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Originally Posted by mz.  My point here would not be that good defense is or will ever be unfashionable, but moreso that its success is predicated upon stopping the passing game. As shep has stated, the RULES have dictated this.
Just look at the Jets. PERFECT example of a team that is ahead of the curve on D. Stacking up passrushers and CB (I mean Revis, Cromartie and Kyle Wilson...wow) is how you best try to stop a passing game in a league that changed its rules to make passing easier. |
Last year at this time I was reading what a sensational idea it was to sign FA Lito Sheppard to Pro Bowl $ in NY. That perfect plan ended within 365 days.
Mz, I appreciate the reminder of how Mangini
really set that Jets roster up nice with a strong core group of young players like Nick Mangold, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, D. Revis, David Harris and Dustin Keller. He also improved the running game on offense there by adding the right people and attitudes. Ferguson, Woody, Faneca, Moore, Mangold & Thomas Jones.
You couldn't find a closer model of building the team up than the one he's using or dare I say RE-using. Alex Mack is the same idea as Nick Mangold in round 1. What's nice is we already had a better version of D'Brick on board at LT so Mangini didn't have to waste time there. They had 2 first round olinemen at Center and LT and so do we. The NY right side is a little better but we're a work in progress.
Hardesty looks to be the SAME style of deceptive power runner and slasher as Thomas Jones was to the Jets offense. Jones would share carries/reps with Leon Washington while Hardesty will share reps/carries with Jerome Harrison. The Jets added another RB Shonn Greene who was ready for upside as soon as Jones' legs died. We had a running game ready to improve when Jamal's legs died too. The RB competition setting up for 2010 looks like one of the most exciting groups we've had in a long time. Hardesty, Harrison, Davis, Jennings will battle for carries while Hillis and Vickers compete for FB duty.
NY wasn't the only team giving alot of attention to the secondary. We added Sheldon Brown, Joe Haden, Larry Asante and TJ Moore which really addressed a depth and talent issue. This is a pretty deep group of corners: Sheldon Brown, Eric Wright Joe Haden, Coye Frances, Brandon McDonald, Mike Adams. At Saftey we're still not as deep as comfortable. I see TJ Moore, Larry Asante, Abram Elam, Mike Adams, Nick Sorensen, Mike Furrey fighting for 2 spots. Depending on how quickly Haden emerges or if any of the Safeties get injured - we could be looking at Sheldon Brown playing one of the Safety spots before too long. That might not be bad at all. Mike Adams is the Paul Farren of our secondary for those of you old enough to remember how many different positions that guy could play along the oline.
Even though there are mixed reviews in here about the LBer position - it's WAY better than it was heading into the 2009 draft a year ago. Roth was such a noticeable upgrade as was Bowens when he moved inside. Now we've added Gocong and Fujita; BUT Marcus Benard came out of nowhere down the stretch. For all the disappointment people had with Veikune - Benard became a pretty uplifting story as an undrafted rookie. Maiava ran a little hot and cold but that's the life of a rookie. Then we have Trusnik who will never be confused with Clay Matthews; but compared to Leon Williams he was Harvard between the ears on the field. We should be able to start 4 good guys from this list of candidates: D'Qwell Jackson, Scott Fujita, Marcus Benard, Matt Roth, J. Trusnik, Chris Gocong, Kaluka Maiava, David Bowens, David Veikune, and Blake Costanzo.
Seems like Mangini strived to better all the same parts of his team in Cleveland that he bettered in NY.
- Tom F. 
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05-13-2010
We KNOW it is a passing league, we know it favors QB's. Move on Shep, we're not stupid so please STOP making the same points. We get it, okay? Ok.
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