Smith! Blocked! Smith! Smith! Blocked! Smith! Blocked Again!

This has nothing whatsoever to do with Charles Smith getting blocked four times in 13 seconds in the playoffs against the Bulls. It has everything to do with Mike Smith and his decision to go for it on 4th down and 1 in the Falcons' own territory in overtime against New Orleans. It's all over TV and radio today. Don't want to get into it too much, but the point is Mike Smith made absolutely the right decision. He thought that the Falcons would lose if they gave the ball back to Drew Brees, so he went for it. I agree completely. If you think punting the ball back to New Orleans and giving it to them at their 25 yard line would result in a loss, then what's the difference if you miss on 4th down?

That does not exonerate Smith in the least, however. The stupidity of the decision was completely in the play call itself. I mean they basically broadcasted the play over the internet for billions of people to see. Everyone and their mothers all knew what Atlanta would do, and yet they did it anyway. They should have run any single play in the history of play-calling other than the one they ran. For that, and for that alone, Smith should be blamed for the loss. Let's see what TMQ has to say about it tomorrow.

Meanwhile, at the dog pound, "Wanted" signs are being posted to find anybody, ANYBODY, who can jam a 6'6" tight end at the line to bust up the play, and maybe throw off Tom Brady's timing for half a second. Any takers?

Follow up from TMQ:

" In overtime, Atlanta faced fourth-and-inches on its 29, and went for it. This absolutely was the right decision, as Brian Burke of Advanced NFL Stats shows in detail. If you can't gain a few inches you are not likely to win, while punting to the Saints would have given Drew Brees good field position to seek a field goal and victory. TMQ contends that NFL coaches do not go for it enough on fourth down because if they kick and lose, the players are blamed; if they go for it and lose, the coach is blamed. Sure enough, that's what happened to Mike Smith.

Stuffing the Falcons' run was sweet for New Orleans -- the sour part was a good decision but a bad play call by Atlanta. TMQ's lead last week was that bland straight-ahead rushes don't work on short-yardage downs. Atlanta's call was a bland straight-ahead rush to the power side of the formation, exactly what New Orleans expected. There was no misdirection -- and misdirection is essential on short-yardage downs, when the defense is cranked to charge straight ahead.

To top it off, the extra blocker at the point of attack was skinny wide receiver Roddy White, while running back Michael Turner took the handoff four yards deep in the backfield, meaning he would have to fight just to reach the line of scrimmage. Atlanta might have employed some misdirection; or simply had Matt Ryan sneak, starting the play much closer to the line of scrimmage; or play-faked and gone deep for the win. Instead a bland straight-ahead call, and seemingly no audible available to Ryan if the defense was overstacked. TMQ's law holds: Do a Little Dance If You Want to Gain That Yard."

And about the aforementioned "Wanted" signs:

"Now it's Flying Elvii leading 16-9, facing third-and-3 on the Jets' 5. Tall tight end Rob Gronkowski lined up wide as a wide receiver. To that point, Gronkowski already had seven touchdown catches. Across from Gronkowski in single man coverage was 5-foot-10, third-string corner Donald Strickland, no safety in sight. Seeing Gronkowski in man coverage wide, who might Tom Brady look for? If you'd been at the game, you would have pointed at Gronkowski presnap. Strickland didn't jam Gronkowski as he ran a simple slant for the score, and no safety came over to help. Ye gods."

Football Thoughts

Az I went to the Jets game last Monday night against Miami, and thanks to some extended family we had incredible seats - 8th row on the 25 yard line by the Jets sideline. Now I don't go to too many football games, and I never sat anywhere but nosebleed, which is not dissimilar to watching on TV in re: the birds-eye view. Sitting that close gave me a new perspective, which I thought I'd share.

Football is chaos. On TV it looks like the quarterback can see everything we see, but there are 22 people running around a relatively small field, everyone is 6'7", and everyone can run a 4.4 40. I have no idea how anything gets done out there. I'm not sure how there aren't 20 injuries every down. I'm not sure how there aren't 20 turnovers a game. As I said. Chaos.

Announcers really help. With all that chaos going on, the players and coaches still need to keep track of what down it is, where the first down marker is, how much time is left on the play clock, how much time is left on the game clock, which personnel needs to be on the field, etc. Those of us watching on TV have the luxury of getting every bit of information from the announcers and what's shown on the screen. I never realized how easy it is to lose track of all those important pieces of information.

Stadium was stunning, by the way.

