Quarterbacks top List of Players to Watch as Jets Face Redskins

[JetNation]

By Glenn Naughton

 

With the Jets getting set to kick off their second pre-season contest, a road game against the Washington Redskins, we take a look at a few players worth watching early on, and when the starters have exited and battles for roster spots are playing out on the field.  Generally these can be broken down to individual performers, but with it being the pre-season, there are plenty of battles at specific position groups, so we’ll start with a couple of those.

Quarterbacks Bryce Petty, Geno Smith and Christian Hackenberg-  Head Coach Todd Bowles said early in camp that the number two QB job was “up in the air” but has since backed off of those comments, suggesting otherwise.  However, the Jets are clearly in full evaluation mode of Petty as he got the lions share of snaps as the number two this week.

Even if it’s not their intention to have Smith and Petty battle it out for the number two job, should Petty out-perform Smith, is it something they’d be willing to turn a blind eye to?

For Smith, this could be a chance for him to clear his head without having to hear boo’s raining down on him before even taking a single snap.  He’s boycotted the media since facing off against Jacksonville on Thursday after ducking post-game interviews, chalking it up to being “focused”.  Just how much that focus pays off will be determined tonight against Washington.

It should be interesting to see if Gang Green trots Petty out with the 2’s or the 3’s and 4’s as the did last week, or if he’ll be flipped with Smith.

Could any other fan base possibly be looking more forward to the pre-season debut of their 4^th string QB than Jets fans?  Highly unlikely, but it’s not without good reason.

While plenty of attention will be paid to Petty and Smith, hopes will likely be highest for Hackenberg as the team gets its first look at this year’s second-round draft choice, who they’re hoping is the answer to their decades-long search for a franchise QB.  Hackenberg has seen increased reps in recent days and made some very good throws at practice on Wednesday.

Don’t be surprised to see Christian Hackenberg trying to find Robby Anderson should he make is pro debut tonight.

The Young Wideouts-  Jalin Marshall, Charone Peake, and Robby Anderson headline a group of playmaking rookie receivers who are generating plenty of buzz at Jets camp.

Marshall for the fact that he finds ways to get open on a consistent basis, while Peake and Anderson continue to utilize their height (6’ 2’’ and 6’ 3’’ respectively) and sub 4.4 speed to stand out.

Peake was the best of the group in the team’s pre-season win against the Jaguars as he led the team with 4 catches, one of which showed great awareness and body control as he kept his feet in bounds while falling to the ground and hauling in a touchdown pass.

Anderson didn’t show much in terms of numbers, but he narrowly missed making an impressive touchdown grab from Petty on the corner of the end zone.  This week in practice, Anderson also made a eye-popping, one-handed grab on a pass from Petty that appeared to be good for a big gain before being called out of bounds by an official.

With more reps in practice this week, Hackenberg seemed to have solid chemistry with Anderson and threw his way several times.  Should he get the opportunity, look for Hackenberg to try to find Anderson a time or two.

OT Ryan Clady- One of the off-season’s most important acquisitions as D’Brickashaw Ferguson’s replacement at left tackle, Clady is still trying to get the rust off after missing all of last season.  He was beaten by rookie defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue on a sack of Ryan Fitzpatrick which should be taken with a grain of salt at this point, but fans should be watching to see if it becomes a regular thing for the former Pro-Bowler.

S Dion Bailey- Bailey was up and down at Jets practice this week after saying he felt he wasn’t being given a chance at one point.  Head coach Todd Bowles was asked about Bailey’s comments but didn’t seem too concerned.  The following day, Bailey had a pair of passes defended to go along with an interception of Bryce Petty to close the session out.  Bailey, it appears, is doing all he can to prove he belongs on one of the most talented defensive backfield’s in the NFL.

OG Craig Watts-  A former San Diego Charger, Watts held his own last week against the Jaguars back-ups while Brian Winters was pushed around a little bit in the passing game early on.  Given Winters’ experience and knowledge of the system, he may be difficult to unseat, but Watts is a mauler in the run game who may push Winters.  Watts may also get a look at right tackle at some point if Brent Qvale or Ben Ijalana don’t step up and seize the opportunity in front of them with starter Breno Giacomini on the shelf.

Inside Linebackers Erin Henderson, Bruce Carter and Darron Lee-  Henderson, the projected opening day starter, had a rough day at the office against Jacksonville.  A pair of missed tackles and being run over by Chris Ivory got him plenty of attention from onlookers for all the wrong reasons.

