After watching the game today in person (the entire game - see the season tix thread), it is clear to me this team is going nowhere this season. Despite all the ridiculous debates about QB, it has nothing to do with the offense. The reason this team is going nowhere is because the defense is abysmal. A very bad offense carved up the Jets today for 420 yards and Ron Brown looked like Jim Brown. This defense cannot stop the run period. A four or five yard gain on first down is a victory. The pass rush is a joke. At this rate, the Jets will finish the season with 5 sacks. The opponents have turned the ball over one whole time this year and Rhodes interception was just a horrible decision by Green today on a play when he had all the time in the world and threw into triple coverage. This defense stinks. If there is not improvement soon, this season will go down the toilet fast. It's clear to me that the CS is not coaching to the talent on this team. This team does not have 3-4 personnel. While I like Mangini, I am souring on him not coaching to the personnel. Until this team gets a nose tackle that can tie up the middle, a pash rushing DE/LB, and LBs that are built for the 3-4, the Jets should play a 4-3. Today's win was a bad win. The Jets won because of a special team TD, the Dolphins taking numerous untimely penalties on offense to stop themselves, and an opportunistic offense. If the onside kick is not recovered, that game could easily have been lost because the Jets were not stopping anyone today. Defense wins games and this defense is bad. I'd be surprised with 8 wins and it has nothing to do with QB play or the OL.
Sadly, I have to agree. I didn't think they did enough to improve the defense in the offseason, but I don't understand why it is even worse than last year.
Agreed. This defense will have to do a complete 180 if we are to even come close to the playoffs this year.
The defense looked very weak today. But switching back to the 4-3 is not an option at this point. Sorry if it isn't as effective as you might like. In time, hopefully the 3-4 will work better. But it isn't going anywhere.
The problem is, we've already started drafting/signing players who are better fits for the 3-4. - Thomas was given a long term contract to play OLB in the 3-4 - K Coleman was signed to a long term contract - Harris and Schlegel(though recently departed) were drafted as 3-4 ILB's There's just been too much money, time and additional resources put into running this 3-4 scheme. Unfortunately it doesnt look like we've developed much within it. When Mangini first came along and announced the move to a 3-4, I thought we'd see a Patriots-esque philosophy which created mis-matches and confussion for the opponent. What that meant was taking adavntage of the unique skillsets of players like Robertson, Vilma, Thomas, and Rhodes, in unique alignments, stunts, blitzes, etc. We saw SOME of this in the second half of last season. What did that result in? Success for BT, Robertson, and Rhodes, and frankly, success for the entire D and team. Instead we have gone back to a very vanilla type 3-4 alignment w/ absolutely no moving parts, nothing unique and no real thought process into taking advantage of player's strengths. Just a standard 7 or 8 man front, which totally negates Robertson's strengths and highlights his weaknesses, doesn't allow Vilma to use his speed, and makes Thomas appear lost and sow footed. We will not win any ball games defensiely w/ this type of philosophy. The only 2 teams who win this way are SD and NE(who dont need to show unique fronts and strange blitzes anymore to win), who have developed the proper front 7's over a long stretch of time, that have the Size/strength, experience, and mentality to be successful within it. A decision will need to be made this offseason. Either cut out the 3-4 entirely...or dump 2 of our best defensive talents and start from scratch. Make no mistake about it, D rob and Vilma are both capable of being VERY god players in the NFL...but they will continue to be average, like in D rob's case, or below average like in Vilma's case, within this vanilla 3-4 scheme. The only other option is to perhaps rid ourselves of Sutton and get a 3-4 DC w/ alittle more imagination who can be alot more creative w/ the front 7 looks.
Honestly, I don't think the D was that bad today. (When everything is considered together.) They were on the field the entire first half. Between a 3 and out by the offense early, and the Leon return, I think the Jets had the ball for something like 9 minutes of the first half. It's the same old story. When the D is on the field all game, they can't be expected to do it all day. Is the D Super Bowl caliber? Not at all. However, I think it's pretty decent, with the exception of our CB position. Revis is still a bit green, and there are times it really shows, and Barrett is absolute crap. Ellis finally got to a QB today, so that's a positive. And I saw Vilma all over the place this afternoon. Yeah, the D could have been better, but in a prevent defense late in the game, in a frigging library, I think they played decent. And fortunately for us, Jay Feely slide too early on the onside attempt. I think the offense has to get fired up earlier. Otherwise, the D spends far too much time on the field, and they just can't handle it. It's been that way for years.
The defense is not working because we don't have a 2 gap nose tackle. It's that simple. If we have a nose tackle who forced a double team on every play the defense would be effective. If you look at the other 3-4 teams they all start with the nose tackle. If we had a real nose tackle Vilma would not have guards on him the way he does now. The bottom line is that no inside linebacker is going to have much success taking on 320 pound guards.
Decent WOW! Barret played well today , Combined with Revis probably the only Position that today was acceptable. Take our front Seven and add them to any Roster in the NFL and the most that would start on any team is 2 , and probably not many teams with that many.
I believe last year we really made a big turnaround defensively. the last 8 games we did really well. We werent the bears or anything but we deffinately made a big turnaround. So it is possible for this defense to turn it around
I'm hoping we survive the first half of the season, and our defense has a renaissance in the second half like last year. Hoping. Otherwise, I think we are in trouble here in 2007. Maybe, when Romeo gets fired, we can hire him to replace Sutton
the d isnt good but i really dont think its nearly as horrible as people are making it seem.. it was 31-13 going into the fourth and i felt like up until that point we were pretty much in control of the game. huge collapse in the fourth made it a much closer game then it should have been.. but they did not play that poorly the entire day. but hey if the d really is that bad.. we could be in for one hell of a shootout vs the giants
Nice. The defense looked very much like this to start last season, and they turned it around. In year 2, I wouldn't expect the need to turn it around, but I'll give the D coaching staff the benefit of the doubt until they consistently show they can't turn it around. The most disappointing player I've seen on the defense this year is BT. He is nowhere to be found. I hope that fat contract didn't make him happy and content. He was a difference maker last year, and we need that out of him now.
i know this doesnt have to do with the thread that much...but did anyone think the fade to jason taylor was a bogus pass interference by erik coleman???
didn't the tuna once take the playcalling away from weis? maybe mangenius should become the defensive coordinator and let sutton go back to the lbs only.