Here's one that has nothing to do with football. I only started noticing this recently, but it is becoming increasingly annoying, and I might yell at someone pretty soon. Let's say you're behind me on a crowded elevator or subway and the doors are getting ready to open and I'm in front. I don't care how much of a hurry you're in, before you say "excuse me," please wait until you see that I'm actually in your way. Hey, has it ever occurred to you that I might be getting off also? Your life would be much happier if you stopped assuming that everyone else is a jerk.

Phew! That's finally off my chest.

Go for 2?

Anyone watching the game today? Jets are down 27-14 to New England and score a touchdown with about 8 minutes left. 27-20 Patriots. Jets kick the PAT, so now it's 27-21.

I disagree.

Go for 2.

If you miss, it's still 27-20, and if you stop them on defense you can still tie it up with a TD. If you get it then it's 27-22. Then there are 2 scenarios:

Stop the Patriots and you still need a TD to take the lead.

Give up a field goal, and you're still just one score behind.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Van Lingle Mungo

No, this post is not actually about the former Browns and Giants pitcher from the 1930s. But he does have a fantastic name. As you know by now, my mind tends to drift, word-association style, from one thing to another (see here: http://schmuttblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/stupid-gifts-and-how-my-mind-works.html). This post is really about Nick Mangold. I have a #74 replica jersey at home and my wife thinks his name is "Mango," which is how I thought of Van Lingle Mungo in the first place.

Anyway, as I said, this post is about Nick Mangold. What with (what with? Great words to appear in succession) the injury to Peyton Manning, the Colts are 0-4 for the first time since Manning's rookie year. Lots of sports pundits are (somewhat tongue-in-cheek-ingly) clamoring for Manning to get some MVP support. Look how bad Indy is without him! When Brady went down, the Pats still went 11-5 with Matt Cassel, but Indy is completely lost! Phooey! Yes, I said phooey!

Has anyone's absence been felt more than Nick Mangold's? The Jets gave up 267 total yards of offense on Sunday yet still gave up 34 points. 267 yards is better than the average of the top defense so far in 2011, and 207 yards better than the New England Patriots! Yet they still gave up 34 points. Mark Sanchez was battered and walloped (and dolloped!) all night long, to the tune of two sacks, four forced fumbles, nine pressures, and ten hits on non-sacks. Want some more? Last year, the Jets averaged 4.4 yards per carry, good enough for 8th in the league. 2.0 of those yards on average came before first contact, while the other 2.4 came after contact. This year, the Jets still average 2.3 yards after contact, but only average 0.8 yards before first contact. An extra 1.2 yards before first contact would raise the Jets average yards per carry to a respectable 4.3 instead of a 30th ranked 3.1.

And the reason for all of this? Van Lingle Mungo. I mean Nick Mangold. Nicholas J. Mangold. Nicholas Jeremiah Mangold III, Esq. He just makes everyone better. He makes Matt Slauson and Brandon Moore better. If Slauson and Moore can block their men more successfully, that enables Brick and Hunter to more easily block their men. It's a whole domino effect that ripples outwards through the offensive line from the center. Mangold is simply the best center on the planet right now; he's the best pull blocker on the run in all of football, and he's never given up more than one sack in a season.

Sports writers and announcers love to talk about how some players, in some undefined, nebulous way, will their teammates to play better. Mangold actually, physically, quantifiably makes his teammates better.

F the H?

Hameivin Yavin.

Let's get all FJM-y for a minute. Here is an actual exchange on BBTN regarding the Carlos Beltran trade:

Karl Ravech: You like it? You love it? Or you hate it?

Mark Mulder: I think I like it. I mean it's... it's r-... it's really good; don't get me wrong, but I like it only because of how many outfielders they have, and now that they'll be rotating guys in and out, how does that change those other guys' roles?

Karl Ravech (awesomely, stupefied): Who cares?

Mark Mulder (caught completely off-guard): ... I'm... just sayin'.

John Kruk (also caught off guard): ...wow...

Karl Ravech (more awesomely): I mean... really? So you're gonna... Beltran vs. Nate Schierholz or Cody Ross or Aaron Rowand? Do you worry about the... the relationship that you have with the other players? The clubhouse?

John Kruk (coming to the defense of Mark): That could happen -

Karl Ravech (interrupting, absolutely dumbfounded): Really?

John Kruk: That could really happen...

And then Kruk gives some bizarre commentary on the clubhouse and team chemistry.

The highest of high comedy. Great stuff.

Big Week

Yes, we won, and we're all thrilled, but there's no time to relax; we have to work on fixing our mistakes before heading into Pittsburgh, where the Steelers will be looking for payback after a 22-17 loss to the Jets in week 15. There was a lot of stuff I liked about the Jets' effort today; the secondary had its best game of the season. The receivers made some tremendous catches. And the running game did just enough to put the game away.

