Tag: Gregg Williams

Darryl Roberts shouldn’t sniff starting lineup in return against Bengals

Jets Wire breaks down why Darryl Roberts’ return to the field against the Bengals shouldn’t mean his return to the starting lineup.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

That’s the approach defensive coordinator Gregg Williams should take when deciding Darryl Roberts’ role against the Bengals in Week 13.

Roberts is set to return to the field against Cincinnati after missing New York’s last three games with a calf injury. As Roberts sat out, rookie Bless Austin and Arthur Maulet stepped up and established themselves as a formidable cornerback duo, bringing stability to a unit that has struggled mightily in 2019.

Now, Williams has a decision to make. Does he insert Roberts back into the starting lineup? Or, does he ride the hot hand and leave both Austin and Maulet in prominent roles?

Frankly, this shouldn’t be too tough of a call for the veteran defensive coordinator. Austin and Maulet have been producing at prolific levels. Austin limited his assignment to only three catches for 32 yards against the Raiders last weekend. Maulet kept everything in front of him, allowing six receptions for a mere 32 yards. Granted, the competition hasn’t been great, but there’s no reason to shake things up and disrupt a duo that has been nothing but solid the past three weeks.

Making this an even easier decision for Williams is how poorly Roberts has played this season. The Jets gave the converted safety a three-year, $18 million contract this offseason to keep him in the Big Apple. All the 29-year-old has done in return is prove why he didn’t start his career as a cornerback, getting burned by opposing wideouts with regularity. His antics haven’t helped his standing with the fanbase, either.

Roberts is on his way to becoming a salary cap casualty in the offseason. Austin and Maulet are trending toward being key pieces in the secondary moving forward. Why would Williams not only go away from what’s working for his defense, but pull a player with the potential to be a contributor for the long run in favor of one who is likely to get cut in a couple of months?

Williams’ decision on Roberts shouldn’t focus on whether or not he should return to the starting lineup. It should focus on whether he deserves any sort of playing time at all. There’s really no sense in playing a cornerback who gets cooked more often than not, especially in favor of players who do their job and help New York’s defense thrive.

Le’Veon Bell among 5 unsung heroes in Jets’ Week 12 win over Raiders

Le’Veon Bell didn’t fill the stat-sheet but his pass-catching skills were on full display against the Raiders.

The Jets made a statement on Sunday.

They didn’t just beat their first tough opponent in a month, a team with a legitimate shot at the postseason. No, they wallopped the Raiders, 34-3. It was another complete game where every facet of the Jets executed at the highest level. The offense scored on almost half of its drives and the defense held the Raiders to only 68 rushing yards and 209 total yards.

Sam Darnold, Jamal Adams and the usual suspects excelled, but players on the fringes of relevance performed admirably in the win. How did Darnold score three touchdowns? The blocking of the offensive line. How did the defense hold Josh Jacobs to a career-low rushing yard total? Penetration from the defensive line. The Jets hit on all cylinders against the Raiders and the result was magnificent.

Here are five unsung heroes from the game.

(Seth Wenig-AP)

CB Bless Austin

The sixth-round rookie once again stepped up to help hold Derek Carr and the Raiders passing offense to only 15 competitions for 127 scoreless yards. Austin finished with five combined tackles and a stellar pass break up on third and 2 that forced the Raiders to kick – and miss – a short field goal midway through the second quarter.

Austin only allowed three receptions for 24 yards on six targets against the Raiders, and his 81.7 Pro Football Focus grade was the highest on the Jets defense in Week 12. It took some time, but Austin is coming into his own as a viable starter for the Jets. There are bigger tests ahead, but Austin’s coverage and tackling skills are hard to ignore.

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Gregg Williams working wonders with Jets’ makeshift defense

Gregg Williams has the best defense looking like one of the best in the league after holding the Raiders to three points in Week 12.

What defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been able to do with this Jets defense recently is nothing short of spectacular. On a team riddled by injury, underperformance, and inexperience, Williams has created a run-stopping machine that’s stymied opponents the past three weeks. 

Yes, those opponents have included two rookie quarterbacks on inept offenses, but Williams is also working with a makeshift defense that includes several rookies and journeymen after losing two starting inside linebackers and two starting cornerbacks.

First, Williams lost Avery Williamson to an ACL tear. Then it was C.J. Mosley to a groin injury. Both were expected to solidify the middle of the defense. Next, promising rookie linebacker Blake Cashman hit injured reserve, followed by cornerback Trumaine Johnson. Various other players have missed time with injury, and before now the Jets are starting players no one had heard of before this season.

That defense, led by Jamal Adams and a bunch of backups, held the Raiders to only three points and 208 total yards on Sunday. In one word, the Jets’ 34-3 win over the Raiders was Williams’ masterpiece.

