NY JETS NEWS ARTICLES 12/ 19

[Kentucky Jet]

MANGINI'S AT QB CROSSROADS ERIC MANGINI- NY POST

Who starts Sunday?

December 19, 2007 -- WHEN NFL teams become cryptic about important issues, it almost always means they're in trouble or scrambling for answers. When it comes to their unsettled quarterback situation, the Jets are both - in trouble and scrambling.

Granted, at 3-11 and with two more games left before this season comes to a merciful close, you might ask, "How much more trouble could they be in?"

But this is bigger than 3-11. This is about their future at the most important position on their roster. A read between the lines in Sunday's loss to the Patriots unearthed something significant.

There's a reason why Eric Mangini stayed with Chad Pennington for the rest of the game Sunday in Foxborough - even after Kellen Clemens had gone to the locker room to have his injured rib checked and returned to the sideline physically able to return.

Because Pennington gave Mangini and the Jets their best chance to win the game.

While, in fairness, Clemens hasn't yet been afforded enough time to show a complete enough body of work, unfortunately for the Jets it's become rather clear since he was handed the starting job seven weeks ago that Pennington still gives the Jets their best chance to win on Sundays.

That was very apparent Sunday when Pennington had the offense in more of a rhythm than Clemens has had it for much of his playing time.

This is not meant to be a complete indictment of Clemens as a starter, because he certainly hasn't gotten the kind of help he's needed from the offensive line, receivers and running game. But, at 2-4 as the starter and with a 52 percent completion rate and four TDs and 10 INTs, the Jets were hoping for more - enough to show he can be their starter in 2008 and beyond.

That, after all, was the reason for benching Pennington in favor of Clemens in the first place - so Clemens could have half a season to show what he can do and perhaps solidify himself as next season's starter.

For all of the fans who demanded Pennington be benched as they clamored for Clemens and his superior arm strength, we ask you this question: Give us some tangible examples where Clemens' arm strength has benefited the Jets so greatly?

It hasn't. Yes, arm strength is a factor for any quarterback, but it's not the most important factor to success.

Pennington, who's been a winning quarterback in this league because of his other gifts, such as smarts and anticipation, has proven that.

When Mangini was asked if he feels he already has "enough of a body of work" with Clemens to make some offseason decisions with regard to the quarterback situation, he said, "I haven't really been looking at it like that. I've been looking at it more in terms of each game and not in terms of what we're going to be doing after the season comes to a close."

Mangini has to say that for a couple of reasons.

First, it stays consistent with his mantra of staying in the present with each game and not looking ahead.

Most important, it's quite obvious he hasn't seen enough of Clemens to determine whether he has his quarterback of now and the future.

That opens a can of worms Mangini and GM Mike Tannenbaum were hoping wouldn't see the light of the can opener. It leaves the Jets with uncertainty at their most important position.

It raises three frightening questions.

* Will Clemens be better next year?

* Can they go back to Pennington after benching him?

* Do they need to move in another direction by drafting a Matt Ryan or Brian Brohm or Andre Woodson?

These are questions the Jets hoped they wouldn't have to deal with when they handed the starting job to Clemens with hopes that he would seize the opportunity and prove himself.

Now the Jets have to make a decision. Do they stay committed to Clemens? Go back to Pennington and build around him? Or start over?

For a team that has plenty of other problems to address this offseason, that's a daunting issue to deal with, and it's the reason Mangini has been so cryptic about the status of Clemens' ribs and who'll start Sunday against the Titans in Nashville.

*

The Jets yesterday released defensive end Eric Hicks and offensive tackle Adrian Jones.

[Kentucky Jet]

Leon Washington comes up empty in Pro Bowl returns for Jets

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Wednesday, December 19th 2007, 4:00 AM

Suffering yet another insult in their awful season, the Jets were shut out of the Pro Bowl for the first time since 1996. The rosters were announced Tuesday, and their best hope, Leon Washington, lost out to the Browns' Joshua Cribbs as the AFC kick returner.

