<
        >

          New York Jets

          Smith: Eagles were calling out coverages

          • Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterDec 18, 2011, 11:51 PM ET
            Close
              Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.
            Follow on X

          PHILADELPHIA -- The Jets usually are known for disguising their coverages, but they apparently did a poor job Sunday because the Eagles knew what was coming before the snap, according to S Eric Smith.

          Smith said the Eagles' receivers were able to identify the type of coverage before the snap, yelling it out to each other and to QB Michael Vick.

          "They'd line up, look at us, look at Vick, and (say), 'Oh, they're in Cover Zero' or 'They're in Cover One,'" Smith said after the 45-19 loss. "They did a good job of studying, a good job of preparing for the game."

          Which begs the question: Did this have something to do with the absence of injured S Jim Leonhard?

          On Thursday, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said he was planning to cut back the number of plays on the call sheet, to make things easier for Smith and Leonhard's replacement, Brodney Pool. The secondary relied heavily on Leonhard to make on-field "checks," and Pettine evidently wanted to simplify it.

          Smith apparently didn't know that and bristled when a reporter brought that up after the game.

          "That's not something they needed to do because Brodney and I have a good grasp of the defense," Smith said. "We've been here two years, so that's something that shouldn't have been needed to be done."

          Pettine also said they'd use fewer three-safety packages and that indeed was the case. Instead, they used CBs Donald Strickland and Isaiah Trufant in those particular packages.

          Bottom line: The Jets couldn't stop the Eagles, who accumulated 420 total yards. Vick attempted only 22 passes, yet he passed for 274 yards. TE Brent Celek ripped apart the Jets' secondary, catching five balls for 156 yards -- the most yardage by an Eagles TE since 1965. Celek scored on a 26-yard TD and delivered the backbreaker, a 73-yard catch that set up another TD.

          It's a broken record: The Jets struggle to cover tight ends.

          "Part of the deal is because our corners are pretty darn good," said coach Rex Ryan, referring to Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. "But, yeah, that was ... it was a great scheme on their part."

          This was an embarrassing day by the Jets' defense, which allowed 10 plays of 16 yards or more. LeSean McCoy (102 yards, 3 TDs) ran wild, especially outside the tackles, and the Jets failed to sack Vick.

          The Eagles scored touchdowns on four of seven possessions in the first half.

          "Looked like we were scared to death to go after him," Ryan said.