Jets-Bills Game Preview with Chad Pennington (9/8)

We're gonna get to them. We're gonna get to Buffalo. We're gonna give an in depth look at their team, which is a very different looking team from a season ago. Of course, the Jets went to and oh against the Bills last year. Week's two and seventeen, very different games even between the two of those. Buddy A, this is an new year, a new team, a new podcast, a new podcast. This is the preview podcast that you're gonna be able to listen to on iTunes and silent Cloud

and get via the website every Friday. And we're gonna have different guests throughout the year, but one guest who will remain and it will be with us every week is our quarterback, Champ Pennington, and today our second guest is Mr Vick Carucci of the Buffalo News. Yeah, who's actually leading us off today. So that's gonna be great. So we'll speak to him and we'll get to him in a couple of minutes. But first off, you're going

to Buffalo. It's gonna be a great It's gonna be great, a great trip, a little homecoming for you a But we're here to talk football. This is the first time since since nineteen sixty the New York Jets will feature two rookie safeties in the secondary. Jamal Adams, of course, in the number six overall pick in Marcus May, the second round pick out of Florida, starting right in a regular season. How excited are you to find we see these two guys play a full game of football. Well,

it's great. I think we've all been looking forward to this since late April when the Jets drafted Adams with the sixth overall selection out Alice. You a lot of people did not think he was going to be there. You think about Mike mccangan's first draft pick as general manager in New York Jets, most pundits didn't think Leonard Williams was gonna be there either, so the Jets were so excited to get him. And then in the second round, I know a lot of people initially were like, why

I get a safety? Well, I'll tell you why you get another safety because Marcus May was the best player on their board. Also, Todd Bowles loves to use his safeties as a pivotal part in his defenses, so we'll get to see how he's gonna use these guys here early in week one. But they've both been very impressive, you know Green's You've talked to them both that they've exceeded the team's internal expectations, their wise beyond their years.

The will be a few bumps along the way, but uh yeah, it's a new era for the Jets at new era field. No pun intended there. That was good. I like that all right. Now let's go to the seven one six and bringing Thick Garucci from the Buffalo News. Vick, thank you so much for joining us. What have your first impressions bend a head coach Sean McDermott and Brandon Bean, both in their first year there with the Bills. Yeah, my impressions are pretty favorable just in terms of what

they're saying and laying out as their program. But right now that's just talking words. We'll see how it all plays out once, once the games are played and once the season unfolds. But they both seemed to be well organized men and determined men. They came up through the ranks as as guys who weren't handed anything. They really earned every bit of what they have in their respective paths to these top jobs as head coach and general manager.

I think there's a high level of accountability that they expect from players, and in revamping this roster, it's it's pretty reflective of the type of characters that they brought in. You're looking at a team that went from well, from the fifty three man roster that started last year, only twenty two of the players who played in at least one game are left, and of those six were draft picks in the Doug Whale era as GM. So they

clearly did a revamping. And as I said, it's its emphasis on character as opposed to characters, I should say, uh, and and very much an idea that you want discipline, you want to be organized, you don't want a team that frankly, in in the Rex Ryan couple of years, um had had committed a lot of penalties and and had too many issues with uh too many, too many or too few men on the field. You're talking about

new faces on both offensive defense. Obviously one of the positions on the offensive side of the ball is wide receiver. I mean a lot traded Sammy Watkins, you get Jordan Matthews. Just what was your impression of the trade, not only to ship Watkins to the Rams with them to get

Jordan Matthews an exchange for Ronald Darby. Yeah, And and that's led to kind of the perspective that, Okay, this is a long term plan that we've heard preached by Sean McDermott and Brandon Bean that they're trying to build

sustainable success. So they've accumulated six draft picks for the first three rounds of the neck of the two thousand and eighteen draft, and clearly they feel that that the talent that's going to be available in the draft, if they if they picked them right, will make this a better team for the long haul and in terms of the short term, and that's where people are Bills fans certainly have some discomfort because nobody wants to wait right

and everybody's impatient. So yeah, you know you again, it's a very similar, very parallel stories I think going on between the Bills and the Jets. But Sammy Watkins was easily i think, their best player this side of Lashawn McCoy and Ronald Darby was a top cornerback. But uh, they are starting over with the receiving corps that does have a veteran in Jordan Matthews and and also Andre Holmes.

