Schottenheimer takes heat for slow drive, goal line play calls

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 24, 2011, 10:30 AM EST

Jets fans watching their offense slowly move the ball in the fourth quarter Sunday in Pittsburgh must have felt like they were watching a repeat of the Patriots-Jets game a week before.

This time, it was the Jets offense that burned nearly nine minutes of clock time time without getting any points.

Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is taking criticism in New York for his lack of urgency and general disorganization calling plays during the drive, then for his decisions when the Jets reached the goal line.

“The problem was the headset kept going out multiple times during the game,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said via the New York Daily News when describing the confusion that marked the drive.   “I had to run over and get a couple of calls, piece together some calls in the headset that came in broken up.”

The Jets had to rush to the line just to get off their biggest play calls of the year.  Schottenheimer’s choices in those moments were more troubling than the communication issues.
Shonn Greene was running with aggression in the second half.  He had just trucked Steelers safety Ryan Clark and routinely broke tackles.  The Jets had second-and-goal at the one-yard line and they subsequently called pass, pass, and a run with LaDainian Tomlinson.
Tomlinson finished with 16 yards on nine carries.  We have no idea why he was in the game over Greene at that moment.
Sure, the Jets got a safety when the Steelers got the ball.  But New York needed touchdowns at that point, not 2-pointers.
That sequence of plays is going to make Schottenheimer and Rex Ryan sick all offseason.

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62 responses to “Schottenheimer takes heat for slow drive, goal line play calls”

  1. Got to love the Jets’ loser fan base looking for somebody to string up. This team played out of their mind through the playoffs. They were never a Super Bowl team, just ask anybody not wearing a Jets hat and making foot videos. The future is bright, just shut up and be glad you made the run. It’s not like Jets fans should be used to winning championships.

  2. The Jets failing on 4th down killed them. They lost by 5 points, the difference between a touchdown and safety.

    Also, I’m still not sure the fumble for a TD was a fumble. Looked like Sanchez’s arm was moving forward before contact.

    Two huge blows that cost the Jets.

  3. The Jets defense couldn’t stop a nose bleed in the first half.

    Second half; Steelers just cruised to victory by making the big plays when called for:)

  4. The headsets went out during the game? If this truly was a problem, this is unexcusable in today’s NFL. Short of tampering or incompetence (dead battery pack), there’s no valid reason for those things not to work 100% of the time.

  5. It’s in the Schottenheimer DNA to screw up in playoff games. Like father like son. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

  7. …As he should be. He can call some brilliant games but can also lay some eggs. His problem is trying to outsmart himself. We should have ran the ball all 4 times on that goal line sequence, but he tried to get cute. He’d fit in well with a more stable, one dimensional offense, but I think he’s gotta pave way for Bill Callahan. He knows the strengths of the O-line and wouldn’t try to get tricky.

  8. There is no excuse for calling pass on 2nd & goal, but why LT was in over Greene is absurd. I won’t go as far as saying that LT cannot play in the “big” game only because few can run against the Steelers, but Greene’s performance makes one strong case

  9. In the moment my observation was that Shawn Greene was ONFIRE and playing Angry, Jets playing like a team that couldn’t be stopped. Being so close to the goaline if you run a draw instead of that queer pass play i think they’d have scored.

    Roughing the kicker call was lame.

    Sanchez is very average. His body language AFTER the game? Other that anyting else – He seemed more relieved that the game (pressure)was over . . .LOL

  10. It’s not his fault for the loss they have been slow on offense all year. They’re defense is what wins them games and it did not show up yesterday.

  11. LT is probably the all time 1-yard-touchdown king… how can anyone be shocked he is called on in that situation? (as a Pats fan I actually feel bad about defending the Jets :D)

  12. I’m glad mechanical failure is to blame for the Jet’s loss. I’d hate for the reason to be lack of execution.

  19. Whoever takes the lead in the Super Bowl is going to have to do a better job of holding onto it.

    The Packers almost gave up their lead to the 3rd stringer. He played like a starter, but that is no excuse.

    The Steelers almost gave up their lead to a stagnant Jets offense.

    Both the Steelers and Packers offenses will do a better job of coming back if they fall behind early, if no other reason than learning how not to make a comeback, as demonstrated by the Pats and Jets.

