[LongTimeJetsFan]

The Jets defense has the same goal each year: To be No. 1 in the league.
The unit has been in the top five in each season under coach Rex Ryan, but the last time it was No. 1 was 2009. So this offseason, the coaching staff worked to simplify the playbook and “take the gray out” — in order to get back to the approach that worked so well three years ago.

“Let’s just go!” outside linebacker Calvin Pace said.

That’s not a rallying cry, it’s a way of playing. Linebacker David Harris explained it as “taking the hesitation out.” The goal is for players to play fast, which means there may be less reads on a play or less emphasis on getting into the so-called perfect call.

The defense’s offseason objective of “one step faster” is applied mentally, not just physically.

“Last year, we were a victim of thinking too much,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “Taking the gray out has allowed us to play fast. Everything we do is going to be moving fast, just like we did our first year.”

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said the coaches’ offseason project was to go through the playbook page by page, comparing the tape and the playbook drawings. He asked each position coach, “What in your area is gray? What do your players hesitate on?”

The Jets removed some calls and clarified others. Pettine said the emphasis shifted away from calls with too many moving parts.

For example, instead of a player having to read if it is run or pass, and then hit the tight end, and then rush, the Jets may use a call that asks the player to simply get to the quarterback — and maybe hit someone along the way.

They also leaned on calls that have players line up based on the left and right sides, or the field and boundary, rather than reacting to the offensive formation or where a certain player lines up. This will let the defense get set and play fast.

“Make the offense adjust to us,” Scott said. “Last year maybe we were reacting to the offense, and I think this year, we took it out. Let’s just go back to do what we do, let’s play fast and physical. And now make the offense have to speed up, because they are not getting time to read, because we’re forcing them to make a decision faster.”

Pace called it a rewind back to the methods used in 2009, after getting away from the core of Ryan and Pettine’s defense.

Of course, the personnel is much different than it was three years ago, so this defense will have its own distinct look. Pettine said the Jets took out some 3-4 calls and added in more 4-3 calls, to best utilize their personnel.
The Jets have always mixed in 4-3 looks, but now that can be achieved with 2011 first-round pick Muhammad Wilkerson and 2012 first-round pick Quinton Coples at the end positions, instead of outside linebackers.

Pettine believes the defensive line is now the “foundation” of the defense while there is some uncertainty at the outside linebacker spot, calling Bryan Thomas a “question mark” after Achilles and shoulder surgery. The Jets will follow their depth to get their best 11 players on the field, Pettine said, but their alignments will always be game-plan specific.

The Jets often used 4-3 looks during minicamp. Pettine explained “over-practicing” four-down formations was an objective this spring, since they had more experience in other packages.

But he liked what he saw and said to expect “a lot” of the 4-3 looks in training camp and the season.

“(New defensive line) coach (Karl) Dunbar had great success with the 4-3, with a four-man line in Minnesota, that’s his expertise,” Scott said. “Now we have a lot of guys that can play it, and we can be flexible in our fronts.”
Being flexible and playing fast have been hallmarks of this defense, and the Jets hope that propels them back to the No. 1 ranking this year.

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[TwoHeadedMonster]

Sounds good to me. We are thin at linebacker, so having one fewer of them on the field makes a lot of sense to me.

[Burnz]

D line will be a staple for us this year

[reverseapachemaster]

Whatever wins.

[Jake]

Coples-Pouha-Devito-Wilkerson (1st/2nd)
Maybin-Wilkerson-Coples-Pace (3rd downs)

Scott-Harris-Davis

Cro-Landry/Smith-Bell/Bush-Revis

Somethin like that. This, in addition to the 3-4 and 46 looks we can run gives us a pretty versatile D.

[REVISion]

Really excited to see what kind of havoc Wilkerson and Coples can generate this season. I cant remember the last time we had this much pass rush potential, with Maybin hopefully able to keep his weight in the 240-250 area. I like the switch to 4-3 because of our lack of linebacker depth and increased d line presence.

[LongTimeJetsFan]

Originally Posted by Jake

Coples-Pouha-Devito-Wilkerson (1st/2nd)
Maybin-Wilkerson-Coples-Pace (3rd downs)

Scott-Harris-Davis

Cro-Landry/Smith-Bell/Bush-Revis

Somethin like that. This, in addition to the 3-4 and 46 looks we can run gives us a pretty versatile D.

That 3rd down d-line has the potential to be dominant. I'm not saying it will be, but man it sounds good on paper.

[Br4dw4y5ux]

3-4 without a dominant LB was what held the Jets back in the end in the last couple of seasons. 4-3 is going to be better if they're able to find a dominant end in the process. Otherwise it's going to be the same as the 3-4, strong on scheme and eventually breaking down at the end because there's no game-breaker in the front 7.

