New York Jets: 3-4 Defense not ready for takeoff
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Let me ask you guys something... If you were running a restaurant, would you have an electrician cooking the food?! Or maybe a tiler?!? Probably not, since you know it requires certain skills to be a professional cook and it requires a pro to get the best results in your kitchen. I mean everybody knows that you need certain personnel for certain jobs, especially when it's a tough job. Well, maybe you could tell Eric Mangini, his coaching staff and the New York Jets front office just that. They don't seem to be that high on fitting personnell for an important job, bringing out a stout defense every weekend. After yesterday's loss to the crosstown New York Giants, the Jets are looking at a 1-4 record and basically a wasted season.
After 5 games?!? Wasted year?!? Yes, that's how awful the Jets have looked.
While many people call for Chad Pennington's head and for youngster Kellen Clemens to take over at quaterback (which certainly would be a right move now(, the Jets have an even bigger problem, considering it is widely known that you need defense to become a contender in the National Football League. Putting the QB debate aside for a moment and looking at the defensive stats for Eric Mangini's 3-4 defense will give Jets fans nightmares.
Looking down the defensive stat lists it will take you a while until you read "New York Jets"... 27.6 points allowed per game (27th in the league), 367 yards allowed per game (28th), 67.8% opponent's pass completions (27th), Jets opponents have the best first down percentage in the entire league, 127 rushing wards allowed per game (25th) and the list goes on and on. The Jets pass rush deoesn't deserve it's name - only Carolina and New Orleans have less sacks than Gang Green. There are actually 19 NFL players right now who have more sacks than the entire Jets D. Unbelievable... and it's not like the Jets only played Super Bowl contenders every week. After facing New England in week 1, the Jets battled the Ravens (3-2), the Dolphins (0-5), the Bills (1-3) and the Giants (3-2). Definite conclusion of seeing the games and these stats: The Jets defense is freaking awful!
When we start to search for reasons it brings us back to our original thought of the electrician cooking "Filet Mignon". When Head Coach Eric Mangini took over the Jets last year, he installed the 3-4 defense in the process. A demanding scheme, the 3-4 requires certain types of players, players the Jets obviously didn't have. After the struggles of last year's D were mostly hidden by a weak schedule, enthusiastic play under a new coach or regarded as "normal" because of the switch, the Jets 2007 have to realize week after week that they aren't even close to running a capable 3-4 defense.
The secondary is playing fine (with studs like Kerry Rhodes and rookie Darelle Revis who hopefully be cornerstones of the Jets for years)and as good as you can expect them to play with no pass rush at all from the front seven. Quaterback pressure?! I would say when the Jets play a night game, the opposing quaterback has until dawn to throw his passes. The Jets just don't have any pass rushers or playmakers. What makes the 3-4 as dangerous and as successful is that the opposing QB doesn't know from which OLB he will face the pressure. Against the Jets though he knows it already before kickoff - no side will come to him! Bryan Thomas has been putrid after a contract extension and both Victor Hobson and Eric Barton aren't exactly what you call pass rushing specialists either. Without pass rushers, you won't give your secondary a chance to make plays, you won't disrupt any offense's rythmn and in the end you will give up big plays in the passing game. And if you don't feel like beating the Jets through the air, well, no problem, just pound the ball on the ground and ram it right at the Jets frontline. Actually you don't even have to "ram" that much against our beloved Gang Green. Nose Tackle Dewyane Robertson is undersized and not stout enough against the original push. He gets thrown off the ball like seals get thrown aroudn by Orcas. And just as the funny animals Drob is to small to have a chance against an Orca or in his case against two offensive linemen. The result is downhill running for the opponents until the meet one of the Jets undersized linebackers. Jonathan Vilma and his light frame are wasted in this scheme. The captain who I admire for his leadership and his talent just has no chance to be an impact player as defensive ends Kenyon Coleman (a backup signed from the Cowboys) and Shaun Ellis also struggle to hold the line of scrimmage.
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Size is the biggest problem for the Jets upfront and unfortunately one of the most deciding factors in the 3-4. The starters for the Jets defensive line (Robertson, Ellis, Coleman) weigh in at an average of 298 pounds. When we compare that to the other 3-4 teams, especially the ones who are running it successful, it becomes obvious why the Jets have trouble to get a push with just a three men line. New England (312 pounds), Dallas (305 pounds), San Diego (316 pounds) and San Francisco (308 pounds) all have heavier and stronger lines. Guys like Jamal Williams, Jason Ferguson or Vince Wilfork won't be moved at the point of attack and deliver the key to a successul 3-4 defense. The same story goes for the linebacker core - the Jets rank dead last among the 3-4 teams. The average Jets LB weighs 247 pounds, the Patriots LBs average 258 pounds, the Chargers 254 pounds, the Cowboys 257 and the Niners 253. Not to mention that you find all pro pass rushers on the other teams like DeMarcus Ware (Dallas) or Shawne Merriman (Chargers). All of these factors add up to a clicking and tough 3-4 defense... and the Jets with an undersized and overmatched one.
You can't really blame the players since most of them just aren't made for this kind of defense. Sure, they aren't playing well either yet that isn't the original problem.
That was the inability and the unwillingness of Eric Mangini and the front office to truly make the switch to the 3-4 with full force. In the summer there was a chance to upgrade and adjust the defense talent. Sure, Kenyon Coleman fits this scheme yet he was a backup his entire career. Just like David Bowens who was brought in to "provide pass rush from the outside". Good one... the only play I remember Bowens (not) making was a missed tackle on a kickoff TD against New England. Then over the course of the summer Mangini and company brought in a wave of has beens, scrubs and backups of which none really made an impact yet or will ever make one in the future. Atleast the drafted a player who will provide toughness in the middle with Michigan linebacker David Harris. He is a keeper and will clearly help the Jets in the future no matter what defense they run. Sure, I know that blind spending won't help yet the Jets have cap space and the front office has changes to make. Do everything you can for the 3-4 or give it up right away. For the first summer I will give Mangini the benefit of the doubt but next year, with a definite high draft pick as it seems and still a lot of bucks to spend, I expect the Jets to make a serious push at free agents and at rookies who fit the 3-4 perfectly. A name that immediately pops into my mind is Baltimore's Terrell Suggs. Born to play the 3-4 outside linebacker, a ferocious pass rusher, young and with experience playing the scheme. In the end the switch may require to cut the ties with prominent players such as Jonathan Vilma who just can't get used to the 3-4 and propably never will. Decisions about that need to be made, heavy decisions... not if you sign Andre Wadsworth for the minimum or something like that. Those experiments have to be over.
The Jets front office around Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini have done many good things in the last 1 and a hlaf year for the franchise. For the moment, as a fan, you should be patient with these guys just as you should be patient with most of the players. "Tangini" have earned the benfit of the doubt for now but this patience won't last forever. I will wait for a big offseason next year and I hope I won't be dissapointed... or we won't like the taste of another year of terrible Jets defense and many many losses.
