Official Jets podcast is presented by Winning Bet Betty's a team sport bet together at went Pat Eric Gallen here at one Juts Drive the day after Christmas, joined by the Mad Backers always Bart Scott in parts unknown, Bart, how was your Christmas?
It was good?
You know, Christmas isn't really for the dads. It's like a tiring day. But you know it's built for the kids. Our parents did it for us, so it's good for us to do it for them, you know what I mean. I can see you still didn't have enough Christmas egg nog? You know, how is it for you and the kids and stuff like that. I think mine's are a little older than yours, so I don't have to wake up at six am.
Oh yeah, man, I just running on empty right now. But that's fine. You just keep on running, just as long as.
You're moving like Dory, right, just keep swimming.
That's right, Okay, So let's go back to Christmas Eve. The New York Posts ran an article Brian Costello Woody Johnson quoted as saying, my decision is keep both Robert and Joe Douglas. Of course, I think we've made some very positive moves. The culture of the team is a lot better. Defense is better. The offense just needs a few pieces your reaction.
I mean, we all knew that that was the case. That was the reality.
There's no way that you go out and Aaron Rodgers comes to you based on the people that you brought in, based on solid based on Joe Douglas. We knew that now Aaron Rodger would played all year and it would look like crap. Then you blow it up, but you don't even know what it looks like. And hopefully you can be able to convince guys to come over and
we'll see what the Aaron Rodgers effect is. Like I said before, we never got a chance to really see what the Aaron Rodgers effect was because he signed and the deal was done so late. So let's see if he has like that type of magnetic appeal to be able to attract, you know, people around the league that just wants to win championships. And when I say that, I mean hired guns. I mean come here and stack
in the debt. But it's going to start with the draft, and they have to do a really good job in bringing in some linemen and being able to fix that situation because that doesn't you know, vote well, if you talk about any of the teams that's playing well and we give a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl, it's teams with good offensive lines. The Jets have an enormous amount of work to do in that regard.
All right, let's address Joe Douglas first.
For my money, the Jets had a top five roster heading get into this season with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. I think what he's right, There are a lot of pieces in place, correct.
Yeah, but I don't know if it was top five, and it's because of the offensive line. When you think of it, you think about the Baltimore Ravens, you think about San Francisco forty nine ers, think about the Eagles, you think about the Los Angeles Chargers as well. You look at, you know, the roster. I would put them probably top ten, maybe maybe twelve or something like that, because Dallas has a tremendous roster. Buffalo Bills has a tremendous roster, you know, but they have to go out
against a piece. Now, what they do is when you think about the youth, if you put in the youth and to that equation you say, okay, well, some guys that are going to continue to develop. Quincy Williams, you know, stepping up. Michael Carter's playing at a high level. You think about Breice Hall, you talk about Bryce Hunt. These all guys that you drafted that weren't expected to play.
At the level on which they're playing at.
So when you look at that regard, I would say that they were probably top twelve in the league.
But in the pivotal places.
They really have to find a way to keep guys that Vera Tucker had healthy. They have to try and hit on another. They got to find another Joe Tipman. They got to go out and free agency and try and see if they can improve this roster from an offensive line standpoint. To me, that's the glaring weakness that and wide receiver. So when you think about what they're talking about how to improve this team offensive line, you need three studs that you can put in there.
And kind of fill those voids.
And you have to definitely get a number two receiver because right now they don't have a number two receiver on this roster.
I know, you really hied Joe Tipman and hopefully Elijah Vera Tucker comes back under because He is a great ballplayer, and it makes such a difference when he's on the field. Let's talk about the advancements you've seen under Robert Sala. The first year that was a complete roster teardown. Obviously, last year you take a step win seven games. This year, you went in an offseason saying we need a veteran quarterback. They go out and get a four time NFL MVP.
He goes down after four plays. With that being said, defense very good, one of the better units in the National Football League. You've talked about what they need offensively, but what do you make of the way Sala has things working on the coaching side.
I mean, I think you talk about the deferense side of the ball.
I mean I think you look at the dominance, and that's not even with a competent offense. They can play with the lead, right, they haven't been able to have them games like the Dallas Cowboys have had where they have.
The lead and then they can go out to hunt.
They've pretty much been in tough ball games where teams had the option to be able to run the ball, pass the ball. They haven't been able to really have those games where teams are one dimensional where these guys can pin their ears back and just hit you with waves and waves a pass rush.
You know, hopefully next year that'll change. You Know.
