TOJ Monday Morning Rant: New York Jets Pass Rush

Considering the disappointment of the 2011 NFL season, I find it fitting to kick off the next few weeks with a rant. Today’s topic is the New York Jets pass rush…or lack thereof.

In 2005, John Abraham had 10.5 sacks for the Jets defense. It is the last time a player on their defense has recorded double digit sacks in a single season. We are on six seasons and counting now…

We have long heard about Rex Ryan’s obsession with collecting cornerbacks. He seems to be of the belief that he can manufacture a pass rush from his blitz schemes if he is comfortable leaving the members of his secondary in man coverage. What we saw this past year was offenses caught up with what Rex was throwing at them. Blitz after blitz, not coming close to the quarterback and the pass rush not making nearly enough game changing plays.

If you are going to beat the elite quarterbacks in this league, you need to hit them. You can’t beat them with coverage, by loading up with top shelf corners. You need a pass rush that can consistently get after the quarterback and not always be aided by the blitz.

The Jets paid Calvin Pace a ton of money before the 2008 season to be this guy and despite being a pretty good all around player, he is nowhere near explosive enough to be a team’s top option as a pass rusher. In the draft, he looked to compliment him with Vernon Gholston…and we all know how that went.

Mike Tannenbaum went 0-2 prior to that season looking to substantially improve his pass rush and he appears to have been scarred from that, as the Jets have ignored pass rushers in free agency and the draft since. Four seasons have came and went. It is now time for Tannenbaum to make the pass rush his number one priority and give it another run.

There are plenty of reasons the Giants are 2-0 in the recent Conference Championship games and the Jets are 0-2 but a big one is the Giants ability to accumulate pass rushers over the years. Right now they have three (Pierre-Paul, Tuck, and Osi) who are head and shoulders above any of the Jets pass rushers. Hitting on Pierre-Paul compared to whiffing on Gholston makes a big difference.

Right now the Jets top pass rushing threat is a guy they found off the scrap heap in Aaron Maybin. He is a nice role player but considering his size and skill set, it would be foolish to rely on him as a top option.

The Jets need to seriously consider doing everything in their power to get a player like Courtney Upshaw, Melvin Ingram, or one of the other draft’s top pass rushing prospects on their roster. They also shouldn’t hesitate to add another outside linebacker who can get after the quarterback in the middle rounds to develop. In free agency, they should explore what it would take to sign Mario Williams, especially if New England is going to be after him. Williams is a long shot and if they can’t get him, they should look at adding a second tier free agent like Anthony Spencer who has long term potential.

This team can’t afford another off-season of putting the pass rush on the backburner, now is the time to aggressively pursue making a drastic improvement to it.

New York Jets: The Disappointments, Part 2

Yesterday we looked at the New York Jets players on offense who disappointed. Today we will focus on the defense and special teams. Unfortunately these two lists combine to be much longer than the players who exceeded expectations in 2011.

Bart Scott – Over his first two years with the team, Scott was praised for his ability to do the dirty work alongside David Harris at inside linebacker. He was a reliable tackler, was comfortable in Rex Ryan’s system, and a supposed leader on the team. This past season he struggled so much he was reduced to being a situational player, leading to reported dissatisfaction in the locker room from him. The Jets owe Scott about 4 million dollars in guaranteed money next year but it is still being reported that he will likely be cut.

Calvin Pace – For the amount the Jets paid Pace before the 2008 season, they aren’t getting a quality return on their investment. Pace is a pretty good three down linebacker in the Jets 3-4 system but can’t consistently get pressure on the quarterback and fails to make an impact in too many games. The Jets lack speed at linebacker and Pace is a big part of that.

Eric Smith – I think most of us did a double take when the Jets gave Smith a seemingly big contract to return as their starting safety this past year before they brought back Brodney Pool. He had always struggled in pass coverage and often look over stretched in a full time role. 2011 emphatically proved that Smith is not a capable NFL starter. Apparently, the Jets have an out on his contract and it is hard to see him back in a starting role or in any role at all next year with the team.

Jim Leonhard – It was disappointing to see Leonhard suffer a season ending injury for the second year in a row. Prior to that, he was average at best. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets brought him back on a veteran’s minimum deal to play alongside the new safety or two they bring in via the draft and free agency this year.

