We've now had some time to digest the amazing Monday night game down at Land Shark Stadium. But there's one thing I haven't touched on yet. That is how some of the members of the Jets' defense spoke about the Dolphins after taking one right on the chin. Even their head coach, Rex Ryan, put the blame for the loss squarely on their defensive performance. Yet, some Jet defensive players proved that they are indeed cocky, pompous jackasses. And that's putting it lightly, if you ask me.
It's amazing how little respect some members of NY's defense decided to show the Dolphins after what Chad Henne, Ronnie Brown, and company did to their "great" defense.
Let's start with Jets LB Calvin Pace. The guy just gets back from serving a four game suspension for violating the league's policy against performance-enhancing drugs (*cough* cheater *cough*) and is part of a defense that surrenders over 400 yards of total offense to the Dolphins. After the game, he has this to say:
"Against a second-year clown quarterback, we didn’t affect him enough. I guess you have to give him credit. The defense lost the game today."
A "clown" quarterback? Really? This is the garbage that is coming out of Calvin's mouth after that "clown quarterback" drops 240 yards and two touchdowns - including a final game-winning drive that included multiple big-time throws on 3rd down - in just his second career start?
How happy are you Dolphin fans that we didn't sign this total tool? I know I'm thrilled. And I can't wait to see what Henne does in the rematch after hearing this.
But Pace continues, this time bashing the 'Wildcat' formation:
"I can’t respect that stuff, all that Wildcat. We’re in the N.F.L. Don’t come here with that nonsense."
Somebody better tell Mr. Pace that this "nonsense" gained 110 yards on 16 plays against his defense - and it was the most the Dolphins have ever used the formation, showing the Dolphins were clearly confident that NY's "great" defense wouldn't be able to stop it.
I do hope he learns to respect the 'Wildcat' formation. Actually, on second thought - no I don't. I hope the Jets continue to dismiss the formation, claim that it's "nonsense" and head into the rematch in a few weeks again over-confident.
Meanwhile, Jets LB Bart Scott, who also likes to run his mouth (even though he isn't nearly as good as he was in Baltimore playing next to Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs - and there's a reason Baltimore made it a point to re-sign Lewis and Suggs...and not Scott), also felt the need to knock the 'Wildcat,' saying:
"It's a gimmick offense. It's pretty much an option type of college offense. You're just doing it with better players."
Ah yes, the "gimmick offense" theory. How much more success do the Dolphins have to have out of the 'Wildcat' before it's no longer a gimmick? After all, wasn't the forward pass a "gimmick" at one point in the NFL?
The funny thing here is that Scott is not accurate in calling the 'Wildcat' an "option type of college offense." There are some option elements to it. But it's much more of a power running formation than it is an option formation. And the fact of the matter is that it's not going away any time soon. It's part of what the Dolphins' offense is. It's part of their identity. And when it's executed properly, it can dominate.
And as one genius guest blogger over on the Washington Post website wrote about the formation, "to claim it's a 'gimmick' only makes you look naïve and ignorant."
Perhaps it was the Sun-Sentinel's Omar Kelly, though, who said it best on Tuesday, writing:
Who outside of me thinks the Dolphins coaches, specifically offensive coordinator Dan Henning, used the Wildcat on that last play, Ronnie Brown's 2-yard touchdown run, to nut punch Ryan and their hated AFC East rivals.