Archives for December 2003

‘Before he worries about his long-term future with the Jets, Herman Edwards ought to figure out the basics of clock management – take a knee! And while he’s at it, figure out how to avoid slow starts. His yearly progression reads: 1-2, 1-4, 0-4.’

‘The only thing they have going for them is a defense that can stop the run, but even that probably won’t stop coach Gregg Williams from getting fired.’

‘The Bills, whose coach, Gregg Williams, will likely be fired at the end of the season, are coming off a 24-7 shellacking of the Giants last week.’

‘Jets 24, Bills 13.’

‘Moss caught only three passes against the Bills that afternoon, but one of them was for a touchdown. From that game until the streak was broken Monday, Moss caught a scoring pass in a team-record seven straight games.’

‘Herm Edwards is a keeper. The Jets should show him the money, give him the ball, and hope he can someday carry another Miracle of the Meadowlands to the biggest Sunday in sports.’

‘The Bills will try to make plays from behind a shaky offensive line that has yielded 36 sacks this season.’

‘”In the situation that we’re in, Monday night is an good as we can do,” said Martin, who is 131 yards away from his ninth straight season with 1,000 yards rushing. “It’s the best step toward our goal. There’s no doubt we have to win out. Every week we have to be focused we have to play with the poise and the same mentality that we played with Monday night. I think it will be hard for anybody to beat us.”‘

‘The record is 5-7, they’re three games out of an AFC wild-card berth, but that hasn’t stopped the buzz about the Jets making another late-season run to the postseason.’

‘Bills QB Alex Van Pelt was tutored by Jets Offensive Coordinator Paul Hackett at the University of Pittsburgh. While Hackett was head coach and offensive coordinator at Pitt, BUF Pro Bowl G Ruben Brown and Jets RB Curtis Martin and Van Pelt were all members of the same squad.’

‘He almost sounded envious of the team Buffalo faces Sunday. “A little bit,” Moulds acknowledged.’

The Bills put up a total of 35 points in four games, against the Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans and Colts, losing those last three by a combined total of just nine points. That’s the mark either of a team just a smidge away from being playoff-competitive, or a team so inefficient it can’t get out of its own way.

‘Conway’s game against Tennessee was perhaps his best of the season, as he had five receptions for 78 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown from Chad Pennington on which Conway dragged both feet in the end zone.’

‘Monday’s win over Tennessee was one of the Jets’ best defensive performances of the season, although coach Herman Edwards also was impressed with the 30-3 win over Buffalo in the teams’ first meeting Oct. 12. “I think the game against Buffalo was pretty good, too,” he said, “because we got four turnovers.” Tennessee rushed for 84 yards and Buffalo had 53 two months ago, marking the only games this season in which the Jets have held their opponent under 100 yards on the ground.’

‘In the red zone, Pennington has 27 TD passes and no interceptions.’