NFC East: chas henry
The NFC East didn't have a very good all-around season. It didn't have a great, dominant team. It sent seven guys to the Pro Bowl, which is one fewer than the entire San Francisco 49ers' team sent. This was the first full season in history in which the NFC East, formed in 1970, did not produce at least one 10-win team.
Weatherford
RoccaBut one thing our division did do well was punt the ball. One of the toughest calls on the final All-Division Team was at punter, between the New York Giants' Steve Weatherford and the Washington Redskins' Sav Rocca. The Cowboys' Mat McBriar was excellent as usual when healthy, but he was injured for much of the year. And Eagles rookie Chas Henry handled himself fine for a rookie. But the decision came down to Weatherford vs. Rocca, and it was a close one.
Fortunately for me, Mark Simon works at ESPN Stats & Information, and he's obsessed with punters. So he can help me sort all of this out. On Tuesday night, I got this email from Mark:
Tough to argue with research like that, folks. I mean, Roby QPR, for goodness' sake! If anyone else cared as much about punting as Mark and I do, that just might catch on.
Mark also sent the following information on Weatherford, which bodes well this week for the Giants if not beyond:
Of course, as I pointed out, Mark meant MetLife Stadium, not Giants Stadium, which is currently a parking lot and not a great place to punt. Mark replied that he still calls Citi Field, home of the Mets, Shea Stadium (also the former name of a current parking lot). But other than that, pretty sweet punter research if you ask me. And makes me feel better about picking Rocca as the All-Division Team punter. Thanks, Mark!
Fortunately for me, Mark Simon works at ESPN Stats & Information, and he's obsessed with punters. So he can help me sort all of this out. On Tuesday night, I got this email from Mark:
I devised a dorky metric that looks at gross yards per punt, net yards per punt, pct inside 20, fair catch pct, block avoidance pct, and TD return avoidance pct. In tribute to Total QBR, I referred to it as "Roby QPR" (Reggie Roby Quality Punter Rating, LOL) It's totally unscientific... adds everything together, pretty much.
By Roby QPR, Rocca came out 8th best in the NFL, and best in the NFC East… Weatherford beats him out in net (39.2 to 39.0), but Rocca led the NFL in pct of punts inside the 20 AND only had one touchback on 66 punts (beaten only by Brad Maynard’s 1 touchback on 81 punts)
Tough to argue with research like that, folks. I mean, Roby QPR, for goodness' sake! If anyone else cared as much about punting as Mark and I do, that just might catch on.
Mark also sent the following information on Weatherford, which bodes well this week for the Giants if not beyond:
New York Giants punter Steve Weatherford had significantly better punting numbers in Giants Stadium, where he'll be punting on Sunday against the Falcons, than on the road this season. Weatherford averaged 48.1 gross yards/41.6 net yards per punt in home games this season, compared to 43.1/36.8 on the road.
The difference in net yards was notable. Weatherford's 41.6 home net average was sixth-best in the NFL. His 36.8 on the road was second-worst.
Of course, as I pointed out, Mark meant MetLife Stadium, not Giants Stadium, which is currently a parking lot and not a great place to punt. Mark replied that he still calls Citi Field, home of the Mets, Shea Stadium (also the former name of a current parking lot). But other than that, pretty sweet punter research if you ask me. And makes me feel better about picking Rocca as the All-Division Team punter. Thanks, Mark!
Breakfast links: Giants add a receiver
September, 15, 2011
9/15/11
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Dallas Cowboys
Blogging the Boys takes an in-depth look at the game Sean Lee played Sunday and the reasons he's emerged as the team's top inside linebacker.
It sounds as though the Cowboys could be contemplating a change at left guard for Sunday, as Derrick Dockery got some first-team reps along with rookie Bill Nagy, who started Week 1. Nagy is listed on the injury report with a neck injury.
New York Giants
Ralph Vacchiano writes that the Giants' signing of receiver Brandon Stokley has everything to do with their lack of production from slot receivers and nothing to do with Hakeem Nicks' injury.
Some good injury news for the Giants for a change, as rookie cornerback Prince Amukamara is no longer in a walking boot and working his way back as quickly as he can from his foot injury.
Philadelphia Eagles
Michael Vick spoke of the lessons he took from Sunday's game in St. Louis, including one about energy drinks right before the game. Turns out he was jittery and won't be drinking any more of those pregame.
