The Jets’ ‘unbelievable’ weapon the Patriots have no answer for
For the first time in what seems like forever, the Jets will show up Sunday in Foxborough, Mass., and force Bill Belidick to pick his poison.
And here’s the message from Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey:
Go ahead and load up to stop Chris Ivory.
We have an answer.
His name is Brandon Marshall.
“I’m confident every week, but I really do think that if they want to stack the box, I like our matchups outside,” Gailey said. “If they want to roll the coverage and leave the box open, then I like our matchups there, too.
“Our line’s done a good job of being physical up front, and it’ll take that, they’re pretty physical up front themselves. You have to go into it generic and then see what they’re doing, and then evolve from there offensively.”
Belidick no longer has Darrelle Revis or a big corner like Brandon Browner to combat Marshall.
“[Marshall] could hurt them. He could definitely hurt the secondary,” Keyshawn Johnson told The Post.
Keyshawn was the same big target for Vinny Testaverde that Marshall is for Ryan Fitzpatrick.
“I think if you put Brandon Marshall, Larry Fitzgerald, a young Andre Johnson, you put those guys in any system, and they’re gonna succeed,” Keyshawn said. “Whereas like a Julian Edelman, who’s probably only gonna succeed in a New England system — which is OK.”
So what makes Marshall able to thrive in any system?
“I think it’s his size first and foremost — he can play inside, outside,” Keyshawn said. “He can run after the catch. … He’s physical. He’s willing to block.
“He is as complete as they get. I don’t think the New York Jets have had a complete wide receiver since I left.”
Marshall’s towering presence (37 catches, 511 yards, four touchdowns) has made life easier for the rampaging Ivory (83 carries, 460 yards, four TDs) for Eric Decker (four TDs in four games) and, of course, for Fitzpatrick. Marshall may be as smart at his position as Revis is at his. A 6-foot-4, 230-pound football Einstein can be dangerous.
“I don’t think people appreciate how intelligent of a football player he is,” Fitzpatrick said.
Not to mention competitive. Quinton Coples still can’t get over Marshall ripping an interception away from Tashaun Gipson in the home opener against the Browns.
“I’ve never seen somebody compete receiver-wise the way he does,” Coples said. “I mean, some of the stuff he does … The thing he did at Cleveland, most receivers probably would have just gave up or whatever. That stuff that I ain’t really seen, you know what I mean, like people don’t do that.”
Not to mention driven.
“His size is unbelievable, and he’s got great hands,” “Inside the NFL” teammate Boomer Esiason told The Post. “And then on top of all of that, knowing him over the last year, how committed he is to the craft. Now listen, he’s crazy right? He’s a personality and all that other stuff, but he’s really commuted to his craft. He wants to be great. He shows me some of the texts between he and Ryan Fitzpatrick on a Tuesday over there and saying: ‘Look what he’s sending me, look at this, I know this now!’ And then I asked him this week, ‘Of the texts he sent you last week, did any of that work against the last team you played?’ He goes, ‘Yeah, absolutely it worked. He knew exactly what he was doing.’ It’s a good thing for him, it really is.”
Fitzpatrick was asked why he sends Marshall all these texts.
“ ’Cause communication is key,” Fitzpatrick said.
It is invaluable if and when Belidick tries to make the journeyman quarterback win the game.
Marshall and Ivory are the most formidable 1-2 tandem the Jets have trotted out since Keyshawn and Curtis Martin in 1998, the year Bill Parcells took the Jets to the AFC Championship game. Belidick, Parcells’ right-hand man at the time, had yet to coach the Patriots.
“He’s a big mismatch receiver,” Belidick said this week. “They get the ball to him in different situations, certainly single coverage. It looks like that’s the matchup they will go to, really any time — first down, third down, red area. He’s a big player. He’s a physical receiver. He can go up and get the ball, and he’s a hard guy to tackle. I think he’s done a good job for them.”
Gailey was asked what makes Ivory tick.
“I don’t know. I wish I knew, ’cause I’d want to instill it in a lot of people we got,” Gailey said. “I don’t know what makes him tick, but I know he is a ferocious runner. He is attacking the line of scrimmage. He’s not just sitting there and getting hit and getting up and proving that he’s a tough guy, he is attacking and trying to make something happen with every snap. To me, that’s the mark of a really great back.”
