Cimini: Clemens Shines in AM Practice

[flgreen]

AM Practice report: Clemens shines

August, 11, 2010 Aug 112:19PM ETEmail Print Comments By Rich CiminiBackup QB Kellen Clemens finds himself in a new competition -- for the No. 3 job. One day after Rex Ryan proclaimed that Mark Brunell is "pretty much a lock" for the No. 2 job, Clemens went out and enjoyed one of his best practice days Wednesday morning in Cortland.

Clemens made one of the prettiest passes of camp, hitting WR Marcus Henry on a deep ball in the back of the end zone. Henry extended his body, making an over-the-shoulder grab as he fell to the turf. Later, Clemens indicated that he's having the best camp of his career. Unfortunately for him, it's not enhancing his status. Now he's competing with Kevin O'Connell for the No. 3 job.

Other thoughts and observations from practice:

1. When C Nick Mangold (head) went out, he was replaced by Rob Turner. From that point on, there were some protection issues, as Mark Sanchez (8-for-16, one sack) was under consistent pressure. In fact, he was "sacked" by S Brodney Pool on a double-safety blitz.

2. Ryan said the defense dominated practice. Then again, he says that pretty much every day.

3. Ryan said Sanchez is having a "great" camp, but he doesn't seem as sharp as he could be. One exception: He made a terrific long throw to WR Santonio Holmes, hitting him in stride. It looked like a sure completion, but CB Antonio Cromartie somehow used one of his long arms (he said his wingspan is 6-8) to tip the ball away from Holmes. Nevertheless, it was a big-time throw.

4. Rookie TE Jeff Cumberland, coming off a concussion, is wearing the red, non-contact jersey. That makes him stick out, but he's also sticking out because of his ability to get open. Dude can catch. It'll be interesting to see if he can take that to the games.

5. DE Vernon Gholston (yes, him again) continues to flash. In one period, he beat backup OT Wayne Hunter twice in pass-rushing situations.

6. Rookie CB Kyle Wilson had a reputation at Boise State for being an ultra-confident, trash talker. It's easy to see why. On one play this morning, he was covering WR Jerricho Cotchery. He broke up a pass for Cotchery (actually, Sanchez was "sacked" by Pool) and started woofing at the veteran receiver.

7. Football is a big man's game, but here's an example of two small guys coming up big. Toward the end of practice, O'Connell threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to WR Larry Taylor (5-6, 177). The completion wouldn't have been possible with RB Danny Woodhead (5-9, 195), who threw his body in front of a blitzing linebacker and gave O'Connell the extra second he needed to make the pass.

8. Nick Folk went 4-for-6 in field goals, missing from 42 and 44 yards. Hmm

[JustInFudge]

The Model hit 50% of his targets!!! WoooooHooooo!!!

[bitonti]

The completion wouldn't have been possible with RB Danny Woodhead (5-9, 195), who threw his body in front of a blitzing linebacker and gave O'Connell the extra second he needed to make the pass.

it's stuff like that where the coaches have to stop and think before they cut Danny Woodhead. Does Joe McKNight have the where-withal to make that block? Maybe in a couple years... but not today. Plus he's a ST gunner, backup WR as well as a RB who knows the plays. Another year in the str program he could be an actual player. I think the Jets like Danny Woodhead alot more than the internet does.

[Maxman]

it's stuff like that where the coaches have to stop and think before they cut Danny Woodhead. Does Joe McKNight have the where-withal to make that block? Maybe in a couple years... but not today. Plus he's a ST gunner, backup WR as well as a RB who knows the plays. Another year in the str program he could be an actual player. I think the Jets like Danny Woodhead alot more than the internet does.

Woodhead didn't seem explosive to me last year. But it was the first year back after the injury. I would imagine he looks better this year. Easy guy to root for no doubt.

[THE ILK]

Good, now trade him for a corner.

[bitonti]

Woodhead didn't seem explosive to me last year. But it was the first year back after the injury. I would imagine he looks better this year. Easy guy to root for no doubt.

he wasn't explosive last year. Im hoping for a Cotchery like improvement in speed.

considering people are rooting for Sanchez to become Payton Manning and Cromartie to become Deion Sanders, i don't think asking Woodhead to become the 5th RB is too much.

[LionelRichie]

he wasn't explosive last year. Im hoping for a Cotchery like improvement in speed.

considering people are rooting for Sanchez to become Payton Manning and Cromartie to become Deion Sanders, i don't think asking Woodhead to become the 5th RB is too much.

it's not 5th RB that's the issue. His problem was keeping contain on special teams - he looked like he was stuck in quicksand vs. Miami last year as Ted Ginn was running by him.

[Bruce Banner]

1. When C Nick Mangold (head) went out, he was replaced by Rob Turner. From that point on, there were some protection issues, as Mark Sanchez (8-for-16, one sack) was under consistent pressure. In fact, he was "sacked" by S Brodney Pool on a double-safety blitz.

Isn't Turner a Feinsod and Schwarz agent? Cut his a$$.

[Maxman]

he wasn't explosive last year. Im hoping for a Cotchery like improvement in speed.

considering people are rooting for Sanchez to become Payton Manning and Cromartie to become Deion Sanders, i don't think asking Woodhead to become the 5th RB is too much.

