Criticism of Pettine from Jets Nation?

[CodeMonkey]

Bills fans should not ignore the potential red flags on Pettine:

1. The lateral move.
    
   
2. No former players signed during FA.
    
   
3. The public criticisms from Rex.
   

That said: IT CANNOT POSSIBLY BE WORSE THAN WHAT WE HAD.

 

I know that's a terribly low bar to set, but if Wanny hadn't had one of the league's worst seasons as a DC on record (I'm not even being hyperbolic when I say that), then Gailey and Fitz would still have their jobs in Buffalo. I know it's now common knowledge among Bills fans, but I don't truly believe we fully understand just how awful last year's scheme was.

 

Anything would be an improvement.

 

And even in spite of some question marks, Pettine looks to be a significant improvement.

 

Can't argue point 1, but point 3 plays into this one a bit. On point 2, whether or not LB Marcus Dowtin amounts to anything in Buffalo remains to be seen, but he is an ex-Jet, albeit very low-profile. And regarding point 3, I remember when some NY reporters were interviewing Rex about Pettine's contract being up and the possibility of him taking another job, and Rex's response was sort of like 'If he does, he does,' but I distinctly remember his quote ... "I just hope it's not Buffalo."

 

Sexy Rexy was/is in full-fledged save-his-arse mode, so the jumping of ship to a new staff is understandable as to why a guy like Pettine would go laterally. How Rex managed to stay on after laying a sizeable enough egg that brought about a GM change in NY is just beyond me.

 

And I totally agree with your summary statement in CAPS.

Also ...

1) Already used to game planning for twice a year meetings with the fish and the pats*.

2) Who better to game plan against the jests for those 2 games a year?

3) Should be a big help to the OC for planning against the jests as well.

 

Plus as you mentioned, almost anything after the dismal failure that was Wanny would be an improvement.

 

There are potential red flags, but my feeling is the potential upsides outweigh them.

[PromoTheRobot]

First Marrone is power-ranked #30 for NFL coaches and now this?? We can't do anything right! Blow the team up!

 

PTR

[The Big Cat]

1. Where would he have gone? He went from being under a HC to now running the whole defense that doesn't seem lateral.

2. Who would we have grabbed?

3. Rex is saying anything b.c his job is on the line this year.

 

All fair questions. But in response:

1. It's just rare to see a guy move laterally like that in the NFL. That's all.
   
2. Signing Jones would have freed up one of the two safety picks, per chance. DeVito might have been a good pickup, but I'm glad they landed Branch, instead. Either way, it didn't even seem like former Jets were even on his radar or visa versa. And that's also rare--that a coach wouldn't recruit some familiar bodies to his new shop.
   
3. But for a guy who's willing to go down with the ship just so everyone knows how loyal he is (see: Sanchez, Mark), anything contrary to that seems out of the ordinary.
   

 

Also ...

1) Already used to game planning for twice a year meetings with the fish and the pats*.

2) Who better to game plan against the jests for those 2 games a year?

3) Should be a big help to the OC for planning against the jests as well.

 

Plus as you mentioned, almost anything after the dismal failure that was Wanny would be an improvement.

 

There are potential red flags, but my feeling is the potential upsides outweigh them.

 

Yes, also meant to convey that potential benefits definitely outweigh the potential red flags. Completely agree.

[Joe Miner]

First Marrone is power-ranked #30 for NFL coaches and now this?? We can't do anything right! Blow the team up!

 

PTR

 

Don't worry, the era is almost over:

 

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/158983-the-possible-end-of-an-era-for-buffalo-as-a-franchise/

[OldTimer1960]

Well he seems to have earned the nickname "Bubonic" since all the Jets FA defenders avoided Buffalo like the plague once he got here. The guy deserves a shot but that is not a good sign.

 

What are you basing the claim that Jets FA defenders avoided Buffalo? Do you even know if Buffalo was interested in any of them? Didn't the Bills sign a FA LB/special teamer from the Jets?

[KD in CA]

All fair questions. But in response:

1. It's just rare to see a guy move laterally like that in the NFL. That's all.
   

 

It's not a lateral move if the level of responsibility and recognition are different. We don't really know how much latitude he was given in NY, but we do know that most attention for the Jets defense went to Ryan. Sometimes a guy has to get out from under his mentor's shadow.

[K-9]

I thought Ryan announced that Pettine wouldn't be back with the Jets before the Bills hired him. So how is going from having no job to Bills DC a lateral move?

 

Also, as KD pointed out, if he has more autonomy with the defensive side of things vs. what he had with Ryan, that too, isn't a lateral move.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Is anyone here seriously worried about Pettine after watching our circa-1993 "Fan-stache-tic" style defense last year??

 

That Pats game where they just kept running at Scott playing MLB for two and a half quarters was Painful. Rogers couldnt cover welker but kept playing man and they didn't put shep back in at MLB until it was already too late.

 

That game was the pinnacle of his disturbing and confounding tenure as a skybox nap taker.

[Heitz]

I thought Ryan announced that Pettine wouldn't be back with the Jets before the Bills hired him. So how is going from having no job to Bills DC a lateral move?

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

That's my understanding too - his contract was up and he chose not to renew with the Jets to explore other opps.

 

 

Also, I thought the reason Jets fans hated Pettine is because he was the "locker room leaker" that told the media that teammates or staff thought that Sanchez was terrible (can't say dude was wrong...)

