The only thing Dustin Keller catching lately is Eric Mangini's wrath

[SoFlaJets]

The only thing Dustin Keller catching lately is Eric Mangini's wrath

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Thursday, December 25th 2008, 10:40 PM

It was one of the most important plays of the season, the play that allowed the Jets to dream - Dustin Keller's third-and-15 catch in overtime against the Patriots.

Keller made 16 yards on the reception, and followed it with another and another, and soon Jay Feely was kicking the winning field goal. The Jets vanquished a demon that night and unveiled a new clutch performer, their rookie tight end.

But has anybody seen him lately?

After a four-game stretch in which he caught 27 passes and became Brett Favre's go-to receiver on third down, Keller has descended to milk-carton status. He had only one catch for two yards in Sunday's crushing loss to the Seahawks, giving him just six receptions in the last three games - one of the reasons for the Jets' late-season spiral.

Keller, trying to explain his fade route, believes it's because defenses are paying more attention to him. Eric Mangini didn't dispute that theory, but he also suggested that Keller needs to grow up.

"This isn't bowl season, it's not college, getting ready for your exams, getting ready for Christmas break, whatever. That's not the case here," said Mangini, more critical of Keller than perhaps any player on the team. "You've got to be consistent, consistent, consistent. It's a longer year, and that's just the way it is."

Keller's disappearance has corresponded with his opening-drive drop in San Francisco three weeks ago. After that, he received an earful of venom from Mangini, who, stepping out of character, revealed that he gave Keller a tongue-lashing. Did that cause the rookie to slip into a mental funk?

"That's a coincidence," said Keller, the 30th overall pick out of Purdue in last spring's draft. "I haven't lost any confidence. I'm very confident in my abilities. I feel that, on any given down, when my number is called, I can go out and make a big play."

The Jets miss that element to their offense, especially on third down. In the last three games, they have converted only eight of 33 third downs - none to Keller. Obviously, that's not all on Keller, but his vanishing act has caused Favre to appear lost at times.

"Probably more than anything, it's the looks the defenses are giving us," Keller said. "It's something we have to counteract and make adjustments to. But I think everything is going to be all good."

The Dolphins, whom the Jets face in Sunday's dramatic season finale at the Meadowlands, are a good defensive team with a knack for neutralizing the tight end. It's up to Brian Schottenheimer, the Jets' offensive coordinator, to devise ways to get the ball to Keller in places where he can make plays.

It's hard to believe the Jets' offense has come crashing down because of the decline of a rookie tight end, but there's no denying that Keller had emerged as perhaps their most dangerous threat in the passing game.

"He's had opportunities," Mangini said. "Some he's capitalized on, some he hasn't."

All things considered, Keller has enjoyed a solid rookie year (46 catches, 511 yards, three touchdowns). In receptions, he's second among rookie tight ends, trailing only the Seahawks' John Carlson (53), who scored against the Jets. But to become an elite pass-receiving tight end, Keller will have to learn how to deal with coverages designed to stop him.

"I think of it as a challenge," he said. "It's something I want to overcome. I want to go back to making plays."

HOLIDAY BREAK: The Jets were off Thursday for Christmas. The Dolphins practiced, but later than usual. ... In an interview this week on WFAN, Jets great Joe Klecko slammed Mangini. "I think he's lost them," said Klecko, referring to the players. "I don't think he's done a good job with them." ... If the Dolphins beat the Jets, they will tie the 1999 Colts for the biggest one-season turnaround in NFL history - an improvement of 10 games. ... The Dolphins have committed only 12 turnovers. The league record for fewest turnovers in a 16-game season is 14, set by the 1990 Giants, coached by Bill Parcells.

[Garb]

I think Keller is going to be a beast. One thing is for sure, he's a heck of a lot better than that bust the Pats have, Ben Watson.

Everyone drops a ball from time to time. Just keep feeding him the rock. Especially against teams with "weaker" lb's and safeties.