[Zach]

Originally Posted by Br4dw4y5ux

3-4 without a dominant LB was what held the Jets back in the end in the last couple of seasons. 4-3 is going to be better if they're able to find a dominant end in the process. Otherwise it's going to be the same as the 3-4, strong on scheme and eventually breaking down at the end because there's no game-breaker in the front 7.

Jets are banking on Coples to provide the spark on this one. (With Maybin rushing from the other end.) It remains to be seen whether they can materialize into a real threat - but I like how at least they acknowledge their defense lacked claws and fangs during the past few seasons.

[Br4dw4y5ux]

Spark, shmark. Somebody on that side of the ball is going to have to step it up and get double digits sacks for next year to be any different than last year or 2010. Either that or the Jets are going to have to go back to being blitzing maniacs again coming from on all angles on most passing plays.

[Zach]

Originally Posted by Br4dw4y5ux

Spark, shmark. Somebody on that side of the ball is going to have to step it up and get double digits sacks for next year to be any different than last year or 2010. Either that or the Jets are going to have to go back to being blitzing maniacs again coming from on all angles on most passing plays.

Until Jets restock their LB/Safety spot, it's not happening - that's my two cents.

[TwoHeadedMonster]

You think Pace will be better as a 4-3 end than as an OLB?

[Jake]

Originally Posted by TwoHeadedMonster

You think Pace will be better as a 4-3 end than as an OLB?

No. But he's played it before and could put his hand in the dirt occasionally. His career so far tells us he's better in the 3-4, for whatever reason. His experience at 4-3DE will add yet another option on 3rd downs or other downs.

We have a bunch of guys on this D that can play multiple positions.

[soxxx]

Im expecting a very good defense next season. If we can finally get a pass rush, this D will be great.

[Will-I-Am-Not]

I think our defense is prepped for a monster season. Our offense just needs to be steady and productive, a la 2009 and 2010, and we should be a playoff team.

[PraisebetoRevis]

I may be wrong, or may have misunderstood the article in the way I view it but when I first read this I can't help but have thought this is an attempt to counter the no huddle that NE likes to utilize so much.

By simplifying the defense, it's easier for the on the field players to adapt without the huddle.

I'm also kind of skeptical, wasn't one of the strengths that no one knew what we were doing? I remember Brady saying in an interview during the playoff game, that he had no idea what to expect, because we were so complex and hid everything so well, he was almost paranoid because he couldn't get a finger on what was going on. This led to anxiety, and so forth. We've prided ourselves on complex blitzing schemes, I'm not sure simplfying everything is the right route to go, our weakness on defense wasn't due to over-complexity, it was due to lack of speed and talent in either our safeties (*ahem*, Eric Smith) or linebackers to block against the run on the outside.

If we were talking about the offensive side of the ball -- I'd be glad to hear that, because everyone knew Schotty was overly complex, but I never once got the feeling that the defense was over it's head in trying to understand the plays.

[Br4dw4y5ux]

Originally Posted by PraisebetoRevis

I may be wrong, or may have misunderstood the article in the way I view it but when I first read this I can't help but have thought this is an attempt to counter the no huddle that NE likes to utilize so much.

Anything that maintains the maximum number of two-way players on the field is the best antidote to the Brady no-huddle. If the Jets are playing 4 down linemen who can play both the run and the pass, as in Wilkerson, Coples, Ellis (hopefully) and Pace and backing them up with 3 linebackers who can play both ways as in Thomas, Harris and Davis (hopefully), then they're ahead of the game.

It's getting caught with Pouha, Devito and Scott on the field when Brady suddenly decides to spread it wide that is deadly. It's having Maybin and 5 or 6 DB's on the field when Brady decides to go strong. It's the fact that once the no-huddle is running Brady gets to do whatever is most effective against the Jets front.

Putting 7 guys on the field that prevent Brady from beating the personnel by a simple scheme adjustment is the best defense against the no-huddle.

[TwoHeadedMonster]

Originally Posted by PraisebetoRevis

We've prided ourselves on complex blitzing schemes, I'm not sure simplfying everything is the right route to go, our weakness on defense wasn't due to over-complexity, it was due to lack of speed and talent in either our safeties (*ahem*, Eric Smith) or linebackers to block against the run on the outside.

It would seem that the idea this year is to somewhat make up for the lack of foot speed at the linebacker position by speeding their decision making process.

i.e. If they take their first step a second earlier, it doesn't matter that the steps are a second slower than they should be?

Will that work? Who knows. Every team has to mask weakness at some position or another. I say it doesn't matter if our D plays a second faster if the simpler D means the opposing QB can make his decision a second quicker.

[ukjetsfan]

So the Jets are playing the 'Just For Men' defense?

[Footballgod214]

G-girls used a good 4-man front to beat the Pats in the SB twice in a row....can't be all bad if you got the men to pull it off.