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In the second quarter, with the Jets down 21-6, they had a three and out.
On first down, journeyman defensive end L.J. Collier got by Jets right tackle Morgan Moses for a QB pressure and Aaron Rodgers had to throw the ball away. Then on third down, defensive end Jesse Luketa beat left tackle Tyron Smith for a sack to end the series.
When you two veteran bookend tackles, getting beat by a pair of middling edges, on first and third down, to ruin a series, and cause a three-and-out, you have a problem.
We are not talking about getting beat by J.J. Watt or Chandler Jones in Glendale.
Moses was also beaten by Xavier Thomas for a sack on fourth down early in the third quarter to end a Jets drive deep in Arizona territory.
Smith’s chronic back issue flared up and was replaced by Olu Fashanu in the second half . . .
You can’t just buy the highlights when evaluating a player, but every one of his plays.
Jets linebacker Quincy Williams had a sack on a blitz in the second quarter, where he sacked Kyler Murray so hard the QB’s helmet came off.
Nice play. He was unblocked. It will make all the highlights.
But putting this play on the side, he didn’t have a good game. Shortly after the sack he was called for defensive holding, giving the Cardinals a first down.
The Jets defense was a horror show, and he was too often overaggressive and overran plays against the run and pass. This happens too often.
So people need to stop looking at highlights and overhyping players based on that. Look at all the film . . .
Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing was playing checkers and the Jets defensive coaches were playing chess. The 37-year-old offensive coordinator called a masterful game, taking advantage of the Jets overaggressive nature on defense . . .
The Baltimore Ravens brought in retired coach, long-time NFL defensive coordinator Dean Pees as a consultant, when their defense was struggling early in the year.
Jets need to bring in a defensive consultant.
Spend the money.
Their defensive system is broken, and some players should not see the field anymore, but because of loyalty to the point of defiance, they still do.
Some players are starting just don’t have starter instincts . . .
After missing a tackle in the second quarter, it looked like Tony Adams was pulled because you saw Jalen Mills and Isaiah Oliver at safety the rest of the half.
Adams is probably best served as a third or fourth safety and core special teams players . . .
The Jets defensive system not only needs to be thrown in the dumpster after this season, but they need to make wholesale personnel changes.
They are too caught up in players who “strain” and run sideline to sideline, and not enough on instincts.
Whoever the coach and GM are, they need to do some major churning of their defensive roster in the offseason.
And this small quick defensive line fixation needs to go by the wayside. How many times are they going to get gashed up the middle?
While Jeff Ulbrich deserves some blame, you could argue more blame should go to Robert Saleh for the scheme and blind loyalty to certain players who should not be with the team anymore.
Sometimes I wondered if he even watched the film.
And you can’t change the scheme and roster in the middle of the season . . .
Adding two independent contracts, in the middle of the season, during a losing streak, was a bad idea.
It’s time for the Jets to let the football people make the football decisions, whether it’s the current ones or different ones.
Take a page from the KC Chiefs.
November 10, 2024
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