Good Read Jets Defense...Bucky Brooks

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by LF911SC, Sep 15, 2018.

  1. LF911SC

    LF911SC Well-Known Member

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    Let's hope it continues

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-can-be-nfls-best-josh-allens-keys-to-success

    3) How far can D carry the Jets? The streets of New York are buzzing about the Jets' franchise quarterback, but fans of Gang Green should be even more excited about the team's promising defense. Fueled by a handful of homegrown playmakers, the unit has the potential to spark a playoff run for a team that was viewed as an afterthought by many observers heading into this season.

    The Jets are coming off a spectacular performance on a prime-time stage, but the seeds of their collective greatness were planted during the draft process over the past four seasons. The Jets adhered to the old-school premise of building a dominant defense right down the middle by using three consecutive first-round picks on an interior defensive lineman (Leonard Williams, 2015), inside linebacker (Darron Lee, 2016) and a safety (Jamal Adams, 2017). The trio not only formed the nucleus of a more athletic defense with "culture-changers" at every level, but they gave the Jets A-level playmakers with the capacity to deliver splash plays and turnovers.

    When I was a young player with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the mid-1990s, my defensive coordinator (Dick Jauron) told me that all championship-caliber defenses must be strong down the middle. He stressed that elite defenses feature five-star players at defensive tackle, middle linebacker and safety. Jauron believed a rock-solid set of interior players would dominate opponents and create scoring opportunities for the offense.

    Looking at Gang Green's unit, the old-school defense theory certainly comes to life when studying the games of Williams, Lee and Adams as the worker bees for the D.

    "When I look at them, I see a group of high-IQ players with the energy and passion that you want as a group," a former NFL defensive coordinator told me. "You can tell they prepare the right way by the way they pass off things (routes) in the secondary. They play with a level of trust that is only created on the practice field. ... Todd (Bowles) has them playing well. That's a credit to him and his staff for getting them to buy in."

    While Bowles deserves credit for getting the group to play together on the field, Mike Maccagnan merits a tip of the cap for building the team the right way. The savvy general manager knocked it out of the park in the early rounds of the draft from 2015 to 2017 by sticking to a "BPA" (best player available) strategy when the Jets were on the clock. Williams, Lee and Adams were expected to be off the board by the time the Jets made their first pick, but fate dropped each of the blue-chip prospects into the team's lap.

    Despite having more glaring needs in each of those drafts, the Jets opted for the best player, regardless of position, and the defense's strong play is certainly a reward for sticking to their game plan on draft day. But New York's brass also deserves credit for wisely using free agency to fill in the gaps on the roster. Trumaine Johnson joined Morris Claiborne and Buster Skrine as recent free-agent signees in the secondary to give the team an experienced set of playmakers in the CB1, CB2 and CB3 roles.

    Along the front seven, the team added Avery Williamson to the linebacker corps in the offseason to support a defensive line that features another blue-collar free-agent addition in Steve McLendon (2016). With the team also getting contributions from former Day 2 draft picks Jordan Jenkins (Round 3, 2016), Marcus Maye (Round 2, 2017; currently dealing with a foot injury) and Nathan Shepherd (Round 3, 2018), the Jets have gotten value from every player in the starting lineup.

    In fact, the Jets' team-building approach is similar to the way Hall of Famer Ron Wolf told me championship teams should be constructed in the salary-cap era. The wily executive believed championship teams are primarily built through the draft with a few free agents added to the mix to fill any glaring holes. In studying the Jets' defensive depth chart, I see they have certainly adhered to that philosophy with a nice mix of homegrown stars and key free agents.

    That said, the Jets are still a pass rusher away from fielding a defense that looks like it's championship-caliber on paper. This explains the team's reported interest in Khalil Mack when he was on the trade block, particularly after watching the Jets join the Saints and Dolphins as the only teams to fail to record a sack in Week 1.

    Although teams have fielded solid defenses without five-star pass rushers, it's hard to win consistently without collecting sacks. Last season, the Buffalo Bills (27) and Kansas City Chiefs (31) earned playoff berths while finishing in the bottom third of the league in sacks. By comparison, seven of the top 10 teams in sacks reached the postseason tournament. With that in mind, the Jets will need to find a way to generate a decent pass rush through blitzing or heavy coverage tactics to solidify their place among the championship-caliber defenses in the league.

    If the team can find a pass rusher or create a sack-by-committee approach, the Jets' defense could spearhead a playoff run with a rookie under center.
     
  2. LAJet

    LAJet Well-Known Member

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    I like it a lot.
     