Antonio Cromartie – When you think about Cromartie’s 2011 season, what do you remember? I remember two muffed kicks, Miles Austin ripping the ball out of his hands for a touchdown, and Brad Smith beating him for a ridiculous touchdown catch. Outside of a big game against Jacksonville in week 2, when else did be bring the big play element to the Jets defense that he was supposed to? He settled down in coverage towards the end of the year but on the whole it wasn’t a very good season for #31.

Nick Folk – It was just an okay year for Folk who took a small step back this year and missed key short kicks against New England and the Giants.

(Very) Preliminary Thoughts On New York Jets Off-Season

At this point of the NFL season, it is still very hard to project exactly what type of direction the eliminated New York Jets will go in during the off-season. There are too many variables at play.

In terms of players, it is easy to throw around names off of free agency lists and throw darts at the board to come up with draft picks but it will take a little more time for real options to come into focus. There will be conflicting reports in the coming months about the Jets cap situation. I find a reliable source to be NYJetsCap.com, which is consistent in painting an accurate picture of where they truly stand.

As of right now, let’s look at what we know about the Jets needs in the off-season -

Offense

Right Tackle/Offensive Line Depth – The Jets depth will receive a boost if they get a healthy Robert Turner back. However, we all know they can’t get through another season with Wayne Hunter at right tackle. Based on the structure of his contract, it would be shocker if he wasn’t released. His play wasn’t up to par this year and cutting him will give the Jets some needed cap space. There are no reliable in house options as a replacement and the list of free agents isn’t particularly impressive. The Jets may be wise to bring in a stop gap veteran and draft a tackle in the second or third round to learn behind him and D’Brickashaw Ferguson. They should also bring other bargain basement free agent to provide additional depth, especially if Turner doesn’t come back.

Wide Receiver – Santonio Holmes isn’t going anywhere. It would be too much of a cap hit. He will be back as the Jets number one receiver and promising second year player Jeremy Kerley will be back as the number three. What the Jets need is a split end who can take some pressure off Holmes and create separation between the 20s, which Plaxico Burress couldn’t do. The exciting names on the market are Marques Colston, Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, and Brandon Lloyd. I don’t think the Jets will spend that kind of money however. A second tier receiver with potential to grow like Robert Meachem or Laurent Robinson could be a smarter buy, especially if he is paired with a speedy receiver in the fourth or fifth round to develop behind him.

Running Back – I don’t think anybody should be fully confident in a trio of Shonn Greene, Joe McKnight, and Bilal Powell leading the Jets run heavy, Tony Sparano approach. Matt Forte and Maurice Jones-Drew are probably pipe dreams at best but there are some other intriguing veteran options, namely Ryan Grant, Jason Snelling, Tashard Choice, Derrick Ward, and Steve Slaton. I also wouldn’t be shocked if the Jets considered adding Ronnie Brown on a veteran’s minimum deal, with Sparano now heading the offense. Mike Tannenbaum has also drafted four running backs in the past three years, so expect another one.

Quarterback – The Jets need a competent number two to push Mark Sanchez. Chad Henne is the name you will hear the most (outside of Peyton Manning, which I still say has about a 5% chance of happening), but Jason Campbell, Brady Quinn, and Dennis Dixon could be other good veteran options.

Tight End – The Jets will likely use Jeff Cumberland and Josh Baker more after they cut Matthew Mulligan but Tony Sparano may want to bring another blocking option in house.

Defense

Defensive Line – I don’t see the Jets doing much here outside of resigning Sione Pouha. There have been some rumblings about Mike DeVito potentially being cut to save money but I have hard time seeing that happen, considering how well he fits in Rex Ryan’s scheme.

Linebacker – Nobody would argue with Bart Scott or Calvin Pace being cut but the cap hit could be too much to eat. I still wouldn’t be shocked if Scott was cut regardless, but that means the Jets need an inside linebacker along with the outside linebacker they already need. I would expect the Jets first round pick to have a high probability of being an outside linebacker and maybe they can talk Bryan Thomas to coming back on a cheap deal to hold the spot while he develops. Aaron Maybin should be brought back and Jamaal Westerman is on the bubble.

Safety – The Jets probably need two new starting safeties but with all the other previously mentioned needs, how realistic is that? A few early mock drafts have them taking Mark Barron but who knows at this point? If they don’t take an outside linebacker in round one, it will likely be a safety and if they don’t take a safety in round one, they better take one in round two and then another one later in the draft. Have you seen New England’s tight ends lately? Cutting Eric Smith makes sense financially and on the field. Jim Leonhard could come back cheap to provide some veteran stability. LaRon Landry is the most exciting name on the free agent list but he could be too pricey.

