Tag: Jets Defense

PFF stats show why the New York Jets should be an AFC East contender

A PFF stat underscores the potential of the New York Jets this season.

The defense is likely going to be the identity for the New York Jets in 2024. But as Pro Football Focus notes, this isn’t just any defense.

This is a truly elite defense that the Jets will roll out this upcoming season. According to PFF, the Jets have the top-ranked defensive line, linebackers unit and secondary in the NFL.

That amounts to be a good defense. A pretty, pretty, pretty good defense.

Last year, the Jets were third in the NFL in total defense. If the defense can play at that level – or even higher – then the Jets could be a playoff team and potentially challenge the Buffalo Bills (and the Miami Dolphins) for the AFC East.

It might be enough for the Jets to elevate from last year’s 7-10 record.

 

If the Jets offense – with a healthy Aaron Rodgers – can at the minimum be marginally better than last year. The Jets had the second-worst offense in the NFL last year with Rodgers sidelined for nearly the entirety of the season.

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If the offense can be an average, functioning unit, then the Jets stand to have a chance at the playoffs.

 

Seahawks vs. Jets: TV map, broadcast info for their Week 17 matchup

Next up on the schedule are the Jets, who aren’t as formidable as the 49ers or the Chiefs, but still represent a serious threat.

The Seahawks come into this week in a tailspin, having been crushed by two Super Bowl contenders in their last couple of games and losing five of six overall. Next up on the schedule are the Jets, who aren’t as formidable as the 49ers or the Chiefs, but still represent a serious threat thanks to Robert Saleh’s young, tough and star-studded defense.

Here’s all the info you need on how to watch.

Seattle Seahawks (7-8) vs. New York Jets (7-8) Week 17 TV map

The game will be broadcast on Fox Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PT in the turquoise/aquablue areas on the map below.

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Broadcasters: Chris Myers, Robert Smith

Local TV: In Seattle the game will be on Q13 Fox. You can find more local TV affiliates here.

Streaming: FuboTV (try it for free)

Odds: According to the latest info at USA TODAY Sports Data, the Jets are favored by two points.

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2022 NFL draft: 20 prospects who perfectly fit Jeff Ulbrich’s Jets defense

These 20 2022 NFL draft prospects profile as ideal fits in Jeff Ulbrich’s Jets defense:

Scheme fit always plays a key role in the way a team shapes its draft board.

Coaches seldom try to fit square pegs into round holes, making a player’s skillset and system fit paramount to the way the draft plays out. For the Jets, Jeff Ulbrich’s 4-3 defense is predicated on generating pressure in the trenches and cornerbacks who can thrive in zone coverage on the outside.

Fortunately for New York, there are a number of scheme fits in the 2022 NFL draft later this month. Here are 20 prospects who would fit Ulbrich’s defense.

Robert Saleh won’t take over defensive play-calling with Jets struggling

Robert Saleh is not getting involved in the Jets’ defensive play-calling despite the unit’s recent struggles.

The Jets have the worst defense in the NFL and it’s not even close.

New York has allowed a mind-boggling 175 points in its last four games. Three of its last four opponents have scored 45 points or more, while the Colts and the Bills have combined for 1,021 yards of offense in the last two weeks.

Robert Saleh cut his teeth building a top-tier defense with the 49ers before becoming a head coach, but he does not have designs on getting involved in the Jets’ defensive play-calling despite their recent struggles.

“We’re year one in the system,” Saleh said Monday. “[Jeff] Ulbrich and his staff are trying to figure this out, just as well as the players are. They’re going to hit a groove, too. Am I there to assist? Absolutely. Do I sit in on meetings? Absolutely. Is play-calling going to change anything? It’s not going to change anything. It’s execution.”

Saleh said from day one that New York’s defense is Ulbrich’s unit and he is sticking with that approach — for better or worse. It has been tough for the Jets to compete with their defense resembling a revolving door, and that reared its ugly head against the Bills. New York did not benefit from having Mike White throw four interceptions, but its defense could not consistently come up with key stops when it needed to despite a relatively strong start. It allowed Josh Allen to bounce back from a porous performance against the Jaguars with ease, and Buffalo’s rushing attack scored four touchdowns.

“For the most part, in that first half, we were playing some good ball,” Saleh said. “It was 10-3 with about 1:55 to go. Had some big-time stops and some bad situations. We get beat on a double move to start the two-minute drive, which sets up a touchdown, so they go into the locker room with a 17-3 lead.

