New Orleans Saints @ NY Jets Report Card

by Patrick Stanton
JetNation Senior Columnist

QUARTERBACK

Brooks Bollinger (19/28, 251, 1 TD, 0 INT): A- What more could you ask from the kid? The 4th string QB came in and did everything he had to do to win today in easily the strongest performance to of his professional career. The only thing that slowed him down were questionable offensive play calls late in the game and getting robbed by the referees on Coles’ catch, neither of which were his fault. For the most part, he made some very nice throws and executed sound judgment while managing the offense. I felt bad for the kid when Nugent’s FG fell short, I truly did.

RUNNING BACK

Curtis Martin (24 rushes, 91 yards): C He looked good at times tonight when the OL managed to open holes for him but looked average when it came time to make a play on his own. Of course when your coaches continue to call ineffective draw plays series after series after series, what can you really do? He had an average night but I think the potential for something bigger was there.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Jerricho Cotchery (4 rec, 72 yds): B+; Justin McCareins (3 rec, 71 yds, 1 TD) B+, Laveranues Coles (3 rec, 36 yds): C+ Welcome to the show Mr. Cotchery. A decent game from the Jets WRs now that they have had a few weeks to get some stability and work on timing with Bollinger. Cotchery took some hits tonight and really hung in there. I’m not backing down on LC’s TD. It was a solid catch and he was absolutely hosed by the officials. The ball was in control until he hit the ground. For those that saw the NYG-SEA game, anyone who saw Shockey’s 1st TD knows that we got hosed.

TIGHT ENDDoug Jolley (4 rec, 62 yds) : B+ Welcome to the offense Doug. Jolly looked solid today and displayed some characteristics that Jets fans have been waiting for since the trade was made. He proved to be a solid outlet for Bollinger and it was nice to see him continue to drive the legs and gain yards after the catch. Let’s hope this wasn’t an isolated incident.Welcome to the offense Doug. Jolly looked solid today and displayed some characteristics that Jets fans have been waiting for since the trade was made. He proved to be a solid outlet for Bollinger and it was nice to see him continue to drive the legs and gain yards after the catch. Let’s hope this wasn’t an isolated incident.OFFENSIVE LINE: C+
Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m not sure how to write anything positive about this group of men but I guess in all fairness I will try. They enabled Martin to get 91 on the ground, and only gave up one sack allowing Bollinger to have a career day by his standards. For the first time in a while, the offensive line gave us a chance to make plays on offense. Of course, it was the Saints defense they were facing. As for the QB-Center exchange, apparently Dick Curl needs an additional job title and updated job description.

Welcome to the offense Doug. Jolly looked solid today and displayed some characteristics that Jets fans have been waiting for since the trade was made. He proved to be a solid outlet for Bollinger and it was nice to see him continue to drive the legs and gain yards after the catch. Let’s hope this wasn’t an isolated incident.Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m not sure how to write anything positive about this group of men but I guess in all fairness I will try. They enabled Martin to get 91 on the ground, and only gave up one sack allowing Bollinger to have a career day by his standards. For the first time in a while, the offensive line gave us a chance to make plays on offense. Of course, it was the Saints defense they were facing. As for the QB-Center exchange, apparently Dick Curl needs an additional job title and updated job description.DEFENSIVE LINE: F
Thank god for ridiculous television statistics because if it wasn’t for the “Hits�, “Hurries� & “Knockdowns� categories this group couldn’t make a statistical dent if they tried. Are they even jamming and reading up front or just going full out into the backfield every play? They gave up a combined 99 yards on the ground to 2nd string RBs and their pass rush was pitiful. When they weren’t screwing that up, they were blowing in the backfield on screen passes so fast that poor Vilma was once blocked by 3 Saint linemen.

LINEBACKERS: C-Is it just me or are the Jets getting absolutely torched underneath by opposing passing attacks? Now obviously they blitzed a little more then we’ve seen tonight, but the pass defense amongst the linebacking corps is becoming the soft underbelly of this defense. To be a tight end facing the Jets has to be an exciting proposition.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: D
On one hand they didn’t allow a Saints receiver to gain more then 48 yards, but when you consider that they allowed 4 receivers to gain 30 or more yards and score 3 TDs that earlier stat doesn’t sound so hot. I know there are plenty of Justin Miller fans here and even I see the potential, but talk about a baptism by fire. Everytime you look he’s 5 yards away from the WR when the guys catching the ball and when the ball comes, half the time he isn’t looking. It’s been a rough year for the guy; I think he’ll be fine next year.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
Ben Graham (3 punts, 44.3avg , 49 long) – C Honestly, when the ball leaves his hands doesn’t it look like the kick won’t go 5 yards? That’s some wicked spin/English he puts on the ball when it comes off his hands. It’s almost scary, I can’t imagine fielding it. If you think about it, no one is really getting good returns on his kick. We haven’t had that at punter in years.

Jerricho Cotchery (3 returns, 8 avg, 12 long): C- We have GOT to get Justin Miller over his acute case of fumble-itis on punt returns. Cotchery just isn’t the answer.

Mike Nugent (4/5, Made:29, 45, 41, 28, Missed: 53) D- Mr. Nugent, this is the AT&T operator, I have a person to person call from a Mr. Doug Brien. Look before you all blow a gasket, yes, a 53 yard FG is anything but automatic. But you know what, when a team spends a 2nd round draft pick on you and you’re a guy has been billed as the second coming of Jan Stenerud with Tom Dempsey-like distance you had better NOT come up a yard short on a game winning kick. If this kid’s a late round draft choice or a UDFA I’d cut him a break, but he was a 2nd round pick. Let’s hope this is his exorcism of the sophomore jinx a year early and he’s just getting it out of his system. He’s here to stay and if we’re ever going to get any better, we’re going to need him.

COACHING: F
Out-coached by Jim Haslett: embarrassing. Herm’s Jets just got beat by a bunch of hobos and Herm’s game opening Lombardi-wannabe television spot almost made me vomit in my mouth. The Herm Edwards Pity Machine is in overdrive right now and he continues to make use of the media’s undying love for him to shield himself from the disaster unfolding in front of our eyes. In another brilliant episode of clock/game management by Herman Edwards, he failed to recognize that New Orleans would probably attempt a 2 point conversion if they scored midway through the 4th quarter. Since the Jets were having the ball rammed down their defensive throats at the time, the likelihood of a Saints TD grew greater and greater with every Saints play causing one to believe that a Saints TD and impending 2 pt attempt were imminent. When the Saints did score, the Jets were forced to burn a defensive time out on a 2 point conversion because Herm had his PAT Block team out there. Let me say that again: the Jets used a defensive time out on a 2 point conversion attempt. In took the Saints approximately 6 minutes to drive 81 yards up the field in that scoring drive. Yet, when the Saints eventually scored and made it a temporary 1 point lead, Herm Edwards and company were the most surprised people on the field when the Saints offense appeared to be going for 2. How much time out of his game planning and preparation do you think that TV spot took?

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