Marshall is Beast Mode as well. Marshall’s importance is evident given how invisible Jets tight ends have been (two catches by Jeff Cumberland). Marshall’s 53 targets are exceeded by just Julian Edelman (57) and Steve Smith Sr. (57) among wide receivers who have played five games.
“There’s only one football,” Gailey said, “and there’s a lot of good players that we have that need to touch it. We’ll keep trying to spread it around enough to create indecision on the defense, but keep making sure that our guys that have, to this point, had great production continue to have great production.”
Unfortunately he almost made the same mistake again last week. I don't remember when it happened, but as he was getting tackled you can see him, for a split second, look around for a player to lateral to. He's a hardcore competitor, so I guess he can't help himself.
he NFL website isn't loading this video so for now here's this:
Marshall not only caught Fitzpatrick's low pass, but turned it into a highlight-reel 35-yard touchdown reception with 5:53 remaining in the third quarter as the New York Jets overcame a sluggish first half to pull away from the Washington Redskins 34-20 on Sunday.
"I've thrown so many of those where I'm kind of getting hit as I release them in my career and they get picked," Fitzpatrick said. "So I was thinking 'oh boy here we go'. How he caught it I don't know and then how he turned it into a touchdown I really don't know. That's one of those I'm very thankful Brandon is my teammate and I'm very thankful for the opportunity to throw to him."
Marshall finished with seven catches and 111 yards for his fourth 100th-yard game of the season. His pivotal play came with about six minutes left in the third quarter on a second-and-four play with the Jets holding a 20-13 lead. Marshall snatched Fitzpatrick's low throw just above his cleats, spun around cornerback Bashaud Breeland and easily raced in for the score.
"He just threw up to me and I made a play," Marshall said. "I was able to put our team in a good position."
The NFL website isn't loading this video so for now here's this:
They uploaded it to their Youtube channel. God on the 3rd replay you can see how Marshall tosses Breeland aside like he's nothing.
That was the play that made me absolutely fall in love with the guy. Not only does he make an unbelievable catch, but in the same fluid motion secures the ball away from the defender, while effortlessly cutting to the inside and sweeping aside the DB with his free arm, en route to the end zone. That's elite stuff right there.
Last Edit: Oct 23, 2015 17:23:34 GMT -5 by Jetworks
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Brandon Marshall's presence has transformed the Jets' offense this season, both with his ability to make plays and with the attention he draws from opposing defenses. Truth be told, the Jets haven't had a difference-making wideout like Marshall since Keyshawn Johnson.
But Marshall made a pair of giant mistakes in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, and both proved to be costly, even if they weren't the only reasons the Jets (4-2) are now two games back of New England (6-0) in the AFC East.
And Marshall owned up to both of his errant plays, both on Twitter and in the post-game locker room. Here's the tweet:
The first play came early in the fourth quarter, with the Jets leading, 17-16. The Jets had third-and-7 at the Patriots' 12 when Marshall—who had drawn double teams all day—dropped a pass that hit him right in the hands. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick fired it hard—he had to—and to the outside. But Marshall, who finished with four catches for 67 yards, should have had it. And he knows it.
"That's all on me," Marshall said. "If I make that play, it puts our team in a better position."
The Jets had to settle for a field goal.
"You have to make those plays in games like this," Marshall said.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, as he's done so many times before, took over from there with a nine-play, 71-yard touchdown drive to give the Patriots the lead to stay. In fact, the Jets' highly touted defense couldn't off the field on all three of the Pats' third-down chances in the fourth quarter.
Marshall's second big gaffe came on the game's final play, just after he nearly rescued the Jets by recovering an onside kick at the Patriots' 49 with 14 seconds remaining.
Even though they were out of timeouts, the Jets lined up on first down and had Fitzpatrick throw a 12-yard completion to wideout Eric Decker over the middle. The idea was to line up to spike it to stop the clock and to try a Hail Mary, head coach Todd Bowles said.
The Jets did that rather than try a Hail Mary from the 49 because Fitzpatrick "wouldn't have [thrown] it that far had we stayed where we were"—an acknowledgement of Fitzpatrick's limited ability to throw deep.