  20. LOL, look at his pedigree. He plays “Marty Ball” in AFC Championship games.

    As for Ryan, is it fair to start calling him the new Marty Schottenheimer? Can win everything except the AFC Championship?

    Kudos to the Jets, they actually played over their head all season. They’re well coached.

  22. I disagree and think it is just hindsight. A young QB in a pressure game could easily turn the ball over if rushed. Plus that one pass was nearly completed. And give the Steelers credit, they’ve been tough up the middle all season.

  23. Everyone on the JETS sideline were yelling to move faster exept for the idiots Sanchez and Schottenheimer. He should be fired just for calling those redickulous plays on the goal line. What an idiot!!

  24. “Shonn Greene was running with aggression in the second half. He had just trucked Steelers safety Ryan Clark and routinely broke tackles.”

    ================

    Greene was breaking tackles and “trucking” people on draw plays against the Steeler’s nickel defense. Different story when you have to face the goal line defense with Hampton and Kiesel and the other jumbos and the linebackers holding the line. Outside of his draw plays against the nickel, Greene didn’t get much all day.

    I thought the Jets made good calls – but it’s hard to make yards on a short field against a compressed defense, especially one that is loaded with good players.

  25. I thought that the Jets’ 4th quarter offense was fast and effecient.

    Sincerely,
    Donovan McNabb

    Losing QB of the 2004 Super Bowl

  26. Headset kept going out?

    Maybe Tomlin and the Steelers borrowed a play from Belicheck and jammed his head set signal so they couldn’t get the plays in.

  29. “The headsets went out during the game? ”

    Seems like the Steelers weren’t above stealing a page from Belichick’s playbook. This was a complaint by visiting teams at Foxborough a few seasons ago. The league office needs to manage communication during playoff games, and then award an official timeout if they discover a problem. That being said, it would be difficult for Rex to upgrade the OC position after the good ones have already found new jobs.

  30. I don’t remember seeing a single running play to the side. Pretty much every single one of them was up the middle. In the 3rd or 4th quarter, the Jets had success up the middle a couple times, but kept getting stuffed after that. So what does Schottmyselfinthefootenheimer do at that point? Keep running it up the middle.

    As a Browns fan, this reminds me of the thankfully-gone Brain Daboll. “Well, we keep trying this strategy and it keeps not working. Let’s try it again and again.” So on a 4th and 1, with the game on the line, they try it up the middle. Though I know hindsight is 20/20, maybe running a sweep or something might have actually fooled someone, since they didn’t do it all game previous to that. But no- let’s try to run up the middle against a league-best run defense that’s expecting us to do exactly that- run up the middle.

    Duh. With that BS 9 minute drive and retarded playcallling at the end of it, the Jets *deserved* to lose- and I say that as someone who couldn’t hate the Steelers more.

  31. So the headsets went out huh?
    How convenient.
    I thought it was only the Patriots who did things like that?

  32. Great season Jets, but the game was over at halftime.

    To loosely quote Bum Philips: “if you knock on the door enough times, you will eventually kick the damn door down”.

    Ryan will have Gang Green in contention again next year.

  34. gregmorris78 says:
    Jan 24, 2011 10:43 AM

    Roughing the kicker call was lame.

    ********
    You need to explain this one… He hit the kicker without touching the football. Pretty cut and dry.

  35. I was watching this game screaming “get to the line” at the tv, this was insane! And the 3rd down slant pass was the dumbest call ever. Either toss a screen or swing or run in straight up the middle. Awful play calling.

    And you could see Sanchez yelling at the sideline to get the play in! Right as they did that, they turned the camera to the sideline and Schottenheimer was talking to another coach! He wasn’t even calling a play in to Sanchez! Guy deserves to get some heat here.

  36. this must spell doom for the Miami Heat, since some buffoon from the Jets said they were built in the same manner and they were a lock to win it all.

  38. @ nevis

    Steeler fan here. In regards to the fumble I thought during replay it could have home either way. One thing to note though is the path of the ball. Even if sanchez’s arm was going forward the ball traveled behind him, meaning it was not a forward pass, thus a fumble.

