EA Podcast: Episode 17 with Chad Pennington

he's very optimistic. He's I don't I could get the full quote for you, but he's optimistic that he is going to play Sunday against the l A. Rams and Todd Bulls said that fits gives our team the best chance to win. Right now, your thoughts, That's exactly the

answer I think. Right now, even though it's easy for fans to discard the season and say, well, we need to look towards next year, you still have fifty three men in that locker room who know that there's still a chance to to make the playoffs and and beside of the playoffs, be successful and play good football. And so at the end of the day, you want to put your best eleven out there on offense, defensive, special teams to win football games. That's what you're charged to

do as coaches and players. And so until there's another decision maker above coach Bowls to say, hey, I want to see this guy play, he's got to put the best eleven out there. And obviously, from what he and Coach Gailey and the staff has seen, Ryan Fitzpatrick gives them the best option and the best opportunity to win a football game. And that's the bottom line. There's no other discussion other than that. Our churns always a little apprehensive maybe to go to the young guy because there's

a comfort level with the veteran quarterback. In this case, we know Ryan Fitzpatrick knows his offense inside and out. This is not only second year with Shan Gailey here in New York, but he played three seasons with him in Buffalo, and the guy used to a man, And you know, veterans love this as he knows all the checks, all the reads, all the progressions, where everybody's supposed to be on every play. And for a veteran there probably

is whether they confident, embraced party or not. There's always that uncertainty level. They're right, Uh, there can be but I think that is actually overrated e A. I think that I remember when when I stepped in and started playing in two thousand and two. I think there was a confidence level uh in my teammates that I could handle the situation, and I hope there was. I hope that I was able to show in three years that when my numbers called, I can handle the volume of information,

I can handle what's going on. Just about what I did in practice and in preseason and my teammates being around me. Now there was still um an unknown and I still had to prove that in game situations on Sunday. As far as having a compidence to say Chad can do this, we just he just has to show us. That's different than saying I don't think he can do it.

And I think players, even though they do trust veterans, at the end of the day, they want a guy behind singer is going to give it the best way, the best chance to win, regardless of how he gets it done. There's a belief system there, and I still think there's a belief system within the team that Ryan Fitzpatrick can help them win football games. Yeah, and Bryce Potty might be able to help them uh win football games.

Uh this year, We don't know that because Todd Bowls right now is going with Ryan Fitzpatrick's saying this is what gives his team the best chance to win. But you brought up a great point about uh me over rating something there at the beginning. Because this is Bryce potty second year in the system. He did come from that simple spread at Baylor where the guys, the quarterbacks are looking over to the sideline for the check or the play before they run something. So this was and

they didn't even have a playbook at Feller. So he had to have a lot of water splashed in his face when he entered the National Football League after he was entered after he came in as a fourth round pick. But now this is his second year in the system. He played pretty well in the preseason. I talked to a couple of offensive alignment another night chat and they said, you know, Bryce came in, said, how don he just smile on his face? That that's the kind of personality.

Has completed a couple of passes and he seems pretty confident. So he's got to be chomping at the bit for his next opportunity. Well, there's no doubt. As a competitor, you're always chumping at the bit to be the guy to be able to go out and execute for your team and be able to make those plays for your team.

And I still think though his learning curve is still drafting, there's no doubt that he has closed the gap for himself, just in his own maturation process as a quarterback coming from Baylor and what he was asked to do there and comparing it to what he's asked to do and chan Gailey's offense is night in Bay and there's no question that he has made progress there. But to fully say that he is completely ready to take on the challenge as a starter may still be a stretch. I

don't know. I'm not in there every day, but I do know that there's a lot of information that he's had to absorb, and I would say that he is still trading water, so to speak, especially when you move into regular season and now the game plans are much different than they are in the preseason. Does that do a little four year confidence though? Just coming into a

ballgame and getting that out of the way. I know he only played a handful of plays, I think four and all, and I like what Shane Gailey did with him Chad that first play of Petty's NFL career, the running back screen to a ballag pile that picked up a lot of yardage. And I know people on the outside are complaining about, hey, they didn't really uh let him go. They kind of conservative with Bryce there, and

I didn't necessarily think that. I think obviously, a guy coming off the bench in his first action in the third quarter of a tight game, you're not gonna be uh running all goes in a seventh step drop. Well, that's completely false that they were conservative. Jane Gailey was just executing his game plan trying to score against the Dolphins and um on that third down conversion. The reason that the ball was thrown shore was not called Jane

Gailey called it that way. It was becalled. Bryce was actually hot, there was an unblocked defender, and he threw it to his hot receiver and Robbie Anderson to get rid of the ball and not taking the sack. So Jan was just calling it the way he had been calling the game, regardless of who the quarterback was in the huddle, and Bryce executed to play the way he was supposed to. So It wasn't that there was a short pass play called or that they were being conservative.

