My god, what a boring game. If not for the TJB chat I would have been forced to gouge my eyes out midway through the second quarter. Anyhow, at least the preseason is over and we can move on to games that count in the standings. We’re only 9 days away, Jets fans. 9 days away from the first tailgate at 5J. 9 days away from finding out how real this team. 9 days away from David Harris jacking up Laurence Maroney and Bryan Thomas causing bodily harm to #12.

Alright, so I’m a little excited for football season. Let’s get to the good (few and far between), the bad (too often), the ugly (Brad Smith )

•  As I said, unfortunately, Smith looked positively awful at quarterback. He played the entire second quarter and was inaccurate on almost every throw, especially when flushed out of the pocket and that was only when he actually decided to throw. He looked to run far too often and barely got the Jets offense moving at all. i think it’s safe to say that the Brad Smith QB experiment should rightfully be put to rest and I can continue with my man crush on him in other areas of the field.
• Marques “Tui” Tuiasasopo looked good, relatively speaking. He led the Jets to their only touchdown on a scramble from the 11 and effectively ran the two-minute drill, leading to The Nuge’s game-winning field goal. Okay, so he was playing against the worst of the worst in the fourth quarter when all of this happened, but you still have to give the man credit for remaining calm in the final two minutes of the game after Philly had just scored and converted a two-point play. Bent and R in CT of TJB and I discussed this in the chat last night and the general consensus was, given Smith’s inability to play QB at this level and Tui’s knowledge of the system, it’s better to keep Tui than to risk being 1-deep at QB should Chad get hurt. I think Tui sticks.
• On that game-winning drive engineered by Tui, it should read engineered by Chansi, as in Chansi Stuckey, the seventh-round pick out of Clemson. He made some very good plays including a great display of his hands over the middle in double coverage. Not only that, he was good on special teams as a kickoff and punt returner. Stuckey displayed quickness and good hands all night and there’s no doubt in my mind that not only will Stuckey make the final roster, but he will see some time this year when it counts.
• Raymond Ventrone, who started at safety, made some good plays, including a couple of big hits and I just can’t see the Jets letting the kid go. He’s entirely too valuable on special teams and I think he has some real potential there. For a special teams unit that suffered more than it should have last year with its coverage teams, I think Ventrone could inject a lot of energy and hard-hittingness (yes, i just invented a word) to the squad.
• Jacob Bender looked… well.. good, I guess. You have to take into account that most of the night he was playing against undrafted free agents, late round picks, and journeymen all fighting for a job, most of which whom won’t be on the final roster. He absolutely pancaked someone early in the first quarter on a run block, and didn’t get beat for a sack on any pass blocking situations (although he did get beat). If the Jets are convinced that this kid can stand up to an N.F.L.-caliber pass rush, then kudos to them, but I just don’t see it.
• C.J. Mosley may have significantly hurt Sione Pouha’s chances of sticking with his career-series. Mosley had three sacks and two forced fumbles on one series in the first quarter and nearly had a safety in the same series. While Mannenbaum (haven’t heard that one in a while, have ya?) is unlikely to be seduced by a single series, Pouha has been underwhelming the entirety of the preseason and one has to wonder just how successful he can be at this level. Both Pouha and Mosley may both make the team for depth purposes, but if there is a squeeze along the line for either a roster spot or playing time, Mosley may have just won the second-string spot (Now if that doesn’t speak to the Jets inadequacies at NT, I don’t know what does).
• David Harris is GOOD. Yes, four-capital-letters-good. He was all over the field, making tackle after tackle and is showing exactly why the Jets traded up to get him. He does a lot of things that Vilma can’t and with the solid showings of Cody Spencer, Brad Kassell and Harris, the Jets are a lot deeper this year at LB than they were last. Watch, Jets fans, #52 (that would be Harris) is going to be all over the place November 9th against the Patriots.
• Long goodbyes to Andre Wadsworth and Blake Costanzo.
• Can’t pack your bags quick enough to Anthony Schlegel and Alphonso Hodge.
• You’re still here? Alvin Banks and Brett Ratliff.