Battle Of New York: Jets Passing Defense vs. Giants Passing Offense

Part three of our series breaking down the Christmas Eve match-up between the New York Jets and New York Giants, looks at the Jets passing defense versus the Giants passing offense, with featured commentary from myself, Chris Celletti, and Jeff Capellini

• Jets Rushing Offense vs Giants Rushing Defense
• Jets Passing Offense vs. Giants Passing Defense

New York Giants Passing Yards Per Game – 299.0 (3rd in the NFL)

New York Jets Passing Yards Allowed Per Game – 205.1 (7th in the NFL)

Chris Celletti: The Jets have the elite cornerback duo in the AFC in Darelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. I have been quick to bash Cromartie at times, but he’s been good this season, while Revis just goes about his business being the best corner in the league by a country mile. The Giants have a lot of talent at the wide receiver position, and coupled with Eli Manning pose one of the best aerial threats in football. It will be interesting to see how the Jets choose to match up. Does Darelle Revis take the Giants’ best receiver, Hakeem Nicks, out of the game? Or does he stick on the speedy Victor Cruz, who Eli Manning has made into one of the best number twos in the league? Cromartie has a lot of success against bigger receivers, so you could see him get some time on Nicks as well. I’d expect the Jets’ corners to rotate their matchups depending on the situation, down and distance, etc.  And then there’s always Mario Manningham, so the focus there will be on Kyle Wilson primarily in a good matchup. I give the Jets a slight, SLIGHT advantage in this matchup, with their ability to be physical at the line of scrimmage and play tight man coverage. They’ve been one of the better pass defenses all year, and they can shut down the Giants’ passing game if they play to their potential

Joe Caporoso: A terrific match-up on paper, which faces off the strength of each team. Eli Manning is having his best season and has three dangerous wide receivers. Fortunately, the Jets have been built to stop teams with talent on the outside, with the cornerback trio of Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Kyle Wilson. The Giants don’t have the tight end to take advantage of the Jets safety situation and their struggles in the middle of the field. It will be interesting to see how Rex Ryan chooses to use Revis. I would expect him to spend most of the game on Hakeem Nicks, but don’t be surprised to see him get time on Victor Cruz in certain situations, particularly on third downs. Ryan must find someway to manufacture a pass rush because Manning can carve them up with too much time in the pocket. Despite the Giants immense talent in this area, all of their receivers are prone to drops and we all know Manning throws a few head scratching passes each week.

TJ Rosenthal: The Giants passing game ranks 3rd in the NFL (200 yards) and Big Blue is 1st in the NFL in average scoring (9.6 pts) in the fourth quarter of games. The Jets defense is seventh stingiest through the air at 205 yards given up per game. Big Blue only scores 23.9 a game and the Jets average giving up 22.5 per game. What does this all mean? It means that the Jets will give up yards but as long as those yards don’t translate into points that reach the high 20′s, the Jets offense which scores at 24.2 a game in 2011, will be ok. This despite no Jim Leonhard and despite struggling to cover any tight end at all. Eli Manning has been great this season but we have a feeling that the Jets secondary will be plenty motivated to rally around Revis Island and make him proud this Saturday.

Jeff Capellini offers his opinion on the Jets offense versus the Giants defense,  as a supplement to our coverage yesterday –

I honestly believe this is where the game will be decided. From where I am typing the Giants couldn’t ask for a better opponent to try to right their many wrongs. I say this because after watching the Jets for 14 games I have come to one indisputable conclusion: they do nothing really good on offense. The Jets don’t throw deep. Their passing game is largely predictable. They don’t use LaDainian Tomlinson anywhere near enough. Dustin Keller is on every opposing defensive coordinator’s radar screen. Santonio Holmes is not the deep threat he was supposed to be and that’s not of his doing. Plaxico Burress, as we’ve seen far too often this season and also out of no fault of his own, is either ignored or forced into positions where he’s ineffective.

Make no mistake, the Jets have quick-strike capability through the air but for whatever maddening reason they opt to never use it. We keep hearing about how bad the Giants’ secondary is. Well, we probably won’t find out on Saturday because come hell or high water the Jets will not try to exploit it .How does Mark Sanchez figure into all of this? The odds are we won’t find out because offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has repeatedly refused to take the reins off his quarterback, or when he has, it’s been because the scoreboard has suggested he must. I suspect the Giants can run their base defense, send JPP after Sanchez and not have to worry about anything because until the Jets finally realize they have the weapons to be explosive, they won’t be. And don’t even get me started on the pass protection, for as long as Wayne Hunter is on the field, opponents will find a way to make Sanchez’s life miserable.

