The safety position should be much better this coming year. You know how to cover up a weak secondary? By having players on the front 7 that can rush the passer. This group of pass-rushers (Wilkerson, Pace, Barnes, Coples, Babin, potentially Richardson) could be the best group of rushers we've had in a while. Add to the fact that David Harris has been rushing the passer too in the pre-season games and we have a solution. We need to generate pressure much better we can't have QBs sitting there for 4+ seconds. Doesn't matter whose back there in that case.
"Likely", "appear"? Is this the argument now? I understand the concern, hell I share the concern! Don't you remember that at about this time last year it appeared that Jets will likely win less than 6 games? Can we wait until we see what's happening on the field before sending Idzik to the gallows?
Its really gonna come down to the offense performing at a decent to high level ,if they do the defense won't be an issue secondary or not
Belichek learned his Defense from Parcells, who mentored many great defensive minds in football so the Pats D will always be good. Rex has told us that he can "work around losing our CB" by reconstructing the defense. If this happens old fans like myself and father Buddy will be proud. Rex saves the D!
Nope, I just feel that the whining and constant complaining is a bit overboard. We aren't in a crisis. The sky isn't falling. We lost a depth player. This post is a perfect example. It's whining to the extreme. Dude gets injured in the pre season and all of sudden he's "made of glass" and a terrible selection despite his good recent play. You don't have to be a homer, but you also don't have to blow every bad thing out of proportion like many people do on here. It's downright childish. You don't see me proclaiming Milliner or Hill will make the pro bowl. I'm just defending those said people from the vicious attacks that fans make on them unjustly. Do you remember how bad Cromartie was last year? Milliner even graded higher than him by the end of the season. That should indicate the secondary will be improved.
The second round was not so great, either. Heh. In fact, how about that third round pick? I dunno, maybe Winters steps it up along with the rosy predictions many here make for Smith.
You made a statement which I quoted and you can't defend it. Figures. You are awful at this sort of thing.
We had pretty much the same group last year but were still in the middle of the pack w/ regards to sacks. When guys are getting wide open before the QB even gets to the top of his drop (see Cincy game last year) there's really not much the front 4-7 can do. The back end has to provide some resistance so that the front end can close on the QB. Hopefully, a healthy Barnes and Babin can provide some speed to our pass rush but ultimately if the CBs play as poorly as they did last year, I fear more of the same.
I think at least some teams, and the Jets will be facing some of them in the early part of the season, have figured out a way to more or less counter a big pass rush if the D can't play man coverage. We shall see if that is the case in the coming games, but it essentially involves using four and even five potential receivers and a quick read by the Qb, if the Qb has that kind of ability. In short the ball comes out before the pass rush gets there. Beyond that it remains to be seen whether the Jets in fact have a better pass rush this year. I tend to be optimistic about Coples in that regard, but he still has to do it on the field. It would be a big help. Barnes I am less optimistic about due to injuries. Bottom line is I don't think the Jets can rely on the pass rush to completely cover a weak set of corners. Now I happen to have liked the Pryor signing, although in hindsight I personally would have taken Dennard. But yes, he will be a big help, or should be if he can avoid getting more concussions.
Our pass-rush productivity took a huge dip when Wilkerson injured his wrist. I don't think Wilkerson had a sack in the last 4 games. Also take into account, the potential improvement of Richardson and Coples. There's a lot to be excited about in regards to the front 7. The productivity needs to be better for a full 16 games.
I share your concern, although again I am reasonably optimistic about Coples. The bolded part is what the overoptimistic do not acknowledge, though. They should.
The reason why Double A at CB has a small chance of actually working, despite not seemingly crazy on paper, is because we know he will compete at the LOS. He may lack the speed and agility to hang with WRs for long stretches but he will use his physicality to disrupt their timing w/in that first 5 yards giving the front 4-7 that extra bit of time they need to get to the QB.
I see more zone schemes in the Jets future. We should at least look to send 4 or 5 at the QB and drop the rest in coverage. That can help a little bit. If the linebackers can step up and provide better coverage (looking at Demario Davis specifically) and pass-rush ability (Coples, Barnes, Babin, Pace), I think we can off-set the injuries at the CB position. I don't know if Barnes will even make the opening day roster, but I really like Coples and I think the kid is going to have a good year - I was optimistic at the end of last year and I think he will continue that play. One thing I forgot also is generating TOs - we really need to do better in this department. Interceptions, fumbles, etc. Just need to do better as a unit. It won't be easy but it's manageable.
To steal one of BB's favorite acronyms, FTR, I do not blame Idzik for the "CB Crisis". While I may not have agreed with how Idzik addressed the position during the off-season, he did address it. Injuries would have ruined any of the preferred off-season CB choices we may have had. I thought CB was a trouble spot before the injuries and it still is now.
While the former part of your statement has to be true to be a contender, the latter is abhorrently off the mark. I don't think you want to see this Jets team having to win in shootouts. Defense wins championships. Even if this offense can erase some mistakes by the defense come playoff time it will be a huge concern. If they make it that far.
Maybe I don't know enough about football to counter this, but all other things being equal, I thought that playing a zone D in the secondary will limit your ability to rush the passer in that it makes it more difficult to blitz from the secondary. Sure, I suppose if you don't need to blitz to generate a pass rush, I suppose a plain vanilla cover 2 might be adequate in some situations. But if the opponent puts in four wideouts with a TE, or three with a TE and an RB who can catch, your DC is going to take out one or more of the lb's to go to your nickel or even dime package. If you then put your secondary into a zone D, who rushes the passer?
Good point. But it is one thing for him to play tough against a TE. It's another to depend on him being quick enough to counter top wideouts off the line.
All I would expect from Double A at CB is for him to use those gorilla length arms to jam WRs at the LOS beyond that pray the rush gets there.
