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Something is just not right. What is wrong with this picture?
The Jets’ defensive line is getting a lot of heat for their play this year, especially Leonard Williams and Mo Wilkerson.
A lot of people are focused on the sack totals.
I’m more focused on the run defense.
Because to me, in a 3-4 defense, most of the sacks should come from the outside linebackers.
That is way the defense is structured.
Of course the defensive linemen should get some sacks, but to me, the bigger problem is the run defense.
The Jets are getting gashed left and right. They have been ranked near the bottom of the league all season.
Former NFL offensive lineman Brian Baldinger, who works for the NFL Network, does a great job of breaking down plays on twitter.
He showed a play on twitter, from the Jets-New England, where Wilkerson was pancaked by Patriots guard Shaq Mason on a successful run by James White off right guard. Mason is a squatty guard, like 6-1, 300 pounds. The 6-4, 315-pound Wilkerson shouldn’t be getting pancaked by a guy like this.
“Wilkerson was invisible on Sunday,” Baldinger tweeted.
And also, Wilkerson is constantly being handled by one blocker; he used to command a lot more double-teams.
Baldinger said the key to good run defense by a defensive lineman, “starts with the REFUSAL to stay blocked.”
Wilkerson is staying blocked way too often, and it doesn’t seem like he’s making the same kind of effort as he used to get off the blocks.
Baldinger made an explosive allegation in the New York Post today.
“Muhammad Wilkerson is not interested in playing,” Baldinger said.
Wow. The Jets are paying him $17 million-a-year.
I felt that contract was a mistake at the time, and I wrote about it quite a bit in the premium section.
The problem for me with the contract was the timing of it.
The Jets gave Wilkerson that deal before he was 100 percent healthy from the broken leg suffered in the 2015 season-finale.
How do you give a player a 5-year deal for $86 million with $53.5 million guaranteed, before he has proven that he can be the same player as before coming off a horrific broken leg.
That made ZERO sense?
Not sure what Mike Maccagnan was thinking there.
Hey, the broken leg was a bad break for Wilkerson, but it happened, and you really should wait to see if he can recapture his past glory before you give him a long-term deal.
And last year the leg impacted his performance most of last season.
Now he is reportedly has a shoulder problem that’s hindering him.
Right after the Jets drafted Wilkerson out of Temple, Rex Ryan challenged his motor saying something to the effect,
“None of this every other down stuff Muhammad.”
Perhaps this concern about his motor is rearing it’s head again.
“Muhammad Wilkerson is not interested in playing,” Baldinger told the New York Post today.
Wow!
If that is true, what a colossal waste of money.
As for Leonard Williams, while he hasn’t been much better, I think he’s been okay. Early in the year he had a painful wrist injury that hurt his ability to shed blocks. I think he’s playing better now.
Also, I think the fact that Wilkerson can be handled by a single block is leading to more doubles for Leonard.
The Jets tried to work in Ed Stinson the other day, and he didn’t have a good game. Stinson was a good run defender in Arizona. I think he’s rusty. He was out all of training camp in Arizona with an injury. He was waived/injured in September, and joined the Jets, He hasn’t played football in a while.
The Jets need to fix this run defense. That is an understatement.
October 17, 2017
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