new offensive coordinator John Morton,.. Metallica & QB's ~ ~ ~

[#27TheDominator]

That was from the News?  I thought it was Smackdad

[kelly]

11 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

That was from the News?  I thought it was Smackdad

   http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-feel-christian-hackenberg-article-1.3400087

[kelly]

-- Christian Hackenberg last appeared in a football game on Sept. 1, 2016, in Philadelphia -- the New York Jets' preseason finale. He was a jittery, overwhelmed rookie who finished with one of the worst statistical lines imaginable. After the game, he disappeared into the Hackenberg Protection Program.

On Saturday night, the Jets will unveil Hackenberg 2.0, and this is what you will see against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium :

A more confident quarterback than a year ago.

A quarterback with improved mechanics and better body language.

A passer who, when the moment is right, can unleash a major-league fastball on target.

Even the untrained eye can see Hackenberg is a changed quarterback -- he can find the ocean now! -- but is he good enough to start Sept. 10 against the Buffalo Bills? Probably not. Coach Todd Bowles acknowledged as much, saying the goal is to develop him at a slow and steady pace.

"I'm not expecting him him to go out there and be Roger Staubach," Bowles said of his expectations for the preseason opener. "I mean, if he is, so be it, but we're trying to get him better."He's 22 years old. The kid's got to get a chance to play and make some mistakes and grow from it and come back from adversity and make good plays. We just want to see his overall play and, as the preseason goes, you want to see him progress and then see where he is."Josh McCown remains the presumptive starter for Week 1. All three quarterbacks will see action against the Titans, with Hackenberg and Bryce Petty likely receiving most of the playing time. Bowles said they're "all pretty even right now" in the Not-So-Great Quarterback Competition, hardly a ringing endorsement for anyone.Based on the first 11 practices, Hackenberg isn't ready to start. Unofficially, he has completed only 51 percent of his passes, including a team-high four interceptions. All four came this week, when his reps were increased and he received significant time with the starting offense.

Hackenberg's biggest problem is his penchant for holding the ball -- a no-no in any offense, especially the West Coast system. It's based on rhythm and timing, and he's not making his reads quick enough. It would help if he had some receivers who could get open, but that's a story for another day.Practice hiccups notwithstanding, the first real test happens against the Titans. Bowles hasn't announced his quarterback rotation, but it would be wise to get Hackenberg into the game ASAP. Why not? The Jets know what McCown can and can't do. They also have a pretty good feel for Petty. But Hackenberg? He's the mystery man.

"He's going to play all preseason," Bowles said. "He's going to get a lot of reps, so whether he plays good or bad does not determine his reps for next week or after that."

It has been 344 days since Hackenberg played in a game, one he'd like to forget. Facing the Eagles' third stringers, he completed only 11 of 31 passes for 54 yards and an interception. He averaged less than two yards per attempt, a rarity in football.But that was the old Hackenberg. The new version is excited about his opportunity, as he continues to learn on the job with the Jets' young receivers."That is what has been one of the cooler parts about camp," he said.

The Jets have so many questions and issues as they embark on a long, rebuilding trail, but it all comes back to the quarterbacks, even if Bowles doesn't agree with that."I'm not basing this game solely on Christian's star debut as a movie-theater actor," he said.

He's no Captain America -- a.k.a. Staubach.

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70223/jets-coach-preaches-patience-with-christian-hackenberg-2-0

[kelly]

-- Yes, Christian Hackenberg can throw the ball in the ocean. Turns out he can even hit a few big puddles.

The second-year mystery man answered some questions in the New York Jets' preseason opener Saturday night at MetLife Stadium, delivering a respectable performance in his first game action in a year. Hackenberg completed 18 of 25 passes for 127 yards in the 7-3 win over the Tennessee Titans, his only turnover a botched snap.

Hackenberg's production wasn't great -- no points in eight possessions -- but you have to grade on a curve when it comes to the former second-round pick. He's better than last summer. He was decisive in the pocket, his accuracy was relatively sharp and, no, he didn't pick off any spectators on the sideline with errant throws. In short, he wasn't overwhelmed.

New offensive coordinator John Morton didn't ask Hackenberg to do too much, a smart way to break him in. Can Hackenberg overtake Josh McCown for the starting job? No, that's not going to happen in the preseason, but this game wasn't about that. This was about seeing progress from Hackenberg, and he showed that.

QB depth chart : McCown, the presumptive Week 1 quarterback, started the game and orchestrated a touchdown drive on his only possession. He was close to flawless, completing 3 of 4 passes (one drop) for 72 yards. McCown showed deep-ball accuracy, hitting Robby Anderson on a 53-yard bomb -- something we haven't seen in training camp. He finished off the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Charone Peake. This was just a tune-up for McCown; look for him to play more next week. Bryce Petty (2-for-6, 17 yards) cleaned up, and it wasn't pretty.

rest of above article : 

>      http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70269/christian-hackenberg-not-ready-for-no-1-job-but-shows-progress

[jack48]

If Hack comes out of this season serviceable......Morton will be in line for the Papacy

[kelly]

- The New York Jets began Week 3 of their quarterback competition on Monday, with presumptive starter Josh McCown and Christian Hackenberg sharing first-team reps -- same as last week.Bryce Petty has slipped to a distant third, based on the number of practice reps, but he still has a chance to win the starting job, coach Todd Bowles insisted. By the end of the preseason, Petty will have the same number of game reps as the others, he said. That's because he's probably planning to play Petty for the entire fourth game.

