(Photo Credit: http://media.centredaily.com/smedia/2011/09/25/19/29/252-sGYn.AuSt.55.jpg)First off, let's be realistic and say that the way the Jets have played this season, they deserve to be 1-2 rather than 2-1. If it wasn't for Tony Romo's extra-early Christmas gift in the fourth quarter of the September 11 opener, they would be.
That being said, the grades in my upcoming report card won't reflect a team that's won two of its first three games. Let's get to it.
Rushing Offense:
Tomlinson is more of a factor in the passing game than Greene, which explains his lack of touches in the Week 2 blowout and his extensive usage in Weeks 1 and 3. Greene, however, caught seven passes for 47 yards against the Raiders and it looks like the Jets will look to get him outside the tackles more often.
With the team's current issues in the middle of their offensive line, the Jets will have to get Greene outside with tosses and swing passes if they hope to make him effective. He struggles to build momentum up the middle and looks plodding at times, but give him a head of steam and a 200-pound corner and you have a recipe for success.
The ground-and-pound mantra is dead, at least until Mangold returns in a few weeks and even with him, the running wasn't working. Two years ago, the Jets had an elite offensive line. Now, it's average at best
New York has two studs in Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, an aging veteran in Brandon Moore and inexperience at the other spots. They will continue to struggle running the ball inside the tackles if they can't win the battle in the trenches.
Passing Offense:
While the stats look pretty from the Oakland game, where Mark Sanchez completed over 60 percent of his passes for a career-high 369 yards, three total touchdowns and just one interception, the game tape tells a different story.
Sanchez was wildly inaccurate at times and careless at others. While he made a few big plays in the passing game, the stats are slightly skewed by a 74-yard dump pass early in the game to LaDainian Tomlinson. He also had 12 of his 27 completions to his running backs.
After being turnover-free through the first five games last season, Sanchez already has four interceptions and a fumble through three games in 2011. He has made many bad decisions and, combined with frustrating inaccuracy at times, hasn't taken the leap forward that many expected.
The only positive to take from Sanchez's early-season performance is that his completion percentage is way up, sitting at 63.1 percent compared to 55.4 for his career. He has accomplished this as offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has opened up the playbook with more shots down the field, something myself and many others who follow the Jets have been clamoring for since last season.
Sanchez still is nothing more than a game manager, but I still think it's too early to completely give up on him. I've always compared him to Ben Roethlisberger, who was the definition of a game manager in his first three seasons with the Steelers.
It may sound like I'm making excuses for the Jets quarterback, but I'm just choosing to take the route less traveled when it comes to Sanchez: patience rather than panic. If we're having this same conversation next season, I'll be done with Sanchez. But this year, it's not just his fault.
The real problem here is the Jets' lack of a successful running game. With the offensive line in shambles and a power back who can't seem to find space on the interior, New York will have to rely on the arm of Sanchez more than expected this season.
I'm not sure that's such a good thing for 2011, but maybe opening up the playbook and forcing him to win games rather than not losing them will finally allow him to develop into the player he has the talent to be.
Grade: C+
Rushing Defense:
Another area that was expected to be one of the strengths of the Jets has been anything but in the early part of the season.
The Jets allowed 234 rushing yards to the Raiders, including 171 on 19 carries for Darren McFadden. McFadden is an absolute stud, but for the Jets to allow nine yards per carry to anybody is shocking.
That performance came a week after the Jaguars ran for 112 yards on New York and, while they shut down Felix Jones and the Dallas ground game in Week 1, there is an obvious chink in this team's defensive armor.
The Jets' only loss along their front seven was defensive end Shaun Ellis, an aging run-stopper whose best days are clearly behind him. So what has made this unit so vulnerable in 2011?
Is David Harris still hobbled by his toe injury? Are Bart Scott, Calvin Pace and Sione Pouha just another year older and step slower? Is rookie Muhammad Wilkerson's presence along the defensive line a detriment? All of the above?
Grade: C-
Passing Defense:
The Jets made journeyman Luke McCown look like a complete clown in Week 2 but then again, he's always been a complete clown. Jason Campbell was his typical average self on Sunday and Tony Romo was having a great day through the air in the opener until he folded late.
I have less complaints about New York's pass defense than I do with any other facet of their team. It's hard to argue that there's anybody better than Darrelle Revis at the cornerback position because you never hear his name called unless Romo is throwing a ball right into his chest.
After one of the best games of his career against McCown and the Jags which included two interceptions and a touchdown, Cromartie was burned and flagged repeatedly against Oakland. If there's one thing the Raiders' receivers have it's speed, and Cromartie struggled to run with them or stay with them out of their breaks.
I'm not looking forward to watching Cromartie attempt to defend either speedy Ravens Lee Evans or Torrey Smith next week, especially after Smith's three-touchdown breakout against the Rams.