As the team’s first-round draft choice, some fans may be tempted to ask for more of Darron Lee, but head coach Todd Bowles is more likely to use him as a chess piece in a variety of roles, for the time being, anyway.

Then there’s Carter who has appeared in 63 career games (35 starts), picking up close to 300 tackles to go along with 5 sacks and 5 interceptions.

Even with Henderson likely to retain the starting job, depth at linebacker appears to be the best it’s been in years.  That alone is reason to keep an eye on what the Jets have behind the starters in the middle.

TE/H-Back Jace Amaro- Amaro might be a tight end or H-back on paper, but his off-season weight loss combined with the team lining him up in the slot and on the outside against Jacksonville suggests they may have other plans for the third-year pro.  If not for a pair of errant passes from Geno Smith and Bryce Petty last week, Amaro could have had a nice game for himself as he managed to get plenty of separation from linebackers and defensive backs, but nobody was able to hit the 6’ 5’’ pass catcher.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 tonight between the Jets and ‘Skins.  Be sure to log in to our forums to talk about all the action.

 

 

 

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[Big Blocker]

I don't see how Naughton could write that without listing #2 cb.  Not counting RT with Breno out, isn't #2 cb the only starting position that is up for grabs right now?

[Warfish]

-----EXCITED-----

[AFJF]

4 minutes ago, Big Blocker said:

I don't see how Naughton could write that without listing #2 cb.  Not counting RT with Breno out, isn't #2 cb the only starting position that is up for grabs right now?

Skrine is the no. 2

[AFJF]

Good point though...should've included the other CBs.

[Big Blocker]

12 minutes ago, AFJF said:

Skrine is the no. 2

Skrine to me is obviously #2 by default.  He's better as the nickel.  And whenever they play nickel, expect to see him there.  So maybe technically I should have acknowledged that they do have him there on the depth chart.  Still if either M Williams or Milliner stepped up, Skrine goes back to nickel full time and then the Jets have their real #2.

The larger point is that M Williams and Milliner should be points of focus tonight.

[Villain The Foe]

3 bold predictions for Jets vs. Washington: Bryce Petty lights it up

 

Jets camp Day 15: 3 takeaways

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By Connor Hughes | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 
Email the author | Follow on Twitter 
on August 19, 2016 at 6:30 AM, updated August 19, 2016 at 7:38 AM

 

 

 

The Jets will take on Washington Friday night in their second preseason game. The starters will play a little bit more than the opening week, but the backups should still dominate the majority of the reps. 

So what's going to happen when the two teams take the field? Here are three bold predictions for Friday: 

All 4 Jets QBs throwing at practice

Quarterback Bryce Petty gets reps with the second team, lights it up 

The transformation of Petty from his rookie year, to present day, has been fun to watch. He has taken massive strides both on the field, and off it. Ask anyone, and they'll rant and rave about how much progress they've seen in the second-year-pro.

The world got to see it (in bursts) against the Jaguars. Friday night versus Washington, Petty will light it up. 

Look for Petty to out-rep Geno Smith and see extended time with the second unit. Getting a chance to play with an offensive line that won't be unemployed in two weeks will be beneficial. About 200 yards passing, two or three touchdowns, and no interceptions for Petty as he looks to solidify his spot on the Jets' roster. 

Cornerback Dee Milliner bounces back in a big way

Few players took more criticism following the Jets' preseason opener than Milliner. Most of it wasn't warranted. 

Milliner showed up on film for the wrong reasons. He allowed two long completions to Jaguars receiver Allen Robinson — despite textbook coverage — and missed a tackle that led to a 36-yard gain. Whether they were Milliner's fault or not, he had no problem shouldering the blame after the game. 

"I can't give up those explosive plays," he said. "I need to go out there and do better." 

What unexplainably flew under the radar was that Thursday was Milliner's first time playing extensive defensive snaps since October of 2014. Now that the rust has been knocked off, expect him to play a bit better against Washington. 

Friday night, Milliner will bat down a couple of balls and intercept one. 

 

Jets on the radar

Who should you keep an eye on Friday night?

 

Quarterback Christian Hackenberg plays

The Jets plan to redshirt Hackenberg this season. But they can't afford not to give him any reps in the preseason. 

Against Washington is as good a time as any for Hackenberg to get in. He sawadditional reps in practice, starter Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't expected to play more than a series or two, and this is likely Hackenberg's last shot before Philadelphia to play. When the Jets and Giants face each other in the preseason's third game, the starters will go three quarters. That doesn't leave much time for fourth-string quarterbacks to play. 

Now, once Hackenberg gets in the game? It won't be pretty. Playing behind a makeshift offensive line, expect Hackenberg to be running for his life. 