A few takeaways from Monday :

JOSH McCOWN

McCown is a fiery competitor. At one point, he barked at offensive coordinator John Morton, presumably because the play call came in late and didn't leave him enough time to get set and run the play. This wasn't a crisp practice for McCown (8-for-18, four sacks), who misfired on four straight passes in the red zone and sputtered in a two-minute drill.

Wow moment : Early in practice, McCown made a nice back-shoulder pass to rookie ArDarius Stewart. Strong throw, excellent timing, good catch.

Whoa moment : There was a bad/funny moment near the goal line. Elijah McGuire ran a flat route out of the backfield, but never turned his head. McCown's pass hit him in the back of the helmet, conjuring up memories of the time Tim Tebow got doinked in the head in 2012.

CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG

Hackenberg received more reps than McCown (30 to 29), many of them coming with the starters. By having him split the work with McCown, the Jets are trying to do two things: They want to allow McCown to build chemistry with the starters while continuing to feed Hackenberg's development. This probably is the last week they can do that. Next week will be geared toward getting the starters ready.

Wow moment : Hackenberg made a nice throw on the run, rolling right and zipping a completion to Jalin Marshall.

Whoa moment : He didn't have any ugly moments, although there were three sacks. Overall, this wasn't a great day for Hackenberg (8-for-19), but he was victimized by three drops.

BRYCE PETTY

Petty (5-for-8) had only 10 reps -- a typical day. Bowles can say what he wants, but actions speak louder than words.

Wow moment : He rallied from a shaky start, throwing touchdowns on back-to-back plays in a red zone period. Petty was fired up after connecting with Myles White, who miraculously didn't drop it.

Whoa moment : Petty threw two interceptions, both of which came on deflections. Bad luck? Uh, not entirely. The first was a deep heave to Robby Anderson, the second was a forced throw into man-to-man coverage.

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70343/is-bryce-petty-eliminated-from-jets-quarterback-competition

[kelly]

Rich Cimini ESPN Staff Writer 

Jets offensive coordinator John Morton gave QB Christian Hackenberg solid marks for his performance in the first game. He liked his poise in the pocket and the way he protected the ball. He said it's "too early to tell" when Hackenberg will be ready to start in the regular season.

>     http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

 -- Offensive coordinator John Morton is pleased withChristian Hackenberg's progress at quarterback, but it doesn't sound like theNew York Jets are close to making him their starter.

Morton said Hackenberg is "basically a rookie," adding that it's "too early to tell" when the second-year quarterback will be ready to start a regular-season game.

This might not play well among impatient fans, who want to see Hackenberg in the Week 1 lineup, but the Jets appear committed to the deliberate approach that began the day he was drafted.

"He did a really good job," Morton said of Hackenberg's performance in the first preseason game. "He was decisive on his throws. I thought he was accurate. I thought he did a really nice job."He was poised, and that's what you want to see," he added. "Basically, he's a rookie, and he did a really nice job with that."Hackenberg, who replaced starter Josh McCown in the first quarter, completed 18 of 25 passes for 127 yards and no interceptions in the 7-3 win against theTennessee Titans. It was an ultra-conservative game plan, as 14 completions came within five yards of the line of scrimmage. Clearly, they didn't want to overwhelm Hackenberg, who saw no regular-season action as a rookie. It was dink and dunk to the max.

Bottom line : The Hackenberg-led offense produced no points in eight possessions.

The Jets haven't revealed their quarterback plans for Saturday night in Detroit, but look for McCown to play longer than one series and Hackenberg to see another dose of significant action. The issue on everybody's mind is when Hackenberg will be ready to start in the regular season. Morton didn't want to go there."It's too early to tell," he said, speaking to the media for the first time since the spring. "We're in this training-camp mode, and we have to play a couple of more preseason games and then we'll have a better feel and see where we're at. It's a whole different story when you get in games and evaluate guys. That's the real evaluation."

Overall, Morton likes the way Hackenberg has protected the football in camp. Unofficially, he has four interceptions in 145 pass attempts; all four came in back-to-back practices last week. The coaches have gradually increased his practice reps, giving him a chance to play with the first-team offense.

"He gets better every day," Morton said.

Morton was less complimentary of Bryce Petty, who is running a distant third in the so-called competition. He said Petty has done "pretty well for the most part. I think we need a little more consistency from him."

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70361/jets-oc-too-early-to-tell-when-christian-hackenberg-will-be-ready-to-start

[Savage69]

On 5/24/2017 at 2:27 PM, jeremy2020 said:

What type of music does bowles listen to?

[kelly]

-- Todd Bowles hasn't revealed his exact quarterback plan for Saturday night against the Detroit Lions, but he indicated Tuesday that Josh McCown will play more than last week -- meaning more than one series.Makes sense. The New York Jets need to increase McCown's playing time as they get closer to the regular season.

"I like his leadership, I like how he takes control of the offense," offensive coordinator John Morton said of the Jets' presumptive Week 1 starter, who had a brief but effective outing in the opener. "He's seen a lot of football. I like that. I like his experience. That's the biggest thing."Morton is a disciple of Jon Gruden, whose preference for seasoned quarterbacks was well known. Food for thought.

A recap of the quarterback competition on Tuesday :

JOSH McCOWN

This was a solid day for McCown (10-for-15), who was pleased by the overall performance of the offense. Afterward, he said, "We need to keep stacking days like this."

Wow moment: There was nothing spectacular, just a bunch of high-percentage throws that were executed.