He was just calling the game and and it just so happened that the Dolphins had a blitz that the Jets it could not pick up, and the Dolphins reacted and made the tackle. So, uh, you know that that's that's false inside the locker room this week. Uh, what's got to be gone through prices of mind that maybe wasn't before now knowing going into this situation where last

week we knew Fitzpetrick was gonna start. And while guys can get hurt and any time, he wants to play this week, but he does have the sprain knee, so he could be limited, we don't know yet. Well, there's two components, uh, and both components provide a greater sense of urgency for Bryce number one. The first component, with Ryan being a little bit banged up, to say you're only one play away sometimes seems very distant when you're

talking about a healthy quarterback that's playing well. But now a quarterback just banged up, you're definitely one play away from having to go in there for the rest of the game or maybe spell him for a series or a couple of plays depending on how his knee reacts. Now he's able to hold up. Secondly, there's another sense of urgency, owing that there's pressure on this team to win.

There's pressure on Ryan to play better, and there's pressure from the outside fam We want to see Bryce Petty, so he has to certainly change the way he's preparing. But his mindset and his sense of urgency and and his energy and enthusiasm and and just inside the way he feels is certainly different this week compared to previous week. Brandon Marshall said best and you are always a team guy, so you'll like this that he said everybody's gonna throw

darts at the starting quarterback when the offensive struggles. But he said it's on me, it's on fits, it's out all of us. Um, can you point to something specifically why this team has struggled? Uh finishing inside the red zone, specifically one of five last week against Miami thirty one in the National Football League, This team last year third NINEFL And I know we're all we We're always gonna ain to Eric Decker, and that's very real. But you say it all the time. Every team, every team in

the league deals with injuries. So inside the twenty, what is happening with fits and the offense? Because Uh, last year, uh Decker sent a team record. God, they had such chemistry and such synergy. He had ton of his touchdowns came inside the red zone, Chad, So obviously they've had to adapt there without Decker. But what's happening inside the twenty beyond that as they continue to adjust because he's been gone for a while and he's not coming back

this year by and I think there's three reasons. The first reason is obvious with air Decker not in the line up more Brandon Marshall seas more double coverage and now called Decker is not in the lineup, the other receivers are beating Kingle coverage consistently as Decker did when he received single coverage. Because even with Decker in the line up, Brandon would receive double coverage, but Decker would be single coverage. That's that's number one. So that's the

obvious answer. The two answers that that I think are uh even more pertinent to our conversation is number one, uh ramphis Patrick has not made great decisions in the red zone. Is decision making? Um has been um less as far as a less effective this year compared to last year. Some of that has to do with, you know, the type of balls that you're trying to throw, and

and being in in UH you know, less space. UM your room for era is much less and you have to be more precise, and then sometimes you just have to make sure that you get the three points out of it. I think if you take some of the red zone turnovers out of this equation, then you feel

much better about their production. I mean, even look at the Miami game this past weekend, and you take that turnover away, you probably win the game because not only does turnovers in the red zone takeaway points, it deflates your team because it takes away the momentum and the moment completely swings to the other side because you're right there on the verge of getting points, having a kickoff, having a TV time out, being able to take a big, deep breath and get ready to go, and then all

of a sudden, you have a sudden change where UH completely changes the outlook of a game. And then and then finally, I think that the running game has not come to the forefront for the Jets in the red zone.

Sometimes when you're struggling in the passing game, where you're struggling to put points upon the board, the running game can be the deciding factor to settle the offense down, to create an attitude in the tempo and be able to gain some of those hard earned yards in the red zone and are so hard to come by because

of the lack of space. And sometimes when you look at the great red zone teams, they're very efficient in the running game, and I'm not so sure that the Jets have been efficient in the running game in the red zone. No, you're right, And it's interesting. It's that old adage is that if they're stacking up the box and they're challenging it to beat you with the one I want coverage, do you go to the passing game just spread the field, because maybe you spread the field,

uh to actually get down to the twenty. But uh, from your vantage point, would the Jets be benefited from maybe gone to some jumbo more jumbo packages down there and saying, hey, listen, you're gonna crowd the box, We're gonna run it at you. Because you look at four days production, it's been interesting to me that he's seventh and nneofil and rushing. I know he's got a lot of attempts, but he is a workhorse. The other thing is he's got eight total touchdowns now and he scored

touchdowns in three consecutive games on the ground. That's the first time he's done that since his rookie season. And he could score if he scores this week against the Rams, which we'll be tough, no doubt about it, because we know about that front. We'll talk about that in a second. That'll be the first time in his career that he said four touchdowns that were on the ground. I mean four games. He's been he's been impressive, and he's certainly been a shining line in the season and improving to

