Just going to bump this because it's looking to be more and more true. Hopefully Quinnen Williams takes a big step and can push the pocket and open things up.
Even if he does, one interior pass rusher is not enough unless we're talking about Aaron Donald. Which we're not.
You're right. But teams still manufacture a pass rush without good pass rushers. A cover zero house blitz isn't the only effective way to do. Makes it a lot harder though, unfortunately. And we haven't had a consistent pass rush since Rex was doing that (and some glimpses of it under Bowles).
Well, you need good cover guys if you're going to manufacture pressure. If you want to take a bunch of meh cover guys and implement a blitz heavy, exotic zone coverage scheme to mask deficiencies on the edge and in coverage, you are one cocky defensive coordinator if you think you're going to have a top 16 defense. I'm not saying it's impossible but that has got to be one of the most challenging things you can possibly ask for a defense, they have to be incredibly well coached. When Rex manufactured pressure he had Revis and/or Cromartie for the majority of it.
For sure. However, you can be a good zone pressure defense without elite cover guys. You just have to hope your coordinator is a good gambler and ready to coach his ass off. The Jim Johnson Eagles defenses come to mind. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/phi/2006.htm Minus Brian Dawkins (which granted, is a huge minus), this defense doesn't look that different than there's. Dom Capers had some good ones through the years including the Packers championship run. Wade Phillips with rookie JJ Watt (5.5 sacks). https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/htx/2011.htm I think what gives us a unique chance at being an above average defense is that we have a really really good group of no-name run stoppers, a good slot corner and a mix and match trio of three good safeties (assuming Davis will be in the mix). If the run defense is as good as it was last year, we will have a lot of flexibility on 3rd down. Think about how crazy this is. We were routinely crushing opposing running games in 4-2-5 alignments. That's with Jamal Adams on the field, but it was really stopped by good edge setters and interior defensive lineman bullying opposing lines. By the way - I think I'm a little bit overly optimistic.
There are just so many caveats to these examples. But in terms of the Jets D this year, people are talking up Maye (yourself included) and while he looks like he could flourish in his role, he will not be effective in the same way Adams was. Adams made tackles in space very few players make, between the instincts, decisiveness, closing speed, and technique, that's a huge loss to the zone pressure scheme they ran last year. He was able to attack the flats, and blow up screens, and get to the edge so well... That's not even looking at the pressures. I think Maye will be good but he's not going to replicate that level of effectiveness, I mean in the Eagles example Dawkins has 4 picks, 14 passes defensed, 5 forced fumbles, and 98 tackles. In your Texans example, they had rookie Watt, but they also had a bunch of other very good players. -Brian Cushing -Antonio Smith -Johnathan Joseph -DeMeco Ryans -Glover Quinn -Mario Williams (5 Sacks in only 5 Games)
The difference is that those teams had better playmakers in the back 7, but those teams didn't have the luxury of stopping the run with 6 in the box like we did last year. Very few teams ever have that luxury. I think I'm a little overconfident in the defense minus Adams. I just think the corners are better, the inside linebackers will be better, the outside linebackers really can only get better in terms of pass rush (although still not good) and if Q grows the defense will be above average again.
8 DL and 6 OLBs is a little nuts, especially when they only kept 8 OL, 5 CBs, and 3 Ss. Hopefully, at least 1-2 of those OLBs and another 1-2 of the DL will be replaced by another CB or two, another S, another WR (Hakeem Butler), and maybe another TE.
According to Costello on the Jets official site: They also have placed Cameron Clark, Patrick Onwuasor, Jeff Smith, Vyncint Smith and Jabari Zuniga on IR. They are eligible to return after 3 weeks. #nyj Costello notes that these moves leave the Jets roster at 52.
It occurs to me that the Jets might be able to use a special teams kick returner/gunner at this point.
Fixed. Also I believe the roster is at 51? Unless I’m missing someone else. Edit: Missed Matthias Farley
I have to believe there are a lot more moves coming over the next week. 4 tightends? 8 defensive lineman for 3 spots, 6 outside linebackers for two spots. Glad we moved up to 9 offensive lineman and a fourth safety. The fourth safety will be important for special teams.
Yes, this is a defense-heavy roster. By the way, we now only have 8 OL, as the Clark IR leaves us with the starters, Edoga, McDermott, and Andrews.
I think the DL will have a heavy rotation. I also think we may see 4 true DL on Nickel package a bit this year rather than what was essentially a 2-4-5 nickel they ran most of last year. I think when Zuniga gets back he may be a designated pass rusher for 3rd downs as well.
I'm not sure about that. Who are the edge setters in this group of defensive lineman? I wouldn't trust any of them to stretch out to make sure no one gets outside of them. Jenkins and Basham did such a good job of doing so last year that it funneled everything back to the inside linebackers running down hill (who ran free because of the hogs in front of them). I expect we'll cut one or two of these defensive lineman (maybe they're trying to move one for a conditional pick?).
Yes, none of us can be sure at this point that any of the linemen have the ability to set the edge. But two possibilities for edge setters might be Phillips and/or Willis. Phillips was timed with 4.68 speed at his pro day and Willis was timed at 4.52 at the Combine.