Washington appeared to be a shoo-in in Week 9 after his third kickoff-return touchdown, but his average has dropped from 33.5 to 28.2, second in the NFL to Cribbs (30.9). Cribbs has two TD returns.

As a consolation, Washington was named the first alternate. SS Kerry Rhodes and C Nick Mangold are the third alternates at their respective positions.

When you play for a 3-11 team, it's tough to get any Pro Bowl love.

Miserable life of Bryan

Where have you gone, Bryan Thomas? His statistics are shrinking, and so is his playing time.

Five weeks ago, Thomas, who recorded a career-high 8-1/2 sacks last season and landed a five-year, $20 million extension, lost his job in the nickel package to David Bowens. In Sunday's loss to the Patriots, Thomas was on the field for only 19 of 63 defensive plays. The Jets used a funky 2-4-5 alignment for most of the game, but Bowens and Victor Hobson were the outside linebackers in the package.

Thomas (2-1/2 sacks), sensing his slump a few weeks ago, said he started putting in more work after practice. Each day, he and LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson go one-on-one in a hurry-up, pass-rushing drill - six rushes in rapid-fire succession.

"Early in the year, I wasn't doing certain things to try to get better," Thomas said. "I realize now that you have to keep working at your craft."

Snap decision favors Chad

Chad Pennington probably will get the start this week against the Titans. Eric Mangini would be doing the team a disservice by playing a banged-up Kellen Clemens (rib, left shoulder) over a healthy Pennington, who's still the best quarterback on the roster. ... It took about a year to escape Mangini's doghouse, but second-year CB Drew Coleman is quietly doing a nice job. ... In 62 games with the Jets, Justin McCareins has exactly one 100-yard receiving game. He has earned more than $12 million in four years. This season, he's had four killer drops. That's a lot of clang for the buck.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets high on Arkansas running back Darren McFadden

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Wednesday, December 19th 2007, 4:00 AM

Benc/Getty

The Jets could use a stud running back, and if Darren McFadden comes out in the draft, he could be ripe for the picking.

Save for an occasional spasm of success, the Jets' running game has been a major disappointment. With their current personnel, you'd sooner see a flying pig than a consistent, high-powered ground game. To fix it, they need ... well, a pig that flies.

Running back Darren McFadden of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Scouts say the two-time Heisman runner-up is an Adrian Peterson clone, easily the most electrifying offensive player in the 2008 draft (assuming he decides to turn pro) - and he could be there for the Jets' taking. The early word is they like him a lot.

All they have to do is lose the last two games and catch a break or two.

Many assume the Dolphins (1-13), a virtual lock for the No. 1 pick, will select LSU DT Glenn Dorsey. If Ronnie Brown's knee rehab continues to go well, the Dolphins won't have a crying need for a running back, especially with so many other holes.

The Jets, Rams and Falcons - all 3-11 - are battling for the No. 2 spot. Currently, the Rams, who appear set at running back with Steven Jackson, have the inside position because they've played the easiest schedule. A strength-of-schedule breakdown, with the combined record of their opponents:

2. Rams, 114-110.

3. Jets, 117-107.

4. Falcons, 120-104.

Of the three "contenders," the Jets have the easiest remaining schedule, with a winnable game against the Chiefs (4-10). Imagine if they beat Herm Edwards, and it costs them a shot at McFadden. That would have to be some sort of cruel coincidence, right?

Obviously, there are a ton of variables (potential trades, postseason workouts, etc.), but it could fall into place for the Jets - barring a win, of course. For a team whose draft history is defined by the ones that got away, this could be the break of the decade for the Jets, who haven't picked a skill-position player in the top 15 since WR Keyshawn Johnson in 1996 (No.1 overall).