In this notebook, Eagles rookie punter Chas Henry says he has room for improvement, and 2010 first-round defensive end Brandon Graham says he's hoping to be back in time for the Dallas game in Week 7.
Washington Redskins
If you thought Rex Grossman used a lot of different receiving options Sunday, you're right, and Rick Maese says don't expect that to change.
Two of those options are likely to remain the same every week, though -- tight ends Chris Cooley and Fred Davis, who excel by creating mismatches, says Rich Campbell.
Blogging the Boys takes an in-depth look at the game Sean Lee played Sunday and the reasons he's emerged as the team's top inside linebacker.
It sounds as though the Cowboys could be contemplating a change at left guard for Sunday, as Derrick Dockery got some first-team reps along with rookie Bill Nagy, who started Week 1. Nagy is listed on the injury report with a neck injury.
New York Giants
Ralph Vacchiano writes that the Giants' signing of receiver Brandon Stokley has everything to do with their lack of production from slot receivers and nothing to do with Hakeem Nicks' injury.
Some good injury news for the Giants for a change, as rookie cornerback Prince Amukamara is no longer in a walking boot and working his way back as quickly as he can from his foot injury.
Philadelphia Eagles
Michael Vick spoke of the lessons he took from Sunday's game in St. Louis, including one about energy drinks right before the game. Turns out he was jittery and won't be drinking any more of those pregame.
In this notebook, Eagles rookie punter Chas Henry says he has room for improvement, and 2010 first-round defensive end Brandon Graham says he's hoping to be back in time for the Dallas game in Week 7.
Washington Redskins
If you thought Rex Grossman used a lot of different receiving options Sunday, you're right, and Rick Maese says don't expect that to change.
Two of those options are likely to remain the same every week, though -- tight ends Chris Cooley and Fred Davis, who excel by creating mismatches, says Rich Campbell.
The Philadelphia Eagles used only one offensive starter in their final preseason game, a meaningless 24-14 victory over the New York Jets, and so I thought I'd focus on him. He was Danny Watkins, the first-round pick out of Baylor and the Eagles' starting right guard. He played about 20 snaps against backup Jets defenders, looked good on some, looked lost on others, and I came away with no idea how prepared he is to help protect Michael Vick once the real games begin.
The good: Watkins generally looks strong enough to hold his blocks once he gets his hands on his man. He got good second-level push on one of Dion Lewis' runs on the second offensive series of the game. And he did an excellent job getting down field to make a block on a defensive back on the screen pass to Lewis on the play right before the Eagles' first touchdown. (Oddly, he appeared to be beaten on the touchdown play, but it didn't matter since Vince Young made the throw before the pressure got there.)
The not-so-good: There was a three-play sequence on the first offensive series where he looked very much like a rookie. On the first, his man beat him to the outside and got into the backfield. On the next play, he made some progress into the second level, as Howard Mudd is trying to teach his linemen to do, but got knocked to the ground quickly. And then on the next, he was kind of swimming around in the crowd, blocking no one and looking as though he didn't know where he was supposed to be. Two plays later, he failed to pick up a blitzing Aaron Maybin, who got to Young but was unable to sack him because he's Aaron Maybin and so Young completed the pass anyway.
Watkins is a rookie who didn't have an offseason, and as such he's a work in progress. He'll almost certainly be better by Week 4 and Week 9 and Week 17 than he will be in Week 1. The key is that he has to be good enough, consistently, from play to play, to keep Vick from getting crushed and help the Eagles' offense put points on the board early in the season. Because the Eagles are one of these teams, due to the offseason they had, that can't afford to get off to a slow start unless they're happy with the whole world jumping on their backs about it.
Anyway, some more stuff I saw in the Eagles' final preseason game:
1. Dion Lewis! Oh, I don't have any idea how much he can expect to play -- if at all -- in an Eagles offense that features as many dynamic options as it does. He's the No. 3 running back behind LeSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown in an offense that passes more than it runs. So we might not hear much more from him the rest of the year unless they're going to use him on kick returns as they did Thursday. But if we do, man, is he fun to watch. Good burst at the line. Doesn't need much of a hole to squeeze himself through. Fast. Shifty. Patient. Balanced. Tough to bring down. Yeah, against second-teamers. But he's got some obvious skills, and should be a nice option for the Eagles if they suffer an injury or two at that position.