I’m equally disappointed in the running game, primarily because the Jets do not run the ball effectively off the edges. Maybe Shonn Greene isn’t built that way and Tomlinson no longer has the tools to be that player. The Jets have had their moments running up the middle and using counters, but even those seem to be sporadic. The scoreboard will dictate the approach, which is often something I disagree with outside of the final 7 minutes of a fourth quarter. Schottenheimer has had his moments of balanced play-calling, but the Jets have proven time and again this season they are not comfortable as a come-from-behind team. Their entire conservative nature is thrown all out of whack and they become prone to turnovers.

To win Saturday, the Jets have to hope the defense turns back the clock and forces Eli Manning into some turnovers, or that their schemes actually work. If this game becomes a shootout I do not like the Jets’ chances, but if they do get out to some kind of a lead I do think they have enough talent on both sides of the ball to get it from the Giants and keep it long enough.

If the Jets are somehow up 21-0 in the first half I’ll probably fall down from shock. They just have no offensive identity whatsoever. This is not to say the Giants are world-beaters. Not at all. The Jets have made their beds this season and their reluctance to adapt to how winning football is played these days is the very reason why they find themselves in the position they are in.

Did New York Jets Find Winning Formula In Time?

When the New York Jets were sitting at 5-5, it was fairly clear they would need to win their final six games to make the playoffs. When looking at their upcoming schedule, the first three games appeared to be easier than the final three games. The hope was that they could build up momentum and iron out their winning identity in time for the schedule’s difficulty picking up.

After 7 and a half quarters of mediocre football, the switch was flipped. Ever since Mark Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes on a slant and go late in the fourth quarter against Washington for the go ahead touchdown, the New York Jets have been rolling.

Are they ready to handle the daunting task of winning in Philadelphia, beating the Giants, and then finishing the season with a win in Miami?

There was plenty of talk of getting back to the “Ground and Pound” on offense but it has only become a reality in recent weeks. Shonn Greene is playing his best football since the 2009 playoffs and is looking like a complete, lead back who is ready to take 25 touches each week. LaDainian Tomlinson is healthy and ready to be a weapon on third downs and in the screen game. On top of that, Joe McKnight should be back for the final three games and is finally beginning to get acclimated as a part of the offense.

Mark Sanchez isn’t racking up gaudy statistics but he is protecting the football, making timely throws, and producing points. Over the Jets recent three game winning streak, he has accounted for nine touchdowns (seven passing, two rushing) and only one turnover. The Jets offense is averaging 33 points per game during that same span. Sanchez looks to be playing angrier the past three weeks. We saw him yelling on the sideline after tossing a game winner against Buffalo and you can see it in his press conferences, the constant torching from the media and the boos in his home stadium have him heated and that isn’t a necessarily a bad thing.

If Sanchez isn’t turning the football over, the Jets are tough to beat but more importantly the offense needs to keep up the point production. Philadelphia and the Giants are going to put up points. You can’t bank on winning those games 16-13. Rex Ryan can scheme with the best of them but this defense still has holes in it and will give up some plays. The question will be if they can force turnovers and come up with key stops late in the game.

Having a linebacker with the speed of Aaron Maybin will help against Philadelphia and you hope that Bart Scott and Calvin continued their improved play from the past two weeks. On paper, the Jets are going to have some match-up issues with both the Eagles and Giants but then again on paper they should have had issues with the Colts and Patriots this past January and we remember how that ended.

New York Jets: How To Move Forward Without Jim Leonhard

For the second year in a row, the New York Jets have lost starting safety and punt returner Jim Leonhard for the last stretch of the season. They managed to overcome his injury in 2010 and still make a run to the AFC Championship Game but replacing Leonhard will be a more difficult task this time around.

Last year, the Jets had Eric Smith, Brodney Pool, and Dwight Lowery all rolling through as Leonhard’s replacements on defense. Lowery was traded to Jacksonville before this season started, leaving the Jets with just Smith, who has been below average all year and Pool, who has been hurt most of the season. Their number three safety is currently Tracy Wilson who was just signed to the active roster two weeks ago, after the team surprisingly released Emmanuel Cook who had been with the team since last season. Basically, they have absolutely no depth behind Smith and Pool, who are question marks themselves.

