When a New York Jets quarterback walks up to the line of scrimmage to touch Nick Mangold‘s backside, Brandon Marshall is always on the brain.
Much has been made of the magical season Ryan Fitzpatrick experienced in 2015.FitzMagic – as the kids cleverly nicknamed him – threw for a single-season franchise record 31 touchdowns. He also threw for 3,905 yards on 335 completions, both of which rank second in team history (behind Joe Namath and Brett Favre respectively).
So yeah, FitzMagic’s epic 2015 is still the hot topic on everybody’s mind, especially due to the fact he’s still lingering out there in free agent land.
For how extraordinary Fitz played, though, there was one guy on the New York Jets offense who edged him out.
Brandon Marshall didn’t just prove he was still one of the better weapons in the league during his first season in Florham Park, NJ, he proved he was still dominant. B-Marsh’s 109 grabs for 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns earned him his sixth NFL Pro Bowl nod and restored every Jets fan’s faith that dangerous weapons can flourish in New Jersey.
Even as he enters his second season with Gang Green at the ripe old age of 32, nobody expects anything less than dominance. What most don’t truly understand his how dominant Marshall is.
Even when he’s not credited with a reception or a target, Marshall affects the play to a degree that isn’t visible on the surface. Any football mind can see it and Fitzpatrick was amazingly fortunate to feel it in 2015.
First and foremost, football isn’t difficult. Football strategy comes down to simple arithmetic. Those who identify matchups and involve numbers allow their own potential to be reached that much easier.
From here on out we’ll break down just how valuable Brandon Marshall is in each New York Jets offensive situation:
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When The Jets Run The Ball
Brandon Marshall isn’t underrated as a run blocker. He’s not overlooked in this area in the least.
The problem is that fans underrate the importance of run blocking from a wide receiver.
Marshall is a phenomenal run blocker out wide. His rather large 6’4”, 229 lbs. frame forces most corners to not even have a chance.
First off, the defense’s look at the line of scrimmage will greatly depend on whether Ryan Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith will change the play from pass-to-run or run-to-pass. Marshall demands extra attention and if the defense keeps the box light with seven or six, a “check with me” at the line in changing the play to a run is very likely.
Weapons in the NFL are only as valuable as the attention they receive from defenses. Marshall’s value in this area is through the roof.
When B-Marsh Is The First Option
When Fitzpatrick or Geno walk up to the line their first order of business is finding and touching the backside of Nick Mangold. That is, unless, Chan Gailey called a shotgun formation.
After the incredibly important action of feeling Mangold’s booty is carried out, the next priority involves what’s happening around Brandon Marshall.
On most pass plays the QB will scan the defense and first find out how much attention its proving to B-Marsh. Should the defense play him straight up, Fitzpatrick or Smith will look to make Marshall the first read on almost every passing play.
On the following play the Washington Redskins provided Fitzpatrick with an eight man box and a single-high safety. What’s more is they put their corners in a bump-and-run situation.
This meant that Marshall was singled covered. The safety playing the middle of the field would never get over in time – regardless of whether the Skins were in a Cover 3 or a true man-to-man single-high (Cover 1).
Fitzpatrick took advantage even while throwing to the inside (instead of the outside like he should have):
This isn’t your father’s NFL. Very rarely does the play that was called by the offensive coordinator happen 100 percent through completion.
Instead, quarterbacks hold more value than in past seasons of the NFL. Not only do they need the raw physical tools, but being spot on during their pre-snap reads is critical.
But hey, sometimes you can just throw it up to the man and watch him do his thing:
When B-Marsh Isn’t The First Option
The New York Jets most exciting and memorable touchdown of 2015 came on a play that resulted in touchdown for a receiver not named Brandon Marshall.
However, Marshall had the biggest impact on the play.
It was Week 16. The Jets were hosting Tom Brady and the New England Patriots with their playoff lives on the line. It was overtime and Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Eric Decker on a flat fade route to give the Jets the thrilling 26-20 win:
Again, it comes down to simple math.
Fearing Marshall in this situation, Bill Belichick made sure his one extra roaming safety was over-the-top of B-Marsh. Check out the left side of the screen for yourself. There was no chance Marshall would ever be able to beat two guys in such a short space of the field.
Naturally, this opens up opportunities for other weapons.
Fitz threw a strike on a flat-fade to Decker as he easily beat the single-coverage.
While B-Marsh wasn’t the one who caught the pass, he impacted the play greater than any other Jets on the field.
Final Thoughts
It’s honestly not that hard. Marshall is a weapon despite the number of catches or yards he collects.
It all comes down to simple match and having a guy the defense fears. Those are the players who truly make an impact. Entire gameplans are adjusted and created around these guys.
The same principle was used with Darrelle Revis while Rex Ryan had him here in New York. Rex would have Revis Island in full effect as he literally took away half the field with his incredible one-on-one act. Safeties never had to shade, and in fact, safeties shaded the other way purposefully. Instead of the defense playing 11-on-11, Rex’s defense had the worthwhile option of playing 10-on-10.
With Marshall, oftentimes the Jets offense is playing 10-on-9 (thanks to two defenders having to deal with him).