Content available exclusively for subscribers
On Thursday, Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was asked about the team’s porous run defense in the team’s loss to San Francisco on Monday. They gave up 180 yards, including 147 to backup running back Jordan Mason filling in for injured Christian McCaffrey.
“We weren’t setting the edges that we’re accustomed to around here,” Ulbrich said.
I don’t want to be disrespectful here, because I have tremendous respect for Ulbrich, who is a high-quality person, but they often didn’t set great edges last season.
If they want to set better edges, they are going to have make some changes.
You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.
I’m not going to be critical of the player, because I’m not privy to the playbook, but last year, and this year, defensive end Michael Clemons often made inside moves on offensive tackles, allowing runners to take the corner on his side.
The reason I won’t be critical of this is because I don’t know what he’s being asked to do. Maybe that is his assignment. I have no idea. Maybe he does it to free up somebody else to make a tackle. It happens all the time, and it doesn’t look right to me when I see it, but I can’t rip him because maybe that is a scheme thing.
They should be better against the run this week because of the opponent, but perhaps some scheme and lineup changes are needed, and I’m not talking about Clemons right now, until I find out whether he crashing inside leaving the edge open on his own, or that is what he’s being asked to do. How can I call for a player to be replaced for doing something, if he’s being asked to do it? . . .
Speaking of run defense, Jets hard-hitting linebacker Quincy Williams, finished with just six tackles in San Francisco. While I don’t subscribe to the analytics site Pro Football Focus (PFF), I did read a report on the internet that he got a high grade for his work against San Francisco.
He did some nice things in coverage, including an outstanding PD in the first quarter on a pass to wide receiver Deebo Samuel over the middle.
But one reason I don’t subscribe to PFF, or hang my hat on their ratings, is I don’t know how the sausage is made.
The Jets’ run defense was terrible in San Francisco. This player is known as a terrific run defender, but he finished with six tackles (five solo and one assisted). Safety Tony Adams led the Jets in tackles with 12, which means a lot of plays were getting past the first two levels of defense, including the linebackers.
My issue with PFF is I don’t know things like, what do they say about guys struggling to get off blocks or taking bad angles on running plays. I’m not talking about missed tackles.
One issue for Williams, and it’s not his fault, is he’s 5-11, 225, and sometimes offensive linemen, who outweigh him by 100 pounds, get to the second level, and it’s hard for him to stack and shed, so he either gets engulfed by the blocker, or he tries to run around the block, sometimes putting himself of position . . .
One matchup to keep an eye on in the Jets is Aaron Rodgers against Dennard Wilson, the veteran quarterback against a rookie defensive coordinator. You might remember Wilson, who spent four years in Florham Park (2017-20) as a secondary coach. He’s finally getting his chance to be a defensive coordinator, and he could be very good in time, but this is just his second regular season game handling the job. Last week his defense played fair well last week against Chicago, but that was against a rookie QB Caleb Williams who is learning on the job and is a little overmatched right now. Talk about a 180-degree turn, going from facing a rookie QB in his first start to going against Rodgers, a future Hall-of-Famer, who is a master at reading your mail at the line. It would be surprising if Rodgers doesn’t have a big game.
September 13, 2024
Premium will return by SUNDAY at 9:30 pm (or sooner). Now we are in our in-season mode, where we will have Whispers on Sunday after games.