2. Vince Young is the backup quarterback, and a very good one. The idea that Mike Kafka could beat out Young for the backup quarterback spot was rooted in the idea that Young would take a long time to learn the West Coast offense. And Young may not have it all down yet. But he looks more advanced by leaps and bounds than he did in the first preseason game and in the early training camp practices. And his pure athletic ability and experience as a quarterback making throws in the NFL puts him well ahead of Kafka in terms of being a guy the Eagles can put in, should Vick get hurt, and ask him to win them a game. Young did end up leaving this game with a hamstring injury (on a play that wouldn't have happened but for a botched field goal snap on the play before, incidentally), and Kafka with a rib injury, so there's no way to know what the depth chart looks like at quarterback for the opener. But if everyone's healthy, what Andy Reid said after the game about Young being the backup sounds obvious at this point.
3. Defensive backups. Linebacker Brian Rolle looked good, and defensive lineman Trevor Laws had some nice moments after missing the bulk of the preseason due to injury. Defensive end Phillip Hunt also had a sack, and he's an interesting guy as cuts loom, because he made a big-time name for himself in the CFL and is someone who obviously knows how to play the game and the position. But he's so small for his position that you wonder if he can have any impact at all in a real game against first-team offensive linemen. Hunt has been very good this preseason, but nothing is assured for him yet. The Eagles have to decide if his playmaking ability outweighs his measurables.
4. Alex Henery doesn't look great. And hasn't all month. And you do wonder if going with a rookie kicker is the wisest move in the world for a team with expectations as high as the Eagles' expectations are. Henery missed his first field goal attempt of the night -- a 43-yarder -- very badly. He made a 49-yarder late in the game, which is fine. But there's no doubt he can make a kick from almost any distance. What the Eagles would like to know about him is whether he's reliable enough to make every kick they need him to make. And the first-quarter miss is the kind of thing that makes you wonder. On the plus side, rookie punter Chas Henry looks excellent.
Anyway, four games, none of which mattered, and now the Eagles have a week and a couple of days before they need to beat the Rams in St. Louis or everybody starts yelling that the sky is falling. The spotlight -- and the bulls-eye -- will be on this team all year, and fun time is over.
The good: Watkins generally looks strong enough to hold his blocks once he gets his hands on his man. He got good second-level push on one of Dion Lewis' runs on the second offensive series of the game. And he did an excellent job getting down field to make a block on a defensive back on the screen pass to Lewis on the play right before the Eagles' first touchdown. (Oddly, he appeared to be beaten on the touchdown play, but it didn't matter since Vince Young made the throw before the pressure got there.)
The not-so-good: There was a three-play sequence on the first offensive series where he looked very much like a rookie. On the first, his man beat him to the outside and got into the backfield. On the next play, he made some progress into the second level, as Howard Mudd is trying to teach his linemen to do, but got knocked to the ground quickly. And then on the next, he was kind of swimming around in the crowd, blocking no one and looking as though he didn't know where he was supposed to be. Two plays later, he failed to pick up a blitzing Aaron Maybin, who got to Young but was unable to sack him because he's Aaron Maybin and so Young completed the pass anyway.
Watkins is a rookie who didn't have an offseason, and as such he's a work in progress. He'll almost certainly be better by Week 4 and Week 9 and Week 17 than he will be in Week 1. The key is that he has to be good enough, consistently, from play to play, to keep Vick from getting crushed and help the Eagles' offense put points on the board early in the season. Because the Eagles are one of these teams, due to the offseason they had, that can't afford to get off to a slow start unless they're happy with the whole world jumping on their backs about it.
Anyway, some more stuff I saw in the Eagles' final preseason game:
1. Dion Lewis! Oh, I don't have any idea how much he can expect to play -- if at all -- in an Eagles offense that features as many dynamic options as it does. He's the No. 3 running back behind LeSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown in an offense that passes more than it runs. So we might not hear much more from him the rest of the year unless they're going to use him on kick returns as they did Thursday. But if we do, man, is he fun to watch. Good burst at the line. Doesn't need much of a hole to squeeze himself through. Fast. Shifty. Patient. Balanced. Tough to bring down. Yeah, against second-teamers. But he's got some obvious skills, and should be a nice option for the Eagles if they suffer an injury or two at that position.
