When you have nothing left in the tank but still refuse to hang it up, life can get frustrating. Just ask Derrick Mason. Mason is 37 years old and has spent the last year or so bouncing around from team to team. For whatever reason, his release from the Jets earlier this year really seemed to irritate him. In an appearance on the NFL Network’s No Huddle Wednesday night, Mason criticized the Jets and questioned their ability to reach the playoffs.
“They can’t stop the run, they can’t run the football,” Mason said. “This is not the vaunted Rex Ryan defense from a year ago. I just don’t think up front that they can stop any of these teams the next two weeks.”
The Jets are 16th in the league in rushing defense and 21st in rushing offense, so Mason has somewhat of a point. That being said, one of the teams they are facing is the Giants, who are dead last in the NFL running the football. A lot of that has been because of Ahmad Bradshaw’s injury, but if the Jets lose to the Giants it wont necessarily be because they can’t stop the run. Mason also took aim at the Jets’ offense, saying they don’t know how to properly use their receivers.
“They just don’t know how to use him,” Mason said when asked about the lack of success by Plaxico Burress. “I just think the quarterback, when you get inside the 20, you should look to Plax’s side every time. Not taking anything from Santonio (Holmes). Santonio’s a great receiver. But you’ve got a guy 6-5, there’s not too many 6-foot corners out there, so throw him the ball.”
The Jets’ passing game has been a problem all year, but it sounds like Mason has the answers. New York has no shot of making the playoffs. They can’t run the ball, they can’t stop the run, and they can’t throw the ball. Unless they bring Mason in as a wide receivers coach and defensive coordinator, their season is probably over.
H/T to The Huddle for the story.
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