The following are excerpts from "1st and Goal" with New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum which will air tonight on SportsNet New York @ 6:30 p.m. The weekly program, hosted by SNY personality Steve Overmeyer, featured plenty of talk about this Sunday's divisional clash with the Miami Dolphins at the Meadowlands.
"It's a home game, it's a division game, and it's an important game for us to win," Tannenbaum said to Overmeyer. "The way the league is set up, division games almost count double and we haven't won a game at home. Those are two compelling reasons to try and get this game."
The Dolphins have won only one of their first five contests, but they still have a number of talented players on their roster. Defensively, the Dolphins yield 18.2 points per game and Tannenbaum is very familiar with two significant veterans.
"Zach Thomas has had a lot of production over the years at the middle linebacker position and he always shows up in the run game," Tannenbaum said. "Jason Taylor is a guy we have a lot of respect for. He was a 3rd round pick out of Akron a number of years ago. He's a self-made guy with a tremendous motor. In the passing game, if you don't account for Taylor he can take the game over himself."
Another critical factor in determining Sunday's outcome will be the effectiveness of Miami running back Ronnie Brown. With Ricky Williams up north in Canada, Brown is the featured back in Miami. He has averaged just 3.3 yards per rush and the Jets are surrendering 148 yards per game on the ground.
"This guy is a really good football player. He has tremendous size and great speed," Tannenbaum said of Brown, a second-year player from Auburn. "When Nick Saban was at LSU, he coached against Ronnie Brown so he was very familiar with the guy. He has a rare combination of size and speed; he can beat you both ways and he's one of the keys to the game for us. "
To watch this week's show, simply tune in to Sportsnet New York Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. You will also be able to view clips of "1st and Goal" throughout the year here on newyorkjets.com.
About SportsNet New York:
SportsNet New York (SNY), which launched March 16, 2006, is New York's new regional sports network founded by Sterling Entertainment Enterprises, Time Warner and Comcast. SNY is a 24/7 regional sports and entertainment television network that will feature up to 125 regular season New York Mets telecasts – as well as provide unparalleled live sports and local news coverage to the Tri-State area through three nightly "SportsNite" shows. SNY will be available to viewers in New York, Connecticut, most of New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania. In addition to Mets games, SNY is also the official year-round television home of the New York Jets, providing viewers the most exclusive coverage and access to the Jets organization and its players. SNY will also televise other professional and collegiate sports, including basketball and football games from the Big East and Big Ten conferences, as well as classic sports and event programming. SNY will also feature exclusive interview and magazine programs.
