Ike on Tone or Edwards?

Before I even start, let us put this in context. Your fellow Jet above asked me to name “one” mismatch, so before you claim I am in love with my team, I suggest you understand that.

Secondly, if you care to actually look above, you will see that I did remember Coleman and how often he was getting burned by Sanders non-stop, which is on tape for you to see. In fact, it is amazing how often the Steelers WRs were open against the Jets’ vaunted secondary. The guys on NFL Network’s Playbook broke down how much trouble the Jets have against bunch formations, pretty much the Steelers go-to formation, especially in that it takes Revis away from what he does best. In most of the last game, Revis was neither matched up on Ward or Wallace, instead focusing on Sanders. Not so much because of gameplan but because that is what was demanded from the Steelers’ alignment. Coleman did nothing in coverage, nor did the safeties, or Cole or anyone else beyond Revis and Cromartie. Even Cromartie had difficulties.

Further, before you start trumping the sacks argument, you would need to focus on the different approaches by the two offenses. I would be willing to bet that if you put a stopwatch on the average time holding the ball for each QB, then Big Ben would probably average something ridiculous like an extra 3 seconds average. So, the fact that the Jets designed their gameplan in order to avoid sacks at all costs (and this would have to be the case given how awful some of the throw were by Sanchez when under the least amount of pressure), then the one sack is a bit misleading of overall pressure, and does not indicate, for example, the two missed sacks by Lamarr Woodley (!) and Ike Taylor, respectively, which Sanchez did well to avoid nor the countless other instances of pressure.

As far as Cole, there was good coverage on the second try to the endzone. But, since it does not fit your argument, I am guessing that you chose to neglect that the first shot was dropped by Spaeth, who was wide open, and if he had not touched it all, could have been caught by the equally open Emmanuel Sanders. Not to mention, one good play does not a mismatch make, and Jason Taylor made only (!) one good play.

The thing I was most surprised in re-watching the game is how predicated the Jets offense is on misdirection. Whether it be Sanchez’s PA rollout for a TD, or the fake bad snap-direct snap to LT for a big third down, and there are a few other instances. Of the six or seven critical plays made by the Jets, by my count, all but two or three came from these sorts of plays. I mention this, because, beyond the return of Troy, or the improvement of Keisel now that the hamstring issues are behind him, etc., I think it would be much harder for the Jets to “trick” the Steelers defense again. That does not bode well for your team’s chances tomorrow.

Also interesting, the majority of your rushing yards came on two drives. I do not have the exact figures, but I would estimate that of the overall 106 yards, that more than 60 of them came on the drive near the end of the first quarter which ended in a punt, and then the other leading to a FG and icing the clock late. I am not sure why on these two drives it was more effective- it seemed the Steelers were trying to blitz more- but I would bet Lebeau does and has addressed it.

Again, all of these things I highlight reflect mismatches, not overall dominance…. I await your response.