1967 New York Jets Outlook

"In any word association test, mention of the New York Jets would invariably bring the response 'Joe Namath' and vice versa. The two have become so closely identified with each other that people mistakenly have come to the conclusion that as Namath goes, so go the Jets.
If that were all it depended on, how simple a game football would be. But that's not the way things really are. Namath has proven in just two pro seasons that he is a super quarterback good enough to lead the Jets to a divisional title. But it takes at least 21 other players to make this possible, and on last count the Jets are lacking a few key parts. For one thing, they need a few crowbars in the offensive line to open up the running game more, and for another, they have a few wrinkles to iron out in their defensive backfield.
While it's true that the line gives Namath more protection than you get from a 24-hour deodorant (Jet quarterbacks were downed a low of nine times out of 500 passing attempts last year), it only does half the job. The other half involves convoying backs on running plays, and here it has not proved to be mobile enough. Nobody is more aware of this than coach Weeb Ewbank, and he's contemplating shifts in a line that has included Winston Hill and Sherman Plunkett at tackle, Sam DeLuca and Dave Herman at guard and John Schmitt at center. The top draft choice was Paul Seiler of Notre Dame, a 6-4, 255-pounder who may move in at tackle if he's as good as Jet scouts say he is. Other rookies who will get a long look are guards John Elliott (Texas), Gene Bledsoe (Texas) and Randy Rasmussen (Kearney State) and tackles Ray Miller (Idaho) and Herb Slattery (Delaware).
Last year, the Jets came up with the elusive speed back they'd been seeking to pair with fullback Matt Snell. He's Emerson Boozer, who was brought along carefully, and he may be ready to go at full throttle this season. Snell is merely one of the league's most complete fullbacks and has been in the top ten in rushing in each of his three previous seasons in the league. The understudies are familiar old hands - Bill Mathis, a good utility man to come off the bench for you in a tough game, and Mark Smolinski, a hard-nosed pro who goes back with Ewbank to their days in Baltimore together.
The Jets got pretty high on their passing game last year with the development of George Sauer, Jr. at split end and Pete Lammons at tight end. Both should be even better this year, but the long ball threat remains flanker Don Maynard; sure, he has his critics who wince every time he busts a pattern, but he does get his mitts on the ball somehow and that's where they pay off. Bake Turner and Dee Mackey are capable subs, while the best of the newcomers are Rich Sheron, the No. 2 pick from Washington State, and red-shirter Tommy Burnett, brother of buffalo's Bobby Burnett, who hails from Arkansas.
Now we come to Namath himself. Barring any injury to his highly susceptible knees, he should reach new heights this year. After only two years in the league, he's smarter and sharper, but he'd really show his maturity if he'd accept the fact of pro football life that quarterbacks must eat the ball once in a while. Mike Taliaferro is Joe's stand-by.
The only problem with the defensive line is how to run through it or around it. Ends Gerry Philbin and Verlon Biggs and tackles Paul Rochester and Jim Harris constitute a real threat to the health of enemy quarterbacks; they racked them up 35 times last year for losses of amounting 310 yards. Bill Yearby is a backup man at end, and the most promising rookies are Dennis Randall (Oklahoma State) and Jeff Richardson (Michigan State).
Ewbank is looking for improvement from his rising young corps of linebackers this season, and he should find it with the imminent return of 1966 prize rookie Carl McAdams, who was out all last season with a broken ankle. McAdams will play in support of middle linebacker Al Atkinson, who enjoyed a good year. Larry Grantham can be counted on for his usual solid job at one corner, and Ralph Baker will play the other side now that's he recovered from torn tendons. The experienced reserves are Jim O'Mahoney, Paul Crane and Mike Stromberg.
Larceny is not one of the main attributes of the deep four, and this is where the greatest leakage in the defense exists. Cornerback Johnny Sample and safeties Jim Hudson and Ray Abruzzese are three of the incumbents who'll be fighting to hang on to their jobs, and Cornell Gordon, a part-timer with shoulder problems, is the fourth. Their biggest competition will come from such vets as Joe Krakoski, who came to the Jets from Oakland for Dain Paulson, Billy Baird and Sherman Lewis, and from rookies Henry King (Utah State), Julian Gray (Grambling), Louis Jackson (Grambling) and Raymond Brown (Alcorn A&M)."

