Lichtenstein: Maccagnan's Marshall Plan Landed Talent-Starved Jets A True Playmaker
By Steve Lichtenstein
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When general manager Mike Maccagnan traded just a fifth-round pick for wide receiver Brandon Marshall during the Jets' offseason makeover, I immediately suspected there was a catch.
I wondered if the Bears believe that the five-time Pro Bowler was through at age 31 after an injury-plagued 2014 season saw him catch just 61 passes, his lowest total since his rookie season in 2006.
Had they had their fill of Marshall's penchant for making headlines off the field? While there weren't any flare-ups like the disturbing legal troubles that occurred while he was playing in Denver and Miami (that subsequently led to a mental illness diagnosis), one had to wonder if the Jets were getting a ticking time bomb.
Or was he simply a salary cap casualty, another number deemed too rich for the value of his services in this impersonal NFL business?
The motive(s) no longer matter, for after watching the Jets trounce the Browns on Sunday, I believe Maccagnan owes Chicago a thank you card for acquiescing to the exchange.
Marshall produced six receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown, but his impact went beyond statistics.
Marshall is a playmaker, a rarity for this franchise. His 6-foot-4 frame gives the Jets a beast in the red zone they haven't employed since the days of Al Toon. Cleveland's Joe Haden is considered a fairly decent cover corner, but he had no chance on Ryan Fitzpatrick's 1-yard fade to Marshall in the third quarter that upped the Jets lead to 21-10.
I swear I did a double-take on one of Marshall's sideline catches on an earlier drive because it was the first back-shoulder throw I've seen the Jets complete in, oh I don't know, forever.
But maybe the biggest play of the game wasn't even recorded as a reception.
It occurred with the Jets trailing 7-0 about five minutes into the second quarter. With the Jets driving, Fitzpatrick was picked off by an undercutting Tashaun Gibson near the left sideline. Marshall came back to make the tackle and, in one motion, he ripped the ball out of Gibson's hand at the Browns' 15-yard line, and then spun forward to the 9. Two plays later, Chris Ivory ran it in to tie the game.
Marshall was also instrumental in the Jets' two-minute drill at the end of the first half, catching three passes for 26 yards before Fitzpatrick connected with Eric Decker on a 15-yard strike that put the Jets ahead for good.
With Johnny Manziel forced into action at quarterback in place of concussed Josh McCown, the Browns gifted the Jets 14 more points as they expanded their turnover count in the second half. Marshall converted one of those scores on the aforementioned goal-line fade.
While Fitzpatrick deserves credit for placing that ball where only Marshall could reach it, let's not forget this: It's not just the great quarterbacks who can make average receivers look better than their talent level would indicate (think about some of Tom Brady's cast of characters who have excelled at wide receiver over the years for New England). It can also work the other way around.
By most measures, Fitzpatrick is no better than average, and in some measures he's below average. But when you have a receiver of Marshall's caliber at your disposal, the spectacular becomes possible.
The entire offense benefits form Marshall's presence. Once offensive coordinator Chan Gailey adjusted the game plan in the second quarter from one that was eerily similar -- and equally ineffective -- to those concocted by his predecessors and started to include the forward pass on downs other than third, the Jets' offense was much more dynamic. By the second half, the running game got going and the Browns were toast.
OK, it's just one game, and one against a hapless franchise that hasn't won a season opener in over a decade. No one is guaranteeing a Super Bowl here, or even a playoff berth. A road game next Monday at the Andrew Luck-led Colts, who were humiliated in Buffalo on Sunday, will be a significantly tougher test.
But the larger picture is that now that the Jets finally have some legitimate weapons at their disposal, we will no longer feel the need to switch to the Red Zone channel whenever Gang Green takes possession to avoid the horrors that were the norm of their previous offensive displays.
Like the Jets, Marshall wasn't perfect on Sunday. He failed to hang on to a deep third-down pass during the game's opening possession and on the play following his fumble recovery, Marshall's unnecessary holding penalty in the end zone negated an Ivory touchdown.
Still, Maccagnan has to feel somewhat relieved about how his Marshall Plan is evolving. Whatever meager living the Jets made in recent years came mostly off the back of their defense. It's about time that the offense employed the requisite talent to contribute something.
Now if Maccagnan ever could land a top-flight quarterback, then we can talk about the Jets potentially soaring to rarefied heights.
For a FAN's perspective of the Nets, Jets and the NHL, follow Steve on Twitter @SteveLichtenst1.
