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The inside linebacker tandem of Bart Scott and David Harris was outstanding in the Jets loss to Green Bay. Here is Dan’s breakdown of the Front Seven . . .
On Brandon Jackson’s second carry, on the first series, Scott strung out the runner to the right side and it went nowhere. He couldn’t get by Scott. A Scott pressure helped cause an incompletion in the end zone to Jordy Nelson late in the first quarter, and then stopped Jackson on a short pass after a short gain two plays later. Late in the second quarter, Aaron Rogers rolled left, and Scott hit him as he was throwing, causing an incompletion. Scott’s best run play was late in the third quarter when he shot into the backfield and stopped Kuhn for a loss of two.
On the play after the Brad Smith second quarter fumble, Bryan Thomas jumped off-sides. Thomas did a good job holding his ground on a play that Rogers rolled left in the middle of the fourth quarter. Thomas didn’t fall for the pump fake, kept his position in front of Rogers, and the quarterback was forced to throw the ball away.
Jason Taylor had two nice plays in a row in the middle of the second quarter. First he blew up a running play in the backfield, allowing Drew Coleman to stop John Kuhn after a short gain. Then he stopped Brandon Jackson after just a gain of two on the next play.
A blitzing David Harris blew by RT Bryan Buluga for a quarterback pressure and incompletion to end a middle second quarter drive. Harris also had a second quarter sack of Rogers. It was on a delayed blitz up the middle. He pretended he was doing to play coverage for a split second, and then rushed up the middle to sack the signal-caller. Harris led the Jets with nine tackles.
Calvin Pace had a QB pressure forcing a throwaway on the second possession – not to take anything away from Pace, but he was unblocked on this play. He also stopped Jackson, on the line, at the four minute mark, to force a punt.
Sione Pouha stopped Jackson on the line on his first carry.
On the Packers second possession, Shaun Ellis stood up Kuhn on a right side, stopping the big runner around the line. Ellis had a QB pressure helping force a Packer field goal late first (an incomplete pass in the end zone). Ellis showed great hustle and instincts, snuffing out a sweep to Kuhn after just a gain of one, early in the second.
Late in the second quarter, Mike DeVito shed Bulaga and stopped Jackson on the line.