-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1967

IN BRIEF
Probable 1967 Finish: 2nd
Strengths:  the gifted right arm of Namath, good ends and a surly crew of pass rushers.
Biggest Needs: offensive linemen to pull on running plays and a couple of bandits in the deep four.
1966 finish: 3rd

-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1967


IF NAMATH FINALLY PUTS ALL TOGETHER, THE JETS HAVE A CHANCE. BUT, OH, THAT DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD!
"This will, in a sense, be a put-up or shut-up year for coach Weeb Ewbank and his game but game-legged quarterback, Joe Namath. According to Ewbank, 1965- Namath's rookie season- did not produce a title because Namath had to get used to the league. Last year Joe was used to the league, but a severe recurrence of his old knee injury drastically reduced his agility. Now, however, Namath has undergone a second operation on that right knee; he hopes it will give him more freedom of movement and help him avoid the interception bugaboo that spoiled 1966 for him (Joe had an AFL high of 27 passes intercepted). If Namath can swing out of the blocking pocket when it breaks down, he won't be throwing quite so desperately and he should hit the mark more frequently.
Joe has three good receivers in flanker Don Maynard, split end George Sauer and tight end Pete Lammons. Sophomore Sauer started wearing a contact lens in his right eye last year, and the results were remarkable. He caught 63 passes, second high for the league, and was named the Jets' MVP. Lammons, a 225-pound rookie, gave Namath fine closed end play with 43 receptions and strong blocking. Maynard, the sideburned Texan, is often maligned for his nonconformist pass patterns. Still, Don caught 48 passes and remains a deep threat. Bake Turner is a veteran split end spare, while tight end Dee Mackey has recovered from the pneumonia that kept him out in '66. Tommy Burnett of Arkansas, brother of Buffalo halfback Bobby Burnett, is the leading rookie end. The Jets also drafted a tight end from Washington State, 6-5, 235-pound Rich Sheron.
The Jet running game should be more dangerous if Ewbank sticks to his word and uses second-year halfback Emerson Boozer regularly. Boozer suffered from a bad case of bunions in '66, and had a lot to learn about blocking, but even so, Ewbank was second-guessed for not playing 215-pound 'Billy Boo' more. Boozer had the team's three longest runs from scrimmage and also returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. He makes it harder for the defense to key on Matt Snell. When Bill Mathis starts at halfback, the opposition does not worry much about runs outside the tackles; Mathis simply lacks the speed. Snell can run wide, but for some strange reason did not do it well last year.
New York knows it must improve its offensive line, particularly the blocking on running plays. That's why Ewbank plunged for 6-4 1/2, 255-pound Paul Seiler of Notre Dame in the first round of the college draft. Seiler will be worked at both tackle and guard, even though the Jets already have veterans at both positions- Sherman Plunkett and Winston Hill at the tackles, Sam DeLuca and Dave Herman at the guards.
Two veterans will renew an old battle at center- '66 regular John Schmitt and '65 regular Mike Hudock, who has been re-aquired from Miami. The new offensive line coach, Ernie Zwahlen, will also look at rookies John Elliott and Gene Bledsoe of Texas, Ray Miller of Idaho, Herb Slattery of Delaware and Randy Rasmussen of Kearney State.
The Jets are proud of their front four on defense, although Ewbank drafted two potentially good rush men in 6-6, 245-pound Dennis Randall of Oklahoma State and 6-2, 252-pound Jeff Richardson of Michigan State. Neither figures to break into the starting line, now beginning its third year as a unit and showing increasing cohesion. The tackles are Paul Rochester and Jim Harris; the ends, Verlon Biggs and Gerry Philbin. Biggs just may be the best defensive end in the AFL. Rochester, a seven-year veteran, appears to have recuperated from the injury that almost blinded him in one eye. The linebacking is good and could be great if Carl McAdams has recovered from the ankle fracture that cost him his rookie season. The plan is to use McAdams at outside backer because of the way Al Atkinson filled the middle last year. Larry Grantham is still good on the right side, and Ralph Baker was playing well on the left until he was injured.
The secondary is a Jet problem area- and the team will bring 18 defensive backs to camp in an effort to solve it. A key man is rookie Henry King, the No. 3 draft pick from Utah State. He led the nation in interceptions with 11 and has the size (6-4, 205) and the speed to make it where the Jets need help: at left cornerback. John Sample, who talks tough and plays that way, is established at right corner. Jim Hudson will play free safety and Ray Abbruzzese strong safety. If King can't cut it, then Cornell Gordon will be tried at corner. Dainard Paulson, Billy Baird, Bill Rademacher and Sherman Lewis will also play some safety, and Ewbank has three speedy rookies in Julian Gray and Louis Jackson of Grambling, and Raymond Brown of Alcorn A&M.
Curley Johnson is the punter (46.9-yard average last year) and Jim Turner kicks field goals and PATs well enough."

