We’re going to answer some more mailbag questions in the next day, so here’s the first batch …
COWHER POWER?
From Jay G. in Lafayette Hill, PA: “If Mangini is fired, do the Jets try to get Bill Cowher to come out of retirement and be the new coach? Remember, he runs the 3-4 defense also, so it seems like it could be a good fit.
Note, Both Bassett and Kirk Cassels have answered this, since so many are asking about The Chin.
KIRK CASSELS: It would be a treat for the Jets to get their second Super Bowl-winning coach since the Tuna. Our run offense and the potential our defense showed in flashes this season would be an ideal complement to the gruff, big-chinned, mustachioed Cower. The Jets may put themselves in the running by, like they did with players last year, offering the big bucks and passing the bill to fans but I don’t see it happening for two reasons.
BASSETT: A lot of readers asked this one. He’s a name that I hear a lot from fans.
Whether Cowher’s interested or not … it’s tough to say, but I just don’t see him coming to New York or even if he did come to New York, just how effective he’d be once he got here. A lot for me would hinge on his choices at coordinators. Cowher doesn’t strike me as a talent evaluator, or a sensational strategist either. If you thought Herm’s clock management was bad … wait til you get a load of Cowher … he’s even worse.
On the other hand, if you are comfortable with the Jets talent evaluators, and he can deliver some of his old staff who is up to the task to step in as coordinators, then he might not be a bad fit. The question is whether or not Cowher thinks he’s a talent evaluator. I would imagine he’s looking for a job where he can do double duty … as a GM and Coach. That would be a big mistake, as a lot of credit of the Steelers success has to lie in the hands of the Rooneys and Kevin Colbert in particular.
MONDAY MOURNING QB?
From Paul M.: If you knew in August what we know today about the QB performances and numbers, would you still acquire Brett Favre and release Chad Pennington? Basically do you feel like Pennington would have just as good as an option as Farve, a worse option than Favre, or a better option?
BASSETT: I’ll answer your question first, but allow me a long detour following it to buttress my answer.
I was wary of the Jets going for Favre, while Chris Carton was grandstanding in the Hempstead parking lot. From what I see now, yes, I absolutely do think that Pennington would have been just as good … had the Jets run the ball even more than they did this season. Chad would not have had to adjust to the system and would have done what his coaches told him, rather than need changes to the offense, that said, would the season have been as “fun?” A resounding no.
I do believe that the team could be worse off than they were when they traded for Favre for a number of reasons. I didn’t like it before it happened and after it did, I tried to make the best of it and did enjoy the ride even if I did get motion sickness. I admire the team’s guts to make the move, and I admire Favre’s panache, but his play has dropped off so precipitously in the last month of the season, I don’t see how he’s a better option than what the team had already. That said, having Chad in New York doesn’t make this team much different than any other Chad team. A win or two in the playoffs, then exit stage left. Favre was worth a shot, though he’s ending up being a shot (forgive me Plax) in the foot.
If you’ll remember back earlier in the summer when the question was Chad or Kellen? My answer was basically “let the best player win, I don’t think it matters.” My reasoning for thinking that was that with a boosted defense and offensive line, the team was bound to improve, so whoever started would take some knocks and likely finish just shy of the playoffs. That same logic followed with Favre, who would take time adjusting to the offense, and would play a brand of football Jets fans weren’t used to seeing.
The problem now is that the team will likely have traded a third round pick for Favre, Kellen Clemens is a year older and has no more on-field experience and the team is without their most steady QB coming into 2008, who would do what he’s told to do.
So what about next year? I can’t imagine Favre wants to go out like this. Maybe I’m overreacting, but I truly see Favre as a kidnapper who will hold this team hostage. There’s even an argument you could make that he’s gotten his victims looking like they’ve suffered from Stockholm Syndrome. He needs to decide what he’s going to do quickly after the season ends so the Front Office can react accordingly to the market. If he wants to dither around on his farm until July, then adios. He owes Jets fans at least that much for such a horrific beginning and end of the season.
CRYSTAL QB BALL
From Bill L: Who will be our QB in 2009?
BENT: The answer to this question is obvious…I don’t know.
If you’d asked who do I think will be our QB in ‘09, then my answer would have been this:
Kellen Clemens 6/1 – Clemens’ body of work against second stringers trumps Ratty’s body of work against third stringers, for now. Just.
Brett Ratliff 8/1 – Destined to be the fan favorite, they need to make sure they sign him to a contract first.
