Gang Green returned to basics this week in practice following 20 missed tackles during their embarrassing 31-6 loss to the Cardinals in Week 10.
The Jets (3-7) hope they’ve solved their tackling woes before Sunday’s showdown against the Colts (4-6).
“It starts with every day, that the first form of football we all learned and the point of emphasis with the guys this week, even with the staff,” Jets defensive backs and safeties coach Marquand Manuel said. “Part of getting back to the basics is getting back to the fundamentals, being able to drive your feet on contact.
“You look at the after-contact yards that happen, taking the right angle, the proper angle, understanding where my leverage is, where my help is, getting back to those things, this entire week have been awesome. Sometimes you can get away from it during the year and that’s the biggest part of when you can look at what’s going on like a couple of other things, but the tackling is most important, so there’s been a huge emphasis.”
On Wednesday, Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich gave a tackling presentation in front of the entire team. Missed tackles have been an issue for the Jets the entire season. It has allowed opponents to extend drives and put points on the board.
As a whole, one reason for the Jets’ disappointing record is their defense, which has taken a step back from the last two seasons. Since owner Woody Johnson fired coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8, the Jets defense has allowed nearly 26 points and 350 yards per game. Also, they have only forced one turnover during that span.
Conversely, the Jets’ defense allowed 17 points and 256 yards per game and forced six turnovers in the five games before Saleh’s firing. In last Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, the Jets defense allowed five consecutive scoring drives, with three of those lasting at least 70 yards.
Ahead of this season, the Jets believed they could contend for a Super Bowl because of their stout defense. Gang Green finished in the top five in yards allowed in the last two seasons. Through 10 games, the Jets rank seventh in yards (302.3) and 10th in points allowed (21.4) allowed.
Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, who missed a key tackle on Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, said Ulbrich’s presentation was unnecessary.
“We know how to tackle,” Gardner said. “We’ve got to make the tackles. That’s really it. We’ve been doing it.
“It’s simple. We really don’t need any presentation. I know where he was coming from when he did it, but us as professional athletes, we’ve got to be able to make tackles, me included, for sure.”
The Jets defense will face another difficult task this week when they face the Colts’ two-headed rushing attack. Colts coach Shane Steichen announced on Wednesday that Anthony Richardson will return as starting quarterback after he was benched for ex-Jet Joe Flacco for the previous two games.
Richardson’s accuracy played a significant role in his benching. He is completing a league-low 44.4% of his passes and has thrown seven interceptions.
However, for most of this season, the Jets have struggled with mobile quarterbacks like Richardson. That includes last week’s game against Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who scored two rushing touchdowns.
Indianapolis also has running back Jonathan Taylor, who rushed for 114 yards in the team’s loss to the Bills in Week 10.
“He feels like a guy that is a little bit of a renaissance of the guy that he was the first couple years in the league,” Ulbrich said about Taylor. “He looks fast, he looks explosive, he doesn’t go down with arm tackles, you got to get numerous hats on him to get him down.
“It is a great challenge, they got great scheme too as far as ways to create space for him and get out in the open, so he is going to be a huge part of what they do on offense and we got to be ready for that.”
The Jets’ offense also continues to be an unmitigated disaster after Aaron Rodgers‘ return from a season-ending Achilles tear a season earlier. They rank 26th in yards (298.5) and points per game (17.7).
Rodgers’ play has also been heavily scrutinized. He passed for three second-half touchdowns in a Halloween victory against the Texans. But Gang Green failed to score a single touchdown against Arizona, and Rodgers completed 22 of 35 passes for 151 yards.
In 10 games, Rodgers has passed for 2,258 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
With all the big names the Jets have accumulated on offense — Rodgers, Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall — it is mind-blowing that they could only score six points against a Cardinals team that ranked near the bottom of the NFL defensively.
“I think that the verdict’s still not out on this season yet, but I think it’s always a challenge when they’re singing your praises or tearing it down outside the building,” Rodgers said. “It’s an important challenge.”
Rodgers doesn’t think the verdict is out on the 2024 season, but time is running out. They are two games back for the final wild card in the AFC and will have six games remaining following their bye in Week 12.
However, the Jets have lost six of their last seven games and are 1-4 since Ulbrich became the interim coach. This week, the Jets will have a new starting left tackle after Tyron Smith was ruled out due to a neck injury he suffered against the Cardinals.
That means rookie first-round pick Olu Fashanu will get his first start at left tackle. Fashanu was drafted to be the Jets’ left tackle of the future but has played at right guard and right tackle this season after injuries to Alijah Vera-Tucker and Morgan Moses.
“Olu is just one of those guys that just come in and works,” Jets left guard John Simpson told the Daily News. “It’s his rookie year, but I feel like he fit in like just one of the guys.
“A lot of people don’t realize he has played anything but left tackle. For a guy like that to be able to do what he has been able to do, it’s huge and a good thing to have on your team for sure.”
