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The New York Jets’ challenge this week is obviously much more significant than last week in so many areas.
A perfect example of what I’m talking about are the tight ends the Jets’ defense is going to have to deal with this week.
We all know the Jets have had issues covering tight ends the last few years.
Last week, they faced one of the least potent tight end combos in the league in Gary Barnidge and Jim Dray. Neither one of these guys is a #1 tight end. They are better suited for the #2 or #3 role.
This week, the Jets face a team with essentially two #1 tight ends – Cody Fleener and Dwayne Allen. This might be the best tight end combo in the league.
This challenge is a 180 from last week.
And it’s not like the Browns’ tight ends didn’t do anything last week. Barnidge had three catches, and would have another for a decent gain on a crossing route, if Johnny Manziel didn’t throw it behind him.
And Dray had one catch for 13 yards, but should have had two more. He managed to get open, but couldn’t come down with difficult, but catchable balls.
The Jets better have a heck of a plan to deal with these guys.
They should have a role for Jabari Lattimore. He’s clearly their best coverage linebacker . . .
Another big challenge, so different than last week, is obviously the quarterback.
And because the quarterback is obviously light years ahead of Johnny Manziel, the Jets better get a better pass rush than they got last week.
Manziel is allergic to the pocket. He feels pocket ghosts and often abandons the pocket too quickly. Andrew Luck is a great pocket passer, who hangs in the pocket and keeps his eyes down field.
The Jets’ defense did a lot of good things against the Browns, but there pass rush was pedestrian.
On the Browns’ first drive, Josh McCown had plenty of time to throw on his 10 minute drive that ended with him fumbling as he dove into the end zone. He drove the team 91 yards before the fumble.
The Jets had one sack from an outside linebacker, a position that should generate a lot of the pass rush in a 3-4 defense.
That sack came from Trevor Reilly, and it only happened because Johnny Manziel left the natural pocket, wandered right, and the outside linebacker chased him down. Reilly didn’t beat Joe Thomas, who had no idea the pocket changed, because he doesn’t have eyes in the back of his head.
While the Jets have a lot of talent on defense, they still don’t have an game-wrecker at outside linebacker. I feel like a broken record. I’ve been writing and saying this for about 10 years.
IF the Jets don’t improve their pass rush from Week One to Week Two, and Luck has all day to throw, Gang Green is going to have a hard time winning this game . . .
The Jets offensive line was outstanding against the Browns. They gave up no sacks and did some great run blocking.
Nick Mangold taught rookie nose tackle Danny Shelton a lesson or two.
It’s hard for a rookie to face a center like Mangold whose technique is textbook.
Guess what? He faces another rookie nose tackle this week – the Colts’ David Parry. The Colts also start a rookie defensive end Henry Anderson, who could be in for a long night against one of the other veterans on the Jets’ line.
Expect a big night from Chris Ivory.
September 17, 2015
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