ERIC MANGINI LOVES MIKE NUGENT

by Mac G, Mac G's World

While watching football every weekend, I came up with a mantra, "How much will Pats' coach Bill Belichick and his players act like poor sports in victory?"

Actually, my litmus test phrase for certain coaching decisions is "WWBBD? What Would Bill Belichick Do?

Whether it is Joe Paterno's affinity with punting inside his opponents 40 or Herm Edwards constantly calling draw plays on 3rd and long, this theory can be applied to a coach at any level.

Say what you want to say about Belichick's personality (I could elaborate for eight paragraphs on his abrasive pompous behavior towards opposing teams, fans and the media), his aggressive style is one of the top coaching models in football right now. He always goes for it on makeable 4th down situations, unwilling to fall into the trap of using the outdated field position game formula.

Belichick's clock management skills are superb and his decisions are hardly second guessed. His teams rarely burn unwanted timeouts and he uses his challenges wisely. These are some of the reasons that he is the best coach in the NFL.

One of Belichick's scorned disciples, Jets head coach Eric Mangini, must really be trying to act out against his former teacher.

On Sunday, Mangini's Jets scored a late TD, missed the two-point conversation and were trailing the Browns 17-12 with three minutes to play. The Jets decided to go for the onside kick and they recovered it. Considering the Jets momentum, the surprise element of the kick and the driving rain, it was a worthwhile gamble that paid off.

The Jets moved the ball to the Browns 20 and were facing a 4th & 10 with 1:50 to play. Being down five points, it is a no-brainer that the Jets were going for it right? Wrong.

Mangini sends out kicker Mike Nugent and his FG makes it a two-point game. The Jets still did have all three timeouts so it would make sense to kick it deep and try to hold the Browns to a three and out? Wrong again.

The Jets try another onside kick, which the Browns recover. On 3rd down, Browns RB Jamal Lewis breaks free and runs all the way for a 31-yard TD score. The score now stands at 24-15 Browns.

On the ensuing Jets drive, they move the ball to the Browns 17 and have first down with 37 seconds left. Mangini decides to kick another FG! This decision cements my belief that one of Mangini's relatives either has the "Nuge" as his fantasy kicker or money on the over or both.

The Jets are down two scores with no timeouts and this Madden-type of move is questionable, but understandable. They need a miracle either way you slice it. After the "Nuge" drills another FG to make the score 24-18 Browns, the Jets line up for another onside kick.

This time the "Nuge" tries to pooch kick it and the ball goes at least 20-30 yard before going out of bounds. Another puzzling decision on forgoing the normal onside and an even more laughable execution.

Luckily for the Jets, a Browns' player lined up offside and they were able try the onside kick again. This time they tried the regular 10-yard variety and the Browns recovered. Ballgame.

Other thoughts on this very strange ending.

• Last year the odds of recovering an onside kick were 20-25 percent. The chances are even lower when the team knows it is coming. My head is dizzy trying to figure out the probability odds of recovering two straight onside kicks.

• The Jets might have set the record for attempted onside kicks in the final three minutes of a game.
  

• I have never seen a coach being down two scores, kick a FG on two separate occasions, underneath two minutes remaining in a game.

• Jets fans are debating Mangini's head scratcher decisions on this message board thread and it is high entertainment.

• In related news, Tony Soprano ordered Artie to make sure that Mangini is no longer welcome at Nuovo Vesuvio.