Anything I forgot, feel free to chime in.

• Couple of TJB links to kick off this Friday afternoon Roll Call. First, come one, come all… Step right up and “Name… That… Squad!” And if you need some help figuring out just who should make the final cut, Bent has some notes from the final game of the preseason.
• Jets Central with some brief thoughts on the Jets 13-11 DRUBBING of the Eagles (I kid, I kid.).
• Cimini says that Tui ruined his lead (Warning Jets Fans: There’s a Rich Kotite reference inside that link), but how much of a lead can you have covering this game?
• Andrew Gross came away from last night unimpressed with the depth on the offensive line.
• Bob Glauber’s Power Poll drew the wrath of many–mostly because the Jets were higher than the Giants. Oh man, you’ve got to love those Giants fans. One half and they think they run New York. I guess that just happens when you still have silver spoon up your… Okay, I’ll stop now. We’ll see what happens on October 7th.

• Eric Allen breaks it all down. Well, at well as a Jets PR writer possibly can.
• The PR staff comes through with all the Jets postgame reaction.
• The quarterbacks held court in the postgame locker room, especially Tui.
• Randy Lange has his first, second, third and fourth quarter blogs.

• Well, it seems only fitting to start with the stars of the preseason finale. Backup QB Marques Tuiasasopo did a solid job and may have secured a roster spot. NT C.J. Mosley and Chansi Stuckey also put on an impressive display (although in Mosley’s case, it was more like 1 series).
• Kellen Clemens only played the first quarter, and completed only two passes, but it was merely an opportunity for Clemens to get some reps in before what the Jets hope is an uneventful season for the second-year player. At this point, Clemens is a proven commodity.
• To paraphrase Cimini: it’s finally over!
• It wasn’t long ago that the Jets practically had to beg players to play for them (either that or overpay them). Not this days, Rock says, as the free agents see the Jets as a chance to win now.
• Umm, was Hutchinson watching the game game I was? I mean, LG Jacob Bender was solid (a.k.a. he didn’t totally screw up) but he was far from dominant, as Hutch reports.
• At least Hutch recovered with his weekly game notes.

So the report came out today that the Jets are dangling starting CB Andre Dyson in an attempt to procure a starting left guard.

“The Jets are said to be dangling cornerback Andre Dyson as trade bait as they try to acquire a veteran left guard to replace Pete Kendall. The 28-year-old Dyson started 15 games last season, but the Jets seem comfortable inserting Darrelle Revis at left cornerback despite the first-rounder missing 20 days of training camp as a holdout.”

Look, the whole point of drafting Revis was to have someone to complement Dyson. So now that you’re comfortable with Revis, you’re going to move Dyson? Really? How does this help things? I understand that David Barrett has had a strong preseason and Justin Miller was doing just as well prior to being hurt, but there’s too many question marks in that secondary to trade the one sure thing they have. Keep Dyson and if you feel comfortable with Revis then start Revis alongside Dyson. Then, play Barrett at nickel and rotate Miller and Drew Coleman in with Revis and Dyson. If you make this trade to solidify the line, then you’re weakening the secondary. It’s a lateral move, in my opinion. If you were that worried about the LG spot, then they should have kept Kendall.  It’s just fixing a problem to create a problem.

So I actually have tonight off and I’ll be able to watch the game. However, tonight is also the season opener for my alma mater (UB) against Rutgers, so I’ll be switching back and forth. I expect the Buffalo game to be a thorough blowout, but I’m still excited to watch James Starks and Namaan Roosevelt in their second seasons and my boy Drew Willy. Sorry, the inner Bull in my just came out. Anyhow, on to the game.