They gave Thomas Jones a four-year contract with $11 million guaranteed, but that wouldn't preclude them from taking McFadden. Eric Mangini's lack of confidence in the running game was evident in Sunday's loss to the Patriots. He felt he needed a tricked-up approach, using Brad Smith as an option quarterback for eight plays, to attack a defense that had been vulnerable against the run in recent weeks.

Naturally, Mangini didn't explain it that way. He said he liked the idea of a three-pronged running attack, with Smith, Jones and Leon Washington.

"(Smith) broke 68 NCAA, conference and school records running that series of plays. Leon is not bad when he gets a pitch and Thomas isn't bad in terms of an inside runner," Mangini said.

Get McFadden, who, by the way, has seven TD passes in his career, and they will have all three in one.

JETS' CLIPBOARD

HOT SEAT

QB Chad Pennington. Would you want to stand behind that offensive line?

Xs AND Os

The left side of the offensive line, T D'Brickashaw Ferguson and G Adrien Clarke, allowed 4.5 sacks against the Pats.

WHISPERS

Word around league is that Eric Mangini may make big changes on his defensive staff.

[Kentucky Jet]

Trying to decide on QB is just one big question

TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

December 19, 2007

Who'll start at quarterback for the Jets on Sunday?

Perhaps a better question is: Does it matter?

Now that each of the quarterbacks in question has had a nearly similar body of work for the season, it's fairly stunning to note how the statistics are divvied up (see chart). Some might say it's a bit shocking, especially those who thought things couldn't get much worse than they were under Chad Pennington in the first half of this season.

Blame it on myriad elements, from the offensive line to the playbook, but the only quarterback who seems to shake things up is Brad Smith. And as we saw Sunday, too much of that is not always a good thing.

So as the Jets make their way into the final two games, they really can't go wrong with either Pennington or Kellen Clemens for one major reason. Whoever plays this Sunday and next will be auditioning. It's just a matter of which team they are trying to prove themselves to.

If the rib and/or shoulder injury to Clemens keeps him on the sideline, then Pennington will have a chance to show other teams that he's still capable of starting. It's more and more unlikely that the Jets will keep him next year, not after benching him for most of this season and owing him anywhere from $4.8 to $6 million for 2008. Pennington still thinks he can be a starter, and he'll likely ask for a trade or release. If he gets to play - and plays well - his value in a potential trade could go up.

He might even get a chance to play against a prospective suitor when the Jets close out their season against the Chiefs and old pal Herm Edwards. It'd be a good chance for Kansas City to kick the tires in person, so to speak.

As a side benefit, it will also give the Jets one more look at Pennington. They'll be able to say they honestly gave him the proper consideration without a lick of seller's remorse.

It's a win-win for the Jets, provided Pennington can remain healthy. Then again, given his history and the pass protection this season, Pennington might be safer Sunday hopping up onto wobbly trainer's tables.

Now, if Clemens plays Sunday, that gives him a few more quarters to prove himself to an organization that is almost certainly having pangs of doubt. A week ago today, Eric Mangini said as clearly as he could that he believed Clemens gave him the best chance to win against the Patriots. That thinking changed after the second offensive play. Clemens was cleared to re-enter the game; he did not.

Still, Clemens will be here next season. He probably won't be handed the job in training camp, but he'll get a chance to earn it back. Who he'll be competing against will be the only question.

"It's always important for us to play the best players and look at the situation for the best players that week. That doesn't change," Mangini said Monday. "I've been looking at it more in terms of each game and not in terms of what we're going to be doing after the season."

The offseason may not have a role in what we see these next two Sundays, but they will go a long way in determining what we see during the offseason.

Hicks, Jones out

Veteran defensive end Eric Hicks and tackle Adrian Jones were released. Hicks played nine years for the Chiefs before joining the Jets. He had 23 tackles but was inactive in three of the last five games. Jones started 16 games in 2005 but none since.

Storylines

A quick look at the top stories this week

Pro Bowl passes Jets by

For the first time since 1996, it seems the Jets will not have a representative at the Pro Bowl. The AFC squad was announced last night.