The Jets will have to bring in another body, but the options are slim at this point of the year. It will be on Smith and Pool to elevate their play and stay healthy. Rex Ryan will also have to get creative and may need to move somebody like Marquice Cole over to safety in certain packages.

On special teams, the Jets have been a nightmare returning punts all season when Leonhard hasn’t been back there. Jeremy Kerley, Antonio Cromartie, and Joe McKnight have all muffed kicks. Kerley will be the primary option to replace Leonhard now and looked good yesterday, but can he be trusted in the swirling winds of Philadelphia and MetLife Stadium the next two weeks? The Jets no longer have Jerricho Cotchery to drop deep as a reliable option when a team is trying to pin them deep, so it will be on Kerley, a rookie, to assume the full responsibility of replacing Leonahrd on special teams.

Injuries are never an excuse. Every team is dealing with them at this point of the season. Now it is going to be about Pool playing to his potential in Rex Ryan’s defense as the free safety and Eric Smith handling the strong safety roll full time, without giving up too many back breaking plays. Kerley has a chance to be a great punt returner, we have seen flashes of that this season but he needs to remember that nothing exceeds the importance of avoiding turnovers.

New York Jets: Westerman Provides Shot In Arm To Linebackers

The New York Jets have missed outside linebacker Bryan Thomas since his season ending injury in week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens. It has been clear the impact Aaron Maybin has provided to the Jets. Yet, he isn’t a traditional outside linebacker and is used specifically as a pass rusher, primarily out of a sprinter’s stance on the defensive line. The carousel of players attempting to replace Thomas began with Jamaal Westerman, then moved to Josh Mauga, and most recently to Garrett McIntyre.

After failing to lock down the job in his first attempt, Westerman replaced a benched McIntyre in the base defense starting in the second half against Washington. He responded with 5 tackles, a sack, and 2 tackles for a loss. It wasn’t his first batch of impact plays in the 2011 season, as he has 3.5 sacks so far and forced a safety against New England a few weeks back.

Despite lacking size, Westerman provides much needed speed to a painfully slow linebacker group. He also looked much improved against the run in the second half versus Washington. Perhaps he realizes that if he doesn’t make an impact in these final stretch of games, he may never get the chance again to be an impact player on this defense.

Prior to the year, Ryan dubbed Westerman his DPR or “Designated Pass Rusher” but it has been Maybin who has taken over that title, literally. He was announced in the starting line-up at the Jets/Pats game as it. With likely another shot at the starting outside linebacker spot, Westerman has a chance to still develop into the impact player the coaching staff envisioned him as.

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Can Rex Ryan’s Defense Rise Up?

Despite the reputation of the New York Jets, when you look at the current roster it is pretty clear that there is more talent on the offensive side of the football than the defensive side. The success of the Jets defense in recent years has been a testament to Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine.

Right now this unit, has a good, deep defensive line rotation. One great linebacker, surrounded by a generally mediocre group around him. One great corner, surrounded by below average safeties and a wildly inconsistent starter opposite him. It is the recipe for a pretty average defense. Unfortunately, the Jets need this defense to be well above average to compensate for an inconsistent offense that doesn’t regularly play to their talent level.

For that to happen it is on Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine to get creative with their game plans. Those game plans need to be complimented by Darrelle Revis and David Harris playing to their elite level, which they have all year with the exception of Revis last week. The pass rush is going to have to keep coming from Aaron Maybin, who needs an enlarged role and from the blitzing. Unlike previous years, Jets defensive backs haven’t been racking up sacks…that needs to change down the stretch. Drew Coleman, Dwight Lowery, and James Ihedigbo combined for 9 sacks in 2010. All three are gone now and the Jets haven’t replaced that production.

The defensive line may have to pick up the slack of the linebackers. Hopefully the coaching staff will consider more 4-3 looks to take advantage of their depth up front. Bart Scott and Garrett McIntyre aren’t going to get any faster overnight but should be more effective with less reps and being reduced to situational players.

Rex loves to talk about his defense and having the reputation of being a great defensive mind in the NFL…with the sputtering Redskins, Chiefs, and Eagles coming up on the schedule, it is time to show he can get the most out of a mostly average group.