That performance was the culmination of weeks of momentum for Williams’ defense and the unit finally put together a complete game after giving up big, late scores the past two weeks. The 68 rushing yards the Jets allowed made for the fourth consecutive sub-100-yard game and eighth on the year. The Jets defense looked unbeatable against a Raiders team coming off three consecutive wins.

“We’ve been preparing well week in, week out. I just kind of think things are starting to go our way,” cornerback Brian Poole told SNY. “We’re a young defense going in the right direction.”

Poole himself is playing like one of the best cornerbacks in the league after the Jets signed him to a cheap one-year deal this offseason. His 15-yard pick-six sealed the blowout win, and he’s consistency graded as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. His ascension is just one of the many examples of how Williams is getting the most out of his players.

Players like rookie cornerbacks Bless Austin and Arthur Maulet have also played well above expectations over the past few games and they held Derek Carr to just 127 scoreless passing yards and a 52.6 passer rating in Week 12. Defensive linemen Foley Fatukasi and Kyle Phillips have been revelations after starting the season buried on the depth chart, and journeymen linebackers James Burgess, Neville Hewitt, Brandon Copeland and Tarrell Basham have put in solid performances.

None of these players were supposed to start except Poole. Yet, they’ve all played exceptionally well and helped turn the Jets into the best run-stopping team in the league. The Jets have allowed only 78.1 rushing yards per game after Week 12 – the fewest in the league – and less than three yards per rush attempt. Those are incredible numbers for a team that doesn’t have any discernable defensive stars except Adams, who Williams has weaponized into a terrifying pass rusher for the Jets.

The ability to turn role players into competent starters is great, but Williams’ ability to unlock another side of the Jets’ star safety is a testament to his skills as a coach. Adams now has a team-high 6.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hits and has evolved into a multi-dimensional safety that could command a record-setting contract this offseason. 

After this week’s performance, outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins was asked if the win validated the defense’s ability – a defense many left for dead as injuries and blowouts piled up.

“For us, not really,” Jordan Jenkins said. “For the public and some of the fans and some of the naysayers, I would agree with that. But we knew what we had.”

The Jets gave up an average of 27.7 points between Weeks 2 and 9. But during this three-game winning streak, they’ve allowed just 15.7. It took some time, but Williams finally has the Jets defense looking the way he intended when Adam Gase hired him to be the head coach of the defense.

Sam Darnold, Braxton Berrios among Jets’ Studs & Duds in win over Raiders

Following Sunday’s win over the Oakland Raiders, the Jets have now improved to 4-7 on the season and have won three consecutive games.

The Jets won their third consecutive game Sunday after a 1-7 start, improving to 4-7 on the season.

The team has now scored exactly 34 points three straight games in a row. That can be attributed to Adam Gase and Sam Darnold being on the same page, while the makeshift offensive line has done an excellent job of blocking.

New York played nearly a perfect game minus some mental mistakes. The Jets gained 401 yards of total offense, their second straight week of 400 yards or more.

For the Jets, it was another step in the right direction. Here are the best and worst players from the Week 12 victory.

Stud: QB Sam Darnold

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

This Sam Darnold kid sure can play.

After taking control of the offense and being more vocal with Adam Gase and Dowell Loggains about what works and what doesn’t, Darnold has never looked back.

He flourished both on the ground and in the air Sunday. Darnold went 20-29, throwing for 315 yards and scoring three total touchdowns. He connected with Robby Anderson and Ryan Griffin for one-yard scores while running in one of his own.

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4 takeaways from Jets’ dominant win over Raiders

Jets Wire breaks down New York’s dominant win over the Raiders with four takeaways from the action.

The Jets are officially on a roll.

New York made it three wins in a row with a 34-3 trouncing of the Raiders in Week 12. Oakland entered the day one game back of the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West and in possession of the final wild card spot, but that didn’t prevent the Jets from dominating from start to finish. Thanks to strong efforts from Sam Darnold and a stifling defense, Gang Green set the tone early and never looked back.

Let’s take a look back at New York’s fourth win of the season with four takeaways from Sunday’s action.

Where has this team been all season?

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s the…Jets finally getting their act together?

It’s hard to believe considering the way the season started, but things are finally trending in the right direction at One Jets Drive. It took two months, but New York is finally firing on all cylinders in all three facets of the game.

Gang Green’s win over a postseason contender gives its resurgence legitimacy. It’s probably too little, too late in terms of making a playoff push, but it’s certainly encouraging to see the Jets playing up to the potential they entered 2019 with.

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Jets LB C.J. Mosley wants to play again in 2019

C.J. Mosley has missed nine games this season with a groin injury, but he’s hopeful he can return this season.

The Jets surprisingly decided against putting linebacker C.J. Mosley on injury reserve after he reaggravated a groin injury five weeks ago, but now Mosley believes he could play this season, possibly in Week 14.

