SOMEONE ought to introduce Paul Hackett, the Jets offensive coordinator, to Wayne Chrebet – and soon.
Because the Jets aren’t going to the playoffs unless they just give Chrebet the damn ball again.
There will come a time, maybe not today at Giants Stadium against the Chiefs, but it will come all right, when opposing defenses will refuse to let Curtis Martin beat them, and dare Vinny Testaverde to beat them, and Testaverde will not be ready to beat them unless Chrebet is in the middle of the action again.
You can get to 5-3 in this NFL by managing the game and playing not to lose, but at some point, some day, you are going to have to play to win to reach that next level, and that time is coming.
You can get to 5-3 in this NFL if your Secretariat can get 4.6 yards per carry and your quarterback doesn’t throw interceptions and your defense figures out how to stop the run and your phenom pass rusher starts making like Mark Gastineau, but at some point, some day, you are going to have to trust your quarterback to open up the offense and throw it to Chrebet.
The money is on the line now and Herm Edwards and Hackett should know that Chrebet has been one of the Jets’ best money players, before, after and sometimes during the Keyshawn Johnson Era.
The West Coast offense was supposed to be a dream offense for Chrebet. Instead, it has been a nightmare. He was set back by that concussion. He is fine now. A year ago he caught 69 passes, with eight touchdowns. He shows up today with 19 catches. And not a single one of them for a TD.
Someone should remind the braintrust that Chrebet is not on the team for his blocking.
Testaverde needs help. Martin has to have 25 touches, no question. But Chrebet has to get his, too. The emergence of Laveranues Coles, and tight end Anthony Becht, should make him even more dangerous. Testaverde and Chrebet have long had a telepathy between them, and it is folly not to exploit their relationship.
I asked Chrebet if feels poised for a big second half. “I think defenses aren’t gonna allow us to do some of the things we did in the first half . . . Eventually we’re gonna have to throw the ball a little more because of them trying to take [Martin] away,” he said.
Chrebet is all about winning, and never complains. But the Jets can’t win ugly forever. “We’re squeezing out games, which is great, it gives you character,” Chrebet said. “I think we can go out there and not exactly blow teams out, but I think we can go out there and win handily. I think that we have that kind of offense.”
Chrebet is 28 years old and in his prime. He will be a father for the first time next month. His motivation, always off the charts, has never been higher. Here, in a nutshell, is his resume: gets open, catches the ball, clutch player. Someone should remind the braintrust that Chrebet caught 133 third-down passes over his first six seasons and 400 balls in all and will soon pass Wesley Walker and Mickey Shuler and move into third place on the club career list behind Don Maynard (627) and Al Toon (517). “He’s the same player,” Testaverde said.
Edwards talks about scoring more touchdowns. Chrebet has caught 29 touchdown passes in his career. “We’re gonna try to go him, believe me,” Edwards said of Chrebet. “I’m a Wayne Chrebet fan. Wayne has a lot of me in him. He’s a guy that makes plays, and I want to get the guys that make plays the football, and he’s one of them, and we’re gonna try to do that.”
Pssst . . . he’s the little guy who wears No. 80.
GANG GRAB
PLAYER-RECEPTIONS
1. Don Maynard -627
2. Al Toon-517
3. Wesley Walker-438
4. Mickey Shuler-438
5. Wayne Chrebet-400
6. Jerome Barkum-326
7. Rob Moore-306
8. Keyshawn Johnson-305
9. Freeman McNeil-295
10. Rich Caster-245