[DoubleDown]

All of those 6 yard curls can only work for so long. Teams have adjusted and neutralized our attack. The Jets need to come up with better schemes and get Keller attacking the seam. Don't put Keller's recent slump only on him, some of the fault needs to go to Schottenheimer and the schemes.

[spjets]

It's up to Brian Schottenheimer, the Jets' offensive coordinator, to devise ways to get the ball to Keller in places where he can make plays.

we're really screwed

[4HCrew]

How about the genius puts some focus on the god damn high priced defensive players that are not showing up?

[JetsTitans63]

Mangini wouldnt know a good player if he saw one. This guy is a jackass who needs to join the ranks of X coaches. Mangini couldnt wash Kellers dirty jock strap.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

Yeah that's right Mangini, Keller is the problem with that offense. Right.........

Buh Bye EM

[4HCrew]

I think his tactics will work well at the high school and college level...maybe there is a future for you after all Mangini

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

I think his tactics will work well at the high school and college level...maybe there is a future for you after all Mangini

I don't think he's ever been a head coach at that level, has he?

[bitonti]

no where in this article or this thread is the name of Favre mentioned

the way i see it Schott has little to no control over the offense - his offense, the one with all the clever motions and schemes is dead. What we have now is Brett's offense, there are about 10 plays no motions and he doesn't want to learn any more.

bottom line if Keller isn't getting passes it's because #4 isn't looking his way as early or as much.

[SMC]

Mangini is a POS.

He sabotages the Jets season and now he wants to throw a rookie under the bus.

[LoneStarLady]

I can't stand the way Mangini deals with players. It's as if he has his little clique of favorites. If certain players make one bad play (which every player does at one time), Mangini lashes out and benches them. But for other players, he doesn't do or say anything and it makes no sense. What the heck is he doing yelling at Keller, who was so explosive on offense, but not to any one of all the other players stinking it up? Mangini has no idea on how to coach.

I keep comparing coaching to being the boss of a large department. There are things you do and things you don't do. My last dept consisted of 51 people. I was ultimately responsible for everything that happened or didn't happen in my dept. I hired people to report to me (similar to OC, DC). If they screwed up, yeah, they were at fault, but I had to deal with them. I couldn't just let them keep doing the wrong things, as I was the boss and was responsible to and reported to the executive management.

If the people below them (a la players) didn't do their job, it was up to my managers (and me) to put them in a position to succeed. I wouldn't assign a person to a project if it didn't coincide with their strengths; the point is not to frustrate the staff; it's to make them contribute to the overall productivity of the dept and to the team to which they were assigned.

Every person was there to do their job but they also needed to be motivated, in whatever way fit each person. Yes, they are adults, but there's a difference between just going through the motions at your job and truly enjoying and giving it your best. As the leader, you have to deal with motivation, whether you like to or not.

And it all starts at the top. I was a role model for my dept. I had to make sure that no matter what (even in difficult times), that they trusted me, that they knew that I knew what I was doing, and that I would do everything possible to not only train them but also allow them to develop their own talents, and then use those talents appropriately.

The last thing I have to say (sorry for the long comment) is that you have to be able to adapt. My business was one on which the customers might change what they wanted from us mid-way through development. So we had to change what we were doing, but without any extra time in the schedule or money in the budget. It was extremely stressful and it was my job, too, to make the difficult decisions about those changes and get everyone on board with what needed to be done. All of that is about leadership.

It just boggles my mind to see how poorly Mangini is coaching this team. The fundamentals of leadership are the same for a football team or for a corporation. And it just amazes me how the most basic rules you learn as you become a leader of other people are exactly the rules about which Mangini/Schott/Sutton seem to be clueless.

[Sperm Edwards]

I can't stand the way Mangini deals with players. It's as if he has his little clique of favorites. If certain players make one bad play (which every player does at one time), Mangini lashes out and benches them. But for other players, he doesn't do or say anything and it makes no sense. What the heck is he doing yelling at Keller, who was so explosive on offense, but not to any one of all the other players stinking it up? Mangini has no idea on how to coach.

Yeah, I must have missed the time he started screaming at Coles, right on the sideline with all the TV cameras on, for dropping key passes.

