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Florham Park – A website posed this question:
“What are the biggest threats to the Jets’ winning streak?”
My answer is simple – the lack of a consistent pass rush, and within the framework of that problem, the lack of a game-wrecking pass rusher coming off the edge.
As I mentioned earlier in the week, one of the most amazing things about the Jets’ defensive domination of the Oakland Raiders was it took place with very little pass rush.
Not sure that’s going to cut it every week.
Putting an occasional defensive back or linebacker blitz aside, what will the group pictured above do in Cincinnati?
The Jets need a lot more from their edge rush, and on the interior, the Jets need Quinnen Williams to do more than the dirty work he’s reportedly doing. They need him to become more of a force as an interior rusher. That is a big reason why he was drafted.
The Jets had just one sack against Oakland, and I asked Gregg Williams today how impressive was it that his defense was so dominant without a great pass rush. As you can imagine, he didn’t agree with the premise.
“When you say we didn’t have a dominating pass rush, do you guys ever time to see how fast the quarterback is getting rid of (the ball)? It’s pretty good, pretty quick. Would you say, “How far are they throwing the ball down the field? How many times do they throw the ball down the field?” Which means, you get a chance to hold the ball very long. Our guys, even times when there isn’t maybe a sack production, there’s a hit and the ball is out of the quarterback’s hands because he’s blocking free runners,” Williams said . . .
The Jets have three guys who provided them with good intel on the Cincinnati in O-Line coach Frank Pollack, defensive end Jordan Willis and practice squad wide receiver Josh Malone who all spent time with the Bengals.
Pollack, the former Bengals’ offensive line coach, provided great insight to his Jets O-Linemen on the skill sets of the Cincinnati defensive linemen.
The big challenge for the Jets’ interior offensive linemen will be Geno Atkins, who has 75 sacks during his 10-year NFL career.
Willis also had some great insight on Atkins for his fellow Jets D-Linemen.
“First of all, when you play against Geno, I don’t think a lot of people know what he’s going to do to them,” Willis said. “He is unique in his own way. He will come off the ball, and if he shows that he’s getting ready to power you, he’s going to [shoot into gaps], if you shows he’s getting ready to [shoot into gaps], he will power you, and that is his combination that he works with that has gotten him 70 something snaps. That’s been his combination throughout his entire career, and some guys don’t catch on to it because they get aggressive with him, but the more aggressive you are with him, it plays into his pass rushing plan because as big as he is, you think he’s going to power you, he will [out-quick] you – that is what makes him unique.”
The Jets switched to veteran Andy Dalton this week, after starting Ryan Finley the last month. I asked Malone who has the stronger arm – Dalton or Finley.
“I think Finley’s arm is a little stronger, but Andy is more accurate,” Malone said.
I also asked Willis what the return of left tackle Cordy Glenn will do for their offense.
“[Glenn] will protect the quarterbacks backside better than the guys they had in there.”
November 29, 2019
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