2. Vince Young is the backup quarterback, and a very good one. The idea that Mike Kafka could beat out Young for the backup quarterback spot was rooted in the idea that Young would take a long time to learn the West Coast offense. And Young may not have it all down yet. But he looks more advanced by leaps and bounds than he did in the first preseason game and in the early training camp practices. And his pure athletic ability and experience as a quarterback making throws in the NFL puts him well ahead of Kafka in terms of being a guy the Eagles can put in, should Vick get hurt, and ask him to win them a game. Young did end up leaving this game with a hamstring injury (on a play that wouldn't have happened but for a botched field goal snap on the play before, incidentally), and Kafka with a rib injury, so there's no way to know what the depth chart looks like at quarterback for the opener. But if everyone's healthy, what Andy Reid said after the game about Young being the backup sounds obvious at this point.
3. Defensive backups. Linebacker Brian Rolle looked good, and defensive lineman Trevor Laws had some nice moments after missing the bulk of the preseason due to injury. Defensive end Phillip Hunt also had a sack, and he's an interesting guy as cuts loom, because he made a big-time name for himself in the CFL and is someone who obviously knows how to play the game and the position. But he's so small for his position that you wonder if he can have any impact at all in a real game against first-team offensive linemen. Hunt has been very good this preseason, but nothing is assured for him yet. The Eagles have to decide if his playmaking ability outweighs his measurables.
4. Alex Henery doesn't look great. And hasn't all month. And you do wonder if going with a rookie kicker is the wisest move in the world for a team with expectations as high as the Eagles' expectations are. Henery missed his first field goal attempt of the night -- a 43-yarder -- very badly. He made a 49-yarder late in the game, which is fine. But there's no doubt he can make a kick from almost any distance. What the Eagles would like to know about him is whether he's reliable enough to make every kick they need him to make. And the first-quarter miss is the kind of thing that makes you wonder. On the plus side, rookie punter Chas Henry looks excellent.
Anyway, four games, none of which mattered, and now the Eagles have a week and a couple of days before they need to beat the Rams in St. Louis or everybody starts yelling that the sky is falling. The spotlight -- and the bulls-eye -- will be on this team all year, and fun time is over.
Well, it was fun to watch some football, wasn't it? At least for the first halves of the games, when there were players in there you could imagine playing on Sundays this fall. Good for the NFL for solving that pesky labor dispute and getting the preseason started on time. Good for Jason Garrett for going for two and for the Eagles' defense for preventing that last touchdown, because overtime in the preseason is about as lame a concept as there is. And good for you for getting your breakfast links.
Dallas Cowboys
Jean-Jacques Taylor writes that the Dallas defense, in its first game under Rob Ryan, looked like a defense that was still feeling its way into its new scheme. I agree completely, and with Marcus Spears' assertion that they're "not playing anywhere like we'll be playing later in the year." And I think you saw glimpses of some encouraging things, such as pressure Spears and Anthony Hatcher were able to generate, and that first play where DeMarcus Ware got his hand on a Kyle Orton pass. Ryan's never had a player like Ware before, and it'll be fun to see how he uses him. But let's be honest here: The Cowboys don't have all year to learn this stuff. Sure, they need to look better and more sure of themselves later this season than they do now, but they need to look a lot better in 30 days than they do now, too. At least they have some tape they can take back and work with.
David Buehler says he feels like the kicker job is his to lose. We'll see if Dan Bailey gets his chances next week. This could turn out to be one of the least inspiring position battles in NFL history.
New York Giants
Unless everybody on his side is just pulling our legs (still possible, but feeling less likely), it appears as though Osi Umenyiora has reached the point where he's realized his holdout is no longer doing him any good. The sense is that he'll be back at practice Monday, after he got his knee checked out by a specialist Thursday and was apparently cleared. Good for Umenyiora if he was able to get any any extra money or incentives out of this, and good for the Giants for standing their ground when they didn't have to cave. He's an important player for them, and if he has a great year, he'll have more leverage next time around.