But they're very excited about Zay Jones, the the rookie, the second round pick that they got from East Carolina. Uh three D ninety nine career catches in college, so they think he can do some things. Uh. Tyrod Taylor still there at quarterback, doesn't have the big play guy that he had in Watkins, but uh, he feels and I've talked with him about it, he feels he can make things work with what he does have and Zay Jones and the others and Charles Clay at tight end, uh,

Nicoleary at tight end. So it'll be it'll be interesting to kind of see how this plays out short term with the idea that you know, can you have it both ways? Can you can you have short term success or competitiveness while your emphasis is on being good for the long haul. Well, what are your expectations for Tyrod Taylor in a very short term in terms of Sunday's game against the New York Jets? And then long term do you think he has a chance to be the

Buffalo Bill's quarterback in two thousand and eighteen. And going back to the first part of my question is he didn't play much in the preseason. He just got cleared, uh from concussion protocol, so he'll definitely get to start. But it's a new offense under Rick Donnison, a West Coast attack, and you know it so well, uh covering him every day. Is that Tyrod is great on the moves on the move, but it seems to me from the outside struggles throwing the ball over the middle at times.

And then you're working in all these new pieces on the outside of receiver. Yeah, you're you're asking a lot of a quarterback to have success under those circumstances. As you mentioned, new offense. Now, he did have a year of exposure to Rick Dennison's thinking and philosophy when they were together in Baltimore when Tyrod was backing up Joe Flacco and Dennison was there as quarterbacks coach. But that's different than you know, being the starting quarterback in Dennison

of course being the coordinator. So there's a lot of newness to work through. And remember Tyrod was also asked to take and had to take basically a ten million dollar pay cut over a couple of years to remain with the Bills when the market just didn't allow for

him to go elsewhere. If that were going to be the case, and that might have been the case had another team stepped up, because it didn't look like Buffalo was going to keep him at the rate he was, you know, at the rate of his salary that he had signed in August of two thousand sixteen. So you

got that kind of playing out in the background. And Tyrod has told me that, you know, he doesn't know what he did to deserve the cut, because his numbers effectively were very similar in in sixteen than they were

in fifteen. The short answer might be, well, you know, they wanted you to have better numbers, uh, from from fifteen to sixteen, But um, yeah, I think it's going to be a challenge, and I think for the short term for this game Sunday, I think the focus is going to be on seeing how he can work that middle of the field because that's what the West Coast

attack UH calls for. And obviously he's gonna have an eye on those two rookie safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus May to see what kind of success they can have challenging them with the tight ends and and with Andre Holmes, for instance, a bigger receive. Ever's a Jones Uh, certainly Jordan Matthews a big guy too, who's coming off of, by the way, a chip fracture, the stern of it he suffered fifteen minutes into his first practice with the Bills.

So I think I think the idea would be to go after those rookie safeties as much as they can. So not only do the Bills have a new offensive coordinator, but on defense with Leslie Fraser taking the reins this year, what are some of the biggest systematic differences from last year? Oh? Huge, um, As you guys well know, the Rex Ryan scheme, the three four base with a lot of substitution sub packages, blitzing and and all the are creating pressure or simulated pressure.

All those components are gone basically and replaced by a four three based scheme that Leslie Fraser and Sean McDermott favor, and also UH require a lot of zone play out of coverage, a lot of his own coverage. That is asking the secondary to do different things. And you know, if you're asking for what would make what's going to look very different for the Bills. The most dramatic change is the entire secondary. And UH we asked Leslie Frasier

about this the other day. He's been in this league nineteen years of coaching UH and doesn't remember when he's come into a season with a secondary where there was no carryover, like everybody came from somewhere else. So you have the two corners UH in trade Avious White, the first round draft pick from l s U. You have e. J. Gaines that came over from the Rams as part of

the Sammy Watkins trade. There your corners, and then it's safety with Micah Hyde coming in as a free agent from the Packers and Jordan Ployer free agent from the Browns. Um getting these four guys to communicate to be on the same page. So that will be a challenge I think for for the Bills secondary and for Leslie Fraser and those defensive assists, just to keep everybody on the same page. Someone on offense that's clearly a staple here is Lashawn McCoy. Very talented and you know, one of

the best backs both receiving and on the ground. So how does his skill set translate into this Rick Dennis and offense. That's a great question, and I'm just gonna follow up here, Vic. I think this is the key to the game because for the Jets, they have to maintain their lanes and integrity, the Russian integrity, not not only against Tyrod Taylor, but McCoy. Yeah, you know you said key to the game, out, Let's take a key to the season. Key to everything the Bills do is