Whoa moment: He almost was intercepted on his first pass, as linebacker Demario Davis dropped into coverage and deflected a pass. McCown has gone six straight practices without an interception. Did we just jinx him?

CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG

This was the fourth straight practice that Hackenberg had more total reps than McCown -- 23 to 20. He completed eight of 15 attempts, managing to avoid a sack -- a rarity. The pass protection was much better than Monday.

Wow moment: Hackenberg made two throws that stood out. He unleashed a 50-yard bomb to rookie wide receiver Dan Williams, who outmuscled Marcus Williams for the ball. Later, Hackenberg fired a laser to Robby Anderson on the far sideline. The pass had plenty of giddy-up on it, and Anderson made a two-handed, leaping catch.

Whoa moment: There were no hiccups; it was a clean day.

BRYCE PETTY

The Forgotten Quarterback received only six reps. Afterward, Petty (3-for-5) put on a brave face, saying, "You don't count the reps, you make the reps count."

Wow moment: Petty hooked up with rookie wide receiver Chad Hansen for a long touchdown. Their timing was outstanding on a deep in-cut, as Hansen caught it in stride and bolted for the end zone. Petty has made a handful of terrific throws in camp, but "we need a little more consistency from him," Morton said.

Whoa moment: There were no glaring mistakes.

>       http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70371/josh-mccown-earns-praise-will-see-expanded-action-against-lions

[kelly]

-- John Morton has to know what he'll ultimately be graded on this season. The points per game his offense averages are a nice stat, but his ability -- or inability -- to develop Jets' second-year quarterback Christian Hackenberg is the true test.Through 12 camp practices and one preseason game, Morton is impressed with his young signal caller. There's just one caveat ...  

"Basically, he's a rookie," the first-year offensive coordinator said Tuesday. 

Hackenberg, obviously, isn't a rookie. But it's easy to understand where Morton's coming from. The Jets took a rather unique approach with their hopeful franchise quarterback last season. 

They, well, they didn't play him. 

Behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and Bryce Petty to start the year, Hackenberg watched ... and watched ... and watched. He received scraps of reps in training camp, and was buried on the depth chart throughout the regular season. The Jets eventually elevated him to No. 2., but only because Smith and Petty suffered season-ending injuries. He never stepped on the field in a game. This year is different. The Jets are giving Hackenberg an abundance of reps in camp, including several with the first team. And he's doing some good things. In 12 practices, he has (unofficially) five touchdowns and just four interceptions. The interceptions came in two practices. 

"I like how he's taking care of the ball," Morton said. "I think he's done a really good job there. We're still in the evaluation process, but he gets better every day."In the Jets' 7-3 victory over the Titans to open the preseason, Hackenberg completed 18 of 25 passes (72 percent) and threw for 127 yards. He did fumble once, but it didn't appear to be his fault. Backup center Jonotthan Harrison seemed to snap the ball before Hackenberg was ready.Hackenberg rarely put the ball in harm's way. Just once -- an overthrow to receiver Frankie Hammond up the right sideline --  did he truly misfire. But, then again, it appeared coaches called an awfully conservative game. Hackenberg averaged just 5.1 yards per attempt.

Morton saw things differently.  

"We're still in training camp mode," Morton said. "We had plays. We called plays where we were taking shots. If it isn't there, we check the ball down. It just happened to be in those certain situations -- whatever the situation was, whether we were getting pressure or anything like that -- he has to go through his progressions. I thought he did a really nice job of doing that."The Jets unofficial depth chart is seemingly set. Veteran Josh McCown is the starter, followed by Hackenberg, then Bryce Petty. McCown impressed against the Titans, too. In his lone drive, he marched the Jets 78 yards in eight plays, and capped it with a four-yard touchdown pass to receiver Charone Peake. But McCown turned 38 this month. Hackenberg, at 22, is the franchise's potential future. 

At what point will the future become the present?

"I think that's too early to tell," Morton said. "Again, we're just in training camp mode. We've got to play a couple more preseason games, and then we'll have a better feel to see where we're at. 

"It's a whole different story once you get into a game to evaluate guys. That's the real evaluation." 

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2017/08/john_morton_impressed_with_jets_christian_hackenbe.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

-- Christian Hackenberg took a baby step last week. Now it's time to take a grown-up step.

The Summer of Hack continues Saturday night in Detroit, where the second-year New York Jets quarterback will see significant action (again) with a chance to narrow the gap between him and Josh McCown. With every productive rep, Hackenberg moves a fraction closer to the starting job.Based on offensive coordinator John Morton's headline quote from the other day -- "Basically, he's a rookie" -- we can assume Hackenberg still isn't within striking distance of the starting job. The Jets don't want to rush him, and that's smart. It's August, not November.

That said, they want to see progress. This should be Hackenberg's to-do list against the Lions :

1. Lead a scoring drive. He generated no points in eight possessions last week against the Tennessee Titans.

2. Execute a two-minute drill. You can tell a lot about a quarterback when the pace gets frantic.

3. Execute in the red zone. He never made it that far against Tennessee.

4. Complete a pass that travels more than 10 yards in the air.

In the opener, Hackenberg completed 18 of 25 passes for only 127 yards, as 14 completions came within five yards of the line of scrimmage. He was 0-for-3 on attempts longer than 10 yards. This isn't the time to turn him into Daryle Lamonica in the old AFL, but it would be nice to see how Hackenberg reacts in a deep pocket, reading coverage downfield."I don't want him to force anything," coach Todd Bowles said Thursday. "We have plays built in to throw downfield. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, but we do have plays in for him to throw downfield."

