Archives
November 2007
11/30/07
11/28/07
11/28/07
11/27/07
11/27/07
11/22/07
11/20/07
11/17/07
11/14/07
11/14/07
11/13/07
11/13/07
11/13/07
11/8/07
11/5/07
11/3/07
Week 9 Washington Redskins (4-3) at New York Jets (1-7)
11/2/07
11/1/07
11/1/07
Saturday, November 3, 2007
11:22:00 AM EDT
The Jets host the Washington Redskins this Sunday in the Meadowlands. New York will look to get to its bye week with some semblance of momentum. There is no way to salvage this season. All the Jets can hope is that their young players will step up and that this team can finish strong to go into 2008 with some positive feelings.
Even though these teams meet only once every four years, the Jets and Redskins have a lot of recent history. Aside from the Patriots, there is no other team in the league from whom the Jets have directly gained and lost players. It all started in the 2002-2003 offseason. Four Jets signed free agent deals with the Redskins. Laveranues Coles, Randy Thomas, John Hall, and Chad Morton all went to the nation's capital. Morton's move was especially controversial. The Jets planned on matching the restricted free agent's offer sheet. They did leave out a single provision dealing with a voidable years clause, and a binding arbitrator ruled Morton as property of the Redskins. That arbitrator, Richard Bloch, was a Redskins season ticket holder. How this ridiculous conflict of interest was allowed is mind-boggling. The teams remained active in offseason trades in years to come. The teams swapped number one receivers in the 2004-2005 offseason as Coles returned to New York, and Santana Moss headed to Washington. The next year, the Redskins sent Patrick Ramsey to New York for a Draft pick. In the 2006 Draft, the Jets traded down in the second round with the 'Skins, who gave them an extra second rounder in 2007. Longtime Jet, Jason Fabini signed with Washington prior to the 2007 season and has seen extensive time at guard. Disgruntled Jet, Pete Kendall, was sent to Washington during Training Camp earlier this year for a pick in the 2008 Draft. Even though these clubs are in different conferences, they are very familiar in dealing with each other.
This game marks the official start of the Kellen Clemens Era. We will begin to see whether Kellen is indeed the franchise quarterback, which many pundits proclaim he has the tools to become. Kellen is going to have to succeed without one of his primary weapons. Laveranues Coles is expected to miss this game because of a concussion. This probably leaves Brad Smith to make his first career start. Clemens has extensive experience in working with Smith and Justin McCareins as part of the second team, but losing Coles' playmaking is a major blow. Washington has a stingy run defense, ranked in the top third of the league. With a top receiver missing, the 'Skins will likely stick eight in the box and should be able to neutralize Thomas Jones. Clemens is going to have to have to make plays on his own, which is not what the Jets would have hoped. They wanted to let Kellen distribute the football to his playmakers. Gregg Williams will probably throw plenty of blitzes Clemens' way. New York has had issues at left guard. Jacob Bender is expected to see time there. Kellen was clearly rattled by pressure in his first start of the season at Baltimore. There will likely be more of the same against the Redskins.
New York's defense played much better against the Bills last week than it had all season, but issues still remain. There is still no true nose tackle. After seeing David Harris on film, Washington is more than likely to make accounting for him a major point of emphasis. Harris is only one man. He can only do so much with a relatively weak line and corps of linebackers. Washington has a dyanmic running attack led by Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts that should be able to get on track against a weak rushing defense. This duo may have struggled early, but it also has not played the Jets yet. Facing New York is a good remedy for struggling offenses. Jason Campbell might not be at the stage of his career where he can win games on his own, but he will not have to this week. All he has to do is manage this contest, making the occasional big play, as the 'Skins should be able to control it on the ground.
This is going to be a really tough game for the Jets to win. They need to hope that Washington overlooks them. While that is possible, it is just as possible the Redskins will come out hungry to avenge an embarassing loss to the Patriots last week. The Jets' weaknesses are Washington's strengths. It should be a long day in the Meadowlands for Gang Green.
Redskins 21
Jets 10
Written by georgecoztanza Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | 
digg this
11:22:00 AM EDT
Week 9 Washington Redskins (4-3) at New York Jets (1-7)
Even though these teams meet only once every four years, the Jets and Redskins have a lot of recent history. Aside from the Patriots, there is no other team in the league from whom the Jets have directly gained and lost players. It all started in the 2002-2003 offseason. Four Jets signed free agent deals with the Redskins. Laveranues Coles, Randy Thomas, John Hall, and Chad Morton all went to the nation's capital. Morton's move was especially controversial. The Jets planned on matching the restricted free agent's offer sheet. They did leave out a single provision dealing with a voidable years clause, and a binding arbitrator ruled Morton as property of the Redskins. That arbitrator, Richard Bloch, was a Redskins season ticket holder. How this ridiculous conflict of interest was allowed is mind-boggling. The teams remained active in offseason trades in years to come. The teams swapped number one receivers in the 2004-2005 offseason as Coles returned to New York, and Santana Moss headed to Washington. The next year, the Redskins sent Patrick Ramsey to New York for a Draft pick. In the 2006 Draft, the Jets traded down in the second round with the 'Skins, who gave them an extra second rounder in 2007. Longtime Jet, Jason Fabini signed with Washington prior to the 2007 season and has seen extensive time at guard. Disgruntled Jet, Pete Kendall, was sent to Washington during Training Camp earlier this year for a pick in the 2008 Draft. Even though these clubs are in different conferences, they are very familiar in dealing with each other.
This game marks the official start of the Kellen Clemens Era. We will begin to see whether Kellen is indeed the franchise quarterback, which many pundits proclaim he has the tools to become. Kellen is going to have to succeed without one of his primary weapons. Laveranues Coles is expected to miss this game because of a concussion. This probably leaves Brad Smith to make his first career start. Clemens has extensive experience in working with Smith and Justin McCareins as part of the second team, but losing Coles' playmaking is a major blow. Washington has a stingy run defense, ranked in the top third of the league. With a top receiver missing, the 'Skins will likely stick eight in the box and should be able to neutralize Thomas Jones. Clemens is going to have to have to make plays on his own, which is not what the Jets would have hoped. They wanted to let Kellen distribute the football to his playmakers. Gregg Williams will probably throw plenty of blitzes Clemens' way. New York has had issues at left guard. Jacob Bender is expected to see time there. Kellen was clearly rattled by pressure in his first start of the season at Baltimore. There will likely be more of the same against the Redskins.
New York's defense played much better against the Bills last week than it had all season, but issues still remain. There is still no true nose tackle. After seeing David Harris on film, Washington is more than likely to make accounting for him a major point of emphasis. Harris is only one man. He can only do so much with a relatively weak line and corps of linebackers. Washington has a dyanmic running attack led by Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts that should be able to get on track against a weak rushing defense. This duo may have struggled early, but it also has not played the Jets yet. Facing New York is a good remedy for struggling offenses. Jason Campbell might not be at the stage of his career where he can win games on his own, but he will not have to this week. All he has to do is manage this contest, making the occasional big play, as the 'Skins should be able to control it on the ground.
This is going to be a really tough game for the Jets to win. They need to hope that Washington overlooks them. While that is possible, it is just as possible the Redskins will come out hungry to avenge an embarassing loss to the Patriots last week. The Jets' weaknesses are Washington's strengths. It should be a long day in the Meadowlands for Gang Green.
Redskins 21
Jets 10
Written by georgecoztanza Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | digg this