Ten Preliminary Thoughts On Jets vs. Redskins

Ten preliminary thoughts on the New York Jets/Washington Redskins week 13 match-up –

1. The Washington pass rush has the potential to give the Jets offensive line fits. They have the third most sacks in the league, led by Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan. This is the type of game that could leave Jets fans cursing Wayne Hunter yet again. However, let’s at least hope D’Brickashaw Ferguson can break out of his slump as he has struggled heavily in recent weeks against Denver and New England.

2. Fred Davis leads the Redskins in receiving and the Jets defense under Rex Ryan has struggled to stop tight ends. They must be smarter than just letting Jim Leonhard or Eric Smith single him up. It will be a long day if the coaching staff is that naive in their belief of their safety’s coverage abilities.

3. You would think Darrelle Revis will be raring for a big time comeback game. The Redskins top wide receiver is Jabar Gaffney, who actually had some success against Revis last year as a member of the Broncos.

4. LaDainian Tomlinson is expected back this Sunday. It will be interesting to see the division of carries between Shonn Greene, Joe McKnight, and Tomlinson. The Jets must get McKnight more looks, particularly in the screen game. Tomlinson should be able to spell Greene occasionally on the inside carries, especially since Greene is dealing with a rib injury.

5. Antonio Cromartie will have the opportunity to see a player just like himself on the other side of the field Sunday, with DeAngelo Hall lining up for the Redskins. Which cornerback will make the most bonehead plays…or which one will actually step up to make a play, like they are supposed to be getting paid for?

6. What quarterback isn’t going to kill their team with turnovers? I think that could end up being the deciding factor this week. We know both Rex Grossman and Mark Sanchez are capable of producing turnovers in bundles, particularly when they are going against solid defenses.

7. I don’t buy any talk of the Jets being favorites in this game or certainly of this being an “easy” win. I think this will be an ugly, low-scoring dog fight in a somewhat hostile environment. This won’t come easy and either will any other games on the Jets schedule.

8. I would like to see what the Jets can do if they avoid a killer special teams turnover. Jeremy Kerley will be back and should be splitting punt return duties with Jim Leonhard.

9. It is on Brian Schottenheimer and Sanchez to make sure Dustin Keller remains involved in the offense. If he can get on a roll, the Jets offense will be that much harder to stop. The Jets have never lost a game in which Keller has scored a touchdown.

10. I am worried about Roy Helu gashing the Jets defense on the edges and in the screen game. Calvin Pace needs a big game. Marcus Dixon and Ropati Pitoitua must step up to fill in for Mike DeVito.

New York Jets Defense Needs Immediate Improvement

The New York Jets defense, Rex Ryan’s pride and joy, has been maddeningly inconsistent this season. They dominated in the second half against San Diego, the entire Buffalo game, and then for the first 29 minutes of the New England game. Since then they were embarrassed on a two minute drive, the entire second half against the Patriots, and after handling the Tim Tebow circus for 56 minutes, laid an egg on the final drive.

There are parts of this defense seriously lacking in athleticism and speed. Bart Scott has been a major liability all season and is consistently either missing a tackle, getting knocked down or moved out of place. Calvin Pace is supposed to be the team’s top pass rusher but has 4 sacks in 10 games, 2 of which came against Miami when Matt Moore was receiving his first start and they still hadn’t won a game yet. He doesn’t disrupt the passer enough. Between the two of them and the subpar platoon at Bryan Thomas’ old spot, it has been painful at times to watch the Jets linebackers lumbering around the field.

At safety, we all know what the problem is. Rex Ryan can try to cover for him all he wants in his press conferences but Eric Smith has been terrible this season. Blowing contain on Tim Tebow’s game winning touchdown provided a nice illustration of what he has brought to the defense this year. He can’t cover. He misses too many tackles for a guy supposed to be known for his run defense and has a knack for untimely penalties. Jim Leonhard is an average player at safety, who can’t afford to be complimented by a below average player.

These are all issues the Jets will have to coach around for the rest of the season. They managed to do it last year, but can they pull it off again? A healthy Brodney Pool wouldn’t hurt. Antonio Cromartie playing with some heart and more physicality (not dancing to avoid tackles) would help as well. There are positives on the defense, namely the development of the line, Darrelle Revis, David Harris, and the growth of Kyle Wilson. Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine are good defensive minds but they need to push this unit to the next level immediately to support an increasingly incompetent offense.

The Jets have 12 upcoming quarters to feast on the fading Ryan Fitzpatrick, Rex Grossman, and Tyler Palko. Can they take advantage or will they disappoint us like they did in the final minutes of Thursday night?