 

From a December '12 thread on a Jets messageboard: http://www.jetsinsider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252431

[thebandit27]

1. The lateral move.
   
2. No former players signed during FA.
   
3. The public criticisms from Rex.
   

IMO...

 

1. He wasn't under contract, no mystery there at all

2. Jets defenders that have signed with new teams: Landry, Bell, Dowtin and DeVito; Jets defenders that remain unsigned:Scott, Pouha, Pace, and Thomas

3. Rex is a jerk

[C-Man]

Screw Rex. Takes all the credit for the D one minute, then rips his coach when things go south. It has been reported by WFAN in NYC that Pettine was the source of all of those locker room leaks. Didn't he come from the Ravens to the Jets as well? Either way, they won't have each other this year so we shall find out who can rock it. I pick the Bills. I feel our D will not that bad if given the right coach and schemes.

[Meark]

Well he seems to have earned the nickname "Bubonic" since all the Jets FA defenders avoided Buffalo like the plague once he got here. The guy deserves a shot but that is not a good sign.

 

You mean the FA defenders that suck? No thanks.. Can't think of anyone we missed out on.

 

 

Also, the Jets D got worse and blitzed less because their personnel went down the tubes. Shoot.. they were trying to get Maybin on the field.. LOL

Edited June 17, 2013 by MarkinSanDiego

[ganesh]

Nice find SJBF. Let the "head games" begin. I have a feeling Marrone and Pettine will plan on blitzing when needed and even if they rank 15th in blitzing I'll be happy (since we probably ranked 25th or so last year).

 

I don't care about all this blitzing stuff....What I want Pettine to do is fix that damn LEAKY Run Defense that has been in the worst five in the last so many seasons...If Pettine cannot get the big guys to stop the ball carrier, it won't matter. We lost games last year because we gave big yards and 1st downs to opposing RBs when they needed it.

[jimmy10]

The simple fact that no decent Jet defenders voided their contracts to follow Pettine out of town is clear evidence that we are doomed. Blow it up.

[kota]

This article sucks. When you blitz you leave yourself open on a section of the field. YOu are depending on your guys getting to the QB so that doesn't happen and you get a big play.

 

The Jets lost alot of their pass rushers. they had Maybin on their roster for gods sake.

[John from Riverside]

Could it be something as simple as Pettine knowing in 2012 that he had a group of old, slow, unathletic players (and minus Revis)

 

And that any fool knows if you try to go blitz happy with a group like that you will get burned for big plays?

 

 

Just sayin

[KeisterHollow]

Buffalo Rumblings did a three part tape review on Pettine's D in 2012 awhile back and they mentioned this, that his actual blitz percentage isn't awfully high.

 

The way I remember the Giants disrupting what Brady was trying to do wasn't with a ton of blitzes, the key was that they were able to generate pressure from their front four, so they could pressure and cover at the same time. If you can generate pressure without blitzing, to me that's inherently better than being forced to bring extra defenders consistently.

 

The Giants did it with a host of athletic pass rushing DLmen that could win one on one matchups. Pettine seemingly was able to generate a sufficient pass rush without the benefit of that kind of personnel, and without resorting to blitzing constantly and taking people out of coverage.

 

I don't think aggressiveness has to mean blitzing all the time, it can mean bringing people into the box so the defense doesn't know who's coming and who isn't. Pettine at times would line up with all 11 defenders within 8 yards of the line of scrimmage. I think if you show blitz just enough that they have to be worried about it, and show you're willing to blitz any player, bringing people up to the line can cause panic and confusion even if the actual blitz percentage isn't off the charts. The offense just doesn't know what to expect.

 

Maybe I've got my homer glasses on but I think we're gonna be happy with this hire. We'll see.

Nice take - and, I agree. I've heard Pettine say he wants to create the sense, or illusion, of pressure even when pressure isn't necessarily coming, in terms of numbers of blitzers. So, if he statistically didn't bring the blitz as much on any given year, I'd say it had more to do with personnel and specific game situations than any philosophical weakness. Pettine was perhaps the best coaching hire of the entire offseason, for any team. He will give to the Bills fans what we've been missing since Wade Phillips - that's a bona-fide NFL defense. It's not the defense that is going to have to pull its weight this year.

[Ralph W.]

Pettine has done nothing as of yet to say he is anywhere near conservative.

Edited June 17, 2013 by EJ3

[thewildrabbit]

Certainly the Jets defense declined since 2009 when they were #1 in both points allowed and yards allowed. That was big mouth Rex's first year.

 

In 2010 they were #6 points & #3 yards respectively. 5th in takeaways

 

In 2011 they were #20 points & #5 yards respectively. 19th in takeaways

 

2012 they were #20 points & #8 yards respectively. 29th in takeaways

 

So yea, the defense has gone downhill the last 3 years from that lofty #1 ranking. But there might be a few reasons. The first could be that teams became aware of the type of scheme run by the Jets and countered it by watching film and making adjustments. Also, I look at the rosters for those years and have to think the GM was just fired for screwing the team into salary cap hell, along with bad personnel choices. C'mon Aaron Maybin for DE Shaun Ellis? Kyle Wilson for Revis island?

 

I dunno, when a team has to pick up Aaron Maybin to try and generate a pass rush they are in trouble in my view. Mike Pettine has got to be better then George Edwards, Dave Wannstedt.

[jaybee]

If not Pettine...then who? I think we got one of the better DC's out there. Nobody comes to mind that would have been a better selection, although time will tell.

 

Who cares what Jets Fans think ? I certainly dont ! LOL !

 

jb