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Led by Shaun Ellis, who was superb, the Jets’ Front Seven had a terrific game in Foxboro. Bart Scott was kind of quiet with just two tackles, but overall the group deserves a great deal of credit.
Ellis played one of the best game of his 11-year career. The Jets played a covearge approach most of this game, often just rushing three, and Ellis got consistent pressure, even though he was often dealing with double teams.
On the first play of the Patriots’ second possession, Ellis blew by guard Dan Connolly, and sacked Tom Brady.
On that same series, Danny Woodhead scooted by Trevor Pryce for a gain of five up the middle. Pryce is a bad defensive line matchup for Woodhead because he’s about a foot taller than him, and has really long legs, so it’s hard for him to deal with the runner’s low center of gravity.
Mike DeVito is one of those players whose performance can’t always be analyzed based on his stats. An example of this was on the first drive of the second half. DeVito shed a blocker, and got into the backfield blowing up a Green-Ellis’ run. He didn’t make the tackle, but he put Bart Scott in a great position to do so. The play lost one. This play was more DeVito’s doing that Scott’s.
DeVito caused a fourth quarter fumble on Woodhead, but it was recovered by New England G Logan Mankins.
Ellis had two outstanding plays in a row on a late third quarter drive. First, on the play after TE Rob Gronkowski’s 37-yard reception, Ellis stopped a Woodhead rushing attempt on the line. Then on the next play, he steamrolled Woodhead, attempting to block him, and this forced Brady to throw the ball away.
More great plays by Ellis. In the middle of the fourth, he blew by Connolly again, and stopped Woodhead for no gain. Aside from torching Connolly on this play, Ellis did a great job of bending his knees and staying real low to take to deal with the squatty Woodhead.
On the next play, Ellis beat Connolly again, and got into Brady’s face, and the quarterback got out of Shaun’s way, but ran into the arms of Sione Pouha. Ellis created this mess, and Pouha cleaned it up.
Of all of Ellis’ outstanding plays, the one that stands out the most to me was late in the first half. He displayed an indomitable will, shedding the double team of Connolly and center Dan Koppen, and sacked Brady, forcing a field goal.
Now on to the linebackers.
David Harris had a terrific game, but didn’t get off to a great start. On a swing pass to Woodhead on the left side, Harris missed a tackle early in the catch-and-run that ended up gaining 19. But obviously he made up for himself later in the drive with his pick and long return, but I’m shocked that he was caught from behind by a 33-year-old tight end Alge Crumper, who weighs 275 pounds and has had knee issues. The Jets ended up not scoring.
On the Pats’ second drive, Harris was called for a facemask on Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis on a running play.
In the middle of the Pats’ second drive, Calvin Pace missed a tackle around the line on a Green-Ellis gain of eight on the right side.
On the Pats’ first series, the Jets got caught in a scenario they like to avoid – Jason Taylor covering a tight end. Rob Gronkowski caught a short pass on the left side, and then juked the linebacker with a move, and gained nine yards on this third-and-three play. A big reason Taylor was forced into coverage on this play was two corners blitzed –Drew Coleman and Marquis Cole.
Scott was almost a non-factor. He finished with two tackles. We mentioned that play before that was mostly DeVito’s doing. Then late in the third quarter, on a Pats’ TD drive, he missed a tackle on a gain of 10 by Green-Ellis. DeVito also missed a tackle on this play.
Pace had a solid game. We have been critical of him for not getting enough sacks where he beats his man to get to the quarterback. Well to his credit, he did just that in the third quarter. He made a great move on Crumpler, and hit Brady, causing a fumble that the Pats recovered.
Pace had an underrated play in the middle of the second quarter. Crumpler was wide open for a reception on the left side. He could have gone a long way on this play, but Pace dove at his legs and made a shoestring tackle, and the play only gained nine. It could have been a lot worse.
Josh Mauga and Jamaal Westerman each had terrific special teams’ tackles. Westerman rocked Brandon Tate in his tracks on the 19, on a fourth quarter kick return. Mauga (and Steve Weatherford) might have saved a touchdown on a long fourth quarter punt return by Justin Edelman.
Overview – Bart Scott needs to make more plays for $8 million a year. If the Jets Front Seven can play this well against New England, they should be able to make even more happen against Pittsburgh. The Steelers offensive line is not very good. Like he beat up on Connolly, Ellis should be to also have his way with Steelers’ right guard Ramon Foster.