The Jets successfully spiked the ball with one second remaining, but Marshall was whistled for a false start. Watch it here:
Said Marshall: "So I got back to the line of scrimmage, there was a few seconds left; we were trying to figure out who was on, who was off. So I should have just did a better job of figuring it out faster and getting off the ball, because our inside receiver was on. That's on me."
I really want to see the all 22s....and I'm not blaming Marshall for this cause it would have been a miracle.....but I have a feeling that if he had scooped up that onside kick instead of falling on it, he could have run for a long time.......
I really want to see the all 22s....and I'm not blaming Marshall for this cause it would have been a miracle.....but I have a feeling that if he had scooped up that onside kick instead of falling on it, he could have run for a long time.......
Pretty sure he couldn't advance. Receiving team has to posses a free kick and loss possession for the kicking team to advance, wheras a punt just needs to be touched.
I really want to see the all 22s....and I'm not blaming Marshall for this cause it would have been a miracle.....but I have a feeling that if he had scooped up that onside kick instead of falling on it, he could have run for a long time.......
Pretty sure he couldn't advance. Receiving team has to posses a free kick and loss possession for the kicking team to advance, wheras a punt just needs to be touched.
Pretty sure he couldn't advance. Receiving team has to posses a free kick and loss possession for the kicking team to advance, wheras a punt just needs to be touched.
Damn you....your rules...and your Hawkeyes.
See you on the 7th.....
I actually am not feeling great about that one. Every time Iowa has one of these years, they always stub their toe once and I just have that feeling this year it will be Indiana.
I actually am not feeling great about that one. Every time Iowa has one of these years, they always stub their toe once and I just have that feeling this year it will be Indiana.
Injuries have killed us...We've got a good squad (by IU standards) but it's Indiana so we only go one deep at most positions.
The loss of Sudfeld and Howard at the half killed us against Ohio St. Now that was a pig that was ripe for the slaughter.
Howard only got back last game, was not 100% and still put up 7.1 yards/carry against state.
The Iowa game should be interesting I'll definitely be there.
Post by The Tax Returns Are in Kenya on Nov 9, 2015 11:12:27 GMT -5
WEEK IX JETS VS JAGUARS 28-23W
New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) catches the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter to lift the Jets over the Jaguars, 28-23, in NFL Week 9 action at MetLife Stadium. 11/8/15 (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
This was a crucial TD because it finally deflated the Jags' who wouldn't stay down
Jets receiver Brandon Marshall has had some rough moments mixed with the good he's brought to the offense this season, but the catch you see above in Week 9 while facing the Jacksonville Jaguars made up for those gaffes.
PLUS: The good, bad and ugly from Sunday's win
With the two-minute warning looming in the fourth quarter, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick stepped back and sent a pass toward the end zone, where Marshall put his hands just under the football as he dove to the ground. A replay revealed he didn't trap it or step out of bounds before he made the 20-yard grab, which turned out to be the game-winner since the Jaguars scored once more.
Post by The Tax Returns Are in Kenya on Dec 9, 2015 22:59:10 GMT -5
And, here it is: Week XIII Jets @ Giants 23-20W Marshall had 12 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown in the Jets 23-20 win in overtime against the Giants. His biggest catch of the game came with 27 seconds remaining with his game-tying nine-yard touchdown reception.
This performance got Brandon Marshall the AFC Offensive Player of the Week Award. Last time the Jets had one of these (regular season) was 1990
The Jets-Giants game was one of the best of the weekend, and there was no doubt that Brandon Marshall was the game's best player.
At 31, he put on a show, catching passes that set the Jets up for a crucial field goal and game-tying touchdown which sent the contest into overtime. Marshall finished with 12 catches on 13 targets for 131 yards and a score. He is, without question, Ryan Fitzpatrick's right-hand man and has helped elevate the Jets into potential playoff contention. Where would this offense be without him? When new general manager Mike Maccagnan dealt a fifth-round pick for Marshall during the offseason, it looked like a holdover move while the team worked to develop some of their younger talent. Instead, Marshall has elevated Eric Decker's game and lofted the duo among the NFL's best tandems this season.
His AFC offensive Player of the Week award was a no-brainer.