Bowles didn't reveal his quarterback rotation for the game, but the expectation is that McCown will start again. Asked if he's planning any lineup changes, Bowles said, "I would say no, but we'll discuss it." Interestingly, McCown didn't get any work during the game-plan portion of practice on Thursday.McCown should start. As Bowles said, "He needs practice and he needs some preseason. I don’t think he needs to go every game, all four quarters and everything like that, but he’ll play. He needs work.”But it's also important to get Hackenberg as many reps as possible. After riding the bench last season, he needs game action in the worst way.

"I think it’s just really trying to do everything that I’ve been trying to do up to this point, which is just go out, operate, do what is asked of me, take what the defense gives me and continue to grow," Hackenberg said.

Other things to watch Saturday night at Ford Field :

• The return of Bilal Powell, who sat out last week with a neck injury, should provide spark to a non-existent running game. Matt Forte (hamstring) still isn't ready to play.

• The offensive line remains in flux, with Bowles saying center and both tackle spots are up in the air. At center, Jonotthan Harrison is pushing Wesley Johnson in what is developing into a legitimate competition. The coach's comments notwithstanding, Kelvin Beachum and Brent Qvale are the favorites over Ben Ijalana and Brandon Shell at left and right tackle, respectively.

• It looks as though Jordan Jenkinsand Freddie Bishop will start at outside linebacker for the second consecutive week, but nothing is settled. Lorenzo Mauldin (back) is out for the second straight week. The former third-round pick could land on the roster bubble if things continue to trend in this direction.

• We can't forget about the kicking competition. Ross Martin has outkicked Chandler Catanzaro in practice by a significant margin, but he hasn't had a chance in a game yet. It's a "dogfight," according to special-teams coordinator Brant Boyer.

"Everything is charted, so it's a huge body of work," Boyer said of the evaluation process. "But when it comes down to when the lights are turned on, can they perform? That's what matters."

>      http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70446/christian-hackenberg-has-a-long-to-do-list-for-his-second-game

[kelly]

Enough is enough. It's time to put the New York Jets' quarterback competition to rest. Josh McCown should be declared the winner, albeit by default.

Given a terrific chance to state his case, Christian Hackenberg -- in a surprise start -- failed to generate any semblance of offense in the Jets' 16-6 loss to the Detroit Lions on Saturday night at Ford Field. In five possessions, the Hackenberg-led Jets crossed midfield only once (barely) and looked utterly lifeless.

This was a great learning experience for Hackenberg, who faced a starting defense, but it has become clear he's not ready to be the starting quarterback. In 13 possessions over two games, he has generated zero points. This week, he couldn't get away with his dinking and dunking. The Lions played tight coverage and pressured Hackenberg, who completed only 2 of 6 passes for 14 yards.

Like it or not, McCown -- who got the night off -- gives the Jets (1-1) the best chance to win. Assuming the goal still is to win games, coach Todd Bowles should give McCown two-plus quarters next week against the New York Giantsand name him the opening-day starter. It's time to get serious.

QB depth chart: Bryce Petty played the entire second half, and he looked better than Hackenberg. Playing against the Lions' backups, Petty (15-for-24, 160 yards) led the only two scoring drives and was able to push the ball downfield. He threw an interception, but it was a desperation throw in the final seconds. If there was any doubt about Petty's roster spot, it should be gone now. He did reasonably well for a guy who hasn't had many practice reps.

rest of above article : 

>    http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70489/christian-hackenberg-sputters-making-qb-decision-a-no-brainer

[kelly]

On the first play of the fourth quarter in Saturday night’s 16-6 Jets loss to the Lions, Bryce Petty had a moment.

The third-year quarterback stepped to the line, saw six Lions defenders in the box and walked back into the shotgun, moved some players around and called an audible. The result was a 23-yard pass to Myles White down the Detroit sideline. It was a moment that let you know maybe Petty should not be the quarterback left behind in this Jets competition.

Petty has been running third in this three-man quarterback all summer. He has gotten limited reps in practice (about 100 fewer than Christian Hackenberg) and has never really felt like a real contender for the job. Early on in camp, it looked justified. Petty clearly was having trouble with John Morton’s offense. But lately, Petty looks like he’s getting it, and Saturday night he outplayed Hackenberg.We can’t get too carried away because Petty faced the third-team Lions defense and Hackenberg played against the starters, but Petty made plays where Hackenberg didn’t. Petty led two field-goal drives, completing 15-of-24 passes for 160 yards and one interception that came on a desperation throw in the final seconds of the game. Hackenberg went 2-of-6 for 14 yards.

it will be interesting to see how Jets coach Todd Bowles divides the reps this week. Josh McCown is now clearly the odds-on favorite to start Week 1 against the Bills and likely will play most of Saturday night’s preseason game against the Giants. But have the Jets made a mistake by writing off Petty as the No. 2? Should he leapfrog Hackenberg on the depth chart? These are questions that at least deserve consideration by the Jets this week.

After the loss to the Lions, Bowles did not sound like he was overly impressed with what Petty had done.“Well, he moved the ball, but again, we didn’t score any points,” Bowles said of Petty. “So, when you don’t score any points, then you can’t win ballgames. But he had some good throws and some good plays here and there.”Petty has been the good soldier through this whole spring and summer. While he must know Bowles has only paid lip service to this being a three-way competition, Petty has not complained when his reps are few and far between.

On Saturday, he was critical of himself for not reaching the end zone but saw some positives.

