By Brian Bohl
Forget the sophisticated technological equipment. Tear up the hundreds of unnecessary pages that make The Count of Monte Cristo seem like light reading compared to NFL playbooks. When it comes to winning at football’s highest level, the philosophy remains simple. If the quarterback minimizes mistakes and takes command of the offense, good things follow. If the defense can force errors and the special teams unit contributes a key play, the odds are a victory will be achieved.
Despite coach Eric Mangini’s background as a defensive coordinator, the Jets did not force a single turnover in the first two weeks, a big reason for the 0-2 start. In fact, a defense that improves so much in the second half of last season didn’t even force a sack, putting too much pressure on an offense that can score, but not at big clips. But Kerry Rhodes alleviated some of the pressure, getting his team’s first interception when the safety picked off Miami quarterback Trent Green in the third quarter.
Earlier in the game, Shuan Ellis showed how a weak secondary can be improved when the defensive line demonstrates the ability to knock opposing passers to the turf. Ellis smothered Green six yards behind the line of scrimmage in the first quarter. The Jets finally erased the zero next to the sacks and interceptions column on the stat sheet, and look at the outcome: Jets 31, Miami 28.
“Whenever you are in a situation where you are 0-2 and you are trying to get off the snide it is always tough,” said Rhodes, whose interception facilitated Chad Pennington’s subsequent quarterback sneak for a touchdown to build a 31-13 edge. “The first win is always the toughest one and we got it now, so we have something to build on.”
The difference between 0-3 and 1-2 is larger than the obvious one-game improvement. With the Jets playing winless Buffalo this Sunday, another good performance could ensure a .500 record after a blowout loss to the Patriots in Week 1 and a failed comeback attempt in Baltimore the following weekend. A win against another AFC East rival would make the Jets 2-1 in the four-team division, allowing them to keep surging New England within sight when the two teams meet again in Foxborough.
With a tough schedule, the Jets could actually be a better team with a worse record than last year’s version. A 10-6 record and playoff appearance made 2006 a surprisingly successful campaign, but also necessitated a more difficult schedule now. If there is a soft spot in the schedule, it’s now. The Jets are in the middle of a stretch in which they play four straight games against teams with non-winning records.
They already dropped the Dolphins down to 0-3 and will face the Bills (0-3), Giants (1-2), Eagles (1-2) before hosting the unexpectedly hot Redskins at Giants Stadium Nov. 4. If Mangini wants to lead his group back to the playoffs for the second straight season, the Jets will need to capitalize on this opportunity before facing the Patriots, Cowboys and Steelers later in the year.
“I feel like we still have a lot to do to get to where we want to be,” said cornerback David Barrett, who was named the Jets Defensive Player of the Week after tying the team-high with seven tackles. “We still have a lot of steps to take to be the defense that we want to be.”
The defensive news wasn’t all positive. Miami was able to get back in the game after compiling more than 400 yards of total offense, including Green’s 318-yard performance on 23-36 passing. Ronnie Brown also pushed through the 3-4 defense for two touchdowns and 112 yards on 23 carries. He also caught six passes for nine yards and another score, torching the Jets’ over-pursuing defense on screen passes throughout the afternoon at the Meadowlands. Mangini said the front seven and secondary will work on defending screen in preparation for the Bills matchup at Orchard Park.
“You run the coverage off, let the front come through and now you have a big void with blockers out in front. You have to be sound on that,” Mangini said. “If the back gets the ball in space, you have to know exactly where you fit in relationship to the other defenders. You have to be able to slip the bigger guys and make a play.”
Offensively, Pennington showed his right ankle improved, scampering in for the a touchdown while also tossing two touchdowns. It was vintage Pennington, where he recorded just 124 yards but completed 15 of 22 passes without an interception. It’s no surprise his best start of the season came on the same day running back Thomas Jones enjoyed a breakout performance.
The team’s most heralded offseason acquisition rushed for 110 yards on 25 carries, opening up the passing game. Jones could be in for another big game against the Bills, as Buffalo is last in the 32-team league in total defense. How bad is that unit? The Bills allowed their first three opponents to average over 458 yards per game, giving up over 26 points.
“You start to get a feel for the game and how the defense is playing and you are able to instinctively do some more things,” said Jones after torching Miami for 92 rushing yards in the second half. “That is what I was feeling in the second half. I’m a running back and my job is to get yards.”
Factor in Leon Washington’s emergence as a kickoff returner, and the Jets are coming off the franchise’s most complete game of the season. Washington, replacing Justin Miller after the Pro Bowler suffered a season-ending right knee injury, brought back a kick 98 yards against the Dolphins. That also helped to galvanize a special teams that was still reeling from giving up Ellis Hobbs’ NFL-record 108-yard touchdown run-back in the loss to the Patriots.
“Obviously, losing Justin is big for our team, but Coach Mangini talks about it all the time that you have to take advantage of opportunities when the opportunity is given to you,” Washington said. “I feel like it wasn’t that hard for me to make that play. I pretty much ran straight through the hole and got side swiped by the kicker and the rest was history. Our guys did a good job upfront in the wedge with blocking those guys up. Honestly, I think the easy part was going to score the touchdown.”

While Pennington may not wow onlookers with arm strength, his mental aptitude on the field, specifically his innate ability to read defenses, makes him a franchise quarterback. (JetsInsider.com)