be a great pick up for the jail. I've been really impressed by fourte and what he's been able to do. And so you would like to see some of that run production turned into touchdowns in the red zone and getting those hard yards and those types of things. And um so I completely agree with that. Uh fits uh

where I've turned this ball game. You were in this position a couple of times where the team might be struggling and start starting to get past the midway point of the season, and you know where the fans mindset is. What goes through a quarterback's mind when you know that the fan is always looking for that next savior. So in this case, and and a lot of teams that are struggling, where are they looking? They're looking to the backup quarterback. When is this guy gonna come in? So

in this specific case, it's Bryce Petty. But for you to go into this game at home, how do you ignore the noise of what's happening inside Not only the fan base, because I think you probably can insult insulate yourself from that, but the constant media attention as far as hey, uh, the opinions out there. If hey, the Jets gotta turn the page, it's time to look at Brice buddy. Yeah, this is probably one of the most difficult situations as a professional quarterback. And the reason I

can say that as cause I was in it. Remember back in two thousand and seven, our team is one of thick uh and we're playing the Buffalo Bills. I'm dealing with the high ankle spraining and nothing's going well, and so the booze are the loudest I ever heard in the meadow lands, and so that this is probably gonna be his biggest challenge of his career, especially as

a jet there's no question. Because what I hope that happens is that there's a sparks of energy and momentum created by the special teams in defense where it's not all put on the quarterback, especially with the you know, with a need that's a little bit difficult to play with, and because it's going to be one of those games where your face in a tough front, that's gonna be an ugly game. It's not gonna be pretty because of their front and defensively what they've been able to do.

And so that just all the things that are in line for fans to boo and be negative and do all these things, they're all right there. They just are with the team you're playing, the situation that your own team is in. They're all there for it to happen

on Sunday. And so I hope that the special teams in defense are able to create some positive momentum, give the offense a short field, get some quick and easy points to keep those booze at a minimum, especially early, because it's it's like a snowball effect as they continue to grow by the third and fourth chorpal quarters. Sometimes

it can be completely unbearable. You're a human being. Yeah, like you just mentioned, Uh, we treat you guys like robots sometimes, but you definitely can hear it if it's happening. And at the same time, you're professional enough that you know you gotta take care of business at the same time, So it's really gonna help. Uh, it fits in the whole team if we see a fast start at home, because you know where this fan base is at right now, impatient, upset with where the team is at at three and six,

and they can get after you early. Absolutely, and that's why you know I would I would have hoped that the game would be away for Fitzpatrick or you're coming back from Miami with a win. That makes things a little bit better because this team is like two plays away from being five and four. Um. Now we can say that about multiple teams in this league and understand the reality of that pote'stic case and so it's never as bad as you think, it's never as good as

you think think. Um, the problem with this team all year compared to last year. Last year, this team found ways to win. This year, this team is finding ways to lose. And it's all across the board. Uh, it's not on one side of the ball or one player. Everybody has a hand in this three and six records. And Sunday was the epitome of that special teams. Uh chipped in and losing this ball game. The offense chipped

in and losing this ball game. And even though you can look at the defense and go to under seventy four yards and all the great things they did, they still had a hand in losing this ball game. Whether it be the last three minutes of a game not being able to stop the offense to get the ball back to the offense to have a chance to win, whether it be a couple of the big plays that were given up that nullifies the great play elsewhere. Uh,

how about the unsportsmanlike penalties and things like that. I mean, so all three phases have it in to the three and six record, and there's certainly not one person or one side you can complete. I don't want to talk about officiating too much, And you're right about the flags, and Todd Bowls has always taken the right stance there if it's a penalty. We got to clean it up and ton penalties is way too much. You talk about the special teams return that was the game deciding score.

We talked about the red zone inefficiencies, and with all that being said, the Jets have to be so frustrated because again, this is another game where you might be able to come out of the stadium and say, you know what, we were a better team in the trenches, and maybe for large portions of that game we were the better team, but they just haven't been able to finish.

But I want to ask you about the officiating um and I'm not trying to get you in trouble, but some of that stuff, don't you think it's ticky tack, the Jarvis Landry buster screen. It's almost like I know they but they You tell this, dear kid, as you're coaching now, is that they're always gonna get the last guy. But a lot of that stuff after after the whistle um early in the game. Isn't that I'm the officials to say, hey, listen, next time, you're both getting one.

