Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.
File Under: Chansi Stuckey, Anthony Schlegel, Marques Tuiasosopo, Ben Graham, Sav Rocca
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08/30 — Marques Tuiasosopo is the third QB in for the Jets and his first pass is crisp, down the field, on the money — and dropped by WR Chris Davis on the deep in-cut. Another Ben Grahm punt.
The Jets defense, with Anthony Schlegel playing inside with Blake Costanzo in the base and on at LB in the dime, slows the Philly offense at the Jets' 45. Sav Rocca, the former Australian Rules football player who struggled with field goal holds in the first half, gets off a drop punt of the kind that Ben Graham has made famous, with Chansi Stuckey fair-catching at his 7.
Danny Ware can gain only 8 yards on three carries, and we're into a Thunder from Down Under game. But Graham's punt nets only 34 yards and the Eagles are improving their field position drive by drive as the Vikings and Giants did the previous two weeks.
But Andre Wadsworth flashes again. He doesn't bite on the play action and is moving in for a sack when rookie QB Kevin Kolb unloads — and CB Manny Collins nearly picks it off, only to put it on the ground for an incompletion. If DBs had hands, theyd be WRs.
That play is followed by Schlegel with heavy blitz pressure, taking Kolb down just after he throws, again inaccurately and incompletely. Rocca gets off another drop punt, Stuckey fair-catches at the Jets 14. Groundhog Day?
Tuiasosopo hits Frisman Jackson expertly down the field for a first down, but his next test comes up too short when he hits Danny Ware for 3 yards on third-and-6. The Jets are 1-for-9 on third downs. At least Graham and his cover team — snapper James Dearth, Schlegel and Ray Ventrone — are showing they're ready for the regular season by dropping PR Jeremy Bloom at the Philly 18 after a 55-yard punt (44-yard net).
Wadsworth is getting off the ball great, getting his hand on some Kolb passes that are still caught. Then Schlegel makes a big play, forcing RB Nate Ilaoa into fumbling after a reception, with Drew Coleman pouncing on the loose ball at the Eagles 37. Maybe Schlegel is making a move based on his off-season work away from the team complex — he started wild-boar-hunting again.
Philly coach Andy Reid challenges and loses for the second time this game, so he's out of challenges. So the Jets are in business at the Eagles 25. "Tui" is almost sacked from the blind side as TE Jason Pociask can't slow DE's Marques Murrell's charge. But Tui then converts a third-down — finally — by hitting Stuckey just past the marker.
The Jets, facing second-and-8 at the 11, are going to let the clock run out, which means they'll try to score the game's first touchdown at the opposite end zone, right in line with where I'm sitting in the third row of the Linc pressbox. It's all about me.
Ira Said:
Fri, August 31, 2007 - 8:24am EDT"Too bad Schlegel waited this long to show anything. He was all over the field."
BuckeyePat Said:
Fri, August 31, 2007 - 11:48am EDT"Its nice to see Schlegel finally get a chance. The guy is a proven winner. If the Jets don't want him I would love to see the Lions finally go get another Buckeye Linebacker."
BuckeyePat Said:
Fri, August 31, 2007 - 6:53pm EDT"Maybe if Schlegel's linebacker coach was his former college defensive coordinator he may have been given a chance. "
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Russell D Said:
Thu, August 30, 2007 - 10:52pm EDT"I'm out in so. cal. thanks for the 3rd quarter read, I learn more about football reading your stuff and it's entertaining, thanks lots, R.D."
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