Lashawn McCoy. Yesterday or on what day was at Wednesday, um, Sean McDermott made the comment that you know, if he has to give this guy, you know, run him every single player, put the ball in his hands every single play, he'll do it because he knows how much he means McCoy means to the offense. I don't know that that's a smart thing necessarily to do, or that he really means that he would do that with a twenty nine year old back, because you can get the guy hurt

or wear him down pretty quickly. But I do think that everything does flow through him. As far as this offense, and you mentioned the Dennison scheme, it's a you know, it's a a wide zone type of scheme that very much think of what Mike Shanahan uh did as a as a coach in this league, certainly his son Kyle, and what he brought to the Falcons and there it's kind of that same lineage of offensive thinking where you're stretching the defense and you're trying to get a guy

to of course find those cutback lanes. And Lashawn McCoy is is really good at that. He's he's he excels at that. He's had an amazing camp. He from the first practice, you saw him with the ball in his hand and he said, wow, I mean, that's that's a guy.

That's an elite. That's what an elite player looks like. Now, I'll add that maybe part of the reason he looks so elite in a Bill's practice is because I don't know that there was anyone else on the team physically who had talent that came close to that, So he's probably made to look even better when he's not surrounded by the greatest amount of I'm talking elite edge talent. Uh. The offensive line, though it has been strong, and this is a team that's led the league in rushing the

past couple of years. That is because of McCoy, but it's also because of Tyrod Taylor's running as well, And I think that's another component to think about when you're asking me how the Jets, you know, how how they can maybe survive that matchup if you will, of the two running games from the From the Bill standpoint, it's helping to set up the run with the tailor rushing dimension that can help soften things up perhaps or keep

this defense off balance. But I think the simple game plan that the Jets and other teams will follow defensively is load that box and dare Tyrod t Or to try to beat them throwing the football, especially when he doesn't have a Sami Watkins to throw too. All right, So every thing, as far as the Buffalo offense is concerned, runs through Shady but everything in the seven one six runs through Vic Carucci. It's always a treat for us

to have you on. You know, I grew up in Orchard Park read you when I was a kid growing up, and uh you continue to do tremendous work and it's uh honored to have you on a official Jets podcast and we look forward to seeing you at New Era Field as the Jets celebrate a new era with their two rookie safety starting against Tyrod Teller and company. Well, I,

first of all, thank you for the kind words. And the good thing that makes me feel good and not old is I know that you're only fifteen years old now, so you know when you were growing up that long well sad man. Otherwise I'm I'm the real old guy

that you read when you were a kid. But I will say this, yeah, it's it's exciting, I think for all those who sort of look at this game and say, Okay, these are two teams that are really thinking about something other than this year long term, so it could not necessarily be so pretty in the short term. And that's the common view we we all know that the rest of the nation has and maybe the fan basis of

the respective teams. But I think it's exciting opening day. Uh. It's supposed to be a beautiful, beautiful day in Orchard Park, your hometown. And I think the other part of this is the newness, you know, Like you said, how will those rookie safeties do for the Jets? How will the rookie corner do for the Buffalo Bills? And and how is it all gonna look when when a lot of these spaces that people don't necessarily recognize wearing uniforms from both of the teams show up. So, like you, guys,

I'm looking forward to it. We'll see this weekend, all right. See you. Green is always great here and from the Garugie. You know how much respect I have for him. Uh. I guess that I was reading him when I was a little boy, way before your internet days are, way before you were at New House. But one stands out to you as far as what he just said there offensively, you know where the ball is going to go to earl in offense? Well, yeah, it's Lashawn McCoy, Shady McCoy.

