Ok, here is my thing about this defense. Where is that fire? Where has the passion been this season? I mean, all around. I just do not feel like that fire and mean muggin attitude has been there like the last couple years. Even, Rex. Am I the only one that feels like Rex is more reserved this year? He hasn't been talking that intimidating game, boasting that this team can beat any team out there, etc.. I just feel like the heart and soul of this team, that strong fire that this team has had in years past, just isn't there. Everything about this team just seems out of sync. We have so much talent on both sides of the ball, I don't think anyone could deny this, it is just frustrating when the production isn't there when we all know it should be.
I don't really see all that much talent on D. yea, there's Revis, and I happen to be a Cro fan, at least in terms of keeping him being the best approach this past off season. And Harris is an above average LB, although those who think he's a Pro Bowler are stretching it. And it's early this season, but Pace is maybe the only player on the team who is playing better than last year. (I wll get to Wilson below.) As for the rest... Leonhard has not returned to form. Missed tackles. Smith is too inconsistent and prone to mental mistakes in coverage. At least he's a hard hitter. Pool doesn't do much. Strickland is awful this year. Wilson looks good sometimes, and that's an improvement over last year. But he's also inconsistent. Your nickel back is your main guy off the bench for your D, and this position is almost as important as a stater's. He's just not living up, yet, to being a first round pick. Scott is not having a good year. Westerman is good against the pass, not against the run. I like DeVito and Pouha a lot, but more for their heart than their level of talent. Dixon has done very little. Wilkerson is a rookie and has played like one. He might get better. He might not get better. Right now, he's not doing much. So after Revis, perhaps the best defensive player in the game, what do the Jets have? Not all that much,really.
Are you saying we didn't have the talent the last couple years on the defensive side of the ball then? This defense is almost identical to last years defense. My point is, with this cast of players, we know it is possible to have a top 3 defense in this league. I realize we don't have a bunch of well known names like a team like the Ravens have, but we have proven to have just as much production as them under, Rex. I think that a lot of our players are under-rated in this league. Hands down, I will stand by that all year.
Things are completely different than last year. Pass-D/rush looks better, but Run-D keeps imploding. I thought thats why garbage Eric Smith was back there to help us be more physical, instead he's must missing tackles like always.
I specifically identified some of those changes from last year. And of course the D was not really the picture of consistency last year we would like to think it was. Think of the 45-3 thrashing, or the D's inability to stop Pitt in the Champ Game's first half. Like I said Leonhard is not the same, nor is Scott. Ellis may not be lighting it on fire in NE, but as Simms mentinoed he was the Jets' best player when they beat NE in the divisional round. Can't say that about Wilkerson. Thomas is out for the season. Strickland looks worse, too. And of course the team last year was benefitting from Ryan's coaching schemes. It was obvious that NE has figured out a way to beat Ryan putting in six db's. Run the ball.
A big time D? shit I would settle for an average D at this point. This D has been dreadful for 3 out of 5 games and the two they weren't wasn't exactly against top offensive teams.I'm sick of all these excuses for the D, they need to step it up as well. The D has been bad, the O has been terrible but Jets fans can only have one scapegoat at a time. Its Shcottenheimer's turn now until he is replaced, then it will be Pettine's turn.
I'm not here to rub salt in any wounds or to gloat or anything along those lines, but what surprised me yesterday is not so much that the Patriots won and put up 30 points, but rather how they did it. This wasn't a game like early December when Brady threw the ball all over the field. They beat the Jets in the trenches, and although it was only one game, it seems that your run defense in trouble right now. This play in particular stood out: http://www.nfl.com/videos/new-england-patriots/09000d5d822f76bf Bart Scott got pushed halfway through the end zone and didn't look like he was even trying. Again, no ulterior motives here... I'd still be uneasy about any matchup with the Jets, and we'll be doing this again in a few weeks so I'm not trying to be an ass. It's just a major departure from what's been the identity of your team since RR came to town.
If anything you've understated it. Up until that last drive for the Patriots, the Jets led time of possession in the second half 11:27 to 11:09, and the margin for the Patriots for the entire game was only 27:34 - 24:53, all of 2 1/2 minutes. People are getting the causal ordering backwards - there wasn't a long last drive because time of possession favored the Patriots, time of possession favored the Patriots because of the long last drive. In my opinion the defense gets NO pass on the last drive, and if they were gassed then they're not in very good shape.
Stats are deceiving - yes TOP wasn't drastically in the chowds favor but how about some credit to the D for keeping the team in the game despite the offenses 7 three and outs against the league's worst defense? Still, the defense is off this year. The Raiders game was an abomination. The whole team is off, really, except for ST
They gave up 27 points even if you don't count the FG on the short field, and it would have been 34 if Hernandez hadn't dropped the ball (allowing Cromartie to intercept it) on the last play of the first half. That's just about what the Patriots average every game. The only reason they "kept the Jets in the game" was that despite all those 3 and outs the Jets scored 21 points. The offense doesn't get a pass here (in my opinion in particular the offensive play calling, which was horrible), but neither does the defense. You can't claim to be a bigtime defense and give up a drive like that at the end.
Look - they got to Brady, and 10 points at halftime (Hernandez DID bobble the ball, Cro picked it - that's all that counts) against the chowd offense is pretty damn good. Would have been great if the offense could have pulled their heads out of their asses so we could have taken a lead into the half. That said, the D did wet the bed 2nd half. I just disagree with people putting more emphasis on the defense's preformance as to why we lost. The only unit absolved of criticism is ST
one of my big criticisms of our D is lack of creative use of Smith/Leonard...they are not creative they do not take chances....Welker seam great example ..stop playin 30 yds deep for christs sakes! take some chances Smith should have been able to jump that route,,,,thats what brady/bb was saying about Reed... he doesnt even concern himself with a receiver hes focusing on Qb eyes and gettin ready to jump a route.
The fact to me is, even though the Defense wasn't great, they held the Patriots (the top offense in the league) in check. They put the offense in a position to take the lead multiple times in the 2nd half. The offense failed miserably each time. With the offense that they were playing against, it was a matter of time when the Patriots would stick the dagger in their heart.
Nah - Conley had some bad kicks, and the Welker punt return certainly hurt. McKnight, on the other hand, did a great job, and Kerley was fine, so the return game did well.
We don't have a big time D but if your game is D TOP is critical. The Pats have a top 5 O and a bottom 5 D. 3 and outs against a terrible D when the goal is keeping the other teams O off the field is basic Jets philosophy. If the OC can't at least sustain drives of 6 to 9 plays consistently against a bottom 5 D than our entire team philosophy is worthless.
Reed is an elite talent, can't compare our guys to him. Lets face it - We don't have a defense stocked with A level talent. We have Revis, then Harris, Cro, a bunch of solid players, some role players and a hell of a defensive coach. But this is still potentially a very good defense. What's missing is confidence, pounding the fish and then using the bye week to rest up and start anew will be the tonic we need.
