http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2012/07/laron_landry_practices_for_fir.html I expect him and Bell to improve this defense immediately.
I'm sure i'll get bashed for this since I'm a Bills fan..........but with more teams using the spread w/ a pass first offense........how does having 2 safety's who's weaknesses are in pass coverage make your defense better? In run defense I think they will make your defense alot better, but in pass defense not so much.
Staying healthy is the only problem and they do seem to be wrapping him in cotton wool at the moment. I just hope he makes it to the regular season in a healthy state.
Well Bills fans to answer your guestion, if you watched any of our games last year the TE's killed us. We had no coverage what so ever and were being picked apart. SO if YEM and LaRon can help in that area,, I consider it an upgrade from last year.. Sometime had to be done,, But of course they have to stay heathly. Go Jets
You ask a valid question, a lot of us have been asking the same question for a while. I'm pro-Landry and pro-Bell but I know Eric Smith sucks at covering and neither Landry nor Bell is really adept at it either.
I'm as guilty as the next Jet fan, of seeing our defense's potential from a fan's biased perspective, but if Landry can stay healthy, this defense will be the best in football.
We have one of the best trio of cornerbacks in the league to help with passing. Our main problem has been the in-between and tight ends. If we can take away the TE passes or limit them, that forces the offenses to go against our strength. I think the whole offseason focus has been to get teams to take out the middle of the field (with Davis, Bell, and Landry) and force QBs to look at their prime WR, and then reduce their check down options with the pass rush. In an ideal world, would love to have a safety that can cover WRs, but I think, we needed a physical presence to offset what we lacked last year, which was being able to physically matchup against TE with size and speed.
The TEs and WRs will be very cautious and be on running routes on egg shells knowing damn well they are going to get leveled by Landry and/or Bell who can bring it, unlike Smith and Leonhard.
Both safeties are weak in pass coverages, but the Jets had one of the worst safety combinations in the NFL last year. Landry and Bell will help the defense as they are an improvement over what they had, but I do wonder if Leonard will be missed, he was the "quarterback' of their defense, no?
The Ravens let Leonhard go for a reason. He played his heart and soul out here but its time to move on.
I think it's less about the actual coverage of the pass with Landry, and more with the semi-conscious, writhing tight end that Landry just blew up after he made a catch over the middle. That's not just tough talk, either. I really think Rex is going to use Landry as a nuclear deterrent to passing over the middle - like, you don't stay standing on Landry Atoll compared to not throwing on Revis Island.
I think Rex's scheming with Landry and Bell will be vital. Neither is much of an improvement in coverage, but they both bring other positives to the table. Then again, it seems anyone is an improvement over Smith.
The answer will come to you when Stevie Johnson is laying in a crumpled fetal position between the hash marks week #1 and LaRon Landry is charged with attempted murder of a smurf. edit: until then, feel free to troll.
Bell has some prett decent lateral Speed and will most likly be playing the FS spot over Landry to boot. Watch some of his highlights he is pretty nice in center field
I've seen Eric Smith make plenty of big hits. It didn't seem to scare any of the receivers running routes near him last season. We will just have to wait and see if the intimidation factor that you speak of is enough to slow down offenses.
Landry had a good season under Gregg Williams in a similar style defense to RRs. If he's healthy, that's the kind of season I'm expecting from Landry.
Landry has incredible speed and is underrated as a pass coverage guy. Obviously its hard to tell how the injuries will impact this. But as mentioned these guys are both pro-typical SS, and both way better than any safety on the roster last year. So when you have two safeties like this you can afford to have 3 corners on the field more often (making you less liable against the run in a dime or nickle package). And since these guys can both tackle as well as cover (albeit not as good as tackle) it allows Rex to disguise coverages and blitzs much better, all the while letting our defenses greatest strength, its corners, shine.
I've watched Landry play the Cowboys many times and he always seemed to be pretty good in coverage while delivering killer hits on the receiver. He is definitely NOT slow. My only concern (as with all of us) is his health. If he stays on the field I think we'll see the best safety play by a Jet in years.