The closest to making it was Leon Washington, who was the first alternate behind Cleveland's Joshua Cribbs as a kick returner.

Safety Kerry Rhodes, who many thought was snubbed last season, was named as a third alternate. Center Nick Mangold also was named a third alternate. Justin Miller was the Jets' lone Pro Bowler last year, attending the game as a kickoff returner and winning the NFL's fastest man competition.

Defense tailored for Brady

Eric Mangini said some of those strange defensive fronts he threw at the Patriots on Sunday worked because of the skills of the very person they were intended to slow down.

The Jets went with one- and two-man defensive fronts and shifted their "linebacker types" between coverage and rushing the passer, disguising what they intended to do for as long as possible. It was effective against Brady because he's capable of changing protections and plays at the line of scrimmage.

"Sometimes you come up, it doesn't matter what look you're in," Mangini said. "If it's a run play, they're going to run it, so the disguise isn't as important."

Mangini said because of the flexibility of the unorthodox setups, the scheme does not grow stale the more opponents see it on video.

Titans still kicking

The Jets' playoff hopes were squashed long ago, but their opponent this week is still fighting for one of the AFC wild-card spots. The Titans do need help, but if they beat the Jets on Sunday and the Browns lose to the Bengals, then Tennessee would be back in control of its own destiny heading into the final week. They close their season against the Colts, who will likely have locked up the No.2 seed in the playoffs by then and have a history of resting starters.

Statlines

Comparing Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens this season:

PENNINGTON CATEGORY CLEMENS

1-6 Won-loss* 2-5

9 TD passes 4

7 Interceptions 10

153 Completions 117

228 Attempts 225

67.1 Percent completed 52.0

1,503 Yards 1,414

20 Sacked 24

85.8 Rating 59.0

* Jets' record in games started.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets release Hicks, Jones

(Original publication: December 19, 2007)

HEMPSTEAD - The Jets released defensive end Eric Hicks and offensive tackle Adrian Jones yesterday.

Hicks, 31, was signed by the Jets as an unrestricted free agent in May after he spent his first nine seasons in Kansas City, where he was fifth on the Chiefs' career sacks list with 40 1/2 . He was expected to help bolster the Jets' pass rush, but he didn't have any sacks in 11 games.

Hicks' role diminished in recent weeks; he was inactive for three of the last five games. He was selected the Jets' practice-squad player of the week after the victory at Miami on Dec. 2, an odd distinction for a 10-year veteran. Hicks finished with 23 tackles, including eight solo.

Jones, the Jets' fourth-round pick in 2004, appeared in seven games this season but was inactive for the last seven games. A converted tight end, Jones played in 44 games on the offensive line during his Jets career, including 16 starts -three at right tackle and 13 at left tackle - in 2005.

Jones had some legal problems last season, when he was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. He was fined $20,000 by the team and was monitored by the NFL as a first-time offender of the league's substance-abuse policy.

The Associated Press

[Kentucky Jet]

Brady's MVP Case Should Not Be Open and Shut

Football

By ALLEN BARRA

December 19, 2007

Unlike Major League Baseball, the National Football League has never had an "official" Most Valuable Player award. Historically, several organizations have chosen each year's MVP, with the Associated Press choice considered the most prestigious. Not every player, of course, has an equal chance to win: Every decade or so, a handful of writers actually notice that there are players on two sides of the ball and decide to reward a defensive player.

For instance, since 1957, the only AP selections on defense are Detroit Lions' linebacker Joe Schmidt in 1960 (and he shared the award with a quarterback, Norm Van Brocklin), Minnesota Vikings tackle Alan Page in 1971, and Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor in 1986. Taylor was the last defensive player to win. Outside of that, it's always been a quarterback or running back (except for 1982, when the writers, in a collective fit of insanity, chose a kicker, the Washington Redskins' Mark Moseley).

There are two obvious reasons for this. Passers and runners have almost all of the gaudy stats, and, just as important, they, especially passers, handle the ball more than anybody else.

