New York Jets First Quarter Analysis

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by user Alanschech The first quarter of the season has passed, and the Jets are suprising all with a 2-2 record, and could easily be 3-1 or even 4-0 if they had started better against the Patriots. They seem to have bought into Eric Mangini's system, they are never out of any game. Here are some thoughts....

Feel good story of the year...

Even if you are not a Jets fan, you have to feel good for a guy like Chad Pennington. Most guys don't come back from one injury like he had, much less two. He has played like his old self, playing to 102.3 quarterback rating so far, and if you watch him play, it seems like his ball is stronger than it was in the past. It doesn't hurt to have Laveranues Coles playing well, and Jerricho Cotchery having his coming out party this year. He has an offensive line that is coming together with the pass protection as well.

No where to run to.... The running game needs to improve, Cedric Houston had a decent game this week, running 12 times for 49 yards before leaving the game with an injury. However, the running game needs to become a factor soon before the pass rush of these teams starts teeing off on Chad.

Rope-a-dope...

The Jets haven't scored in the first quarter going well back into last year. They totally turn around from the first quarter, not being out of any game this year, but they are just digging themselves too be of a hole each game to have to dig out of. They seem to play badly in the first, lull the other team to sleep and then play well the rest of the way. This needs to change.

3-4....

The front 7 needs to start playing better. They do well enough to keep the team in the game, helped out by a big play secondary led by Kerry Rhodes. However, they haven't shown that they can stop the run with any regularity. Dewayne Robertson needs to show that he can cause havoc in the middle of that line, giving more room for the other guys to roam.

Coaching is good..... Whether you agree with the 4th down play on Sunday or not, the bottom line is that this team is never going to be out coached. Mangini is a thinker, and a fighter, and you can see it in his team.

Bottom line, the Jets are already turning heads by standing up to the Pats and Colts. They will only get better.