[JMJ]

"Fire Man-gi-ni! (clap, clap, clap clap clap)

"Fire Man-gi-ni! (clap, clap, clap clap clap)

"Fire Man-gi-ni! (clap, clap, clap clap clap)

[jason423]

I pointed out something similar about Keller in my game preview this week. For some reason he is the only guy on the team that Mangini has talked about in public about playing poorly. I'm not sure why that is, but he has definitely lost snaps to Bubba Franks who could not even catch a 4 yard flip from Favre last week. He never treated Ferguson this way and Ferguson completely wore down his rookie season. I think the way he has treated Gholston and Keller shows just how much this season has gotten to him.

[DoubleDown]

I pointed out something similar about Keller in my game preview this week. For some reason he is the only guy on the team that Mangini has talked about in public about playing poorly. I'm not sure why that is, but he has definitely lost snaps to Bubba Franks who could not even catch a 4 yard flip from Favre last week. He never treated Ferguson this way and Ferguson completely wore down his rookie season. I think the way he has treated Gholston and Keller shows just how much this season has gotten to him.

It's a disgrace. Maybe Mangini sees something in practice everyday? I wouldn't give him the benefit of the doubt though.

[Vudu]

GIVE MY KELLER THE BALL!!!!

[jason423]

It's a disgrace. Maybe Mangini sees something in practice everyday? I wouldn't give him the benefit of the doubt though.

High drafted tight ends tend to be ****y jerks so maybe behind the scenes Keller fits that role. Maybe he got mad at him doing those first down gestures in games? If you ask me Mangini pretty much flipped after that Denver game and saw where the ship was heading. He never treated his rookies like this before and would always defend them. Even his treatment of Gholston early in the year was over the top protection for a guy who flat out could not play. Next thing you know he is ranting about VG not doing anything with his chances, deactivating him the ripping into Keller for dropping a pass and now this. I think Eric is in over his head and wants to point the finger somewhere and is afraid if he does it at the people where the blame belongs on the field(Coles, Favre, Ellis, Elam, Smith, etc...) he will completely lose the team.

[ECURB]

It's a disgrace. Maybe Mangini sees something in practice everyday? I wouldn't give him the benefit of the doubt though.

Thats a funny thought...

[Irish Jet]

Yup, blame the rookie who you drafted. I mean it's obviously Kellers fault that we can't stop JaMarcus Russell, Shaun Hill and Seneca Wallace from making plays. Clearly!

Mangini is a joke!

[DoubleDown]

High drafted tight ends tend to be ****y jerks so maybe behind the scenes Keller fits that role. Maybe he got mad at him doing those first down gestures in games? If you ask me Mangini pretty much flipped after that Denver game and saw where the ship was heading. He never treated his rookies like this before and would always defend them. Even his treatment of Gholston early in the year was over the top protection for a guy who flat out could not play. Next thing you know he is ranting about VG not doing anything with his chances, deactivating him the ripping into Keller for dropping a pass and now this. I think Eric is in over his head and wants to point the finger somewhere and is afraid if he does it at the people where the blame belongs on the field(Coles, Favre, Ellis, Elam, Smith, etc...) he will completely lose the team.

He's doing a fine job of losing the team already.

In his first two years, Mangini was very respectable and never threw any of his players or staff under the bus. I have no idea what happened, but lately he can't get enough of it. It's really a shame because the man needs to take a look in the mirror and see that his baffling coaching decisions are showing the team that he does not believe in them and it is starting to take effect in their performance. They simply aren't playing hard for Mangini, they don't believe in him, and that's usually the time ownership needs to take the team in a new direction.

[jason423]

He's doing a fine job of losing the team already.

In his first two years, Mangini was very respectable and never threw any of his players or staff under the bus. I have no idea what happened, but lately he can't get enough of it. It's really a shame because the man needs to take a look in the mirror and see that his baffling coaching decisions are showing the team that he does not believe in them and it is starting to take effect in their performance. They simply aren't playing hard for Mangini, they don't believe in him, and that's usually the time ownership needs to take the team in a new direction.