And I thought it was really interesting that he he said, you said it was a key to the game, and he said, no, no, No No, it's a key to the season and for a team that has a lot of new faces on both sides of the ball, especially on the offensive side. He's one of the staples of the offense. This is a great test for the Jets rush defense and they have to be aware where he he is. Also when he's coming out of the backfield as a receiver. I think the safeties could play a pivotal role in

terms of run support as well. All right, let's go down to Kentucky. You bring in our quarterback chair Pennyton. Who's uh returning to the Official Jets podcast, Eric Gallen here in studio with Ethan Greenberg. Of course, Chad, what do you think is going on in the mind of Josh McCown thirty eight years old? He is the only quarterback remaining from the two thousand two draft and will

start Sunday in Western New York against the Buffalo Bills. Well, Eric, I think he's excited at number one, and I think, um, he is the most important acquisition that the Jets we're able to acquire this off season because he's going to provide some stability um with the team that there seems to be a lot of instability, especially from a fans perspective, not necessarily from a coach's perspective or organization perspective, but

from a fans perspective. UM, you can be assured that that Josh is on to provide stability better in leadership really throughout the team, not just on the offensive side, but throughout the team. And so I've been in that situation. I've gone to a team that was one of fifteen needed better in leadership, and so this is a great opportunity. And talking with Johnston this offseason, I think he's really excited.

He understands specifically what his role is on the Jets, and if there's anybody that can fulfill that role, understand his role and stay within that role, it would be johnsh McCown. So obviously in the preseason, you don't play all your cards. What are you expecting from this Jets offense in Week one of the NFL season? A lot of movie parts yet, well, there's no doubt, but you know everything in Week one, it's such a week that you're trying to get a feel for who you are, Uh,

you know what guys can do certain things. Um, even with the experience of veteran teams, they're still trying to get a feel for who they are and established their identity. And so that first week across the board in the NFL, uh, it just kind of goes up and down. It's it's the roller coaster and you're trying to feel your way through and the upimate goal and week wanted to get to the fourth quarter barring any disasters, and then have

a chance to win and eat out a win. And when I look at this week one match out between the Jets and the Bills, this game can go either way. And if you're looking for the Jet to squeak out a few wins this year, this's got to be one of them right off the bat where they can get off to a good start. Um the Jets can feel good about their progress they've made in training camp. This is a game that they've got to cener Chad. How

difficult is it to prepare for a team? Offensively speaking for the Bills that have a new offensive coordinator and Rick Dennison to have a new identity with head coach Sean McDermott. Obviously he's more of a defensive mind, but as a quarterback and as an offense in general, What do you do differently to prepare for a team that one has no game film of two thousands seventeen and secondly has an entire new offense. Well, you have to

do a lot of research. You have to research the background of a quarter menasure, you have to look at other teams that he has worked with before, who got their concepts, and so you kind of have to piece your game plan together. You certainly take a look at preseasons to get a seal for individual players and individual skill sets. But then you've got to piece your your

game film and your research together. Uh, to look at concepts and see what concepts is the coordinator like what concepts of Buffalo been successful with in the past, based upon the players that are still there, try to piece that together. Knowing coach bowls um in the defensive staff, um, they're still gonna open it up and and do some things to the pressure. They don't believe in sitting back

and waiting to see. I think they feel like we're gonna take the established the tempo and take our mindset to the offense. So you're still going to see some of that, which is a good thing. And Week one typically you want to make or that everything you're doing does not put yourself in a situation where you're playing unsound or you give up a big play just because

of miscommunication or things like that. It is. It is strictly a week where you're trying to give a feel for who you are, what you can handle, and you're trying to get to that fourth quarter saying, okay, now let's go. We've got three quarters here, We've made our adjustments, now let's still put the dagger in them. In terms of Shady McCoy, Chad, I know it's going to take a unit's effort, a unit's excellent effort to contain him.