Game: New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles
Time: 7:30 p.m. EDT
TV: Channel 2 (CBS)
Radio: WEPN (1050)

1. The trenches - Okay, so a lot of the starters aren’t expected to play, but it’s very important to see if the Jets can control the line of scrimmage tonight. For the last two weeks of the preseason, the Jets have been dominated in the trenches on both sides of the ball. I’m excited to see the offensive line develop some chemistry and to see if Jacob Bender’s misfires last week were the case of nerves. Obviouly, Bender will have my eye on the offensive side, but on the D-Line, Sione Pouha will be the guy I’ll be watching. If the Jets can keep linemen off of the linebackers (especially ILB David Harris), then they could be able to use this momentum to push forward into the regular season.
2. The backups - Be it safety Ray Ventrone trying to make a case on special teams or the battle for the third string quarterback, there’s definitely jobs to be won. Tui and Brad Smith should get a lot of time as quarterback and it is without a doubt Tui’s last chance to prove he belongs. To be honest, I think the job’s already decided. Mangini likes his players to have versatility and he loves flexibility with roster spots. I think this is more Tuisasopo auditioning for other squads. I’m excited to see Ventrone though. He’s a second-year player with a ridiculous amount of energy who loves putting a lick on people. He could be an impact gunner on special teams this season.
3. Brad Smith - Because he’s going to get the most time tonight that he has all preseason, especially at quarterback. If you’re a Brad Smith fan (Waving my hand), then tonight is the night for you.
4. Kellen Clemens - Let’s see how tight the leash gets on Pennington before the season opener.
5. The rookies -Darrelle Revis, David Harris and Bender are all fighting for starting jobs and all figure to see good minutes tonight in an attempt to lock down playing time before the season opener against New England. Revis is trying to acclimate himself to the N.F.L. in a short time frame and give the Jets an option opposite Andre Dyson (should they keep him). With only one preseason game under his belt, tonight’s game will be crucial if he’s going to play big minutes immediately. Harris has been one of the star of the defense thus far this preseason. He’s been all over the field, making plays in the 3-4 that Jonathon Vilma is not. If he can continue the strong work, he’s going to push ILBs Vilma and Eric Barton big time. Bender, well, you know the deal with Bender. He’s going to have to prove that he can pass protect, something he didn’t do in college. The Jets like his talent and think he can make the move well enough for the Jets to continue to improve this season.

• The TJB scouts are out and about, although not in the same fashion as they have been. After all it’s only the fourth  preseason game.
• Bassett offers up his opinion on all of the Jet players ranked in Peter King’s Top 500 players.
• Jets Central reports that Central Parking System was awarded the contract for the satellite parking area for Jets games.
• Matt Bonczek pleads for the Jets not to move Dyson.
• Gross has a pregame take on the game tonight.

• We’ve got conflicting reports here. Cimini reports that the Jets have decided that it’s Jacob Bender or bust and Hutch says the Jets are in talks with ex-Ravens guard Keyrick Vincent. And on top of that, Andrew Gross is reporting that the Jets are dangling left cornerback Andre Dyson in an attempt to land a starting left guard. I’m so confused.
• Tonight will be a chance for the Jets to get a hard look at their third quarterback spot.
• In this Pelzman article about jobs up for grabs is his three keys to the game.
• The Jets won’t try to change Brad Smith (Better not!).
• As far as those final roster spots go, it’s all about versatility (Another of those crazy Jet core values).
• Hutch has his five questions for the Jets, including whether or not the run defense will show up.
• If all goes well, tonight would be the end of Kellen Clemens’ season, but it could be the beginning of his N.F.L. career.
• There are expectations abound as the Jets begin their second season under Eric Mangini.

Just what exactly is wrong with the first string offense?

It seems that’s the question on the tongues of every Jets fan these days. In this writer’s opinion, the problems stem from several issues confronting the Jets.

