Content available exclusively for subscribers
This would have been a bad match-up if they were healthy in the regular season, or if they faced them as a healthy group in the playoffs. And it points to two areas the Jets need to improve . . .
When the Jets played the New England in December, the Patriots were without both starting receivers (Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola), both starting safeties (Eugune Chung and Devin McCourty), starting guard Josh Kline (they had to start two rookie guards). Then they lost starting left tackle Sebastian Vollmer in the first quarter.
With all this, and the Jets being at home to boot, Gang Green needed overtime to beat New England.
Guess what – all these players are expected back for the Patriots-Kansas City playoff game this Saturday.
What is my point?
If the Jets had advanced to the playoffs, and had to face the Patriots, in Foxboro, they probably would have taken a beating.
And honestly, if all these players played in Week 16, the Jets likely would have lost.
The Jets benefited a great deal from the Patriots keeping myriad players out of Week 16.
As Miami did in Week 17.
Anybody who thinks the Patriots lost some momentum losing their final two regulars season games is delusional.
Bill Belichick finally learned his lesson.
After years of playing a lot of starters in late season games with a playoff slot locked up, he took a very conservative approach this year. Any player with any sort of malady was scratched.
With all these players back, there is a very good chance the Patriots run away with the AFC title.
My point is the Jets are still far behind the Patriots. Don’t let that Week 16 win fool you.
With Amendola and Edelman back, the Jets suspect secondary, yes suspect, would have had a really hard time in Foxboro.
And compounding matters is the Jets lack of a dynamic edge pass rusher.
In a way, the Jets wasted their great defensive line play in one regard. When you have guys like Mo Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams taking up double teams, if they had a Tamba Hali-type coming off the edge from an outside linebacker spot, that player would likely be a sack machine.
The fact that the Chiefs have Hali, Dee Ford and Justin Houston, gives them a puncher’s chance to hang around with New England.
The Jets two big weaknesses on defense play right into the hands of the Patriots, when they are healthy – the lack of edge pass rushers and the speed of their starting corners.
These are two things Mr. Coffee needs to spend time fixing this off-season (along with the special teams).
They need to draft a big-time pass rusher in the first round like Clemson’s Shaq Lawson or Oklahoma State’s Manny Ogbah, and they need to get faster at starting corner.
I’d move Darrelle Revis to safety (like the Packers did with Charles Woodson), and make sure all the corners are quick and speedy players. If you noticed, the Jets just signed street free agent Kendall James who ran a 4.29 at the 2014 combine. He was a sixth round pick of the Minnesota Vikings last year.
I’m not saying he’s a starting candidate, but Todd Bowles talked about getting faster, and this was the first player they signed off the street after the season.
Buster Skrine runs 4.3. Dee Milliner (who obviously needs to stay healthy) also runs around 4.3.
They need that room to be loaded with guys who can run (and obviously cover also). The Jets lack of speed at the starting cornerbacks positions really hurt them this year. This can’t be sugar-coated.
And the speed problem also applied to the outside linebacker spots.
January 11, 2016
Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Tuesday
