slew of veteran leadership from Mangini. There is absolutely no coincidence between the veterans leaving and the team tanking under Rex. The veteran players, as they do for most bad teams, held sh*t together where the coach could not. And this "revamp" thing you are talking about is where the team went from Mangini's veterans who made the playoffs and knew how to win in the post-season, to the clown show that has quit on Rex 3 of the last 4 years. No talent on the team is the excuse you use, but the guys on the roster are Rex's guys. Part of his job is identifying the horses he needs, and knowing what to do with them. He failed at that. Your logic around this is literally the most juvenile perspective I've seen across multiple Jet sites on the subject. Those vets retired. Lol Good take though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Lonelyhearts Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 The biggest mistake the Jets have made in recent memory was after 2007 when Woody took the reins out of Mangini's hands and gave them to Tannenbaum. Now everybody wants to do it again. Idzik has already demonstrated that he's not going to lose his sh*t when things go good and that he's not going to lose his sh*t when things go bad. Everybody wants to talk about how he's drafted bad, who cares. We missed on a crapload of picks in 2006 and 2007 too, and that's not why we're in the position we're in now. An organizational commitment to insane overreaction to short-term variance is. Halfway through the second season in Seattle, the Seahawks were 9-15 with no quarterback and Carroll looked like a buffoon. If that's the Jets, we never get to the part where you draft Russell Wilson and win the super bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsFanInDenver Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Idzik asked us to be patient. After this last draft we have to be patient by one more year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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