The Jets' pass rush is still non-existant outside of blitz packages, which are difficult for Rex Ryan to dial up when Cromartie can't cover anybody. Wilkerson is not ready to be the pass rusher this team needs and they will continue to be very boom (see: Jags game) or bust (see: Cowboys game) until they can pressure the quarterback with a four-man rush.
Grade: B-
Special Teams:
As usual, Mike Westhoff has the Jets' special teams unit playing at a high level. If not for a well-designed punt block that sprung Joe McKnight free up the middle, New York would have never beaten Dallas in Week 1.
I like what I've seen out of Jeremy Kerley on punt returns; he's small, quick and isn't afraid to go upfield first and gain a few yards rather than running sideways and gaining nothing.
As for kick returns, I'm fine as long as Antonio Cromartie never sees another ball. His fumble against Oakland essentially handed the Raiders the game late and, while he can be a game-breaker, the potential for good does not outweigh the potential for bad considering the new kickoff rules. All risk, minimal reward.
Nick Folk gives me no reason to complain, making all six of his field goal attempts this season, while T.J. Conley is what we thought he would be at punter. He's not crushing balls (41.4 yards per kick) but he has done a decent job of hanging balls in the air and placing them around the sidelines to prevent big returns.
Grade: A-
As you can see from my grades, I'm very disappointed in the Jets' performance through three games this season. Their record may sit at 2-1 but if they played up to their potential, they could definitely be undefeated. They also could (and should) be 1-2.
That's not to say I don't have confidence in this team turning things around, but it needs to happen sooner rather than later. No disrespect to the resurgent Bills who are a legitimate team for the first time in a while, but the Jets needed to take advantage of the Pats early loss on Sunday. They couldn't.
With three teams looking like 10-win possibilities within the division and the Ravens and Steelers looking the same way in the AFC North, one of these five teams will miss out the playoffs. If the Jets don't pick things up in the coming weeks in every facet of the game, it very well could be them.
Rushing Offense:
It's unfair to grade the Jets based solely on their performance on the ground against a struggling Raiders' run defense, especially without starting center and offensive line captain Nick Mangold. While Shonn Greene had his best game of the season, he didn't even reach 60 yards (15 carries, 59 yards).
Just like last season, LaDainian Tomlinson looks like the best running back on the roster. He isn't running as well as he did at the start of last season and was essentially useless last week against Jacksonville, but Tomlinson totaled 154 yards on 11 touches this week, while Greene has 194 total yards all season.
Just like last season, LaDainian Tomlinson looks like the best running back on the roster. He isn't running as well as he did at the start of last season and was essentially useless last week against Jacksonville, but Tomlinson totaled 154 yards on 11 touches this week, while Greene has 194 total yards all season.
Tomlinson is more of a factor in the passing game than Greene, which explains his lack of touches in the Week 2 blowout and his extensive usage in Weeks 1 and 3. Greene, however, caught seven passes for 47 yards against the Raiders and it looks like the Jets will look to get him outside the tackles more often.
With the team's current issues in the middle of their offensive line, the Jets will have to get Greene outside with tosses and swing passes if they hope to make him effective. He struggles to build momentum up the middle and looks plodding at times, but give him a head of steam and a 200-pound corner and you have a recipe for success.
The ground-and-pound mantra is dead, at least until Mangold returns in a few weeks and even with him, the running wasn't working. Two years ago, the Jets had an elite offensive line. Now, it's average at best
New York has two studs in Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, an aging veteran in Brandon Moore and inexperience at the other spots. They will continue to struggle running the ball inside the tackles if they can't win the battle in the trenches.
Grade: D+
Passing Offense:
While the stats look pretty from the Oakland game, where Mark Sanchez completed over 60 percent of his passes for a career-high 369 yards, three total touchdowns and just one interception, the game tape tells a different story.
Sanchez was wildly inaccurate at times and careless at others. While he made a few big plays in the passing game, the stats are slightly skewed by a 74-yard dump pass early in the game to LaDainian Tomlinson. He also had 12 of his 27 completions to his running backs.
After being turnover-free through the first five games last season, Sanchez already has four interceptions and a fumble through three games in 2011. He has made many bad decisions and, combined with frustrating inaccuracy at times, hasn't taken the leap forward that many expected.
The only positive to take from Sanchez's early-season performance is that his completion percentage is way up, sitting at 63.1 percent compared to 55.4 for his career. He has accomplished this as offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has opened up the playbook with more shots down the field, something myself and many others who follow the Jets have been clamoring for since last season.
Sanchez still is nothing more than a game manager, but I still think it's too early to completely give up on him. I've always compared him to Ben Roethlisberger, who was the definition of a game manager in his first three seasons with the Steelers.
It wasn't until year four that Roethlisberger became a true playmaker with 32 touchdowns, not having reached 20 in any of his first three seasons. And while Big Ben started for three seasons at Miami (Ohio), Sanchez started just one at USC before joining the Jets. I doubt the lockout helped Sanchez either.