A quarterback can call his own number as often as he wants to, which is primarily why Tom Brady will win this year's AP MVP and probably all the others as well. Brady has had a magnificent season, currently leading all NFL passers in the most important stat, yards per throw, with 8.47, and though he threw no touchdown passes against the Jets last Sunday, will probably end up breaking Peyton Manning's season record of 49 (he currently has 45). No one, not even contrarians like myself, is going to go to the barricades insisting that he shouldn't be voted MVP. I would, however, like to make a few comments and suggestions about MVP selection that I think are common sense.

First, though there are all kinds of awards given to defensive players, they don't carry the same weight as "AP NFL MVP." The AP and everyone else should simply choose an offensive and defensive player at the same time and in the same sentence. Second, players should be awarded from each conference. I don't know why no one has ever noticed this, but in baseball they choose MVPs from both the American and National leagues; it makes no sense that the AFC and NFC (which total 32 teams, to MLB's 30), should select just a single player. After all, you need two teams to play in the Super Bowl.

Third, the title of the award should be changed from MVP to "Player of the Year," or something like that. This would give running backs a better chance to compete for an award in a game that is increasingly becoming dominated by passers.

Finally, I'd like to make a fourth suggestion, namely that the voters stop acting like a bunch of lemmings and put a little analysis into their selections.

Let's get the details out of the way before we approach the main point: In the NFC, which is far and away the lesser of the two conferences, the top three players this year should be, in order, Dallas quarterback Tony Romo (who is second in the league in yards per throw with 8.37 and is currently leading the NFC in TD passes, 35), Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook (who, after 14 games, has rushed for just under 1,200 yards with an excellent 4.7 average, catching 83 passes), and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson might be the closest thing the game has to a Jim Brown: He leads the league in rushing yards per game at 106.5, has a Brown-like 5.9 yards per rush, and averages a wide receiver-like 14.4 yards per catch. If Peterson hadn't missed two games due to injury, I might have picked him over Romo in the NFC.

Regarding the selection of Tom Brady as the AFC's MVP, voters might find a worthier candidate if they did a little digging. Brady was a very good quarterback for six seasons before 2007, but he was never the primary reason why his team won Super Bowls. From 2001, when he became a starter, to the end of last season, Brady averaged a respectable, but unspectacular, 7.04 yards per throw and had 147 TD passes against 78 interceptions. His high in TD passes was 28, a mark he achieved twice, in 2002 and 2004. This year his numbers have exploded: just under 8 1 /2 yards per pass and better than 3 TD passes a game.

There are only two things that can make a QB's numbers zoom like that — steroids, or throwing to Randy Moss. Throwing behind the best offensive line in the league, Brady, through 14 games, has connected 87 times with Moss for 1,343 yards, 15.4 yards a catch, and 19 TDs. Catching balls from Brady hasn't produced unfamiliar numbers for Moss (who caught 124 passes with Oakland in 2005 for a 16.8 average per catch), but throwing to Moss has done wonders for Brady, who has picked up an almost phenomenal yard-and-a-half on his career YPP average so far this season. Since Moss draws double coverage and leaves other New England receivers open, voters should perhaps consider him for MVP instead of Brady — though they almost certainly won't.

There might, though, be an even worthier AFC candidate than either Brady or Moss. You might have heard of him: His name is Peyton Manning. Manning hasn't put up awe-inspiring stats this year — 3,634 yards in 14 games, a 7.83 YPA, 28 TDs to 14 interceptions — but all things considered, this might be his best season in the NFL. Indianapolis has been hit hard with injuries at two critical areas: offensive line and wide receiver. Marvin Harrison, normally the Colts' deep threat, has missed most of the season with a knee injury. After Reggie Wayne, who is currently third in the league with total receptions with 82, you have to go to 65th place on the stats list to find another Colts wide receiver, Anthony Gonzalez, with 35.

