On the fourth week of the 2011 NFL Season, the New York Jets visited the Baltimore Ravens. The game began at 8:20 pm. Predictions were scattered clouds with 15 mile per hour northwest winds and a cool fifty-seven degrees. But when Inside Linebacker Ray Lewis finished his war dance after racing onto the field, I suddenly remembered another prediction from Ecclesiastes. “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun”
The last time these two teams met was in the 2010 NFL Season opener at the Meadowlands. It was a defensive battle from start to finish and the margin of victory for the Baltimore Ravens was only one point. The New York Jets were held to a total of 179 yards of offense. But the loss at the hands of the Ravens wasn’t the worst part of the evening; the statistics were! New York was penalized 14 times for 125 yards. They managed to convert only six first downs the entire game. Sanchez came away with nothing after two trips into the Red Zone. And his quote for the evening, “we need to play smarter”, was an understatement. The Jets defense was the only bright spot to speak of a year ago.
Monday night in Baltimore got off to an even worse start. Granted the center, Nick Mangold, was out with a high ankle sprain and the offensive line was out of sync.
Hence we begin our cautionary tale; Hazard on the right. On the New York Jets first possession at 12:07 in, Mark Sanchez is sacked by Ravens Ed Reed and fumbles. Jameel McClain recovered the football and ran 6 yards for a Baltimore touchdown. Ed Reed had a clean path, from his right, straight to the Jets Quarterback blindside. Reed was untouched! It was the same offensive play from December 27th last year against the Indianapolis Colts. You remember, Colts Right Defensive End Dwight Freeney! He blindsided Mark Sanchez twice. Rex Ryan even made the comment “(D’Brickashaw) Ferguson did the right thing by protecting inside-out and doubling down on the defensive tackle because it was an empty backfield.” An empty backfield! Then I wondered, Brian Schottenheimer, who called this play? Could it be the guy that designed this play from Bellevue Hospital?
Try using a Fullback or Wide Receiver on the left side of the offensive line, so Mark Sanchez can have longevity as a New York Quarterback. Please protect our quarterback Schottenheimer. This play should not be attempted ever again, unless these changes are adapted. Balance the equation! Are you OK Mark? J Welcome to Baltimore.
By the second quarter the Ravens had scored three touchdowns on Mark Sanchez fumbles. Sanchez threw for 119 yards, completing 11 passes on 35 attempts. Once again he was unable to muster a single touchdown against the Ravens defense. The Jets were held to only seven first downs. Rex Ryan’s comment on the defense was "I've been around football a long time and I've never seen anything like that…The performance by their defense was spectacular.”
The only bright spot, once again, for the New York Jets was their defense. Joe Flacco only threw for 163 yards, completing ten passes on thirty-one attempts. Ray Rice rushed for 66 yards on twenty-five carries.
There is truly nothing new under the sun.
!
Look out Sanchez