But who specifically you think has to step up in terms of the Jets run defense, Well, I think it's twofold. I think number one. From a defensive line standpoint, where you space a running back like Losa McCoys, who was so versatile and dynamic with his feet, the biggest thing you have to do from a defensive line standpoint is to give him to stop his feet in the hole and to slow his momentum down once he gets going and he's able to use those jump cuts to spin

and maneuvering space. It makes it extremely difficult for the back seven, and so that front four even though if even if they don't make the tackle, if they're able to stop him change directions, the more time he changed directions unless speed he has, the less elusiveness he has, and so it's it's a corral mentality from the front four. Then in the back end, both linebackers and the secondary that they have to be excellent at tackling in space.

They've got to be excellent at plane under control, playing within themselves and not being out of control, because if you're out of control, back like McCoy will make you look flat silly, and he's excellent in space and with the type of cuts and things he's able to do. So I think it's twofolds from a decent per standpoint. Offensively, Johnny morton Is said that I think in today's enough aile you have to go by committee approach at the running back position. We know who the Jets have back

there in math Forte and bilal Paul. How do you think the Jets should go about using these guys early in the season, Chad, because they both have fresh legs right now. Well, Coach Morton is exactly right. It's bas nfl Uh. You have to be versatile in the running

back group for multiple reasons. Number one, from a game plan standpoint, you've got to be able to present different looks, different matchups, different schemes take advantage of the different skill sets of your backs to create problems for the deacon. Number two, it is about health and keeping your running backs healthy. Now, they take a lot of hits, not only running the football, pass protection, running routes, all of that, as well as if they play special things. So running

back by committee is certainly the way to go. And you really start to target what do my guys do well? What are the running and passes and things? What are their skill sets? Where can I put them in the best position to be successful to help the team? Do you use them on the feel at the same time, absolutely, I think, uh, there may be some situations where you

do do that. I think these guys are versatile enough, experienced enough to be able to handle that and be able to be in the backfield and one may be running around while the other is past proteking or vice versa or leap blocking. Uh, use them in the slot off the wing, you know all kinds of different things. I think from a running back perspective, Chase Morton certainly

has options there. Austin Seferie and Jenkins is suspending for the first two games this season, so the Jets went out and they acquired Will tie Off of Waivers tight On from the Giants. Ninety receptions is first two pro seasons. Um, do you think it's too early to say it could become a factor in the passing game or you focus

on packages here early? For him, I certainly think that it's gonna be packaging and probably uh complimentary route where a shot he's talking about West Coast, you're talking about shallow crossing route, shallow out route, steam route, different things where he's the complimentary receiver of the compliment to the

number one. I don't know how much you will see where the tide end is the designated number one receiver unless it's go on short yardage or some type of regular practice that I think it would be few and far between. Well, not only Will Tie about how about Jermaine Curse and Jeremy Curley, who are recent acquisitions to this receiving room. You expect it to be similar to that for Will Tie, Jermaine Curse and Jeremy Curley because

obviously they all have to get accustomed to this system. Well, I mean, at the end of the day, not everybody can be complimentary because they don't have a car it. He doesn't get afforded that luxury. I think, uh, for Curly and Curse, you're looking at veteran players. You're looking at Curse coming from Seattle, Darryll Vivans, the West Coast type thinker. I think some of that terminology probably will be similar. I think his adaptation into the coach Morton

system will be smooth. Curly a veteran football football. He'll have his moments, so uh, it will be just like running back by committee. Bub was the wide receiver by committee asked him to do certain things at certain times, also having packages where they are the number one receiver. But obviously, uh, Anderson has to has to pick up the load. We talked in the preseason, and and he knows that even as a second year player, he's the leader of that room, and he has to establish his

leadership through his actions and his work ethic. He doesn't have to speak about it. He's gotta work extremely hard and show his work ethic and through his actions on the field and how he leads that group with variant for Well, he brought me to my next point in Robbie Anderson is that obviously last year he had three people ahead of him in Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Quincy and Noon. Now he's the guy. So how will defenses in this case Buffalo's defense? How do you expect

them to play him differently? And then on the flip side is how is this Morton? You know, should it? How does John Morton help Robby Anderson get some attention off of them? Well, to be honest with you, I don't think this is any disrespect to Robby Anderson or anyone. I don't think Buffalo is going to implement any type of double team coverages. I don't think they're going to implement any type of practice coverages and lance. It's just