One thing that I think the entire league has been put on notice is the fact that you have to have a competent backup. You see that with Jacoby Brissett coming back and almost bringing the Washington Commanders back, and before on the pregame show that I do, I said that Jacoby Brissette would be my pick before the game even started, and he showed you the professionalism in which he can come in and at age thirty one, who knows, maybe he gets a second chance to be able to
get an opportunity to start. You know, once Aaron Rodgers era has left and become one of these guys like Geno Smith that gets a rebirth late in his career because you know what you're going to get out of him, and when you have the other pieces around him like you do, you may be able to get away with not having a two hundred million dollars quarterback.
What's in the water that Priest Hall is drinking, Buddy, you're talking about a guy coming off in acl last week against Washington in that win nearly one hundred yards receiving, nearly one hundred yards rushing, and despite playing against loaded boxes throughout the season, the guy's averaging close to four and a half yards per carry.
Yeah, I mean, and that's the thing, right, you know, for the first time they show commitment to bris Hall. Right, Breshaw should never leave a game where he has less than twenty rush attempts and maybe ten pass attempts, like he should be the workload the same way that Garrett Wilson gets that.
Workload and he gets thirteen fourteen attempts.
You should also, you know, give that to him, much like you know San Francisco Use McCaffrey.
You know what I mean. You have to get this guy touches in him. If you can get him in space.
You know, you see guys making business decisions because when he gets in space, he's hard to bring down. Not that he's some super loosive guy. He has that those gears that he can hit where he's you know, maybe in third, but then he can go to fourth gear and really accelerate pass a lot of people. So you have to get him the ball and find ways to get him the ball and get him touches to wear
the defense down, and I thought they did that. And that's what that's the benefits of what you see, like the fact that he's a premium back in his league and be coming into the game he only had one hundred and fifty carries.
Right, He's a guy that should be way over that. Right.
We understand that the mark that we never want to get to with a running back is four hundred. We've seen the data on running backs. What happens to him the following year? If they have four hundred rushes, he should be somewhere around two point fifty. Right now, he's a hundred, he's a hundred carries short.
What's his potential with Rogers? Rogers coming back and again you said, hey, listen, in an offseason you get some more targets around Garrett Wilson, but specifically Breese.
What's his potential with the guy like eight back there?
I mean, he should be a fourteen hundred yards of carrying the football and then he should be sitting right there at like five thirty in pass attempts. And you look at it, that's two hundred two thousand yards of productivity. You know, five hundred five plus you know in the air,
fourteen hundred on the ground. I mean that's just a regular you know, averaging slightly you know, under one hundred yards rushing the game, and you know, you look at it like he should be getting at least twenty to thirty yards, you know, receiving the ball, you know, with a guy like Aaron Rodgers, because you're gonna get favorble match ups, because you're going to be able to slip him out and make him a hot route, because you're going to be able to get him, you know, on
will routs and pick routes and things like that. So, I mean, when you look at it, to me, there's been a lot of comparisons to who Brice Hall is. I think Brece Hall is, you know, a prime you know, Matt Forte in Chicago.
We all know what that looked like.
We often talk about receivers reaching a thousand yards and say, hey, that's not a big accomplishment in today's league, seventeen game seasons, passing league. But can we give a ton of kudos out there to Garrett Wilson when teams know that the Jets going to try to get him the football and he's got a chance to get there this week against the Cleveland Browns. He's played with four different quarterbacks again this year.
Yeah, when you think about it, you know, he gets the hardest sixty to seventy yards receiving out of anybody in football, and it's almost not fair to him. And that's why priority number one or priority number two has to be getting him at Robin. It has to be getting him somebody on the opposite side. We watched a great game last night in between two of the best teams in football, between the Baltimore Ravens and the San
Francisco forty nine ers. And when you look out there, you see z Flowers, who has a lot of the tools that Garrett Wilson has. Maybe a little you know, you know, because of his height, is a little bit more quick as far as getting the ball in his hands. But you know, Garrett Wilson is electric with the ball in his hands and short pass as well. But he has you know, Rashon Bateman, who's the first round draft pick. He has Odell Beckham who's a first round draft pick.
He has Nelson Aguilar who's a first round draft pick. And then you know, when when healthy, you know, you have Mark Andrews on the other side. Then you go to the other side and you look at Deebo Samuels and you're like, okay, well he has Brandon Ayuk. He has a guy like Kittles, right, he also has you know, you know McCaffrey.
Who acts as a receiver as well.
So like it's no secret, right, we're putting too much on Garrett Wilson actsing to be Superman every play and
somebody has to you know, step forward. And if it's not on the roster right now, they say a guy can take the next step and graduate, then they have to go out and they have to get somebody that takes some of the pressure off of him because he's throwing and catch the ball into crowded, crowded space and taking a pounding and you know his body's not gonna hold up, you know, for five years at this pace.
