http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=517675 Jets must focus on improving D before QB Posted: February 14, 2009 It's a good thing the Jets brought in Rex Ryan as their head coach, considering his experience of being part of a team that leans heavily on the defense and running game to win most games. Because regardless of whomever the former Ravens defensive coordinator chooses as his first starting quarterback in New York, his best chance to succeed is with that familiar formula. That would have been the case even if Brett Favre decided against retiring, and that will be the case even if the team decides to let Brett Ratliff take most of the snaps in 2009. So in the wake of Favre's retirement, there is no need to focus every bit of offseason energy in acquiring a quarterback, whether it's by drafting, trading or signing. Instead, the emphasis of the Jets' personnel upgrades needs to be directed toward two potential strengths. With an offensive line bolstered by former Steeler Alan Faneca, the Jets enjoyed a resurgent year from Thomas Jones and finished ninth in the league in rushing offense. Both the blockers and backs will return from last season, and with the possible addition of a rookie power back to complement both the aging Jones and speedy Leon Washington, the team may be better at moving the ball on the ground this season. The defense requires significantly more attention, but it has promising parts for Ryan as he tries to re-create the elite attacking and playmaking 3-4 he had in Baltimore. If the Jets decide to spend aggressively on free agents like they did a year ago, most of their money needs to go there. Last year, the Jets were only a middle-tier defense in terms of yardage allowed and producing takeaways. They also ranked only 29th in pass defense. But on the bright side, Ryan inherits a run defense (7th in the league) that was nearly as stingy as the mighty Ravens', and a group that was pretty good at rushing the passer (7th in the league with 41 sacks). Ryan's coaching and influence alone should raise the playmaking quotient. Tackle Kris Jenkins and inside linebacker David Harris are a strong combination against the run. End Shaun Ellis and outside linebacker Calvin Pace are the Jets' best pass rushers. In the secondary, Darrelle Revis is on the verge of becoming an elite cornerback and Kerry Rhodes is a free safety who has a bit of Ed Reed in him. The team's weaknesses are at the two other linebackers and strong safety. Ryan should help 2008 first overall pick Vernon Gholston take the next big step as a top upfield defender. But the Jets need to do their best to steal one of the Ravens' free-agent inside linebackers, Ray Lewis or, more likely, Bart Scott, to play next to the promising Harris. There's also a chance that one of two Ravens' free-agent safeties, Dawan Landry or Jim Leonhard, will become available. Potential moves ? both with signings and drafting for depth ? and Ryan's coaching can turn the Jets' defense from a decent unit to one of the AFC's best overall units. Not surprisingly, "Brianball" ? the operation of offensive coordinator ? is most effective with the run setting up the pass. In addition to getting support from the defense and the running game, the Jets have other ways to make life easier on either an unproven or limited aging quarterback. Tight end Dustin Keller is a Pro Bowl-caliber security blanket, and both Washington and wide receiver Laveranues Coles can turn short catches into long gains. Whoever takes over under center must be someone who can take care of the ball well, and still have the arm to stretch the field with Jerricho Cotchery when needed. Ryan's Ravens found great success with rookie Joe Flacco balancing the roles of caretaker and playmaker, but that doesn't mean the Jets need to find their starting quarterback in the late first round. Whether it's Ratliff, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge, or an outside veteran, the Jets don't need to make a big splash at quarterback ? the way they did last offseason ? to return to the playoffs. Once they've made sure their running game will remain strong and the defense is in position to make more big plays this season, the Jets will have an easier time to find a poised quarterback who knows he doesn't need to be a constant gunslinger to win plenty of games. Vinnie Iyer is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at viyer@sportingnews.com
i agree with everything but cotchery stretching the field.he doesn't really have thatspeed.but clowney does.
that D will be better by just adding balls and not dropping 8. But it does need better players in certain spots. The QB does need to be clutch and a pure leader. If he can't throw 80 yards of his back foot fine, but he does need to be a clutch leader... the 4th qtr belongs to QBs, not defenses. Montana didn't have a cannon, but he was a clutch motherfucker and a pure leader. This team may be in good position to make a run at the playoffs, but it will be on the QB not the defense. Good QB play is a WC birth. Bad QB play is 6-8 wins. Its the most important position in all of sports.
We'll see, but I believe that the NFL is a QB driven league. Defense is an absolute must. Can't do anything without the football But in the end when you need that TD in the final 2 minutes of the game, and your team has that football, and you have to go 80 yards down the field,,,,,, It's the QB that can make plays that will make the difference between winning and losing that game.