part of what they do. For instance, team when they get into the red round, they take receivers to Brackett, regardless of whether or not they're All Stars or not, or if they're proven. Um, just part of their system, part of what they do. So I really think that from a passing game standpoint, Uh, You're just gonna get your basic coverage. Quarterback and receivers should know what they are and it's gonna be on who executes better. And so I think Robby Anderson will get from one on

one opportunity. What Buffalo will be um prognant enough and what they will know for sure and what the CBS will be taught this week is do not let eleven get by you. That he will run by you. He can flat out run. He's already shown that last year. I'm account here him on a big past this year

in preseason. They know this guy can run, and so that will be if there's any emphasis in in the deceps of secondary for Buffalo, it will be that Eleven can get by Other than that, I don't think you're gonna see any specific scheme uh that you know it's targeting a certain play. I think it's going to be used because what we're playing, that who you're playing against. Understand your roles and let's just go play football. How excited are you, Chad Pennington about the debut with these

rookie safeties. Jamal Adams, so a lot of people said was the cleanest prospect of the entire draft, class that Jets picked them up at number six overall, that came back in round two and get Marcus May from Florida Talented Gate or secondaries. We all know all greens. Um, how excited are you to see these guys in live action? Well, I'm excited, but I think also you're concerned because do

rookie started on the opening day? Uh, and two positions that are extremely important when it comes to communications in the secondary. And so you know your hope um, and I'm sure the coaches have talked to them about this is don't freeze up. You gotta go just play ball. And you've gotta really understand your skill set, believe in your skill set and what your capable doing, and realize that you're out there for a reason. That's because you are good enough. And are you going to make mistakes yet,

no question about it. Let's win at those small mistakes. Let's don't make mistakes based on communications. If we make a mistake, it's just because we were out performed in one area physically, whether you know, somebody makes a great play, a great cut. And so the biggest challenge for those two rookies will be the mental communication. Uh. Come Sunday, Well,

congratulations on your schools win down in Kentucky. You're coaching down there, and everybody continues to follow you up here, so I gotta report that you're one and oh as your team and took home of fourteen nothing win and your eldest son Cole through a sixty yard touchdown pass and a stutter and go. So congratulations coach. We're happy about that, and uh we always enjoy catching up with you and look forward to next week. Absolutely hope they can come back and went to New York with of

course Chad Pennington. Wonderful as always a really different look at how maybe the average fan may view a game or view matchups. So e a the close things out here. It's been eight months since the Jets have set foot on a football field in a regular season game. Of course, the last game was against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. So it's with the funnel recovery and to kick six, the kick six good times. Unfortunately doggies on I R. But a lot of changes on and off the field.

This is what we're waiting for. What is the one thing you're most excited to come to fruition on Sunday. It's hard to go away from the safety's greens. I mean, you lad the show talking about this, and you know, obviously you have short term goals, you have long term goals, and the Jets are trying to do both. They're trying to win now and they're also trying to build something for the for the future. And Mike mcagnan has repeatedly stated that we want to build this thing through the draft.

So you look at those guys Early, Daniel, look at I look at all the draft picks are Darius Stewart third rounder with curses incorporated to the offense, and Curly's edition. We're just still kind of fit in here Early. Finally, the two things they've stressed throughout the offseason, and you've talked to these guys throughout it is that we want to play with tempo and we want to protect the football. Those are two things that they got to do in Buffalo.

It's an intense atmosphere up there in Buffalo. It was Buster Screen told me this week during the locker room, I'd say, listen, that's one of the greatest environments in the league. Todd Bowl said it as well last year a week two it was shaken. You were there. Uh yeah, they'll be ready for it. And but I think this young Jets team is excited about the opportunity and the

fresh start. Let's see what they can do. All right, There you have it, the official Jets podcast game preview again Jets Bill Sunday, one o'clock Orchard Park at New Hour Field. We'll see what it looks like thanks to the Grucci of course in the Buffalo News and jayad will be on. That is ours our weekly guest today, a flex guest in Vic which Vick Caruchi held this week and he did a tremendous job. As always, remember

subscribe on iTunes on your phone. You can check us on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, and what the New York chet dot com website. Whoever you want to do. But again, Jets Bill Sunday for Eric Allen. I'm Ethan Greenberg.