Erd's Weekly Rant

I first would like to apologize to our few but faithful followers for a prolonged lack of activity on this blog.  We've got one blogger getting married in a couple months, another one is engrossed in Madden 12 and the last one probably forgot how to post without help from the first two.  But we are back and ready to make this the best sports blog it can be.  I'm going to be releasing a weekly rant in which I hit on something that really bothered me throughout the week.  I also will be doing a NFL and fantasy football preview every Thursday, so stay tuned.  Welcome back, let's get on with the rant. . .

I am not a Jets fans, nor am I a Cowboys hater, but the Jets deserved to lose on Sunday night. My anger comes partly from Shonn Greene's poor fantasy performance, but it mostly stems from watching some of the worst offensive play-calling and scheming I have seen in a while. Let's start by breaking down a few numbers from the game:

Shonn Greene - 10 carries, 1 target/1 catch
LaDainian Tomlinson - 5 carries, 7 targets/6 catches
Running plays per down - 1st down 13 , 2nd down 2, 3rd down 0
Back to back running plays - 0

Here is the Jets' play-by-play for those doubters;

New York Jets at 10:27
1st and 10 at NYJ 22	M.Sanchez sacked at NYJ 17 for -5 yards (D.Ware).
2nd and 15 at NYJ 17	M.Sanchez pass short right to S.Holmes to NYJ 22 for 5 yards (O.Scandrick).
3rd and 10 at NYJ 22	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short right to S.Holmes to NYJ 28 for 6 yards (S.Lee).
4th and 4 at NYJ 28	T.Conley punts 48 yards to DAL 24, Center-T.Purdum. D.Bryant pushed ob at DAL 36 for 12 yards (I.Trufant).
New York Jets at 4:31
1st and 10 at NYJ 16	S.Greene up the middle to NYJ 21 for 5 yards (K.Brooking).
2nd and 5 at NYJ 21	M.Sanchez scrambles right guard to NYJ 24 for 3 yards (A.Spencer). FUMBLES (A.Spencer), recovered by NYJ-M.Mulligan at NYJ 33. M.Mulligan to NYJ 33 for no gain (K.Brooking).
1st and 10 at NYJ 33	S.Greene left guard to NYJ 37 for 4 yards (J.Hatcher).
2nd and 6 at NYJ 37	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short left to S.Greene to NYJ 44 for 7 yards (M.Jenkins).
1st and 10 at NYJ 44	S.Greene right tackle to NYJ 45 for 1 yard (A.Spencer).
2nd and 9 at NYJ 45	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short left to L.Tomlinson ran ob at 50 for 5 yards (S.Lee).
3rd and 4 at 50	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short left to S.Holmes to DAL 42 for 8 yards (B.Church).
1st and 10 at DAL 42	L.Tomlinson right tackle to DAL 38 for 4 yards (S.Lee).
2nd and 6 at DAL 38	M.Sanchez pass incomplete short left to S.Holmes.
3rd and 6 at DAL 38	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep left to P.Burress.
4th and 6 at DAL 38	T.Conley punts 31 yards to DAL 7, Center-T.Purdum, downed by NYJ-J.Westerman.
New York Jets at 12:44
1st and 10 at DAL 46	M.Sanchez pass incomplete short right to J.Conner [D.Ware].
2nd and 10 at DAL 46	(Shotgun) L.Tomlinson right tackle to DAL 44 for 2 yards (J.Hatcher).
3rd and 8 at DAL 44	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete short left to S.Holmes.
4th and 8 at DAL 44	T.Conley punts 35 yards to DAL 9, Center-T.Purdum, fair catch by D.Harris.
New York Jets at 9:08
1st and 10 at NYJ 26	S.Greene left guard to NYJ 29 for 3 yards (J.Price-Brent).
2nd and 7 at NYJ 29	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete short right to J.Cumberland [A.Spencer].
3rd and 7 at NYJ 29	M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep right to S.Holmes.
4th and 7 at NYJ 29	T.Conley punts 40 yards to DAL 31, Center-T.Purdum. D.Harris to DAL 37 for 6 yards (B.Pool).
New York Jets at 3:16
1st and 10 at NYJ 13	M.Sanchez pass deep right to S.Holmes to NYJ 30 for 17 yards (A.Ball).
1st and 10 at NYJ 30	(No Huddle, Shotgun) L.Tomlinson up the middle to NYJ 33 for 3 yards (S.Lee; D.Ware).
