Joe Namath is now coming after team captain Santonio Holmes and GM Mike Tannenbaum.
Holmes defended Mark Sanchez after Sunday night's loss in Baltimore when the quarterback was sacked twice, pressured constantly, had to field poor snaps and ultimately lost three fumbles. Said Holmes of a line currently without all-pro C Nick Mangold (ankle): "We have to get a better job from our guys up front. They're focused on it, and that's going to be a big key."
Namath interpreted that as calling out teammates.
"For Holmes, as a captain, to go outside, to the media, and start pointing fingers," Namath said on ESPN 1050 in New York, "I mean . he's right about the offensive line , but that can create a problem in the locker room.
"That divisiveness can bury a team. They've got to correct that right away."
Namath then targeted the O-line himself, specifically slow-developing OL Vladimir Ducasse, a 2010 second-round draft pick who has been relegated to spot duty thus far in his career.
"We picked some poor players and we're not owning up to it. That's what it amounts to. You've got guys on the roster who have been picked and you keep trying to say, 'OK, they're going to work out.' Well, guess what? We tried that with (Vernon) Gholston and it didn't work out," Namath said of Tannenbaum's infamous miss on the former Ohio State pass rusher with the sixth pick of the 2008 draft.
Gholston never recorded a sack and was cut after the 2010 season.
"You have to (say), 'Hey, I made a bad pick, a bad selection,' and move on. The Jets didn't do that and it's a little late for the season to get it righted."
No response yet from the Jets, though they could address it when they begin preparing for their Week 5 showdown with New England tomorrow.
Ryan was pointed in his criticism last week of the Hall of Famer, though Namath remains beloved among Jets fans as the only quarterback to lead the team to a Super Bowl victory.
"He doesn't know our team. He's on the outside. Even though he's a Jet, and once you're a Jet, you're always a Jet, but he's on the outside," Ryan said.
Hat tip: New York Post
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