“We get lapped, it’s 24-3, and the very next play we have a turnover. They score, which makes it 31-3 and the game’s over. It was a four-series sequence there where it kind of got out of hand, but we really liked the way we were playing for the most part. The first two drives of the third quarter were just not near anything we were doing in the first half. So, there’s a level of consistency that we’re lacking and obviously, we have to coach it a lot better.”

The Dolphins represent a softer matchup for the Jets this weekend, but New York’s secondary probably couldn’t stop 60-year-old Dan Marino with the way it has played recently. If its issues persist for another week, Saleh’s hand might be forced when it comes to assuming some play-calling duties.

Until then, it’s still Ulbrich’s defense to orchestrate.

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7 reasons why the Jets defense is playing so poorly

The Jets’ defensive issues are plentiful, from inexperience to injuries to lack of a pass rush. Let’s break down why the unit has played far below expectations:

The Jets defense entered the 2021 season with promise with Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich at the helm, but the unit hasn’t lived up to expectations.

Most recently, New York’s defense decided to skip Thursday’s 45-30 loss to the Colts, or so it seemed. It was the second time in three games that a team embarrassed the Jets defense, and it’s not like the unit has been much better in most of New York’s other outings.

There are a lot of reasons for the defensive struggles, but the Jets have been beaten all over the field. Teams have crushed them through the air and on the ground, and the defense is on pace to allow the most points in franchise history.

Here, we’ll dive into why the defense has played so poorly during the Jets’ 2-6 start.

Why Jets DC Jeff Ulbrich thinks interceptions are coming

The Jets have yet to pick off a pass this season. Jeff Ulbrich has a feeling that is going to change sooner than later.

Jeff Ulbrich’s defense has been lacking in the turnover department so far this season.

The Jets have a -5 turnover ratio through their first five games. New York has forced four fumbles and has recovered three of them, but it has yet to come down with an interception — a maddening fact for Ulbrich.

Despite his frustration, Ulbrich has maintained the belief that it is only a matter of time before the Jets start picking off passes. Scheme comfort usually plays a role in a defense’s ability to generate turnovers and New York is still getting used to Ulbrich’s 4-3 system.

With five games plus the bye week in the books, Ulbrich is hopeful that his unit is on the verge of turning the corner with plenty of reps now under their belt.

“It’s for sure frustrating because I feel as though we really went back and tore the tape apart and we averaged about four opportunities per game where we should have picked that ball off and we should have finished and should’ve got it done,” Ulbrich said Thursday. “I think as we get more familiar with this defense, it just goes from doing my job to actually applying the information I learned during the week regarding my opponent.

“There comes that level of anticipation and really understanding where to take my shots and the spots within the game to make those plays. I think that will start to come. I’m not saying this as an excuse in any way, but we’re younger and the system is new. So, as these guys get more time on task for them and more experience, I think we’ll see a natural uptick in that.”

Mac Jones has thrown six interceptions in his first six games, making the Jets’ Week 7 trip to New England a prime opportunity for Ulbrich’s unit to break into the interception column. Pats OC Josh McDaniels usually calls a simplified game to keep things easy on his rookie quarterback, but if New York puts itself in the right position to anticipate plays, Sunday might be the day Gang Green’s secondary celebrates a pick.

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Patrick Mahomes becomes 5th Jets opponent to win Player of the Week

To say the Jets have been an easy matchup for opponents to exploit in 2020 would be an understatement.

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The Jets have been an easy matchup for players to exploit in 2020.

New York is the NFL’s only winless midway through the season. It has been stagnant on offense and extremely underwhelming defensively, affording opponents the opportunity to have big games on a weekly basis. As expected, Patrick Mahomes did just that last weekend, throwing for five touchdowns en route to AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

And he is not the only one who has taken hardware home at Gang Green’s expense.

Mahomes is the fifth Jets opponent to win Player of the Week. Colts cornerback Xavier Rhodes earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week after picking Sam Darnold off twice in Week 3. Broncos kicker Brandon McManus followed suit in Week 4 by going three-for-three on field goals and making all four of his extra-point attempts. Kyler Murray became the first NFC player to get the best of the Jets for the award, throwing for 380 yards and a touchdown to go along with a score on the ground in Week 5. Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes took home Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording six tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in Week 7.

It’s no secret that the Jets are the worst team in football at this point in the season, but the fact that five players in eight weeks have taken advantage of the matchup to perform better than any other player in their conference is staggering, to say the least. Frankly, it perfectly sums up New York’s overall ineptitude in 2020.