“I thought we executed plays better than last week, which is something that I wanted to do coming into this week was execute better,” Petty said. “We just have to finish drives. When you’ve put in all that work, eight to 10 plays and get down there, let’s finish it. So, that starts with me executing and making sure that we’re in the best place possible and you know, ball placement on my part. So, definitely things to work on, but happy with the execution of that group and of those guys coming back from last week.”

Petty was viewed as a project when the Jets took him in the fourth round of the 2015 draft out of Baylor and its simplistic offense. Petty started four games last year and did not play overly well. But there is a certain moxie about the way Petty plays that makes you think there might be something there. It could just be an illusion or it might be reality. Saturday night there were glimpses of him figuring things out.“This is the first time I’ve ever ran a West-Coast system, and I love it,” Petty said. “I absolutely love it. So, I’m excited to come to work every day and learn something and you know, that quarterback room with coach [Jeremy] Bates, I’m learning something new every day. So, that part is exciting, and it’s good to see production on the field.”

>      http://nypost.com/2017/08/20/the-forgotten-jets-quarterback-begins-to-make-his-case/

[kelly]

-- It's not a quarterback controversy, per se. It's a quarterback problem. The New York Jets have it bad, and there's nothing that can happen over the next six days that can change that.

If Josh McCown is named the opening-day starter next Monday, as expected, it'll be a victory for him, but a loss for the organization. It would be an acknowledgement of what we've suspected from the start of training camp, that Christian Hackenberg isn't ready to start an NFL game. Taking a macro view of the situation, it's never a good thing when a second-round pick -- in his second year -- can't beat out a 38-year-old journeyman on a rebuilding team.

A journeyman who, over the last three seasons, has a 2-20 record as a starter and a league-low Total QBR (45.4).

Let me be clear: McCown is the best choice because he gives them the best chance to win and, unlike the legions of fans in the "tanking" camp, I'm a firm believer in playing the best guy at the start of the season. But in this case, the "best" choice doesn't mean a happy ending to the months-long quarterback competition.

The ideal scenario would've been a recalibrated Hackenberg, storming into training camp, lighting up the practice field and taking command of the offense in the first two preseason games. Instead, it has gone like this :

Total possessions: 13.

Points scored: 0.

Drives across midfield: 3.

Hackenberg nearly got himself decapitated in the last game because he misread the defense at the line of scrimmage, turning loose Detroit Lions defensive end Cornelius Washington. To his credit, he owned up to it, saying he should've changed the protection scheme before the snap. On Monday, he took solace in the way he responded."It was good because I had to do some things that, before, I may not have handled it as well," said Hackenberg, the surprise starter in Detroit. "It could've had a trickle-down effect and really exploded. I thought it was good that I was able to kind of handle things and bounce back when things aren't going my way."

Yes, he showed toughness, but his performance didn't improve after Washington chopped him down like a cherry tree. Hackenberg probably will play Saturday night against the New York Giants -- figure in the second half -- but there's nothing he can do against the Giants' backups that would dramatically alter the quarterback situation. Could he get another run with the starters? If Todd Bowles goes that route, he'd be begging Hackenberg to take the job.

The Giants could really mess it up for the Jets if they force McCown into an ugly, turnover-laden performance, giving Bowles a lesser-of-three-evils choice: McCown or Hackenberg or Bryce Petty. Even then, he'd have to lean toward McCown, a smart, fiery leader who at least has demonstrated the ability to function in a regular-season game.Unless, of course, owner Woody Johnson chimes in from London, suggesting (wink, wink) Hackenberg for the job. The boss is in youth-movement mode, perhaps dreaming of Sam Darnold, and we already know he's willing to endure a year of humble pie to go with his fish and chips.

No matter what happens, his coach faces a no-win decision.

>       http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70554/jets-quarterback-decision-no-win-situation-for-todd-bowles

[kelly]

2-Minute Drill : How Have the QBs Progressed ?

Senior Reporter Eric Allen and Team Contributor Ethan Greenberg Talk About Monday's News on the Impending Starting QB Announcement

 

video..

>    http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/videos/2-Minute-Drill-How-Have-the-QBs-Progressed/6749ff0f-c7aa-49b2-99a7-581beee54f7b

[kelly]

-- Before naming a starting quarterback next week, New York Jets coach Todd Bowles apparently wants to take one more look at Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty.

Continuing a weeklong trend, Hackenberg and Petty shared practice reps Thursday as Josh McCown played the role of bystander. McCown took only one rep, and that came with the scout-team offense. Hackenberg got 18 reps with the starters, Petty 14.

This was the final practice before the Jets face the New York Giants on Saturday night in their third preseason game. The last practice before a game usually is a good indicator of who will play, although Bowles cautioned the lopsided rep distribution will have no bearing on the quarterback rotation.Bowles declined to name a starter for Saturday night. He still expects to name his regular-season starter next week, although he backed off the Monday timetable, saying it could be Tuesday or Wednesday.Facing a barrage of quarterback questions, Bowles claimed it's still an "open competition." McCown remains the favorite, but an impressive showing by Hackenberg could change the conversation. It would have to be very impressive.

"The more he plays, the better he gets," Bowles said.

Hackenberg has a long, long way to go; he has yet to generate any points in 13 possessions over two games this preseason. If you count the final game of the 2016 preseason, his scoreless streak is 26 consecutive possessions.Hackenberg got the start last week and struggled against the Detroit Lions, but his pass protection was poor, according to Bowles. Hackenberg played behind the No. 1A offensive line, which included three players auditioning for starting jobs. Perhaps Bowles wants to see Hackenberg behind the No. 1 line before making a final decision.Give Bowles points for being thorough, but there's a dangerous downside to this strategy: If McCown sees limited or no action against the Giants, he'll be rusty for the season opener. So far, McCown has played only one series this preseason -- the opening drive in the first game. He sat out last week.