What numbers, one wonders, could Manning have put up pitching behind the Patriots' front wall and throwing to Randy Moss? As it is, he has led the Colts to a 12–2 record, and if Adam Vinatieri had made a key field goal against the Patriots and not missed two chip shots against San Diego, the Colts would probably be unbeaten and the AFC's no. 1 seed. Tom Brady will sweep the NFL's MVP voting for this season, but Peyton Manning is the thinking man's pick.

Mr. Barra is the author of "The Last Coach: A Life of Paul 'Bear' Bryant."

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/articles/show/1975-jones-keeps-the-faith-eyes-four-figures

[Kentucky Jet]

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: December 19, 2007

Filed at 5:24 a.m. ET

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Forget the standings. The real star power of the Dallas Cowboys was revealed in the list of Pro Bowl selections.

Sure, Terrell Owens made the cut Tuesday, as did Jessica Simpson's new squeeze, Tony Romo. Reliable tight end Jason Witten -- remember his long gain without a helmet earlier this season? -- and hulking left tackle Flozell Adams were picked, too.

But, get this: Dallas had 11 honorees, matching the franchise record set back in the days when Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith already had won a Super Bowl.

The Cowboys not only had the most selections of any team in the league, they had three more than the headed-toward-perfection New England Patriots.

One of Dallas' picks isn't even a starter. And don't be surprised if at least one more member of ''America's Team'' makes it to Honolulu for the Feb. 10 game. Actually, a few more could go as four players were told they are first alternates.

''Wow,'' coach Wade Phillips said. Then, borrowing the trademark line of singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen, he added: ''The road goes on forever and the party never ends.''

Fan voting certainly helped, as did the fact the Cowboys were 12-1 when rival teams and coaches cast their ballots. Regardless, the announcement made for a nice bit of celebration during a week that's otherwise been filled with talk of Roy Williams' suspension, Romo's love life and bruised hand, and whether the team is starting another December swoon.

''We got our juices flowing again,'' Phillips said. ''I got a real feeling that we got back as a team, (got) over losing the game. Boom! We're excited about our team, our players, man, were excited for each other. You know, you get that feeling -- that's the team part of it, even though it's individuals making it.''

Of all the players who made it from both leagues, one name really stands out: Sean Taylor.

The slain Washington Redskins safety was having a great year before being fatally wounded in a shooting at his home in Miami three weeks ago. His memory was honored with his selection.

Perhaps the NFC will take the honor a step further and open the game with 10 players on the field, as the Redskins did in their first game after his death.

''It is well-deserved,'' Washington center Casey Rabach said. ''If he would have been able to finish the season, he would have been in there. It just shows the respect everybody around the league had for him and what a great player he was.''

Taylor is believed to be the second person elected posthumously to an all-star game in a major American professional sports league. Philadelphia Flyers goalie Pelle Lindbergh was voted by fans to start in the 1986 NHL All-Star game after he was killed in an automobile accident on Nov. 11, 1985.

Taylor led the NFC with five interceptions at the time of his death, even though he had missed the previous two games because of a knee injury. He also was leading the Pro Bowl voting among fans at the time.

Tom Brady and Randy Moss were among the eight players chosen from unbeaten New England. Linebacker Mike Vrabel was picked for the first time in his 11-year career.

The Pats and Cowboys each have seven starters, although that includes a kicker for Dallas.

Among the anomalies: Zero players chosen from the entire NFC South and no members of the 10-4 Jacksonville Jaguars. The last time the Jags were shut out was 1995, their expansion year.

Detroit and the New York Jets also failed to place a single member on the all-star squads.

Green Bay, tied with Dallas at the top of the NFC, had four players on the team, including Brett Favre, who will start at quarterback (ahead of Romo). It is the ninth Pro Bowl for the 38-year-old Favre, his first since 2003.

San Diego, like New England, had eight players chosen. Minnesota was second in the NFC with seven, including rookie Adrian Peterson, who leads the conference in rushing.

Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning of Indianapolis was picked as Brady's backup. Four other Colts made it, including safety Bob Sanders, receiver Reggie Wayne and center Jeff Saturday as starters. Running back Joseph Addai rounds out the crew.

Jared Allen of Kansas City, suspended for the first two games of the season after multiple drunken driving convictions, will be a starting defensive end for the AFC.

Albert Haynesworth of Tennessee, suspended for five games last season after stomping on the head of Dallas' Andre Gurode during a game, made the AFC team at defensive tackle. He will play against Gurode, the starting center for the NFC.

Dallas' other picks includes only one defensive starter, linebacker DeMarcus Ware; left tackle Flozell Adams and right guard Leonard Davis. The pick of Davis shows the Cowboys knew what they were doing when they gave him a $16 million signing bonus.

Speaking of reserves, running back Marion Barber backs up Julius Jones in Dallas, but he was still voted among the league's best.

Any chance of a promotion, coach Phillips?

''I think he's excited where he is,'' Phillips said. ''It says a great deal about him. But it says more about how he plays once he gets in the game and gets an opportunity to play.''

Williams, Dallas' hard-hitting safety who is in jeopardy of missing the next game because of too many ''horse-collar'' tackles, has made four straight Pro Bowls. His fifth selection might be close since someone will have to take Taylor's spot. The only wrinkle might be that Taylor played free safety; Williams is a strong safety.

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[Kentucky Jet]

Posted by Bob Bullock December 18, 2007 9:44PM

Only two players on the Jets team deserved to go to the Pro Bowl, but when your team is bad and gets no respect to begin with you have no shot. Such is the case of Leon Washington and Kerry Rhodes.

Leon Washington is the best kick returner in the AFC. He loses out to the next best returner Joshua Cribbs because Cribbs plays for the 9-5 Browns. Rhodes is one of the top 3 safeties in the AFC, no question about that. Troy Polamalu is voted in because he is a "name" who happens to play for the 9-5 Steelers. He also has ZERO interceptions and has missed 4 games due to injury.

It's just a joke how the Jets are disrespected in this league. How else would you explain not getting a Monday Night Football game this season after being 10-6 and making the playoffs last year? The same way you explain how Rhodes and Washington don't make the Pro Bowl.

No respect, they just get no respect at all. This team is truly the Rodney Dangerfield of the NFL.

Jets Cut Losses

The Jets cut two more players today as the purge of this 2007 roster starts early. Hicks was another bad free agent signing by the team. He made about the same impact as Kimo von Oelhoffen did last season. That would be NONE AT ALL!

The team also cut ties with offensive lineman Adrian Jones. He was tried at just about every line spot but the team finally realized he couldn't play any of them.

Kiper: Jets Pick is Long

There is nothing like a little draft preview from Mel Kiper Jr. now that the season is coming to a close. I mean, don't we all live for the draft these days?

Here is Mel's view on the Jets' first pick.

The New York Jets' top priority is a defensive end opposite Shaun Ellis and the perfect player to pick would be Chris Long -- who played in a three-four defense at Virginia. In a three-four scheme, the outside linebacker is the key and the Jets don't have anyone right now who can get double-digit sacks and wreak havoc from that position. Nick Mangold is great at center but the Jets could use some interior help at guard. Laveranues Coles is a hard worker, but they really don't have any other wide receivers who can stretch the field consistently and change score on one play.

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[Kentucky Jet]

Hicks leaves, but not without his hardware

By Tom Rock

The Jets cut defensive end Eric Hicks who -- was it an award or a slap in the face? -- was named the practice player of the week after the win over the Dolphins. For a 10-year veteran to get that award must have caused steam to start spewing from Hicks' ears. Hicks was a pretty good player and a good guy who just never developed in the system. Too bad. Hope he lands someplace next year.

The team also cut Adrian Jones. Wrong one, I know you're thinking. They should have cut Adrien Clarke. Well, they spell their first names differently, so the pun doesn't work. Unless you say it out loud without writing it down. In that case, well done.