His analysis is actually wrong. The Jets could improve to a top 10 D and then spend years trying to find the QB to put them over the top. They're much better off to go find the QB, which is by far the hard part, and then let Ryan put his defense together. They have enough pieces on the defensive side that it is not a gut rehab there. The Jets need to find their QB. The Dolphins spent the second half of the 90's and the first few years of the 00's trying to match their good defense with a good QB and failed. Denver did the same thing over the period between Elway and Cutler and they failed also. Because by the time they found Cutler the defense blew chunks.
Let us not forget this team was 8-3 and coming off 2 big wins. The D wore down in the final 5 games . Jenkiins spent more time on the bench than usual and the LB rotation didnt work out so well. Lowery was exposed at CB. Plus add the fact the D was always on the field. Defense should be a priority and does win championships but scoring points is also required as part of the game.
Good article. I agree with most of what he said. Another problem I don't think he mentioned is a lack of depth at corner - Revis is great, Lowery will probably be good enough at least, but we need at least one more decent cover man. I've said this before, but Barton isn't really a 'weakness'. With a new DC, I think he'd do well with the addition of another good LB. If we had two other starting-quality LBs, he could do wonders if we put him in the rotation as an option for pass rush. Plus he'd be a hell of a backup. I don't think he has much market value, salary-wise, so hopefully we can find a way to bring him back. Also.. we already have a QB, so of course we should focus on D. <-------------
I'd agree with that. This year of the 12 teams that made the playoffs, 9 teams had QBs drafted in the first round while the other 3 were the Cardinals with Kurt Warner, the Panthers with Delhomme, and Jackson with the Vikes. The Steelers (Big Ben), Raves (Flacco), Eagles (McNabb), Giants(Eli), Colts (Peyton), Dolphins (Pennington), Falcons (Ryan), Chargers (Rivers), and Titans (Collins) all had first round picks leading their teams. I think that says a lot about how QB oriented the NFL is.
I also agree with most things he said but I believe are #1 priority whether it be free agency or the draft is to find a viable backup for Kris Jenkins. Our season can not come to end if this guy goes down like it did last year. We also need a backup for Thomas Jones because Leon can not run the ball 22 times a game for 16 games and a freakin punter, you remember those guys, they kick the ball high and farther then 33 yards.
I don't think we need a backup so much as we need a feature or power back to split carries and eventually take a bigger role whenever we choose to unload TJ. We have an aging RB and no replacement.. we should be thinking about the future.
I am definitely in agreement with this writer. Let's say we get Scott and Leonhard. Then we need to draft a CB in the first two rounds, and pick up another in FA. I just don't think Lowery can be a man cover CB, and Ryan's defensive schemes often need two good man cover CB's. This has been my adopted strategy in several mocks I've done. CB in the first round, an RB like Donald Brown or Shon Greene in the second, and a TRUE road grader for the O line, like Herman Johnson, 6'7", 364 and can pancake ANYTHING in front of him. We will run, run and run some more. A road grader like HJ, even if he only comes in for short yardage would be near impossible to stop... Mangold wedge blocking into HJ, Woody blocking to the right, Tony Richardson leading Jones... automatic first down. We don't need a QB. We need to make this defense to be a top five, and bolster the running attack also into the top five. This was the formula that worked for Pittsburgh in 2006 with a very shaky Rothlisberger (at least he was in the SB). I believe that either Clemens or Ratliff could run that kind of offense. Flacco ran that kind of offensefor Baltimore last year, and it worked out pretty well. Clemens enters his 4th year in this offense, and Ratliff his 3rd. Now, if we could get Stafford, I'd change my tune, but Sanchez is no Stafford. High risk turnover oiented big play attack defense, a running game that can't be shut down... that's what I'm talkin about. Throw the ball after the opposing D loads up on the run... oh, to dream....
I have two words Tom Brady - 6th round draft pick This QB class has no guaranteed stars. If the RIGHT QB falls to us at the right spot grab him, but otherwise I'm fine with what we've got. We've got lots of weapons and need a competent General to lead them. What's the sense of drafting Clemmens and Ratliff and Ainge if you're not going to play them? Give them a shot.
Ditto. I would love to get rid of Coles and see our starting wideouts as Cotchery,Clowney,Stuckey, and a player to be named later either through the draft or FA.
problem is, his 'formula' lost to pitt in the playoffs. so....how should rex 'tweak' the marbles? rex will want his 'own formula', one that is different from the ravens in a good way. rex is asking himself 'ok, a strong defense with a solid running game will ge me 'close', but what else do i need to add to get me over the small hump? ben rothlesberger?' oooops, we're back to qb, sorry.
D is by far the priority. Fuck the Qb, lets get ready to smack patriots in the mouth. Here we go defense.
Most of the article I think is right on track. You make a good point on our RB situation. Even short term, one of these guys goes down, were going to have a big drop off.
Go watch the 2006 Super Bowl and tell me how that went. The QB sucked about as bad as any ever did in the big game, and Pittsburgh still won... with D and a running game.