McCown, ever the good soldier, said he has no problem with the inactivity. He said Bowles talked to him at the start of the week, explaining the strategy."There's no substitute (for reps), but I also understand there's a plan in place to evaluate the roster and evaluate our team and evaluate this position group," McCown said. "They're trying to get two young guys ready and up to speed as well."

McCown said he's confident he'd be able to play "at a high level" in Week 1 even with limited prep time. He is experienced and smart, but this is a new offensive system and a new receiving corps. And in case you haven't noticed, the offense isn't loaded with explosive players. Every week will be a struggle; imagine having a rusty quarterback.A week ago, Bowles said McCown needed to "get work" against the Lions. Curiously, McCown didn't play at all.

"He gets a lot of work on the practice field and he had a good drive in the first game," Bowles said. "We want to see the other two guys."

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70637/jets-poised-to-give-christian-hackenberg-another-shot

[kelly]

After a practice workweek which saw Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty get the majority of reps, could Hackenberg be in line to make his second consecutive preseason start for the Jets?“I just look at it as whenever my number is called, I’m going to go out and execute to the best of my ability,” he told reporters following Thursday’s walk through. “So whatever Coach says, I’ll be ready and waiting.”

Todd Bowles declined to discuss his signal-caller intentions for Saturday’s night MetLife Bowl between the Jets and the Giants.“We’ll discuss the quarterbacks tonight,” he said.Bowles has reiterated throughout training camp that the Jets have a three-man QB competition and he would like to even out the reps amongst veteran Josh McCown and the young pair. McCown got most of the early work in camp with the starters and he led the Jets on a TD drive on the team’s opening possession of the preseason.

Hackenberg, who played two and a half quarters in Week 1 against Tennessee and the first half last Saturday in Detroit, is completing 64.5% of his throws in game action and has been sacked three times. The entire offense got off to a slow start in the Motor City, not picking up a first down until a second quarter scramble from the second-year passer as he finished just 2-of-6 for 14 yards with two sacks before being replaced by Petty. Whether he starts or not, Hackenberg says it’s imperative he get in a better rhythm.“It’s just getting on schedule earlier. I think being able to get a couple completions under my belt, whether we do that getting outside the pocket, however it is, just doing something like that and then being able to, like I was saying, just getting the flow of the game, get in a rhythm and then carry that through,” he said. “I thought that was the biggest difference from the first week to last week was I was able to get in a flow and things kind of rolled. That’s something I’ve worked on throughout practice this week and I feel pretty good about moving forward.”

Often the overlooked passer in the competition, Petty has finished both of the Jets’ preseason games while completing 17 of 30 for 176 yards with an interception coming in the final seconds last weekend.“Every day I come in here, it’s competing to be the starter,” Petty said. “So, you know, you just wait until your number is called and when it’s called you go attack those opportunities you get. You don’t worry about anything else. You try to be a better quarterback today than you were yesterday. That’s competition the whole time.”The 6’3”, 230-pound Petty moved the Jets down the field against the Lions, but the Green & White were forced to settle for a pair of field goals on two second-half trips inside the 20.“I want to finish drives and that’s something that I’m going to stress one, to those guys but two, with myself, my mental process to know what they do in the red zone,” he said. “It’s one thing getting there, but the biggest thing is punching it in.”Next week, it is expected Bowles will name a Week 1 starter for the regular season.

“We are competing every day, it’s not going to change. Every day that we come in here we’re going to compete as a group,” Petty said. “So, it doesn’t matter who’s the starter. I think that’s something great about that room is that when we’re competing amongst each other, it makes the team better.”

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Christian-Hackenberg-Is-Ready-and-Waiting/88058e76-3d7b-4cbc-9a0e-6f15dfb35312

[Beerfish]

Like all OC's morton will be public enemy #1 by mid season.

[pdxgreen]

I hope he takes after Trujillo and not after Lars.

[kelly]

Say this for the New York Jets: They always keep it interesting. Our question of the week focuses on their ... uh ... unconventional quarterback battle.

Eric Feldman @Felddman

Replying to @RichCimini

Is Todd Bowles handling this QB competition correctly? It makes no sense that he says McCown needs more work and he gets less reps #jetsmail

10:33 AM - Aug 25, 2017

 

@RichCimini : Yes, Eric, that was a curious comment. Bowles could do a better job of explaining things, but he obviously isn't committed to full transparency. Here's my take :

I still think Josh McCown will be the opening-day quarterback, barring injury. Will he be 100 percent ready from a physical standpoint? Probably not, simply because he has played so little in the preseason. Granted, this isn't the traditional way to prepare a starter for the regular season, but there's nothing traditional about this so-called quarterback competition.

The Jets still are trying to find out about Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty, neither of whom has demonstrated the ability to be a No. 1 quarterback. In fact, Hackenberg has gone 26 straight possessions without a score, dating to last preseason. That is a crazy number.Given McCown's durability issues, Bowles needs to have faith in his No. 2 quarterback, and I don't think he feels that way right now about Hackenberg and Petty. That's why I suspect both will see a decent amount of time against the New York Giants. If it were up to me, I'd start McCown against the Giants, play him two or three series and give Hackenberg a chance to play behind the first-team offensive line. Petty, too, time permitting.

