Every week, NFL FanHouse hits the lowlights from Sunday's action, looking at those players who did the most to move their head coaches that much closer to returning to the Bed and Breakfast business.
The Jets entered Week 8 allowing 20.4 yards per return. The Dolphins entered Week 8 gaining a hair over 22 yards per return. It seemed we were set for an unremarkable day of kickoffs.
And then Ted Ginn, Jr. happened.
Ginn, the beleaguered receiver (so much so, in fact, that he was the featured subject in this space a few weeks ago), was on the right side of the highlights for almost the first time this season after touchdown kickoff returns of 100 and 101 yards. As they say on the NFL Network, if they're showing kickoff highlights somebody either did something really good or something really bad. Ginn did good.
Or did the Jets do bad?
The vocal team and its vocal coach can talk all they want, as they did before the rematch against the Dolphins (and pretty much the entire season). Good teams win games that they've got in the bag. In outgaining the Dolphins 378 yards to 104, sacking Chad Henne six times, holding an advantage in time of possession of over eight minutes, and keeping the vaunted rushing attack to just 52 yards, the Jets should have had this one in the bag.
It made me think of something that was discussed during the Jets game against the Saints earlier this season -- Rex Ryan's words about how if you win two of the three phases of the game, you should win the game. Offense and defense? Advantage, Jets. Special teams? Advantage, Dolphins.
Scoreboard? Advantage, Dolphins.
But in the same game? Of 100 and 101 yards? On top of four more returns at a 24.5 average (Ginn totaled six for 299 yards)? That's inexcusable. And when you consider that two of the four other returns were saved by Jay Feely tackles ... well, geez.
The first return looks to be much about play design: the Jets' coverage overloads to Ginn's left, but the Dolphins counter by sealing off that side pretty well, allowing Ginn to hit the right sideline. The Dolphins were prepared for the play and blocked it well, though Danny Woodhead has a chance to tackle Ginn at the 22-yard line and just whiffs. Though a couple of other Jets get close to Ginn, it's unrealistic to expect them to make the tackle once he evades Woodhead -- Ginn's a fast guy who hit the sideline at top speed, after all.
The second return is inexcusable. NFL Network caught Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff instructing the unit on covering the kickoff, and clearly is motioning the team to force Ginn to take the middle of the field. And it works, initially. Ginn tries breaking left, like in the first return, then cuts back up the gut when he sees both sides are covered. But when you force him to the middle, the second part of the equation is, you know, finishing a tackle. Larry Izzo misses one at the 18. Ryan Fowler follows by coming up empty, as well. Then four Jets converge on Ginn, but none of them are strong enough to get off their blocks (none of which are really strong blocks, mind you) and tackle him. After Ginn emerges from that little huddle, he's back to the right sideline and, just like in the first return, there's no catching him after that.
So for as much bluster as we've heard from the Meadowlands this season, the Jets clearly still have work to do. While the yapping is entertaining during the week, it looks silly in hindsight when you lose a game because of one chronically plagued facet of the game.
Meanwhile, here's to Ted Ginn. You made this space yet again. This time, though, for all the right reasons.