  39. Wow, maybe someone should be saying how Bart Scott and great Jet’s defense looked horrible in the first half. Seriously, the steelers smacked them in the mouth right from the start. The rest of the game really didn’t matter despite the spin that jet’s fans want to put on it. Mendenhall was difference in the game so what greene did in mop up time really means nothing.

    Rex does need to apologize for the lack of effort his team came out with. It sure looked like they were still recovering from their superbowl, I mean divisional win in NE! That’s the coaches fault plain and simple!

  40. Jets had 1 legit touchdown in the game. The other was a result of Taylor falling to the turf.

    First half they had 1 rushing yard, Braylon and Holmes had zero catches.

    Yeah that would lead to some heat on the o-coordinator.

  41. I hate playing armchair OC, but even I know not to give LT the rock in an AFC title game. Especially not at the goal line or on 4th and 1.5. Wow. Awful play calling.

  42. The game is done for the Jets, but the Steelers get to play again in the Super Duper Bowl. The problem is that Steeler offense is not up to the Pack defense. I never thought I would see such a bad performance in the second half as the Steelers gave. It looks like Rodgers can easily outperform the Jets QB Sanchez. Packers by 10!

  44. Bum Phillips didn’t have much of a kicking game, I guess, because he never got the door down.

  45. #1 That was a fumble – not a forward pass, ball wasn’t in his grasp (define; loose) as he attempted to go thru his throwing motion.

    #2 The rule is the rule – that was a roughing the kicker call all the way!

    #3 nice to see the Refs did catch both teams w/ pass interference on the WR’s when it got called

    #4 I ABSOLUTELY believe that the confusion?! was designed once they got to the goal line. Watch Sanchez attempt to look confused. If somebody was a mathematician they could get us a stat when a QB (especially young) looks confused …he ‘hands the ball off’ …yet at the last moment with play clock winding down and QB seems to be barking ….he got right under center and snapped the ball – fast and wanted to catch the Steelers sleeping with a edge or quick out pass. Didn’t work – the ruse didn’t get executed. Steelers all 11 stayed to their lanes and positions

    #5 And this belief that S. Greene should have carried the 4th down run ….anybody remember Farrior blasting him on that 3rd down run. HE crumpled him with that face on face – beast hit to stop him cold. I don’t like LT ….but in that set he probably was in due to the threat of running or catching if Sanchez came out on a bootleg play action pass ….

    #6 Don’t see how Ben is being blamed for the fumble in the end zone which resulted in safety when he was playing with the back-up center Legursky who did an admirable job due to Pouncey getting injured.

    #7 Steelers WON, Black & Gold goes back to
    Super Bowl !!! Justice

  46. footballfan says:
    Jan 24, 2011 11:16 AM

    gregmorris78 says:
    Jan 24, 2011 10:43 AM

    Roughing the kicker call was lame.

    ********
    You need to explain this one… He hit the kicker without touching the football. Pretty cut and dry.
    —————————————————

    Is there not still a penalty difference between “roughing” the kicker and “running into” the kicker?

    Pretty hilarious that they gave the maximum penalty to someone who’s hand touched the top of the kickers foot- and nothing else. If that’s a 15-yard-and 1st-down “roughing” the kicker penalty, I guess the 5-yard “running into” penalty must be something like accidentally brushing the kicker’s shoelace with your pinky.

    Thanks to the punters great acting job/flop, the refs found a convenient way to keep a drive alive for the Steelers. Same old same old.

  47. “cintiphil says:
    Jan 24, 2011 11:37 AM
    The game is done for the Jets, but the Steelers get to play again in the Super Duper Bowl. The problem is that Steeler offense is not up to the Pack defense. I never thought I would see such a bad performance in the second half as the Steelers gave. It looks like Rodgers can easily outperform the Jets QB Sanchez. Packers by 10!”

    The Steelers went into clock killing mode near the end of the first half. As soon as they needed to crank it back up to seal off the game over the last 3 minutes they moved the ball 40-50 yards with ease. If I recall, the Packers offense did jack after the middle of the 2nd quarter. The Bears defense is good, but NOT Steelers good.

  48. footballfan says: Jan 24, 2011 11:16 AM

    gregmorris78 says:
    Jan 24, 2011 10:43 AM

    Roughing the kicker call was lame.