-Dick Kaplan, Pro Football Almanac 1967


1967 NEW YORK JETS PRESEASON ROSTER
25 Ray Abbruzzese (DB) Alabama
62 Al Atkinson (LB) Villanova
46 Bill Baird (DB) San Francisco State
51 Ralph Baker (LB) Penn State
86 Verlon Biggs (DE) Jackson State
*  Bob Biletnikoff (QB) Florida
*  Gene Bledsoe (G) Tulsa
32 Emerson Boozer (HB) Maryland State
*  Tommy Burnett (FL) Arkansas
*  Seth Cartwright (DT) Prairie View A & M
70 Steve Chomyszak (DT) Syracuse
45 Earl Christy (HB) Maryland State
56 Paul Crane (LB) Alabama
65 Sam DeLuca (G) South Carolina
73 Mitch Dudek (T) Xavier
*  John Elliott (G) Texas
48 Cornell Gordon (DB) North Carolina A & T
60 Larry Grantham (LB) Mississippi
28 Jim Gray (DB) Toledo
*  Julian Gray (DB) Grambling
78 Jim Harris (DT) Utah State
67 Dave Herman (G) Michigan State
75 Winston Hill (C) Texas Southern
22 Jim Hudson (DB) Texas
*  Louis Jackson (DB) Grambling
33 Curley Johnson (HB) Houston
*  Henry King (DB) Utah State
87 Pete Lammons (TE-LB) Texas
7  Sherman Lewis (DB) Michigan State
89 Dee Mackey (E) East Texas State
31 Bill Mathis (HB) Clemson
*  John Matlock (C) Miami
13 Don Maynard (FL) Texas Western
*  Carl McAdams (LB) Oklahoma
12 Joe Namath (QB) Alabama
63 Jim O'Mahoney (LB) Miami
64 Pete Perreault (G) Boston University
81 Gerry Philbin (DE) Buffalo
79 Sherman Plunkett (T) Maryland State
23 Bill Rademacher (FL) Northern Michigan
*  Dennis Randall (DE) Oklahoma State
*  Jeff Richardson (DE-G) Michigan State
72 Paul Rochester (DT) Michigan State
24 John Sample (DB) Maryland State
83 George Sauer (E) Texas
52 John Schmitt (C) Hofstra
Bob Schweikert (FL-DB) Virginia Tech
*  Ray Scott (P-DE) Prairie View
*  Paul Seiler (G-T) Notre Dame
*  Rich Sheron (TE-T-DE) Washington State
*  Herb Slattery (G-T) Delaware
37 Allen Smith (HB) Findlay
30 Mark Slominski (FB) Wyoming
41 Matt Snell (FB) Ohio State
17 Mike Taliaferro (QB) Illinois
29 Bake Turner (E) Texas Tech
11 Jim Turner (K-QB) Utah State
82 Bert Wilder (DE-DT) North Carolina State
88 Bill Yearby (DE) Michigan

* rookie

-Pro Football 1967

1967 NEW YORK JETS PRESEASON DEPTH CHARTS
OFFENSE
QB - Joe Namath (Alabama) 12, Mike Taliaferro (Illinois) 17
HB - Emerson Boozer (Maryland State) 32, Bill Mathis (Clemson) 31
FB - Matt Snell (Ohio State) 41, Mark Smolinski (Wyoming) 30
SE - George Sauer (Texas) 83, Bake Turner (Texas Tech) 29
T - Winston Hill (Texas Southern) 75, Paul Seiler (Notre Dame)*
G -  Sam DeLuca (South Carolina) 65
C - John Schmitt (Hofstra) 52, John Matlock (Miami)
G -  Dave Herman (Michigan State) 67, Pete Perreault  (Boston University) 64
T - Sherman Plunkett (Maryland State) 79, Jim Waskiewicz (Wichita State)
TE - Pete Lammons (Texas) 87, Dee Mackey (East Texas State) 89
FL - Don Maynard (Texas Western) 13, Tommy Burnett (Arkansas)*