The ice-cold Patriots come to town on Monday night, but squaring off against the Jets typically has the same effect as a dose of Robitussin. Considering New York’s recent history against New England, it would come as no surprise if a Patriots player breaks out with a player of the week-caliber performance in Week 9.

Gregg Williams downplays criticism of Jets offense: ‘It’s not an issue’

Gregg Williams told reporters all is well with Adam Gase following his comments about the Jets’ offensive struggles last week.

Gregg Williams does not think his comments about the Jets offense caused any sort of rift with Adam Gase or a distraction at One Jets Drive.

Williams took a veiled shot at New York’s offense while speaking with reporters last week, vaguely pinning some of the defense’s struggles on the poor starting field position Gase’s offense affords the unit.

“A lot of it is not all defensively,” Williams said of his group, which had allowed 161 points through five games before the Jets’ 24-0 loss to the Dolphins.

When pressed on who else was responsible for Gang Green’s defensive woes, Williams said “you’ll have to figure that out.”

Gase expressed his frustrations over Williams’ comments prior to New York’s Week 6 matchup with Miami, telling CBS “that’s not what we need.” Gase and Williams were also spotted having what appeared to be an animated conversation pregame. Williams fought back against the notion that his comments were detrimental to the team on Friday, insisting that his words were not divisive and did not throw a wrench in his relationship with Gase.

“Coach Gase and I are great friends,” Williams said, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “We’ve been that way. We’re on the same page. We talk about all those things. That thing is no thing.”

Gase originally attempted to downplay Williams’ comments, saying that his defensive coordinator was “trying to talk about complementary football, all three phases playing together.” However, Gase eventually met with Williams to discuss the issue and put it to bed.

“I know who we are,” Williams said. “I know who the head coach and I are. The players know that, too. Let’s get on to the next thing because it’s not divisive with our players. It’s not an issue. That’s not anything.”

0-6 Jets on track for worst point differential ever

The Jets could potentially have the worst point differential ever for an NFL season.

The 2020 Jets could go down as one of the most beatdown teams in the history of the NFL.

Through six games this season, the Jets have a -110 point differential, good for worst in the league. The Jets have been outscored 185-75 by their opponents this year. The next two teams with the worst point differentials aren’t even close to the Jets, either. Jacksonville has a -56 point differential, while Washington’s point differential is -54.

Not even the 2008 Lions (-90) and the 2017 Browns (-63) had a worse point differential through the first six games. Both teams finished 0-16.

If the Jets continue on their current pace for the rest of the season, they will finish with a -293 point differential. That would break the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ all-time worst record of -287, per ProFootballTalk.

It’s safe to say that much of that has to do with Adam Gase’s offense. The defense hasn’t helped the situation, but the Jets are putting up such low point totals that it doesn’t matter what the defense does. New York has only put up 20+ points in one game this season and were the first team to be shut out on Sunday when they lost 24-0 to the Dolphins.

Right now, the Jets own the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, and an 0-16 season doesn’t seem out of the question given the team’s lack of talent and grueling schedule. If Gang Green’s abysmal point differential stays on course, the 2020 Jets could end up being one of the worst teams of all-time.

Jets off to worse start in Adam Gase’s second year than his first

The Adam Gase era is getting worse before it gets better.

The Adam Gase era is getting worse before it gets better.

Gase is off to a worse start in his second year as Jets head coach with an 0-5 record compared to his 1-4 record last season. Not only is the Jets’ record worse this year, but they also haven’t shown any progress in 2020.

In the Jets’ first five games of the season, they’ve lost by at least two possessions in every single game. New York has also lost by double-digits in four of its five losses, including its latest loss against Arizona, 30-10.

It’s a poor reflection on Gase that his team is getting off to these slow starts in back-to-back years. Last year was more understandable given that Sam Darnold was out for three of the first five games with mononucleosis.

This year, though, the Jets don’t have the same excuse. Yes, injuries have hurt them badly, but to look this bad in five games is inexcusable. Gase’s offense is one of the league’s worst in nearly every category, including scoring (31st), total yards per game (32nd) and passing yards per game (32nd).

The Jets defense makes boneheaded mistakes whether it’s penalties, blown assignments or missed tackles almost every single week. They also have fallen off under the helm of Gregg Williams.

Overall, the last year-plus has been a disaster under Gase’s watch. If it doesn’t get any better over these next 11 games, then Gase could find himself on the open market come the end of the season.