[Integrity28]

Hack getting some live reps in preseason is a bold prediction? LMFAO

[flgreen]

1 hour ago, Villain The Foe said:

3 bold predictions for Jets vs. Washington: Bryce Petty lights it up

 

Jets camp Day 15: 3 takeaways

PrintEmail

By Connor Hughes | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 
Email the author | Follow on Twitter 
on August 19, 2016 at 6:30 AM, updated August 19, 2016 at 7:38 AM

 

 

 

The Jets will take on Washington Friday night in their second preseason game. The starters will play a little bit more than the opening week, but the backups should still dominate the majority of the reps. 

So what's going to happen when the two teams take the field? Here are three bold predictions for Friday: 

All 4 Jets QBs throwing at practice

Quarterback Bryce Petty gets reps with the second team, lights it up 

The transformation of Petty from his rookie year, to present day, has been fun to watch. He has taken massive strides both on the field, and off it. Ask anyone, and they'll rant and rave about how much progress they've seen in the second-year-pro.

The world got to see it (in bursts) against the Jaguars. Friday night versus Washington, Petty will light it up. 

Look for Petty to out-rep Geno Smith and see extended time with the second unit. Getting a chance to play with an offensive line that won't be unemployed in two weeks will be beneficial. About 200 yards passing, two or three touchdowns, and no interceptions for Petty as he looks to solidify his spot on the Jets' roster. 

Cornerback Dee Milliner bounces back in a big way

Few players took more criticism following the Jets' preseason opener than Milliner. Most of it wasn't warranted. 

Milliner showed up on film for the wrong reasons. He allowed two long completions to Jaguars receiver Allen Robinson — despite textbook coverage — and missed a tackle that led to a 36-yard gain. Whether they were Milliner's fault or not, he had no problem shouldering the blame after the game. 

"I can't give up those explosive plays," he said. "I need to go out there and do better." 

What unexplainably flew under the radar was that Thursday was Milliner's first time playing extensive defensive snaps since October of 2014. Now that the rust has been knocked off, expect him to play a bit better against Washington. 

Friday night, Milliner will bat down a couple of balls and intercept one. 

 

Jets on the radar

Who should you keep an eye on Friday night?

 

Quarterback Christian Hackenberg plays

The Jets plan to redshirt Hackenberg this season. But they can't afford not to give him any reps in the preseason. 

Against Washington is as good a time as any for Hackenberg to get in. He sawadditional reps in practice, starter Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't expected to play more than a series or two, and this is likely Hackenberg's last shot before Philadelphia to play. When the Jets and Giants face each other in the preseason's third game, the starters will go three quarters. That doesn't leave much time for fourth-string quarterbacks to play. 

Now, once Hackenberg gets in the game? It won't be pretty. Playing behind a makeshift offensive line, expect Hackenberg to be running for his life. 

Geez, I wonder if Connor Hughes had a 12 beer lunch.   And I really like both Hughes ans Bryce Petty.  If Petty puts up these kind of stats

"Look for Petty to out-rep Geno Smith and see extended time with the second unit. Getting a chance to play with an offensive line that won't be unemployed in two weeks will be beneficial. About 200 yards passing, two or three touchdowns, and no interceptions for Petty as he looks to solidify his spot on the Jets' roster."

 

The conversation won't be about smith/Petty, it will be about if Petty should replace Fitz as the starter lol.

Hope Hughes is right 

[Villain The Foe]

7 hours ago, flgreen said:

Geez, I wonder if Connor Hughes had a 12 beer lunch.   And I really like both Hughes ans Bryce Petty.  If Petty puts up these kind of stats

"Look for Petty to out-rep Geno Smith and see extended time with the second unit. Getting a chance to play with an offensive line that won't be unemployed in two weeks will be beneficial. About 200 yards passing, two or three touchdowns, and no interceptions for Petty as he looks to solidify his spot on the Jets' roster."

 

The conversation won't be about smith/Petty, it will be about if Petty should replace Fitz as the starter lol.

Hope Hughes is right 

Petty ended the game with 242 yards and 2 TD's. 

 

Gotta admit, he called that! 

[flgreen]

30 minutes ago, Villain The Foe said:

Petty ended the game with 242 yards and 2 TD's. 

 

Gotta admit, he called that! 

LOL

 

Villain, I was on my way here with a retraction for that.  

I like Petty a lot, even I'm surprised with the throws he made tonight.  Nice game.  Jets have a strong armed gunslinger on their hands.  

We'll have to see how that plays out.  He will be on the final roster.  Only question is where?