The complexion of the Jets offense has a chance to change dramatically tomorrow against the Packers when the Jets unleash Santonio Holmes.
The Steelers discarded Holmes last spring because of his well-documented troubles off the field. The Jets rolled the dice on Holmes because, on the field, he is trouble for opposing cornerbacks. And now, three games into his return from a four-game suspension, he will be given the opportunity to be The Perfect 10 for quarterback Mark Sanchez.
Coach Rex Ryan announced this week that Holmes, who played 42 percent of the snaps in his first two games, will from this point forward will be handed an increased workload.
“He’s a home-run threat every time he touches the ball,” said safety Jim Leonhard, who faced Holmes’ Steelers twice a season during his time with the Ravens. “It’s exciting to watch and to see and know that we’re trying to get him the ball because you know he can bust one at any moment.”
The men who try covering him in practice will freely tell you that Holmes is a secondary’s worst nightmare.
“You get the taller receivers who are the long striders, and their speed is deceptive. He’s similar, but he’s really
fast,” cornerback Marquice Cole said. “So he comes off the line, and it seems like he’s taking this play off or running a slower, underneath route, and then he can just turn it on and get up and get out.
“And then he does this thing with his hands: He shows his hands so late, that down the field it’s hard to play off of him and see when the ball’s coming. He’s deceptive in the way he runs his routes and when the ball’s in the air, and he can compete for it, make those diving, sideline, toe-tapping catches.”
Cole said Holmes also is very quick coming off the line of scrimmage.
“If you don’t get your hands on him at the line, you’re in trouble already,” Cole said. “And it’s hard to get your hands on him at the line.”
Even superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis has been impressed.
“He’s a very smart player,” Revis said. “He has different releases off the line, which makes him dangerous. I think he’s underrated. I think people don’t take him seriously because of, you know, some things that happened off the field. But we respect him with the utmost. That’s why we wanted to go get him, because we believed in his talents.”
Brodney Pool, who came to the Jets from the AFC North’s Browns, experienced Holmes’ terrifying presence firsthand.
“Every route he can make look the same,” Pool said, “and if you can make every route look the same, it’s tough.
“He’s a shifty guy. . . . He’s hard to jam and put your hands on because he has good body balance. And he’s a smart guy — he knows how to work his hands and get off the line.”
Holmes’ love for the game and lust for winning have not been lost on his teammates.
“He’s one of those guys that’s ultra-competitive and wants to win in all situations, and he’s gonna help everyone out,” Leonhard said. “He’s a great teammate. He’s a guy that’ll go and help out all his receivers, come over and talk to the DBs about stuff that they’re doing that they could improve on.”
Just give him the damn ball.
“He wants the ball,” Leonhard said. “He’s kind of a scrappy guy for being not the biggest receiver. He’s not a receiver that just wants to run around. He’s not afraid to mix it up.”
Holmes, who has seven catches for 88 yards in two games, apparently doesn’t know he doesn’t have Braylon Edwards’ size.
“He’s good at the line with his feet, he’s good with his hands, and for him to be, what, 5-10, 5-11? He plays like he’s a 6-3, 6-4 guy,” cornerback Drew Coleman said. “I’m used to guarding a lot of slot guys, but with his size, you’d think he’s a slot guy, but he’s a guy that can play all over the field.”
Just give him the damn ball early.
“I think getting the ball during the game early is probably a big key for a receiver because we only have so many opportunities to touch the ball,” Holmes said.
Holmes, Sweet Holmes.