You certainly can criticize Bowles for paying more attention to his likely backups than his presumptive starter, but this is an unusual situation. Let's be real, the Jets aren't a one-quarterback team. They'll use two, maybe three this season.I also think they scaled back McCown's reps because he may have experienced some arm fatigue early in camp. Remember, he's 38 years old, and they want to keep his arm fresh.

Bottom line : This is a bad situation. To paraphrase John Madden, when you have three quarterbacks, you don't have any.

>    http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70662/is-todd-bowles-botching-the-jets-quarterback-competition

[kelly]

-- The choice comes down to this for Todd Bowles: Does he entrust his team to a rusty Josh McCown or does he take a leap with Bryce Petty based on one dazzling preseason performance against backups?

It can't be Christian Hackenberg, who squandered his opportunity the last two weeks.

Let's be honest, there are no great options for the New York Jets, who are doomed to a season of mediocre quarterback play (if they're lucky). The realdecision will be April 26, 2018, when it'll be Sam Darnold, Josh Allen or Josh Rosen -- or another college hot-shot in the draft. Based on what we've seen over the last month, their current cast members are playing the role of set-up men.Bowles is expected to reveal his pick on Monday or Tuesday. No, the TV stations won't break into local programming to trumpet the news. Chances are, it'll be McCown, the man in the plastic bubble wrap. The 38-year-old has thrown only four more passes in the preseason than me. They might have to break out a can of Rustoleum to get him ready for the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 10, thanks to an unconventional quarterback rotation.The Jets devoted the preseason to Hackenberg, hoping -- praying? -- he'd show enough to claim the starting job or at least establish himself as a viable alternative. The outcome was painfully obvious: He's not ready to be a No. 2 quarterback, much less a starter.

In 13 possessions as a starter, covering two games, Hackenberg failed to get the team in the end zone. (He threw a late touchdown on Saturday night after replacing the injured Petty.) If Bowles were to anoint him, it would be a total flush of the season -- and a bad message to the locker room. Hackenberg should be the No. 3.Petty is a fan favorite because of his gunslinger mentality, and he further endeared himself to Jets Nation with a three-touchdown, 250-yard performance against the New York Giants. He came out of the game with a minor knee sprain. While he should be available for the opener, as ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported, it's unclear if his practice time will be affected. That could impact his status.You have to admire Petty's resilience. At one point in camp, he appeared to be out of the competition, as his practice reps had almost vanished. He battled his way back into the conversation, but here's the thing: He hasn't faced a starting defense since last December. Against the Giants, he faced backups and capitalized on several coverage breakdowns.

No doubt Petty has grown as a quarterback since last year, when he started four games in garbage time, but his body of work this summer is incomplete. The organization doesn't see him as the long-term answer, so he'd be keeping the spot warm for Hackenberg, who will be keeping it warm for next year's No. 1 pick.

My choice: I'd make Petty the No. 2, giving McCown a short leash.

If Bowles starts Petty, it'll prove he never had any intention of riding with McCown, their so-called bridge quarterback. The man hasn't received a fair shot; we're talking about one series, a total of seven plays.Conversely, you could argue it's unfair to start McCown, who was a virtual bystander last week in practice. He's set up to fail because of his relative inactivity and lack of chemistry with the receivers.It's highly unusual for an opening-day starter to sit for three straight weeks in the preseason. Robert Griffin III had no preseason snaps in 2013 and started in Week 1, but he was held out because of a surgically repaired knee. RG III was out of sync and wound up losing his first three starts.

"I feel like, absolutely, I'd be ready to go," said McCown, who has made a career of saying things like that.

So now we wait for Bowles to make his multiple choice: A, B or C.

They'll have to wait until next spring for D.

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70711/jets-multiple-choice-at-quarterback-a-b-or-c-and-wait-for-d

[kelly]

-- So Josh McCown wins the New York Jets' quarterback competition.

Actually, there's a better way to say it:

He didn't lose the competition. Big difference.

This isn't a triumph for him or the organization because the only thing it accomplished was to underscore the Jets' dire situation at quarterback. McCown was the favorite since Day 1, so this is hardly a franchise-altering bombshell. The bigger story, one that casts a pall over this so-called coronation, is that Christian Hackenberg didn't even challenge for the job.I never expected him to overtake McCown, but he finished third in a three-man race, unofficially -- and that's disappointing. Think about it: Mike Maccagnan's second-round project from last year wasn't able to push a 38-year-old journeyman who was limited to seven reps in the first three preseason games. That is troubling on multiple levels.

It's premature to call Hackenberg a bust, but he's not anywhere close to being NFL-ready. He has had two starts and a long relief appearance this preseason, and his offense has surrendered more points (16) than it scored (nine) -- two pick-6s and a safety, if you're keeping track. Hackenberg's field awareness and pre-snap decisions are highly suspect.He can't be trusted to start a game. He can't be trusted to be the primary backup. He should be the No. 3 quarterback, assuming Bryce Petty (sprained knee) is available for the season opener."There must have been someone in that building who pushed for Hackenberg extremely hard to get him drafted in the second round," an opposing scout said last week. "He's everything you want from a look standpoint -- smart, articulate, good size -- but it doesn't match up with his tape."