Lots of people had thoughts on Jerry Reese's odd news conference Thursday. These are Tara Sullivan's. Tara's point, a good one, is that Reese is perfectly within his rights to say you don't have to make a big free-agent splash to win, but that if you believe that you need to keep your own players. And in losing Steve Smith, Kevin Boss and Barry Cofield, Reese failed to do either thing: "The collateral damage has left coach Tom Coughlin with as thin a roster as he’s had in years, not a comfortable position for a man with two years left on his contract and a playoffs-or-bust mandate to get any more," Tara writes.
Philadelphia Eagles
As great as the Eagles looked in and felt after the preseason victory over Baltimore, there is growing concern about the health status of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who's headed back to St. Louis (which is home for him, I guess) for further tests on the medical condition the Eagles won't discuss in detail. Andy Reid continues to insist he believes Maclin will be there for the Eagles when the season begins, but he doesn't seem to have much evidence for that belief. The most important thing is that the young man is OK, of course, not whether he plays football again. But from a strictly football standpoint, a Maclin absence would mean a lot more of Jason Avant, who looks very good.
The Eagles will go into this high-hopes season with rookies at kicker and punter. And while Alex Henery and Chas Henry are decorated collegiate kickers, the fact that they're rookies will keep the spotlight on them all year. They passed their first test, it would seem.
Washington Redskins
The Redskins defense you'll see in the early part of Friday night's game against the Steelers should be much improved over last year's, but defensive coordinator Jim Haslett told Mike Jones that he's looking forward to a time when it's fully healthy. LaRon Landry is on the PUP list while he continues to recover from his Achilles injury, and fellow safety O.J. Atogwe could miss the game with a hamstring pull. Safety was to have been a position of strength for the Redskins, and so you can see why Haslett would want his starters on the field with the rest of the more questionable guys.
Lots of eyes will be on the rookie receivers tonight, and Deron Snyder offers a look at Leonard Hankerson, who's looked good in camp except for those pesky drops, which I imagine could continue to be an issue that holds him back.
One final note: Yes, Buffalo is putting Lee Evans on the market. Yes, you can make the case that all four of these teams could use a receiver. But don't overrate Lee Evans here, folks. The Giants don't need to get Lee Evans just because they lost Steve Smith. Evans is nothing like Smith. He's the opposite of Smith, really -- a burner who can't get open and has never lived up to his considerable potential. (And no, it's not all because Buffalo hasn't had a quarterback. Steven Johnson managed to have a great year there last year because he can shake receivers and find the ball before defenders do.) If your team gets this guy, the best you can hope is that they didn't trade much to get him and that a change of scenery helps. But don't get too nuts about it.
Anyway, catch you later on. Redskins game tonight, so I'll be on the Twitter during that and filing my impressions when it's over.
Dallas Cowboys
Jean-Jacques Taylor writes that the Dallas defense, in its first game under Rob Ryan, looked like a defense that was still feeling its way into its new scheme. I agree completely, and with Marcus Spears' assertion that they're "not playing anywhere like we'll be playing later in the year." And I think you saw glimpses of some encouraging things, such as pressure Spears and Anthony Hatcher were able to generate, and that first play where DeMarcus Ware got his hand on a Kyle Orton pass. Ryan's never had a player like Ware before, and it'll be fun to see how he uses him. But let's be honest here: The Cowboys don't have all year to learn this stuff. Sure, they need to look better and more sure of themselves later this season than they do now, but they need to look a lot better in 30 days than they do now, too. At least they have some tape they can take back and work with.
David Buehler says he feels like the kicker job is his to lose. We'll see if Dan Bailey gets his chances next week. This could turn out to be one of the least inspiring position battles in NFL history.
New York Giants
Unless everybody on his side is just pulling our legs (still possible, but feeling less likely), it appears as though Osi Umenyiora has reached the point where he's realized his holdout is no longer doing him any good. The sense is that he'll be back at practice Monday, after he got his knee checked out by a specialist Thursday and was apparently cleared. Good for Umenyiora if he was able to get any any extra money or incentives out of this, and good for the Giants for standing their ground when they didn't have to cave. He's an important player for them, and if he has a great year, he'll have more leverage next time around.