Jones was a starter for 16 games in 2005. He was penciled into the job last year but got beaten out by Anthony Clement and hasn't started since. He's been inactive the past six games, too, so he must have known this was coming. He was also arrested for drunk driving last year, an incident many (including me) would lead to immediate banishment by Mangini. I guess it just took a little longer than anticipated.

The Jets haven't announced any signings to fill the roster. They'll probably have former Patriots DL Kareem Brown pick up some of the slack from Hicks' departure. They don't have any d-linemen on the practice squad. They have Robert Turner and Clint Oldenberg, offensive linemen, on the practice squad, but they'll probably go in a different direction since calling a player up from the practice squad so the team has enough guys to practice doesn't make sense. Maybe a WR with Coles so iffy? Shaine Smith from Hofstra, anyone?

Posted by Tom Rock on December 18, 2007 7:18 PM | Permalink

[Kentucky Jet]

JETS MAKING A MISTAKE WITH CLEMENS?

We're hearing in the wake of the Jets' far-closer-than-expected game against the Patriots a belief in some circles that the Jets are far more effective with veteran Chad Pennington at quarterback than they are with Kellen Clemens, a second-year, second-round draft choice.

"People are questioning the decision to go with Clemens," a league source told us on Monday night.

The thinking is that the Jets are using Clemens because he was selected by G.M. Mike Tannenbaum and coach Eric Mangini and, thus, is "their guy."

If so, it's even more likely that the Jets will try to ship Pennington out of town after the 2008 season.

Pennington is under contract through 2011, and his base salary spikes to $4.8 million next year. If there's going to be a trade, Pennington will most likely have to agree to a new deal with his new team.

The last two games of the 2007 season could be an opportunity for Pennington to catch the attention of a franchise that is looking for a new quarterback come 2008. Clemens sustained a rib injury and a shoulder injury early in Sunday's game against the Patriots.

There's also extremely unconfirmed talk that Clemens has a broken rib and, possibly, a punctured lung. But that, at this point, is pure rumor.

[JetCane]

It took about a year to escape Mangini's doghouse, but second-year CB Drew Coleman is quietly doing a nice job. ...

EM has a doghouse? Alert the authorities!

Thanks again for the posts, KJ.

[#27TheDominator]

EM has a doghouse? Alert the authorities!

Thanks again for the posts, KJ.

Article is right. Drew Coleman has been looking much better. I have hope for him as a third corner that had been fading since the middle of last year.

[JetCane]

Article is right. Drew Coleman has been looking much better. I have hope for him as a third corner that had been fading since the middle of last year.

The article is also correct in reporting that he has an extensive doghouse.

My concern with Drew is his size. Did you see what happened when he came in on a blitz on Brady last game? He looked like a flea next to him, and didnt look like he would be able to tackle him. He bumped Gaydy and it had no effect on him.

[flgreen]

The release of Hicks and Jones comes at an odd time.

Wonder if they are going to raid some pratice squads.

[#27TheDominator]

The article is also correct in reporting that he has an extensive doghouse.

My concern with Drew is his size. Did you see what happened when he came in on a blitz on Brady last game? He looked like a flea next to him, and didnt look like he would be able to tackle him. He bumped Gaydy and it had no effect on him.

Never denied he has a doghouse, but I'm not sure how extensive it is. Of the guys that have been in his doghouse, who hasn't deserved it? Some of them maybe didn't, but the two most popular members (McCareins and Dyson) sure have.

He's bigger than Mickens and Mickens would have ****ed that fruit up. Problem is that he slowed down so he wouldn't get faked. IMO, you have to go in there balls out and hit him hard.

The release of Hicks and Jones comes at an odd time.

Wonder if they are going to raid some pratice squads.

Yeah, I said that before. I assume that either they will raid some practice squads or promote a couple of guys so that we don't get raided.