With that being said, how much do you appreciate his toughness and the physicality he plays with in that mindset, he's a dog every time he's out there. He never gives up on a play. You rarely see him stepping out of bounds. He's always trying to get that extra inch and then after the play, I know, you got to appreciate this.
He's in guys faces absolutely.
I mean I think you just saw you the competitive nature that he has. And we know what this pedigree is, coming from a program in college in Ohio state that you know, was always contender to win a championship and he has that championship mentality and he's trying to get that filling back and like I said, we have to. We have to do a better job in helping him.
So I mean, in my opinion, you know, outside of making some cunning moves maybe bringing Jordan white Head back or you know, signing Chuck Clark to a one year deal, Yeah, they have to you know, go in in the off season where all their attention is paid strictly to the offense.
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Do you like hearing those reports out of practice that Aaron Rodgers tearing playing scout team and also, can you just speak to that roster move last week activating him because I think much was made of little meaning that Hey, listen, the Jets just wanted him on the practice field. That's why he's on the active roster, and it made a lot of sense.
Yeah, it makes a tremendous amount of sense, right because he wasn't able, you know, because of the Jets being out of you know, postseason play contention to be able to go out there and play and see it through. But you can continue to build and work you know, on the on the on the football field, and I think a lot of people don't think didn't realize that if you didn't put him up, he wouldn't be able
to practice. So a lot of people that's the casual fans that don't really understand the business side of football, you can't fault them for that, but everybody within a football space understood what it was all about and why it was important.
You mentioned Quincy Williams before. What's been the keys in terms of him becoming one of the most complete linebackers in the National Football League? And also, is this guy definitely a Pro Bowler.
It's gonna be tough, man, because a lot of times when you think about the Pro Bowl, it comes down to record, right and people you know, see people in meaningful games. You know who knows if Patrick Queen because you know Patrick Queen and you know and ray Kwan Smith gets in. So it makes it tough from that standpoint.
I don't know what other linebackers are really going, but you know a lot of times he'll get in, pray me as an alternate, and then he'll be able to get in and play in the game and be able to be there with his brother. He's earned the right and earned the fact. But traditionally in football, the year that you do it, you don't get in. You get in the following year.
Right.
That's why guys like CJ. Mosey who has the brand recognition as well. You know, maybe the player that that that keeps him out of the Pro Bowl because of the brand recognition and the ranking of the defense. But he's definitely deserving of that award. I mean, he's played his ass off. You know, you have to really applaud what he's done. But usually how this work says, you know, they people look at the record, then they look at
who's planning. You know, this is the year to get in because it gets only harder next year when you think about guys like Milano coming back who plays at a high level, and you know CJ continue to play at a high level, Ray Kwon Smith who's been a perennial pro bowler, but you know, he just got to keep going about his business. And people got to understand that we all eat when the team has success.
You know you don't.
You may have less, you know, he may have worse statistics next year, but because the team is doing well, get voted in. But he should really take a ball and the Jets should be applauded for finding his diamond in a rough which was basically another man's trash and they made a treasure.
Where's he gotten most improved.
And his his his play recognition, his recognition and understanding personnel, understanding, splits understanding, because it wasn't it was never about what he can do in a run game. You know, we knew he was like a hit stick, you know what I mean on that side of the ball. But you know, really impressed with his man and man coverage, with his
speed and his agility. But also for me, the hardest thing to do is to work well with others and being able how to pass routes and understand combinations and when you're being high lowed when to carry and then drop and then find the other guy coming to your zone. Because gods do you know things. You know, teams try and give you what we call take the cheese. They'll put that cheese in front of you that you step up and you put a lot of stress on the
safeties behind. He's done a great job and being able to play from high to low and past the combinations. You know, I've talked about it a couple of times, you know, and just I can think of numerous praise plays that I've broken down where you know, it's high level communication and that's something when Styler first came in that the that the team struggled with he especially on the back end, with dropping certain players and you know, not having the communication and all seeing the big picture.
You know, he sees the big picture. He should be applauded for that.
Speaking about seeing the big picture, how about Sauce Gardener? Another game, another game without anybody getting anything dawn against him?
What is.
Can you talk about him just being a technician? Everybody talks about his athleticism bart which obviously he's rare in net regard and.
He's cool as yeah, he's cool as as that, but he's a linky guy. You wouldn't say that he was like the most athletic as far as shifting. He's just so smart, crafty and I think no play you know, was a greater example of that.
Then you know him, you know, coming with.
Scary Terry on the scramble drill, right, that's the patience, that's that's anticipation, that's on fluidity and that's finished and acceleration.
You know, to be able to stay on the back hip to make sure you don't make him go across gear down when he gears down, and anticipate that he's gonna pivot out, understand that the quarterback is gonna look for him in the scramble drill, be able to have to scramble drill still stay in the back hip, and then be able to celerate and use that tremendous limp.