2nd and 7 at NYJ 33	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short right to D.Keller to NYJ 44 for 11 yards (S.Lee).
1st and 10 at NYJ 44	(No Huddle, Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short left to L.Tomlinson ran ob at DAL 47 for 9 yards.
2nd and 1 at DAL 47	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez sacked at NYJ 47 for -6 yards (D.Ware).
3rd and 7 at NYJ 47	(No Huddle, Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short right to D.Keller pushed ob at DAL 36 for 17 yards (G.Sensabaugh).
1st and 10 at DAL 36	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short right to L.Tomlinson pushed ob at DAL 4 for 32 yards (G.Sensabaugh).
	Timeout #1 by NYJ at 00:48.
1st and 4 at DAL 4	M.Sanchez pass incomplete short right to D.Mason.
2nd and 4 at DAL 4	M.Sanchez pass short right to D.Keller for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
	N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-T.Purdum, Holder-M.Brunell.
	N.Folk kicks 65 yards from NYJ 35 to end zone, Touchback.
New York Jets at 15:00
1st and 10 at NYJ 20	S.Greene left guard to NYJ 18 for -2 yards (J.Hatcher; S.Lee).
2nd and 7 at NYJ 23	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short right to D.Mason to NYJ 28 for 5 yards (B.Church).
3rd and 2 at NYJ 28	M.Sanchez pass short right to D.Mason to NYJ 29 for 1 yard (A.Ball).
4th and 1 at NYJ 29	T.Conley punts 44 yards to DAL 27, Center-T.Purdum, fair catch by D.Harris.
New York Jets at 8:05
1st and 10 at NYJ 20	M.Sanchez pass deep left to J.Cumberland ran ob at DAL 47 for 33 yards.
1st and 10 at DAL 47	S.Greene right tackle to DAL 43 for 4 yards (D.Ware).
2nd and 6 at DAL 43	M.Sanchez pass short middle to D.Keller to DAL 33 for 10 yards (K.Brooking).
1st and 10 at DAL 33	M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep left to P.Burress.
2nd and 10 at DAL 33	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short middle to S.Holmes to DAL 27 for 6 yards (F.Jones).
3rd and 4 at DAL 27	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short left to L.Tomlinson pushed ob at DAL 20 for 7 yards (M.Jenkins).
1st and 10 at DAL 20	S.Greene right tackle to DAL 16 for 4 yards (K.Brooking).
2nd and 6 at DAL 16	M.Sanchez pass incomplete short middle to D.Keller (K.Brooking).
3rd and 6 at DAL 16	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep middle to D.Keller.
4th and 6 at DAL 16	N.Folk 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-T.Purdum, Holder-M.Brunell.
	N.Folk kicks 68 yards from NYJ 35 to DAL -3. D.Murray to DAL 11 for 14 yards (I.Trufant).
New York Jets at 0:49
1st and 10 at NYJ 10	M.Sanchez pass deep middle to P.Burress to NYJ 28 for 18 yards (G.Sensabaugh).
1st and 10 at NYJ 28	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short middle intended for D.Keller INTERCEPTED by S.Lee at NYJ 38. S.Lee for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Assistant challenged the runner broke the plane ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short middle intended for D.Keller INTERCEPTED by S.Lee at NYJ 38. S.Lee pushed ob at NYJ 1 for 37 yards (D.Ferguson).
	End of Period
New York Jets at 14:50
1st and 10 at NYJ 16	S.Greene right tackle to NYJ 15 for -1 yards (K.Coleman; S.Lissemore).
2nd and 11 at NYJ 15	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short middle to S.Holmes to NYJ 43 for 28 yards (A.Elam). DAL-M.Jenkins was injured during the play.
1st and 10 at NYJ 43	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short right to D.Mason to DAL 44 for 13 yards (A.Elam).
1st and 10 at DAL 44	(No Huddle, Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short right to L.Tomlinson to DAL 33 for 11 yards (A.Ball).
1st and 10 at DAL 33	(No Huddle, Shotgun) L.Tomlinson left guard to DAL 26 for 7 yards (S.Lee).
2nd and 3 at DAL 26	(No Huddle, Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep left to P.Burress (B.McCann).