And then after that, what you know, you're gonna get thrown out of the game or something. So they get after it early. I feel like the Jets maybe got the short on there early, and listen, they lost the ball game because their all miscuse. I'm not blaming the officials, but a couple of those plays early, the prior one, maybe I gotta watch the replay a couple more times from the press box level. I thought he was just celebrating a play. I think sometimes we're trying to take

celebration out of the game. And I know everybody can't be Jim Brown. I mean, I like the Jim Brown approach, but everybody's got to be different. I don't know. Uh, I'm having a hard time to deal with it sometimes when I watch what's happened on the field, well, and I think there's two things here. They're no doubt that the buster screen penalty with Tiki tach Um. Both of those guys reminded me of Odell Beckham and Josh Norman,

just not to that degree. Right there, they're cat fighting basically and trying to establish um an attitude and a will with each other because they're they're going at it every down, and that you would hope that as an officiating crew, you see that you jump in saying hey, guys, knock it off. I get it, but let's know, a warning would have been nice. There, Um, there's no question. And then some of the other things. I think it's a culture change where it's such a meat culture and

look what I did. I think sometimes the officials are caught in the cross airs are going, Okay, where do where do you draw the line? Where do you draw the line of where somebody's just celebrating himself, which, by the way, we play a team game. But I'm just saying, but then and then where is it too much? You know?

And unfortunately that's a subjective call. And so I would say, as a player, and this is what being a professional is is understanding the environment that you're in, understanding the game that you play, and as badly as you want to celebrate yourself, you gotta remember there's ten other guys and forty three on the sideline. They're right there with you. And then secondly that that the official does have the

opportunity and the potential to call the flag. And so if I'm a three and five team, I'm not doing anything to take momentum away from us because we're struggling as it is, trying to make a play in winning game, So that would be my mindset if it were me. It's a fair point, and I totally agree with you on the on the Buster Jarvis Landry thing. You know, I think early in a ballgame you try to set the tonos an official, but I don't know if you can flag one guy in that situation. On what you

said about Calvin is a fair point. And uh, you saw Tyed Bulls talk to Prior after that, and I'm sure he heard that message. And I wouldn't anticipate if Prior makes a big head this weekend that whole have a similar reaction that he did in Miami, because you know, ultimately come are as a young guy, he wants to help this football team. You'll love his passion for the game. You're the one who pointed this out to me last year.

First before anybody is that this defense was always different in two thousand and fifteen when was all over the field playing his game. But with that being said, those posts whistle, uh, penalties and fractions are really gonna hurt you. And I don't anticipate, I really don't after what Todd said to him. And Todd's the kind of guy who does this stuff behind closed doors. I don't think Alm was gonna have a problem with that in the future.

I don't either. I think he understands it. I think you know what happens in a situation like this is because guys are pressing so hard to create something positive for your team, you just let your emotions get a little bit outside the line. And when you're three and five, then that really shows its ugly head, whereas if you're six and two, you probably don't even think about it. And that's the difference in when even losing in this league.

So I don't think Album is a bad guy. I just think you know, you have to understand that there's a time and place for everything, not anything, especially in this league, and winning and losing dictates a lot of that.

And so you know, when you're three and time and you're just trying to create some positive momentum, you just gotta keep your head down and keep grinding, and you can't do anything to take the attention off of your team and what you're trying to do, because unfortunately, when you're losing and you're trying to reverse that, it just

means more than when you're winning. And finally, you're putting a hat on the defense and the special teams because you look at this Rams defense, you say they're solid across the board. The thing that jumps out of you and everybody is Zarin Donald's He might be the finest defensive player in the National Football League. I think you can make that argument, especially with J. J. Watt out this season. Guy's got five sacks from an interior rush position. Uh.

He's great against the run as well, NonStop motor, very unique. Uh. Then you got Quinn on the outside who spent some multiple Pro Bowls. Uh. Alec All the Tree is a good linebacker. They got guys all over the place in that front seven. So Jad Pennington's keys this week, give me three well. Number one, I think special teams has to provide a spark with a big play to create a short field which would then lead to a scoring drive um for the offense. Number two, I think the

defense has to create turnovers. There were no turnovers created on Sunday, and when even when you have great performances as far as statistics and total yards um, the way you change momentum in a game is through turnovers, and those turnovers would actually nullify some of the big plays that they've been vulnerable to because it's a momentum thing

in the attitude. Things. I think turnovers created by the defensive number two and number three, I think just controlling the line of scrimmage for the Jet offense to eliminate as many negative plays as you can. When you face a defense like that and a player like Aaron Donald, it's very difficult to go against the three technique. That's that good because when you have edge rushers, a quarterback always feels comfortable in stepping up underneath that edge rusher.

But when you have an interior rusher that pushes the pocket and really makes that pocket very uncomfortable, but the pocket is constantly changing, that is extremely difficult for a quarterback to operating, especially if they can play coverage with seven defenders behind him. So offensively is to control the line of scrimmage, meaning eliminate negative as many negative plays as you can. Even the one yard game is positive in a game like this. Alright, Chad is always we

appreciate it. We look forward to catching up with the next week. Okay, hey, thank you