DEFENSE
DE - Gerry Philbin (Buffalo) 81, Bob Werl (Miami)
DT - Paul Rochester (Michigan State) 72, Bert Wilder (North Carolina State) 82
DT - Jim Harris (Utah State) 78, Jeff Richardson (Michigan State)*
DE - Verlon Biggs (Jackson State) 86, Bill Yearby (Michigan) 88, Dennis Randall (Oklahoma State)*
LB - Ralph Baker (Penn State) 51, Paul Crane (Alabama) 56
MLB - Al Atkinson (Villanova) 62, Carl McAdams (Oklahoma)
LB - Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60, Jim O'Mahoney (Miami) 63
CB - Johnny Sample (Maryland State) 24, Julian Gray (Grambling)*
S - Ray Abbruzzese (Alabama) 25, Joe Krakoski (Illinois)
S - Jim Hudson (Texas) 22, Sherman Lewis (Michigan State) 7
CB - Cornell Gordon (North Carolina A & T) 48, Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46, Henry King (Utah State)*

* rookie

-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1967

OFFENSE
QB -  Joe Namath (Alabama) 12, Mike Taliaferro (Illinois) 17
HB - Emerson Boozer (Maryland State) 32, Bill Mathis (Clemson) 31
FB - Matt Snell (Ohio State) 41, Mark Smolinski (Wyoming) 30
SE - George Sauer (Texas) 83, Bake Turner (Texas Tech) 29
T - Winston Hill (Texas Southern) 75, Jeff Richardson (Michigan State)*
G - Sam DeLuca (South Carolina) 65, Randy Rasmussen (Nebraska-Kearney) 66
C - John Schmitt (Hofstra) 52
G - Dave Herman (Michigan State) 67, Pete Perreault  (Boston University) 64
T - Sherman Plunkett (Maryland State) 79, Paul Seiler (Notre Dame)*
TE - Pete Lammons (Texas) 87, Dee Mackey (East Texas State) 89, Rich Sheron (Washington State)*
FL - Don Maynard (Texas Western) 13, Bill Rademacher (Northern Michigan) 23

DEFENSE
DE - Gerry Philbin (Buffalo) 81, Bill Yearby (Michigan) 88
DT - Paul Rochester (Michigan State) 72, Bert Wilder (North Carolina State) 82
DT - Jim Harris (Utah State) 78, Jeff Richardson (Michigan State)*
DE - Verlon Biggs (Jackson State) 86, Dennis Randall (Oklahoma State)*
LB - Ralph Baker (Penn State) 51, Paul Crane (Alabama) 56
MLB - Al Atkinson (Villanova) 62, Carl McAdams (Oklahoma) 50
LB - Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60, Jim O'Mahoney (Miami) 63
CB - Johnny Sample (Maryland State) 24, Randy Beverly (Colorado State) 42, Henry King (Utah State)*
S -  Ray Abruzzese (Alabama) 25, Bill Rademacher (Northern Michigan) 23, Julian Gray (Grambling)*
S - Jim Hudson (Texas) 22, Sherman Lewis (Michigan State) 7, Louis Jackson (Grambling)*
CB - Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46, Cornell Gordon (North Carolina A & T) 48

SPECIALISTS
K - Jim Turner (Utah State) 11
P - Curley Johnson (Houston) 33
KR - Bake Turner (Texas Tech) 29
PR - Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46

* rookie


1967 New York Jets Profile Summary
Head Coach - Weeb Ewbank

QB -  Joe Namath (Alabama) 12
HB - Emerson Boozer (Maryland State) 32
HB - Bill Mathis (Clemson) 31
HB - Abner Haynes (North Texas) 28
FB - Matt Snell (Ohio State) 41
FB - Billy Joe (Villavona) 35
FL - Don Maynard (Texas Western) 13
SE - George Sauer (Texas) 83
TE - Pete Lammons (Texas) 87
C - John Schmitt (Hofstra) 52
G - Sam DeLuca (South Carolina) 65
G - Dave Herman (Michigan State) 67
T - Winston Hill (Texas Southern) 75
T - Paul Seiler (Notre Dame) 71
T - Jeff Richardson (Michigan State) 74

DT - Paul Rochester (Michigan State) 72
DT - Jim Harris (Utah State) 78
DT - Jeff Richardson (Michigan State) 74
DE - Verlon Biggs (Jackson State) 86
DE - Gerry Philbin (Buffalo) 81
DE - Bill Yearby (Michigan) 88
MLB - Al Atkinson (Villanova) 62
LB - Larry Grantham (Mississippi) 60
LB - Ralph Baker (Penn State) 51
CB - Johnny Sample (Maryland State) 24
CB -  Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46
S - Ray Abruzzese (Alabama) 25
S - Jim Hudson (Texas) 22

K - Jim Turner (Utah State) 11
P - Curley Johnson (Houston) 33
KR - Emerson Boozer (Maryland State) 32
PR - Bill Baird (San Francisco State) 46