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  3. FJF

    FJF 2018 MVP Joe Namath Award Winner

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    Props to Bowles ? Props on taking bpa? I read here by many that both are bad
     
  4. LF911SC

    LF911SC Well-Known Member

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    Hard to believe someone gave props. Maybe some of those who dont agree can argue with Bucky and stay off of my ass. LOL
     
    #4 LF911SC, Sep 15, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2018
  5. HomeoftheJets

    HomeoftheJets Well-Known Member

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    Too much hype after one win.
     
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  6. NY Jets68

    NY Jets68 Well-Known Member

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    Hopefully Bowles gave the team a large dose of reality with their corn flakes this week.
    The win was great to see, but i hope they don't come out flat this week.
     
  7. LF911SC

    LF911SC Well-Known Member

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    Not hype. Its what they showed not what someone is predicting. Imagining what we will see is hype.
     
  8. LF911SC

    LF911SC Well-Known Member

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    He started right after the game in his post game address to the team. Congrats but its only a game, nothing accomplished. McClendon's bark was lets go home, win and go 1-0. Game forgotten. Hopefully a young team gets it
     
  9. CotcheryFan

    CotcheryFan 2018 ROTY Poster Award Winner

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    While I'm not against taking the BPA, I'd also consider what my needs are as well. If the BPA is a RB, but I really need a LT and a very good LT is available, I'm taking the LT.
     
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  10. BacktoQueens

    BacktoQueens Well-Known Member

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    I have high expectations for this D.

    It's one of my key measures on judging success for Bowles this season.
    We finally have a lot of good pieces in the secondary, which happens to be his coaching/playing expertise, and is very important for what he wants to do schematically.
    Looking forward to see how it all comes together.

    I believe Shepard, Williamson, and even Adams will help stuff the run better this year also, which was a problem last season.

    Definitely has talent to be top 10 D.
    If Trumaine Johnson proves effective at man to man (still a question imo), it will open up a lot of avenues to generate pressure via blitz packages.
    That would be the key to reach next level beyond top 10.
     
  11. HomeoftheJets

    HomeoftheJets Well-Known Member

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    Ok. Then it is hype.

    "How far can D carry the Jets? The streets of New York are buzzing about the Jets' franchise quarterback, but fans of Gang Green should be even more excited about the team's promising defense. Fueled by a handful of homegrown playmakers, the unit has the potential to spark a playoff run for a team that was viewed as an afterthought by many observers heading into this season."
     
  12. ColoradoContrails

    ColoradoContrails Well-Known Member

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    If it works out - and I hope it does then it's a great strategy. But one good game doesn't outweigh the mediocre results so far.

    I do agree that building a team's defense "up the middle" is a good approach, and certainly Macc has done that, but if the rest of the "D" doesn't step up having a stout middle can be gotten around by opposing offenses, especially with the passing attacks of the modern game. So I'm waiting to see if the pass rush and other aspects of the "D" step up. Monday night was encouraging, so there's hope.
     
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  13. BacktoQueens

    BacktoQueens Well-Known Member

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    If you have a very similar grade on the players, the player that fills a more pressing need is going to be higher on your big board.
    That's still within BPA to me, just as assigning positions of greater impact a higher score on your board.

    You fall away from BPA when taking a lesser player who fills a bigger need in early rounds.
    Prioritizing need over talent should be reserved for Day 3 picks to fill out the roster, if done at all.

    Ideally you use FA to fill out the roster holes, giving a GM flexibility on draft day to focus on the future, and not on immediate need.
     
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  14. Dierking

    Dierking Well-Known Member

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    Stopped reading after "collective greatness"
     
  15. ColoradoContrails

    ColoradoContrails Well-Known Member

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    If the difference between the BPA and your position of need (PON) is that big, then yeah, I'd go BPA, but if it's not that great I would fill the PON. Waiting until Day 3 to address need isn't a very dependable way to fill those needs.
     
  16. LF911SC

    LF911SC Well-Known Member

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    And what isnt true about the statement at this point? He praises the D for having the potential and being promising.

    Thats not hype
     
  17. BacktoQueens

    BacktoQueens Well-Known Member

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    Waiting until the draft to address need isn't a very dependable way to fill out a roster.
    Major roster holes should be addressed before the draft.
     
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  18. CotcheryFan

    CotcheryFan 2018 ROTY Poster Award Winner

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    I mostly agree, but certain positions usually don't see top players reach free agency. Above average to elite LT, Pass Rushers, QB are usually extended by the team that drafted them.
     
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  19. FJF

    FJF 2018 MVP Joe Namath Award Winner

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    That’s right, free agency is for filling holes, the draft is for acquiring talent.
     
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  20. BacktoQueens

    BacktoQueens Well-Known Member

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    FA doesn't necessarily mean top or elite players, sometimes you gotta sign journeymen, reclamation projects, or even make trades.

    But you can't head into a draft with no answers at all for a position. That's when teams start reaching and veering from acquiring the best talent.
     

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