3rd and 3 at DAL 26	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass deep left to P.Burress for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Play Challenged by Replay Assistant and Upheld.
	N.Folk extra point is GOOD, Center-T.Purdum, Holder-M.Brunell.
	N.Folk kicks 65 yards from NYJ 35 to end zone, Touchback.
New York Jets at 8:59
1st and 10 at NYJ 3	S.Greene left guard to NYJ 9 for 6 yards (J.Ratliff).
2nd and 4 at NYJ 9	M.Sanchez pass deep middle to P.Burress to NYJ 35 for 26 yards (A.Ball).
1st and 10 at NYJ 35	M.Sanchez pass incomplete short left to P.Burress.
2nd and 10 at NYJ 35	(Shotgun) L.Tomlinson up the middle to NYJ 35 for no gain (S.Lee).
3rd and 10 at NYJ 35	(No Huddle, Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass deep right to D.Keller to DAL 46 for 19 yards (S.Lee).
1st and 10 at DAL 46	M.Sanchez sacked at DAL 46 for 0 yards (D.McCray). FUMBLES (D.McCray) [D.McCray], RECOVERED by DAL-D.McCray at NYJ 47. D.McCray to NYJ 47 for no gain (L.Tomlinson).
New York Jets at 2:16
1st and 10 at NYJ 20	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short left to P.Burress to NYJ 22 for 2 yards (M.Jenkins).
2nd and 8 at NYJ 22	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep right to D.Mason.
3rd and 8 at NYJ 22	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short right to L.Tomlinson to NYJ 31 for 9 yards (S.Lee).
1st and 10 at NYJ 31	(No Huddle, Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete short right to S.Holmes.
2nd and 10 at NYJ 31	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete short right to L.Tomlinson.
3rd and 10 at NYJ 31	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez sacked at NYJ 29 for -2 yards (A.Spencer).
	Timeout #2 by DAL at 01:10.
4th and 12 at NYJ 29	T.Conley punts 41 yards to DAL 30, Center-T.Purdum. D.Harris to DAL 41 for 11 yards (N.Bellore).
New York Jets at 0:49
1st and 10 at DAL 34	S.Greene up the middle to DAL 32 for 2 yards (S.Lee).
	Timeout #1 by NYJ at 00:41.
2nd and 8 at DAL 32	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete short right to D.Mason (A.Ball).
3rd and 8 at DAL 32	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass incomplete short left to P.Burress (M.Jenkins).
4th and 8 at DAL 32	N.Folk 50 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-T.Purdum, Holder-M.Brunell.
	N.Folk kicks 65 yards from NYJ 35 to end zone, Touchback.

These numbers don't even start to show how predictable the Jets offense was. Their formations and personel were great indicators of what play was coming next. For example, both of their 2nd down running plays were draw plays for Tomlinson out of the shotgun formation and 4 of Tomlinson's 5 carries were from the shotgun. On the other hand, all 10 of Greene's carries came on 1st down with Sanchez under center. The most alarming of these stats is the last one. The Jets did not run single back-to-back running plays the entire game! For a team that has built its identity around the run, this should be a red flag to all fans. If the Jets think that it is time to hand Mark Sanchez the team, they are in for a shock. There are a handful of quarterbacks in this league that can pick apart a defense even when they know what is coming, but they are named Tom, Peyton, Drew and Aaron, not Mark.

I'm not going to give them a break either and say that this is a product of the shortened offseason. Their entire offensive core has returned, so there wasn't anything new to learn. This is likely more a product of their overconfident approach - assuming that they can win on talent and not intelligence. They luckily escaped with a win, thanks to Tony Romo's continued late-game mistakes, but hopefully this game will humble Rex Ryan and they'll start to give Shonn Greene a few more carries. Maybe next week they will put more effort into their gameplans instead of their pre-game antics.