Mosley received injections of platelet-rich plasma to help heal his injured groin this week. Those shots, he said, give him a “50-50” chance to play again this season.

“If I can do anything to avoid ending my season, I’m going to try it,” he said on Friday, per ESPN. “I’d rather do that than cut my body open. That was the thinking on that.”

The Jets gave Mosely a five-year, $85 million contract last offseason in the hopes he could strengthen the core of their defense. He played well in Week 1 against the Bills, but suffered a groin injury midway through the game. When he returned and reinjured himself in the Week 7 loss to the Patriots, the Jets said he could theoretically return in five-to-six weeks. Heading into what would be his fifth week of rehab, Mosley said he’s running again and hopes to get on the practice field soon. 

While it may seem pointless for Mosley to risk a second aggravation in what is a lost season for the Jets, the linebacker feels it’s his responsibility as a captain to play. That’s a well-intentioned sentiment but looks more and more unlikely as the season progresses. Even Adam Gase remains at worst skeptical and at best noncommittal about Mosley’s return.

“We’re just kind of going through that process and see where it takes us,” he said. “I don’t really know the answer to that.”

Ultimately, it will come down to Mosley’s rehabilitation over the next few weeks. Mosley is positive but realistic when it comes to his availability in the few weeks left in the season. He said he’ll get surgery if his injury doesn’t heal over the next two weeks.

“I’m trying to do everything I can to avoid surgery and play,” he said. “Worst-case scenario: I’ll have to get surgery if next week doesn’t go well.”

Jamal Adams predicts he’ll break defensive back sack record

Jets safety Jamal Adams believes he will break the NFL single-season sack record that’s currently held by former Cardinals S Adrian Wilson.

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Jamal Adams has always been a big believer in himself.

The safety always carries a chip on his shoulder and oozes confidence, so it’s no surprise that he said he will break the NFL single-season sack record for defensive backs.

“If you’re asking, am I going to beat the record? Yes, I will beat the record,” he told reporters after practice on Wednesday. “That’s something I will get.”

The Jets’ third-year safety is three sacks away from holding the NFL single-season record for most sacks by a defensive back. Two weeks ago, the feat didn’t seem possible. Now, he’s ready to blitz himself into the NFL record book.

The NFL record for most sacks by a defensive back in a single season is eight, set by former Cardinals S Adrian Wilson in 2005. Adams has six sacks with six games left to play.

Adams entered the Giants game two weeks ago as a disruptive force, but he only had one sack to his name. After two breathtaking performances, one earning him the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, Adams is now five sacks richer.

He tallied three sacks in Week 11 after finishing Week 10 with nine tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery touchdown.

Gregg Williams has finally found the best use for Adams, deploying him as an edge rusher. Adams loves to blitz and he just might be the best pass-rusher on the team.

His infectious energy and ability to get after the quarterback is rubbing off on the rest of the team and has helped lead the Jets defense to two dominating performances over two NFC East foes.

“To me, it starts with the energy and the attitude,” Adam Gase said of Adams’ performances. “I mean, you feel him the whole game — the sideline, the field, he’s bringing everything he has. He’s just laying it all out there. Some of the plays he’s making, it’s very impressive to watch him play.”

Sam Darnold, Jamal Adams among Jets’ Studs & Duds in win over Redskins

The Jets continued their dominance against the NFC East this season, dismantling the Redskins, 34-17, and improving to 3-1 vs. the division.

The Jets continued their dominance against the NFC East this season, dismantling the Redskins, 34-17, and improving to 3-1 vs. the division.

New York’s defense made life for rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins nearly impossible, especially with Jamal Adams continuing his tear as the team’s best edge rusher. On the other side of the football, Sam Darnold threw a career-high four touchdown passes to give the Jets a commanding win.

For the Jets, it was another step in the right direction and the team’s second consecutive win. Here are the best and worst players from the Week 11 victory.

Stud: QB Sam Darnold

(Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)

Ever since seeing ghosts, Sam Darnold has slowly returned to form.

The young quarterback always has at least one bad decision per game, but he got that out of the way early on his way to one of his best performances. Darnold threw a career-high four touchdown passes, going 19-30 for 293 yards and one interception.

The Jets offense looked the best it has all season under Darnold’s direction and went over the 400-yard threshold in a comfortable win.

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Instant Analysis: Sam Darnold, Jets make it 2 straight with blowout in D.C.

Like most things in D.C. these days, Sunday’s game at FedExField wasn’t always easy to watch.

Like most things in D.C. these days, Sunday’s game at FedExField wasn’t always easy to watch.

The Jets, however, prevailed in the matchup of NFL bottomfeeders, beating Washington 34-17. New York didn’t exactly play clean football, but it didn’t have to against a rookie quarterback and porous secondary.

