Saturday, January 1, 2011

What should happen in the Bills game?

Despite HOW it has happened the past few weeks, if you told me before the season the Jets would be already be in the playoffs going into Week 17? Sign me up, no question. It seems like a lot of guys are going to sit this week. Revis with that hammy, Cromartie with a groin, maybe Pouha with the back injury. All of that is well and good, because those three guys have proved their worth this season. Revis has been back to being a great corner, although not at his most feared man on the planet level of last year. Cromartie is a freak athlete corner who shies away from physicality despite being physically huge. (By the way, I was worried about this before the season). Pouha and DeVito have typically done a great job stuffing the run for two years now without Kris Jenkins. But there are a few things I need to see on Sunday to believe that we can legitimately make a run in the playoffs. 

1) The Pass rush. A pass rush. Anything. Last week was terrible, and for the season we have one player (Bryan Thomas) in the top 50 in sacks. Taylor hasn't had a sack since the Cleveland game. Ellis had 3.5 by week 5...and has had one since the bye week. The only pressure that the defense has created has come from DB blitzes, or from the DB's staying in coverage for 5 seconds and creating pressure from the good coverage. Forget having to go against Matt Cassel or (shit) Peyton Manning on Wildcard weekend, Ryan Fitzpatrick has proven that if he has time, he can carve up a defense. I want the majority of the front seven starting, and at least showing that they can create pressure against Buffalo before coming out of the game. They should've destroyed a bad Bears O-line, and on paper they should do the same against a possibly worse Bills O-line. 

2) 2 good drives from Sanchez. Tomorrow's weather is going to be pretty much all you could ask for in January in East Rutherford, 45 and sunny with 7 mph winds. There are no excuses here, he has to show that he can deal with success and that he can play in not ideal weather. Last week was definitely a start, if he can continue it against a Bills defense who isn't as good as their 4th ranked pass defense shows (why pass against a team when you're winning by 20? They average a 92.6 QB rating against) it will bode well for tough road games to come in the playoffs. 

3) More ground and pound. It's the formula the Jets used to get to the AFC Championship game last year, and it should be what they use to hopefully get there again. LT should definitely get a rest for this game, and it should be Greene and maybe even a little Joe McKnight. The O-line hasn't done a great job of opening up holes the last few games, so some big running lanes against the Bills would be a start. 

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