Brett Favre 12/1 – If, by some miracle, the Jets end up making the playoffs on Sunday, Brett will be our QB on 1/4/09. That’s in ‘09, so that counts, right?*
Matt Cassel 16/1 – If Favre leaves, they can potentially afford to join the “who wants to overpay for Matt Cassel?” sweepstakes. Yay?
[Enter retread here] 33/1 – Byron Leftwich, Alex Smith, Mike Vick, Joey Harrington, etc etc. For various reasons, these all engender a reaction of “ugh”.
Erik Ainge 66/1 – It might take three injuries in preseason to arrive there, but this is still theoretically possible.
Vinny Testerverde 100/1 – You can never count out Vinny.
Tony Korneiser’s little girl 1000/1 – He probably still thinks she has a better arm than Chad Pennington.
They might also draft a QB, but I’d be very surprised to see that guy start next year, whoever he may be.
* The whole Favre scenario played out pretty much as I feared. Boy, do I feel stupid for rooting for him this year? No, actually, so maybe it wasn’t to be, but I still had more fun that I would have if I’d have spent the whole season moaning and griping. Favre’s season was pretty mixed (and that’s being kind) but it will still better than Chad’s or Kellen’s was last year. Clearly both of those guys are capable of more, but can you rely on Pennington to stay healthy and Clemens not to be drowned in a sea of over-expectations and Aaron Schobels? Obviously not and that’s why they made the move – I guess it was worth a shot. If Favre retires, the Jets get a 7th round pick, but if he doesn’t, they should cut him anyway. A team with no cap room cannot afford to pay a QB whose ceiling may or may not be “mixed results”, as much fun as he’s been to watch over the years.
RIDE YOUR HORSE!
Danny V, former Jets/Titans fan: “How do you not run the AFC’s leading rusher. They move the opening drive and score 3. Then the do not run no more. 16 touches R U kidding me. Morris of Sea had 29 himself. Thats sticking it in the Butts BIG time. Tonite I just threw out all of my Jets stuff. I am done w/Man-NO-genius. Him and the whole staff gotta go no matter what they do next week. Chad will be haunting them for years to come. Beacue Favre is done and trhey have no one to step in.”
DROSEATWORK: I am reminded of a Navy kicker who after missing a field goal said, “No excuse sir.” There can be no excuses made for the absolute terrible play calling that has been the hallmark of Brian Schottenheimer. The man has been terrible all year and he needs to be fired.
Thomas Jones was the only part of the offense that was working this year. Yet he was under utilized and never allowed to get into a rhythm. You saw the Panthers and the Giants set up drives using the running game. We seem to be unable to figure out what works and thus you get games like yesterday.
I was willing to give Mangini the benefit of the doubt, but after his soft, gutless coaching performance yesterday they all must go.
GOING OFF SCRIPT
From Tommy in Staten Island: The … problem I have with this team is with our offensive play calling. Our first drive of the game always seems to exploit the weakness of the D but after that we seem to not have an identity and dont know whether we want to run or pass. In the secong quarter T.J had a big first down run that made it a nice manageable 2nd and 2. We then went on to throw 2 straight times wich resulted in penalties. It looks like this coaching staff has a plan and sticks with it no matter what. We could have run on them all day and instead were throwing the ball all over the field in bad weather.
BASSETT: I think you are right. If this year proved anything to me, it’s that Brian Schottenheimer is unable to adjust a gameplan. He’s a wizard at first drives, but once he has to go off script, he’s like Michael Scott in an improv class.
It’s as if Schott has spent 90% of his time that week detailing the first drive of the game, and then neglects everything that comes afterwards. He’s a PowerPoint sales presentation for a product that doesn’t exist. The maddening thing is that he’s proven he understands how to exploit another team, but it’s the other 50 minutes of the game that he just can’t seem to get his head around.
As far as Cassell, I don’t like him on a lesser team. I’m afraid that he might be a system guy … that is to say unless your system has a solid offensive line and two Pro Bowl WRs.
DEATH BY SHOTGUN?
From Phillip C.: Why does Schott insist on working out of the empty shotgun set on anything other than obvious passing downs, when we have a dominant running game that deserves respect? –
BASSETT: I have to think that part of that comes from the QB. Announcers have noted all season that Brett really likes running out of empty sets, something the Jets didn’t do much of before he got here. Bill Callahan wasn’t brought to New York to run the spread offense, this is something that the Jets have done to make Favre feel comfortable, and it works sometimes … it’s just not reliable consistently. I understand that teams are going to run less when they are losing, but in the Jets last three losses, Thomas Jones has run the ball 43 times, while in the last three wins, he’s run it 77 times. Abandon the run and the team abondons all hope.
From thejetsblog.com. Please read the complete article and let us know what you think below.