Lots of people had thoughts on Jerry Reese's odd news conference Thursday. These are Tara Sullivan's. Tara's point, a good one, is that Reese is perfectly within his rights to say you don't have to make a big free-agent splash to win, but that if you believe that you need to keep your own players. And in losing Steve Smith, Kevin Boss and Barry Cofield, Reese failed to do either thing: "The collateral damage has left coach Tom Coughlin with as thin a roster as he’s had in years, not a comfortable position for a man with two years left on his contract and a playoffs-or-bust mandate to get any more," Tara writes.
Philadelphia Eagles
As great as the Eagles looked in and felt after the preseason victory over Baltimore, there is growing concern about the health status of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who's headed back to St. Louis (which is home for him, I guess) for further tests on the medical condition the Eagles won't discuss in detail. Andy Reid continues to insist he believes Maclin will be there for the Eagles when the season begins, but he doesn't seem to have much evidence for that belief. The most important thing is that the young man is OK, of course, not whether he plays football again. But from a strictly football standpoint, a Maclin absence would mean a lot more of Jason Avant, who looks very good.
The Eagles will go into this high-hopes season with rookies at kicker and punter. And while Alex Henery and Chas Henry are decorated collegiate kickers, the fact that they're rookies will keep the spotlight on them all year. They passed their first test, it would seem.
Washington Redskins
The Redskins defense you'll see in the early part of Friday night's game against the Steelers should be much improved over last year's, but defensive coordinator Jim Haslett told Mike Jones that he's looking forward to a time when it's fully healthy. LaRon Landry is on the PUP list while he continues to recover from his Achilles injury, and fellow safety O.J. Atogwe could miss the game with a hamstring pull. Safety was to have been a position of strength for the Redskins, and so you can see why Haslett would want his starters on the field with the rest of the more questionable guys.
Lots of eyes will be on the rookie receivers tonight, and Deron Snyder offers a look at Leonard Hankerson, who's looked good in camp except for those pesky drops, which I imagine could continue to be an issue that holds him back.
One final note: Yes, Buffalo is putting Lee Evans on the market. Yes, you can make the case that all four of these teams could use a receiver. But don't overrate Lee Evans here, folks. The Giants don't need to get Lee Evans just because they lost Steve Smith. Evans is nothing like Smith. He's the opposite of Smith, really -- a burner who can't get open and has never lived up to his considerable potential. (And no, it's not all because Buffalo hasn't had a quarterback. Steven Johnson managed to have a great year there last year because he can shake receivers and find the ball before defenders do.) If your team gets this guy, the best you can hope is that they didn't trade much to get him and that a change of scenery helps. But don't get too nuts about it.
Anyway, catch you later on. Redskins game tonight, so I'll be on the Twitter during that and filing my impressions when it's over.
Oh I know you love you some punter news.
Giants fans are really hoping for punter news, and Mike Garafolo has some for you, writing that the Giants are in contact with free-agent punter Brad Maynard, who could come to camp to either tutor, put pressure on or even replace Matt Dodge after Dodge's rough 2010 season in New York.
And in punter news that could interest fans of two NFC East teams, Grant Paulsen of 106.7 FM radio in Washington reports that the Redskins have agreed to terms with former Eagles punter Sav Rocca. The Redskins needed someone to replace Josh Bidwell and Hunter Smith, and Rocca is solid. The Eagles let him go after signing undrafted rookie Chas Henry (not to be confused with drafted rookie Alex Henery, who's their new placekicker) this week.
Punter news, baby!
Giants fans are really hoping for punter news, and Mike Garafolo has some for you, writing that the Giants are in contact with free-agent punter Brad Maynard, who could come to camp to either tutor, put pressure on or even replace Matt Dodge after Dodge's rough 2010 season in New York.
And in punter news that could interest fans of two NFC East teams, Grant Paulsen of 106.7 FM radio in Washington reports that the Redskins have agreed to terms with former Eagles punter Sav Rocca. The Redskins needed someone to replace Josh Bidwell and Hunter Smith, and Rocca is solid. The Eagles let him go after signing undrafted rookie Chas Henry (not to be confused with drafted rookie Alex Henery, who's their new placekicker) this week.
Punter news, baby!
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Graziano
Graziano joined ESPN.com in 2011 after two years as a Senior NFL Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered Major League Baseball, the Olympics and various other sports during his time at the Star-Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. A New Jersey native and author of two published novels, he now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with his wife and two sons.