But, to be honest, there were a lot more things I did not like about the way the Jets played. The secondary truly bailed out the Jets coaching staff and some folks on special teams. Here is my list of concerns:

Forcing those two fumbles on Brady and Woodcock was terrific, but you HAVE to fall on the ball. We had first crack at recovering both of those fumbles.

And speaking of falling on the ball, I cannot believe Cromartie had the chutzpah to pick up the onside kick and run it back. If he fails to pick up the ball and the Patriots recover, that becomes the stupidest play of the year. Yes, even stupider than Santonio Holmes's antics on the first punt last week. Mike Westhoff is gonna be pulling some ears this week.

I liked that we followed the same blueprint as last week, but if the cornerbacks, safeties, and linebackers are all dropping back into coverage, who's gonna stop the running backs from getting to the second level? The tackling on the Law Firm and Danny Woodcock was horrific. Rashard Mendenhall burned us for 100 yards last time. If he does it again, I don't like our chances. The tackling all around was terrible today. If you get your hand on a man in front of the first-down marker or behind the line of scrimage, you better wrap him up. No excuses.

I think the fade pattern into the end zone is the lowest percentage play call of all time. I might understand if you want to call it on 1st down, but on 3rd and 4 in the red zone? Horrible. It took a legendary catch to make it work. The slants were working all day, and that's a MUCH easier throw for an inaccurate quarterback to make.

With the Jets up 14 with 1:30 to go, the last think you want to do is let Brady drive down the field in under a minute to score a touchdown and give them the opportunity to try another onside kick. You played outstanding defense all day; why switch it up now? The only one who played defense on that drive was Antonio Cromartie, when he broke up the throw to Deion Branch at the goal-line. It's well established that the only thing the infamous "prevent defense" prevents is punts (hat tip Gregg Easterbrook).

One thing I learned today that I did not know before: David Harris is very very slow. Aside from the interception, which was an outstanding read, he did not have a very good game. He missed two tackles for losses that turned into first downs, and I've never seen anybody run back an interception so slowly. He only weighs 25 pounds more than I do, and 50 pounds LESS than Alge Crumpler, who caught him from behind so easily it was laughable. I love you, but that was poorly done, Mr. Harris.

The Jets had a tough time running up the middle all day. And yet, when the time came to burn the clock, they ran the ball up the middle three times in a row for two yards. At least try some kind of misdirection to try to get a first down. The object is to keep the ball out of Tom Brady's hands, not be satisfied with taking two minutes off the clock and handing it back to him.

Let's take a look at these bonehead plays:

Jets first possession, 4th and 5 from the NEW ENGLAND 43 yard line. Yep, out trots the punting unit. You are in the Patriots' house. You lost to them by 42 points six weeks ago, and you're in opponent territory! Why are you punting! Sure enough, Weatherford, who had an awful game in Indianapolis "booms" a 27 yard punt that's fair-caught at the 16 yard line. Well done.

Jets first drive of the second quarter, 4th and 6 from the NEW ENGLAND 45 yard line. Yep, out trots the punting unit. You can't win a game like this by playing 'fraidy-cat football. You need to take it right at the Patriots. Show them you're not scared! Weatherford "booms" his longest gross yardage punt of the day, right into the endzone. Net punt of 25 yards.

Jets ball, 4:05 left in the first half. Jets have 4th and 1 from the NEW ENGLAND 41 yard line. Yep, out trots the punting unit. You don't trust your guys to get you one single, solitary yard? The Jets are the best power-rushing team in the NFL, and you don't have any faith whatsoever in your offensive line and your two tailbacks? Weatherford "booms" a 41 yard punt into the endzone for a touchback. Net punt of 21 yards.

Jets second drive of the second half, 4th and 6 from the NEW ENGLAND 38 yard line. The 38 yard line! Yep, out trots the punting unit. What do you think is going to happen? Steve Weatherford hasn't kicked a decent punt in a month, and you want him to pin the Patriots. GO FOR IT, YOU FREAKIN' MORONS! Weatherford "booms" an 18 yard punt that goes out of bounds. Might as well kick it into the endzone.

That's four punts from New England Territory, none of which gave the Patriots worse field position than their own 16 yard line. That's inexcusable play-calling and unforgivable punting. Rex and Mike Westoff need to seriously reconsider how they want to deal with 4th downs next week.

That's enough for now, back to watching hours of highlights before the baby comes. What a terrific week it should be!