That is pretty funny.

I do think Woodhead will be better this year just having had that much more time since the injury. But he has a huge task ahead of him. Definitely rooting for him but I would be shocked if he made it.

[aec4]

it's stuff like that where the coaches have to stop and think before they cut Danny Woodhead. Does Joe McKNight have the where-withal to make that block? Maybe in a couple years... but not today. Plus he's a ST gunner, backup WR as well as a RB who knows the plays. Another year in the str program he could be an actual player. I think the Jets like Danny Woodhead alot more than the internet does.

Woodhead single handedly cost us the Miami game not staying in his lanes on ST, so let's not sprout off about how great he is on specials.

[Irish Jet]

Can we start lining up Gholston against someone not named Wayne ******* Hunter? I heard he got D'Brick a few times, Rex said he was the only one to beat him in camp. If that's the case put him up against Brick again! And again, and again, and again....

[Mistalava]

Buy low, sell high.

[Bruce Banner]

Woodhead single handedly cost us the Miami game not staying in his lanes on ST, so let's not sprout off about how great he is on specials.

Woodhead was only in on one of Ginn's TD returns. For the second it was Drew Coleman even though Woodhead gets blamed for it.

[#27TheDominator]

Woodhead was only in on one of Ginn's TD returns. For the second it was Drew Coleman even though Woodhead gets blamed for it.

That is 100% false. While it's true that we can't be sure what the actual lane assingments are, but Woodhead had the left-most lane on both of Ginn's TDs. He got beat to the outside on both though the second one started to (the Jets) right and then reversed field. It looks like Coleman because Coleman actually got in the mix and tried to make the play, but Coleman was further inside and if you watch the footage, Coleman at least makes Ginn jump to the inside. Woodhead runs down and keeps outside contain. He gets to about the 20 and gets driven back. You will next see Woodhead starting at around :43. He is the mook waiting on the 30 yard line and STILL getting beaten to the outside.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwF8Gz_3VNQ

[stoicsentry]

That is 100% false. While it's true that we can't be sure what the actual lane assingments are, but Woodhead had the left-most lane on both of Ginn's TDs. He got beat to the outside on both though the second one started to (the Jets) right and then reversed field. It looks like Coleman because Coleman actually got in the mix and tried to make the play, but Coleman was further inside and if you watch the footage, Coleman at least makes Ginn jump to the inside. Woodhead runs down and keeps outside contain. He gets to about the 20 and gets driven back. You will next see Woodhead starting at around :43. He is the mook waiting on the 30 yard line and STILL getting beaten to the outside.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwF8Gz_3VNQ

Ummmm it looks like he just got blocked. I'm sure that's not acceptable, but I'm not sure how that makes the entire kickoff return his fault.

[#27TheDominator]

Ummmm it looks like he just got blocked. I'm sure that's not acceptable, but I'm not sure how that makes the entire kickoff return his fault.

#1. The post I was responding to claimed that he wasn't on the field.

#2. When you have outside contain on a kickoff and you get beaten to the outside IT IS YOUR FAULT.

#3. Everybody gets blocked on a kickoff, as you stated, that's not acceptable.

I don't completely blame him for the 2nd TD, but he was beaten to the outside twice in two kickoffs. The 2nd one involved a change of direction and was more fluke-y. OTOH, if he weren't blasted 10 yards downfield on the block he might have been in position when Ginn switched fields. On kick coverage you want to cover your lane AND your depth has to be correct. It's nice to get their first, but if you are in your lane and the lane next to you is 10 yards behind there is still plenty of room for the returner to blow through. Woodhead gets to the 20 and then gets blown 10 yards upfield so that when the play comes to him he is the last soul and he looks like the punter waving at Billy White Shoes. It doesn't mean he's a horrible player or can't make it, but he was absolute sh*t on those two returns and he was benched from thereafter. I think he was an injury replacement in that game so it's understandable.

[bitonti]

just to be clear if Danny Woodhead 2010 is the same as Danny Woodhead 2009 then no way do they keep this player.

Im hoping for some kind of improvement, especially as a ST gunner.

Young guys do get better, it happens.

[#27TheDominator]

just to be clear if Danny Woodhead 2010 is the same as Danny Woodhead 2009 then no way do they keep this player.

Im hoping for some kind of improvement, especially as a ST gunner.

Young guys do get better, it happens.

I'm sure he could and will improve. I like the guy. They tried to get him to do a whole bunch of things last year. It's not surprising that he didn't excel at all of them. They traded Stuckey and tried him at slot WR. Brad Smith went down and all of sudden he's got containment on kick-offs. These things were thrust upon him mid-season. Now he's had a full off-season to prepare rather than rehabbing his knee hopefully he'll be much better.

Brad Smith went down and I think they were still punishing Murrell during that Miami debacle. That's how Woodhead ended up in that situation. Part of the problem for young players is "learning the speed of the game". Especially a small school guy like Woodhead, he's probably been the fastest guy on the field in almost every game he's played. That's over in the NFL. Without tons of practice time it's not surprising that Ginn could be faster than he expected.

I like Woodhead. I think I'd prefer that he made the team to Richardson. I'm rooting for him and I think there is something worth rooting for, but I still blame him for Ginn's TDs.