    ********
    You need to explain this one… He hit the kicker without touching the football. Pretty cut and dry.
    ********************************************************
    “Contacting the kicker”, yes.

    “Roughing the kicker”, no freakin way, not even close.

  49. 1. he’s been your OC all year, and you’ve been winning (making sanchez appear better than he really is, but that’s what good/great coaches do)
    2. you guys have been selling yourselves as a superbowl team ALL YEAR with him as your OC, and never ONCE have i heard one person add a caveat stating that you were a SB team in spite of him or “unless he blows it for us”..
    3. EVERYBODY’S a genius on monday…..EVERYBODY…
    4. you lost, take it like adults…just like your coaches and players did

    @trickbunny:
    so on a 4th and 4 am i to understand you correctly that a “running into the kicker” penalty would NOT have resulted in a first down. check the rules and get back to me on that one..also, didnt that drive end in an interception? followed by a 3 and out by the jets? anymore conspiracy theories you need blown out of the water, let me know…i’ll be here

  50. The Steelers cheated.
    Headsets went out on purpose.
    There are reasons why the Pats and Steelers have combined for 7 Super Bowl apparences in 10 years. Lucky them huh?

  51. A starting QB in the NFL should know what plays to call in the red zone, he shouldn’t need the OC to call the right plays, this is why they get paid the big bucks, no excuse for what happen, of course I love it when the jets lose, where was fireman Ed when the game was over? Bill

  52. Why has no one commented on this:

    Just before half, :29 seconds left with one timeout remaining and 3rd and 1, the Jets decided to go for the endzone (and missed). Then they kicked a field goal on the subsequent 4th and 1.

    Would the better option not have been to get the first down via qb sneak or a run and use that timeout to stop the clock with :25 seconds or so remaining. Then, with 1st and 10, they could have taken 3 legitamate shots at the endzone and then kicked the same field goal if need be?

    They gave away 3 plays that they could have had for free and a potential 4 more points.

  53. It seems like half the people commenting on this topic clearly know nothing about football or the Jets.
    The jets lost that game the Steelers did not win that game at all. Raplesburger was outplayed by sanchez.

  54. I thought that cowboy fans were bad…making excuses for every little thing. Losers spend more time building excuses or reasons for crappy plays. Winners look for where they went wrong and correct the problem…the issue here is that EVERYONE counted the STEELERS out in the beginning of the season, so to have to sit here and watch them win another title is…well, let’s just say embarrasing.

    GO STEELERS!!

  56. If the headset thing happened in Foxboro, there would be fines, investigations, forfeited draft picks, etc, etc, etc and you all know it.

    Double standard.

  57. To steelerdynasty2010
    Yes but that punt would have taken off the field a defense which had been on the field all game long roughly speaking.
    It makes for a huge difference!

  58. Long time Steeler fan, first time poster.

    Steelers played well enough to win, but had me worried playing prevent and allowing jets back into the game. Good on the jets for a valiant come back effort, but too little too late.

    As for the fumble/incomplete pass argument, the point is moot! If it was a fumble, steelers ball, if it was a pass attempt, the ball went backwards, therefore a live ball and steelers recover.

    Roughing the kicker, running into the kicker….. The jets player obviously made contact with the kicker while he was vulnerable . Roughing or running into the kicker would have resulted in a first down as it was 4th and less than 5.

    Jets long drive in the 4th that resulted in no points was ridiculous ! Could they have taken more time off the clock? God bless them for helping the steelers cause!

    Congrats to green bay, they are a good squad. SB should be a great game . My prediction: steelers 27, packers 24

    GO STEELERS!

  59. Does anyone know where to find video of Sanchez wiping the booger on brunell? That’s hilarious!

  60. It’s no wonder the headsets were not working…look at the way Ryan spiked his like and angry 5-year old at the end!

  61. @manning10g:
    5 yds or 15 is a first down. you’re crying about 10 yards…and using your same logic, that would have given your offense more rest and should have resulted in something better than 3 and out…
    STOP MAKING EXCUSES. they keep getting worse!

  62. Who is responsible for the head sets, the home team or the NFL?
    I recall a college game years ago when a phone or two on the visitors’ side went out and they made the corresponding coaches on the home team not use their phones. Seems like a simple, fair rule. They have rules for everything else.

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