Maccagnan fell in love with Hackenberg and put his reputation on the line by drafting him a couple of rounds before many expected. Recognizing he wasn't ready to play, the Jets showed patience, essentially redshirting him as a rookie. They changed quarterback coaches, bringing in the well-respected Jeremy Bates. They signed the ideal mentor in McCown, an unselfish, positive influence for young quarterbacks.They removed Hackenberg's training wheels and sent him on his way, expecting to see progress. Is he better than last year? No question. Will he continue to improve? Yes, probably, but now he's on the bench and practice reps are scarce for backups.At some point, Hackenberg will get a shot because -- let's not forget -- the Jets need to form an evaluation before next spring's blockbuster quarterback draft. But now, based on his preseason, the long-anticipated debut could get pushed back.

This wasn't entirely his fault, not with the personnel deficiencies on offense. Every quarterback needs a dynamic playmaker, and the Jets don't have one, adding stress to the position. Petty handled it better than Hackenberg, but he also had the benefit of facing second- and third-team defenses.

The Cleveland Browns are in a similar situation -- rebuilding -- and they've handed the reins to rookie DeShone Kizer, a second-round pick. Kizer didn't win the job with a lights-out preseason, but he showed enough to make them willing to live with the inevitable growing pains. The Jets didn't see enough in Hackenberg to make them believe the bumpy ride would be worth it.

>    http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/70717/hollow-outcome-to-jets-qb-battle-what-the-hack-happened

[kelly]

-- The Jets three-man quarterback competition wasn't very competitive. Through organized team activities, minicamp, training camp and two weeks of preseason games, it was clear 38-year-old Josh McCown was the best the Jets had. 

As crazy as that sounds. 

Coach Todd Bowles made things official Monday, naming McCown the starter for the season opener against the Bills. He gives the Jets the "best chance to win," Bowles said. Which, after watching Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty, is hard to deny.Now that the summer's biggest storyline finally has an ending, another question has come to the forefront: Should the Jets be worried about Hackenberg's development?A second-round pick a year ago, Hackenberg had every chance to win the starting job. He out-repped McCown and Petty the final three weeks of camp. He started the last two preseason games. The Jets practically begged him to show them something -- anything -- to make them confident in naming him the starter. 

He couldn't meet the challenge. 

Unofficially, Hackenberg completed just over 50 percent of his passes in team drills in camp. In three preseason games, he led the Jets on just two scoring drives in 18 attempts. 

In those games, Hackenberg completed 32 of 52 passes (61.5 percent) for 267 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. That's a yards per attempt of 5.1, and a quarterback rating of 65.1. Versus the Lions and Giants -- Hackenberg's two starts -- he was a combined 14 of 27 (51 percent). He threw two pick-sixes.

It wasn't pretty. At times, it was downright ugly. 

It's not uncommon for second-round picks to come in, play, and have success right away. Derek Carr did it with the Raiders. The Browns just named rookie Deshone Kizer the starter.So why can't Hackenberg find any semblance of success in now his second year? Is it a serious issue?

Watch the video above and find out. 

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2017/08/should_jets_be_concerned_with_where_christian_hack.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

With Matthew Stafford signed long-term, who are Jets' QB options for 2018 ?

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2017/08/with_matthew_stafford_signed_long-term_who_are_jet.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

Rich Cimini ESPN Staff Writer 

The opener will mark the debut of new Jets offensive coordinator John Morton, who hasn't called plays since he was the USC coordinator in 2010. "I've been around some great coaches that have prepared me, and a lot of great players that have prepared me," he said. "I've been in a couple of Super Bowl games and a lot of playoff games. I feel really comfortable going into this game, calling plays for the first time."

>     http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

John Morton believes Jets' Christian Hackenberg had 'pretty good' preseason, but still 'ongoing process'

>    http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2017/09/john_morton_believes_jets_christian_hackenberg_had.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

Bryce Petty..

> http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/71043/bryce-petty-still-could-get-another-shot-but-window-will-start-to-close

[kelly]

~ ~ 7. Heeeere's Johnny : New offensive coordinator John Morton walked into his news conference the other day, unshaven, looking like he had just pulled an all-nighter. He acknowledged he hadn't been getting much sleep, adding, "That's OK. That's what I love about this job."

No surprise. His first boss, Jon Gruden, told me months ago that Morton is an all-night grinder. Recalling their days with the Oakland Raiders, Gruden said, "He slept in the office. He got there, he stayed there and he didn't go home. He loved it."I like Morton's no-nonsense approach with the players and his emphasis on fundamentals. He's an NFL lifer getting his first coordinator shot at age 47, which makes him an outlier in a profession that is getting younger. Who knows? Maybe Todd Bowles uncovered a gem. We'll find out soon enough.

rest of above article : 

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/71047/jets-and-bills-begin-season-with-eye-on-the-same-doggone-prize

[kelly]

Hack..

> http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/hackenberg-critics-aren-positives-article-1.3490145

[kelly]

re morton..

>  http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-feel-offensive-coordinator-john-morton-article-1.3493826

[kelly]

Jets love ‘football junkie’ coach, who grew up with their opponent

>   http://nypost.com/2017/09/14/jets-love-football-junkie-coach-who-grew-up-with-their-opponent/

[Joe W. Namath]

Morton called one of the worst games ive ever seen week 1.  Guy took 0 chances.  Hes got no balls.  Shouldnt have been allowed back into the locker room.

[kelly]

28 minutes ago, Joe W. Namath said:

Morton called one of the worst games ive ever seen week 1.  Guy took 0 chances.  Hes got no balls.  Shouldnt have been allowed back into the locker room.

 

[kelly]

petty..

>    http://nypost.com/2017/09/16/bryce-petty-this-is-my-second-chance/