• Continuity on the offensive line - The problem for the Jets is not only the loss of Pete Kendall, but the constant changing of the (left) guard (HEY-OH!) that has marred the Jets preseason and training camp. With Kendall, Adrien Clarke and now Jacob Bender all seeing time at the spot, the line was not given the adequate time needed for the unit to jell. Ask anyone in the know, and they’ll tell you continuity is as important on the O-Line as anywhere else on the football field. Things happen too quickly for the linemen to stop and ask if the man to the left or right of them needs help. They must be able to sense whether or not a teammate needs assistance and when a line is unable to do that, they are unable to operate as a consistent unit: a problem that is deeply plaguing the Jets at this time. With the line unable to control the line of scrimmage, the Jets cannot create a substantial pocket for quarterback Chad Pennington to operate within, nor can they generate a substantial push when run-blocking. It doesn’t matter who’s running or who’s passing. If they can’t get become a consistent unit, then this will be a long season regardless.
• The play-calling - I would estimate that the Jets are using 50% of their offensive playbook, if that. Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer seem to almost be going out of their way to avoid tipping off any coach, player or team. They understand the fact that while teams have some tape on them from last season, they refuse to give any to them before the season starts. It doesn’t help matters that in the third game, a game traditionally used as a springboard for the regular season, the Jets played an opponent they play again in the regular season; their play calling seemed almost vanilla. I suspect that behind closed doors is an offense that we have yet to see, even last season. I believe that the offense this year, with the addition of Thomas Jones, the improvement of Justin McCareins and Leon Washington, and the sudden depth at wideout, the offense this season could make a vast move in the ranks–say, to the high teens, maybe mid-teens in points scored. Then again, if they can’t get the offensive line, a staff with Mike Martz and Bill Walsh couldn’t help this offense.
• Thomas Jones - Look, I know that one man can’t fix everything, but he sure can help. Now, as it seems to be a running theme here, let’s get it out of the way: without a cohesive line, Jones is as useful as Steven Jackson or LDT in this offense–not very. However, quarterback Chad Pennington is best utilized when he has a healthy running back who makes his play fake (his best aspect) believable. Apologies to Washington, but Jones is far more believable as a true between-the-tackles threat. With Jones out, it’s like cooking without all the ingredients; the meal will still taste fine but it won’t be right and you can tell that something is off. I’m not worried about Jones’ ability to fit in when he returns because he’s a veteran who has been learning the system on the sideline, but mostly because he’s been on three teams in his seven year career (now 4 in 8), and he’s grown accustomed to learning different systems in a short time period.
• Pennington - Why so far down on the list? Well, I don’t think a lot of it is Chad’s fault. Okay, now granted he has made some REALLY stupid mistakes thus far, but I refuse to believe that a highly intelligent quarterback known for his decision making, suddenly losing his football intelligence in one offseason. Rather, I think his play thus far has been a combination of rust, pressure, and a quasi-malaise that I think has gathered over the Jets’ offense recently. While Mangini would surely smite me from the heavens of Hofstra for uttering such a thought, it’s not that far off base. The offense has looked, at best, uninspired. When it comes down to it, I think Pennington, like others on the O, were worn down by the demanding training camp, the unending Kendall saga, and the general repetitiveness that can set in at this point. As has been well-stated, Pennington is never going to be confused with Jeff George, but then again, that’s a good thing. He doesn’t have a cannon for an arm (maybe not even a .44 caliber handheld), but that’s not to say he can’t make the 35-40 yard pass (Pennington to Moss in 2004 against San Diego in the Wild Card Round rings a bell). I’m confident Pennington will return to the form of last season, although perhaps shave his interceptions total while raising his touchdowns.

If it’s week 5 and we’re still not seeing it, then I, along with every other Jet writer will be calling for Chad’s head (It’s nothing personal Chad, just the nature of the business) and Kellen Clemens jerseys will suddenly become hot items.

Any thoughts?

• The Jets moved linebacker Matt Chatham to the reserve/PUP list, which means he cannot be activated until week 7 at the earliest.

• Randy Lange reports that McCareins hopes his preseason will lead to a bigger role in the regular season.
• As head coach Eric Mangini says, Clemens has a chance to “see some good time” against the Eagles.
• Lange has a six-year history of the Jets preseason finale with the Eagles.
• The New York Sack Exchange rang the opening bell for the for the New York Stock Exchange this morning.
• There’s no doubt that there’s a lot of players who have a lot to prove tomorrow night.
• Check out Tuesday’s player interviews and Mangini’s press conference.