With the win, the Jets are now 3-7 and on a two-game winning streak. Washington fell to 1-9 in the race for the top pick in April.

Game Balls:

  • S Jamal Adams: The safety’s reign of terror continued Sunday, as Adams picked up his third, fourth and fifth sacks over his last two games. He seems to be having a lot of fun going up against rookie quarterbacks.
  • TE Ryan Griffin: The Jets offense has not offered many pleasant surprises this season, but Griffin has really made a name for himself in Chris Herndon’s absence. The tight end reeled in five passes for 109 yards and a touchdown against Washington.
  • QB Sam Darnold: Darnold had his best game since New York’s win over Dallas. Granted, Washington left a lot of receivers uncovered, but Darnold threw three touchdowns in a half for the first time and set a new career-high with four touchdowns overall. He only made one notable error…

Quick Thoughts:

  • Darnold’s biggest strength and weakness is that he never gives up on a play. The QB has never seen a throwing window too small, and balance is optional. Tight coverage? Throw it. Under pressure? Throw it. Running like a mad man? Throw it. Darnold will force just about any pass; sometimes that leads to a magical highlight, sometimes that leads to a costly mistake. We saw plenty of the former on Sunday, but his interception was an example of the latter, as he threw into heavy traffic. He still needs to work on limiting those types of mistakes. 
  • The Jets should be encouraged by Darnold’s performance the last two weeks after a nightmarish three-game stretch that was littered with turnovers. However, let’s not forget to consider the competition. Darnold has turned things around against some of the worst pass defenses in football (NYG & WAS). He’s supposed to play well against teams like that. The question now is how sharp will he be against competent defenses moving forward?

  • Some Hollywood movie studios should hire Adam Gase because the man knows how to write a script. While the coach has drawn plenty of criticism this year, one area in which he and his offense have excelled at recently is opening drives — sequences in which plays are typically predetermined well in advance of kickoff. When Darnold found Daniel Brown for a touchdown right out of the gate, it marked the fourth straight game in which the Jets scored on their opening drive. Remember when that used to be a problem?
  • Gregg Williams looked to be toying with Dwayne Haskins early on. The coordinator threw plenty of confusing schemes at the rookie quarterback, as the Jets often rushed fewer men than they showed at the line of scrimmage. The strategy worked, as Haskins and his line frequently failed to figure out who was blitzing. The Jets, meanwhile, were able to keep more men in the back levels of their defense, a necessary insurance policy given the team’s current cornerback situation. All in all, Williams’ defense allowed 17 points while racking up six sacks and 10 QB hits.
  • The Jets finally hit the century mark on the ground — the first time they’ve done so all season. Gang Green’s ball carriers finished the day with 118 yards rushing. Le’Veon Bell led the way with 59 yards on 18 carries, including a touchdown, while Bilal Powell factored in more than usual, rushing seven times for 42 yards. On an individual level, the Jets would probably still like to get more out of Bell, but this was a strong combined effort for New York’s backs, as well as the line tasked with blocking for them.
  • Not to end on a negative, but the Jets will eventually have to find themselves a better kicker than Sam Ficken, who missed a field goal and an extra point in this one. Fortunately for him, the team has bigger problems at the moment.

Jets vs. Redskins: Game info, where to watch, notes

Here’s everything you need for the Jets’ matchup with the Redskins.

The New York Jets will look to notch consecutive wins for the first time all season when they visit the Washington Redskins.

The Jets have eight players listed as questionable this week, but there’s a good chance that all of them play. The only player that is doubtful is Darryl Roberts. Ryan Kalil, Paul Worrilow, C.J. Mosley and Mathias Farley have all been ruled out.

If the Jets are going to get a win this week, their offense needs to have a similar performance as it did against the Giants. Sam Darnold has to play turnover-free football and continue with the short passing game. That got him into a rhythm last week and it allowed him to take more shots down the field.

The only thing the Jets offense would like to improve upon from last week is the running game. Le’Veon Bell has yet to have a breakout game and the Redskins are at the bottom of the league in stopping the run. So this is a golden opportunity for Bell to kick start his season.

As for the defense, they need to do whatever they can to confuse Redskins rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Gregg Williams has to disguise some packages that force Haskins to make mistakes. He hasn’t played in many games this season and he is vulnerable to turnovers.

The Redskins are riding a three-game losing streak and are currently 1-8 on the year. They are looking ahead to 2020 and are trying to develop a rookie quarterback in the process, so they don’t really have much to play for.

As for watching the game, here’s everything you need to know:

  • Who: New York Jets vs. Washington Redskins
  • When: 1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, November 17, 2019
  • Where: FedEX Field, Landover, Maryland
  • TV/Radio: FOX, ESPN 98.7 F.M. For a Spanish broadcast check out 1050 AM ESPN
  • Livestream: fuboTV (try it free)
  • Line: Redskins -2.5