Jets Carol “Oh Tannenbaum, Oh Tannenbaum” as Team Pummels Bills

Rarely has a General Manager showered such gifts on a franchise, for such a ridiculously inexpensive price. It is as if the prospective bride believed that her fiancé’ bought her a 2.5 carat zirconium, but later discovers that he had actually purchased a rare and priceless diamond, despite the apparent lack of money spent in the transaction. Without giving up hardly anything of significance, during the off-season the Jets purchased (stole?)former All-Pro’s Antonio Cromartie, Jason Taylor, Santonio Holmes, and LaDanian Tomlinson. Tannenbaum, who at 37 is the youngest GM in the NFL, started out his tenure with the Jets by drafting D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, who are and will be the heart of one of the stoutest Offensive Lines in the NFL, and has since picked up other gems in the draft, amongst them Leon Washington, and, of course, Darrelle Revis. But this past off-season his efforts were brilliant indeed, as he managed to supplement a team that was already a potential Super Bowl contender into a potential NFL Power-House.

There is not much one can say about last Sunday’s mismatch. I could nit-pick a bit, stating that the Jets allowed the Bills a relatively easy TD near the end of the 1st half that had Rex Ryan popping an blood pressure pill. Outside of that; all I can do is quote Buffalo Bills Coach Chan Gailey, who was so despondent after the game that several of his friends thought perhaps he should be on suicide watch.

When Gailey was asked if the Bills were the worst team in the league, Gailey replied bluntly: “I don’t know how anyone else is.” Later, Gailey credited the Jets with helping him sink to a new low point in his career. “I don’t have a magic wand.” Gailey stated. I don’t know if I’ve ever been here before.”

The point where Gailey found himself at was this:

• Buffalo was a (im) perfect 0-10 on third downs. The Jets were 7-15 in third down conversions.

• The Bills time of possession was approximately 19 minutes, 11 second.

• The Jets doubled the Bills in total net yardage, 444 to 234

• The Jets outrushed the Bills 273 – 134 yards.

All of which gives you some idea of the domination displayed by Gang Green, but unless you viewed the dissection live on NBC, you would not have gotten the flavor of the destruction to the Bill’s morale that should result next offseason in the Lords of Football discussing the possibility of a Mercy Rule.

This was supposedly what those in the business call a “Trap” game; the Jets had defeated two difficult divisional opponents, New England at home, and Miami on the road, in its stifling Venusian humidity. Next week they play Brett Favre, who they still have some unfinished business to attend to, and the Vikings, one of the best teams in the NFC. In order to stay focused, the Jets apparently trumped up some anonymous mysterious tweeting trash talking Bills to vent their anger upon. Backup Safety James Ihedigho mocked the Bills as “bums” in his return tweet. Mark Sanchez, having yet another superior outing on his way to taking over the panty hose market in the Big Apple, stated that the Tweety Bills “energized me and my teammates.” Hardly necessary, in retrospect.

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Beyond all else, this was a day for “Ground and Pound.” Tomlinson drove through the heart of the Bills defense for 135 yards and 2 scores on but 19 carries. Shonne Green pounded his way for 122 yards on 22 carries. Tomlinson has supplanted the sophomore phenom Green as the alpha back not because of the latter’s deficiencies, but because he is as good an imitation of the LT of 3 years ago as you are going to find. Out of all of Tannenbaum’s magnanimous gifts to Coach Ryan, LT may prove to be the most beneficent. Read these prescient words from this August:

Anyone who saw LaDainian Tomlinson in the pre-season realizes that he may be the steal of the off-season. For the last several years, there has been an obvious drop-off in performance, but Tomlinson has also been plagued with foot injuries. Now that these appear to be healed, he should have several quality seasons ahead of him. He may fill the same roll that O.J. Anderson did with the Giants in their Superbowl run.

And that’s me quoting me! Or quoting Coach Ryan: “I thought that he was going to be outstanding. But he is already better then that.” If I can figure out the obvious, methinks that the Charger GM/medical staff should join the ranks of the unemployed. Although it seems that LT has been with us for ages, he is but 31 years old, and if used judiciously with Green, should create headaches for defensive coordinators which will be compounded now that Santonio Holmes joins the gang. Next week should also bring the return of Darrelle Revis and Calvin Price. As Right Tackle Damien Woody said:

“It’s just the beginning.”

By: Paul J. Nebenfuhr
ProFootball-fans.com New York Jets Correspondent