Do you think there is any chance that whatever the team did or did not do with Shaun Ellis is what caused this? Everything just came out of nowhere with the team quitting on the coach and Mangini going off on the rookies. It has been all downhill since Ellis got busted that Saturday.

[DoubleDown]

Do you think there is any chance that whatever the team did or did not do with Shaun Ellis is what caused this? Everything just came out of nowhere with the team quitting on the coach and Mangini going off on the rookies. It has been all downhill since Ellis got busted that Saturday.

That's a fair point, but could it have made THAT much of a difference? Ellis was voted team captain by his teammates. He's obviously liked in the locker room and it does not appear that there was any over the top action taken against him.

More likely, I think that Mangini is losing the team because they don't have confidence in the game plans. Our system was working and the rest of the league adjusted to us. Mangini can't figure out how to throw a counter punch and the team lost faith in our schemes.

How is the OL and TJ supposed to get behind Mangini when he doesn't give them a chance to punch it in on 4th down when they just drove the length of the field with ease?

How is Feely supposed to get behind Mangini when he won't let him attempt anything close to 50 yards pretty much all season long?

How is the defense supposed to get behind Mangini when he plays zone pretty much every down, has his safeties back peddling almost every play, and doesn't disguise his blitzes whatsoever?

[neckdemon]

that fat ****ing moron shouldn't be giving anyone his wrath. he's the weakest link on this team and it's not even close. if that fat **** is still coach of this team next year i may have to boycott next year.

[PETROCK]

F Mangini. Next year he'll be long gone while Keller, hopefully, is a staple in the Jets O.

[serphnx]

I pointed out something similar about Keller in my game preview this week. For some reason he is the only guy on the team that Mangini has talked about in public about playing poorly. I'm not sure why that is, but he has definitely lost snaps to Bubba Franks who could not even catch a 4 yard flip from Favre last week. He never treated Ferguson this way and Ferguson completely wore down his rookie season. I think the way he has treated Gholston and Keller shows just how much this season has gotten to him.

That's not true. He publically blamed both Lowery and Stuckey earlier this season. And of course Gholston and Keller now. He also had issues with Kendall of course, and Baker. The pattern is he loves bullying around people that he thinks aren't important and won't have any power. This guy is scum. I'm not sure even Herm pulls that type of thing. Herm will just say players missed their "gap" but not say who it was (frankly he probably has no idea who in the first place). Mangini however says the same thing (seriously, he was talking about gaps, percentages and processes in his last few pressers) but singles people out.

I know everyone wants to see "equal opportunity" and all that crap, but having a woman as the HC of a football team is a really bad idea. Hasn't it been proven enough by now?

[Arsis]

Wow, Mangini is a real turd. Guy has no idea how to do anything. You're mad at a rookie so you publicly berate him and give his snaps to someone half as good as he is and then you wonder why our offense isn't doing as well. Talk about sticking by your team.

[NJ]

I don't know what you guys don't understand. Mangini is so smart it allows him to be variable in his treatment of people and situations. He's a football Yoda and ultimately will leave the names Lombardi, Rockne, and Landry forgotten.

If Woody Johnson doesn't find a way to get rid of this egocentric chump who Peter

Principaled out at statistician - he deserves all the financial woes I hope he encounters with his new stadium and PSL's. Blow me Eric.

[NJ]

ps - blow me Eric

[Pragmatic Bus]

its funny that when bill parcelll undressed his players every day, questioning there manhood he was considered rightious but if mangini is trying to light a fire under keller to motivate him to do better he gets blasted. just because jets have lost a few games this season that they shouldn't have lost doesn't mean this team has given up on mangini or mangini is clueless.

and i bet all of you pansies who are defending keller booed him on draft day. knowing jets history mangini beleived in keller enough to draft him in first round that gives him to right to call him out if he is becoming too overconfident. keller let succes get to his head, mangini is bringing him down back to earth.

i support mangini. he is doing the right thing by making sure the players leave the diva mentality at home