I am somewhat torn about Feely’s aggressiveness. Blockers tend to give kickers a pass so long as they stay out of the action. If he is going to mix it up with the big boys he may get jacked up sometime soon.
It is great to see him play tough but he better watch his back. At 5-10, 205 he is a dwarf by NFL standards and will get himself killed if he continues to push the envelope.
While Feely is playing like an energetic youngster, Alan Faneca is showing his age. He can still pull in front of traps with the best of them but he struggles against quicker pass rushers and could get his quarterback hurt one of these days.
The sack he gave up to Randy Starks on the Jets’ final drive essentially sunk their chances. He also spends too much time on the ground for my liking.
In addition to the sack he surrendered, he allowed Starks penetration all day. Starks knifed his way into the backfield for a 2-yard loss on a Thomas Jones run and just missed another but his penetration forced Jones into another tackler.
I was ecstatic when the Jets signed Faneca two years ago and believe he will go down as one of the greatest guards of all time but he is no longer the dominant blocker he once was and may have to give way to a younger player in the near future.
His leadership qualities are tremendous and he makes the unit better with his experience and steadying influence but at some point the organization must weigh his intangibles versus his shortcomings on the field.
Other Random Thoughts
The Jets enjoyed great field position all day with their average drive starting at their own 31-yard line. Conversely Miami started at its own 25 …Both teams combined for 11 punts in the first half – Ugh!...Braylon Edwards had a nice game, making some tough catches in traffic. His TD catch came while being double-teamed. He showed great moxy by pushing his way into the end zone (with a little help from Dustin Keller). He also made a tough 20-yard catch that set up Keller’s touchdown…Sione Pouha, Marques Douglas, David Harris and Bart Scott all delivered big-time performances. Along with Shaun Ellis who led the way, these guys fought off blocks and penetrated all afternoon. Too bad their effort was wasted.