You know.
So that's that, That was everything that Sauce brings to the table. That's unique. Usually you see a guy with one or two of those.
It's rare. It's very rare that you see guys with all three.
Right, you can say him and Patricks are tang you can just pencil them in for you know, starting Pro bowlers are all pros like pretty much every single season, and I mean last year it was it was a debate who was better Sauce or Tarig Wooling. And I think this year, you know, Saw showed you that his levels to this. Just because they're both tall, linky and
fast doesn't mean that they're the same. You know, one is an impossible not saying that Wooland is not a tremendous talent, but it's levels to this and Sauces, you know, definitely, you always can make the argument top five and as some of these guys start to graduate out and start to decline. You know when when you talk about that, when I say that, I talk about guys like Big Place Sleigh. You know, Bradberry's taking a step back. Some of the guys that we have penciled in is like
the the Staples are starting to slow down. He's yet to even hit hit his peak and we don't know who how high his high is. You know, you think about great newsom out there. I watched Marlon Humphries yesterday
and he's played at a high level. But he's starting to decline and it happens to us, all right, but he's still very good, but you can see that he's starting to come the other way as sauces continue to ex send, you know, and that's the type of guys and that you start saying, Okay, it's his time now.
This is one of the best years I've ever seen from a cornerback who doesn't have an interception through fifteen games. Because you always think about stats sometimes, but this guy has been dominant from to get.
Reevens didn't have a lot of interceptions because it's not that many opportunities. And when when people don't realize when you're on an island you're playing man the man, a lot of times, it's not gonna be opportunities for interceptions because your first priority is to make sure that the ball is batted down. You can't jump routes because you miss it, it's nobody behind you to make the tackle.
So like most of the time, when you think about guys like you know, Richard Sherman, you think about guys like Bland, like these are guys who are jumping routes in zone because they know if they miss to somebody behind them. Right, So you know, it's easy to get more interceptions when you're reading zones and combinations because if
you jump something, it's not the ultimate penalty, right. But when you're one on one, no help on an island, you can't go for those because you have to always make sure that you secure the tackle with one hand and knock the ball with the other one unless it's some blatant like out route, but if it's some type of vertical route, you can't take those type of chances.
We got about two minutes left quick scout of reporting the Cleveland Browns. Are you surprised they're sitting there at ten and five and the Jets are gonna see old Fred Joe Flacco on the other side this week.
And Joe Flacco is the perfect person for Skavanski's offense, right you talk about not boots, like where the guy's faking it and going out. You're talking about throwbacks where they're half boots and he's sitting in the pocket and he can just flick that ball with two fingers and
take deep shots down the field. You talk about Amari Cooper, who's always been one of the best route runners, always competitive, stocky built, kind of like Steve Smith type of receiver that you know he can throw you off of him. He's bigger than you than you think. And then on the outside of the old faithful Elijah Moore. But the problem is in Joku because he's a guy that's really playing at a high level.
Come to life with Joe Flacco.
Because of Joe Flacco's ability to throw the ball fifty sixty yards on the field, you know, without even eye you have to worry about those big chunk plays that they get. And Joe flacko almost thought for four hundred yards and sitting down and then coming back, having to come back. It's just the tip of the iceberg. He can still do that at a high level. They're gonna have to get Joe office spot and have to get there.
But to do that, they have to go through one of the most diabolical line coaches in all of football, who has creative ways, who has creative ways of moving the pocket just slightly for Joe, but then also making sure that they have that turn protection that's tough to get through, you know what I mean. So it's gonna be a hell of a challenge on a short week.
You know, in the dog Pound they're won ten games and you know, talk about being on your fourth quarterback and that's why you talk about how valuable the backup quarterback is. And idly enough, Joe Flacco didn't make the call.
He just came full circle. Just flip it.
Thirty seconds Jets offensively against this defense, the Browns break it.
Yeah, Kay has been struggling.
They're gonna have to find a way to to find Miles Garrett. But then it's not a playoff if you're able to contain Miles Garrett. Darriet Smith on the other side, it's a guy that has played very well in this in this league and plays at a high level as well.
And then Dalvin Tomlinson in the middle.
But also, you know, you think about Garrett Wilson, He's gonna have his hands full of Newsom Newsom.
It's their version of sauce. He plays at a very high level.
He's announced itself as an elite corner for the last couple of seasons, one of the best defense, if not the best defense in all the football.
Barry Christmas brother will see it next week. I think it might be the new year.
Hey man, you go get you some more egg now. I guess you can drink now. You don't have to be Christmas man.
Take your power. That