It may sound like I'm making excuses for the Jets quarterback, but I'm just choosing to take the route less traveled when it comes to Sanchez: patience rather than panic. If we're having this same conversation next season, I'll be done with Sanchez. But this year, it's not just his fault.
The real problem here is the Jets' lack of a successful running game. With the offensive line in shambles and a power back who can't seem to find space on the interior, New York will have to rely on the arm of Sanchez more than expected this season.
I'm not sure that's such a good thing for 2011, but maybe opening up the playbook and forcing him to win games rather than not losing them will finally allow him to develop into the player he has the talent to be.
Grade: C+
Rushing Defense:
Another area that was expected to be one of the strengths of the Jets has been anything but in the early part of the season.
The Jets allowed 234 rushing yards to the Raiders, including 171 on 19 carries for Darren McFadden. McFadden is an absolute stud, but for the Jets to allow nine yards per carry to anybody is shocking.
That performance came a week after the Jaguars ran for 112 yards on New York and, while they shut down Felix Jones and the Dallas ground game in Week 1, there is an obvious chink in this team's defensive armor.
The Jets' only loss along their front seven was defensive end Shaun Ellis, an aging run-stopper whose best days are clearly behind him. So what has made this unit so vulnerable in 2011?
Is David Harris still hobbled by his toe injury? Are Bart Scott, Calvin Pace and Sione Pouha just another year older and step slower? Is rookie Muhammad Wilkerson's presence along the defensive line a detriment? All of the above?
We'll learn the answers to these questions in the coming weeks, likely this Sunday when the Jets face former New Rochelle and Rutgers standout Ray Rice and the Ravens. If this unit is legit this season, they need to bounce back with an inspired performance and at least contain Rice this week. If not, it could be a long season for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Grade: C-
Passing Defense:
The Jets made journeyman Luke McCown look like a complete clown in Week 2 but then again, he's always been a complete clown. Jason Campbell was his typical average self on Sunday and Tony Romo was having a great day through the air in the opener until he folded late.
I have less complaints about New York's pass defense than I do with any other facet of their team. It's hard to argue that there's anybody better than Darrelle Revis at the cornerback position because you never hear his name called unless Romo is throwing a ball right into his chest.
I can definitely complain, however, about the still-inconsistent play of Antonio Cromartie, who coincidentally got paid big money once the lockout ended.
After one of the best games of his career against McCown and the Jags which included two interceptions and a touchdown, Cromartie was burned and flagged repeatedly against Oakland. If there's one thing the Raiders' receivers have it's speed, and Cromartie struggled to run with them or stay with them out of their breaks.
I'm not looking forward to watching Cromartie attempt to defend either speedy Ravens Lee Evans or Torrey Smith next week, especially after Smith's three-touchdown breakout against the Rams.
The Jets' pass rush is still non-existant outside of blitz packages, which are difficult for Rex Ryan to dial up when Cromartie can't cover anybody. Wilkerson is not ready to be the pass rusher this team needs and they will continue to be very boom (see: Jags game) or bust (see: Cowboys game) until they can pressure the quarterback with a four-man rush.
Grade: B-
Special Teams:
As usual, Mike Westhoff has the Jets' special teams unit playing at a high level. If not for a well-designed punt block that sprung Joe McKnight free up the middle, New York would have never beaten Dallas in Week 1.
I like what I've seen out of Jeremy Kerley on punt returns; he's small, quick and isn't afraid to go upfield first and gain a few yards rather than running sideways and gaining nothing.
As for kick returns, I'm fine as long as Antonio Cromartie never sees another ball. His fumble against Oakland essentially handed the Raiders the game late and, while he can be a game-breaker, the potential for good does not outweigh the potential for bad considering the new kickoff rules. All risk, minimal reward.
Nick Folk gives me no reason to complain, making all six of his field goal attempts this season, while T.J. Conley is what we thought he would be at punter. He's not crushing balls (41.4 yards per kick) but he has done a decent job of hanging balls in the air and placing them around the sidelines to prevent big returns.
Grade: A-
As you can see from my grades, I'm very disappointed in the Jets' performance through three games this season. Their record may sit at 2-1 but if they played up to their potential, they could definitely be undefeated. They also could (and should) be 1-2.
That's not to say I don't have confidence in this team turning things around, but it needs to happen sooner rather than later. No disrespect to the resurgent Bills who are a legitimate team for the first time in a while, but the Jets needed to take advantage of the Pats early loss on Sunday. They couldn't.
With three teams looking like 10-win possibilities within the division and the Ravens and Steelers looking the same way in the AFC North, one of these five teams will miss out the playoffs. If the Jets don't pick things up in the coming weeks in every facet of the game, it very well could be them.
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