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In Part I of our defensive review, we look at the Front Seven. The fact that the Jets had no sacks against New England has a lot to do with Tom Brady’s remarkable pocket presence. The run defense was outstanding.
Led by Sione Pouha, the Jets run defense very impressive. Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis ran eight times for eight yards, Kevin Faulk five times for eight yards and Stevan Ridley five times for four yards. Danny Woodhead was the only guy who had anything resembling production – running seven times for 38 yards.
On the Patriots first series, Pouha stopped Green-Ellis for a loss of two.
On the first play of the Pats second possession, Pouha blew up a Ridley rushing attempt on the line.
On the Patriots second series, Ropati Pitiotua, beat a blocker, slipping into the backfield, blowing up a Ridley run, and Jamaal Westerman was able to make the tackle. The play went for no gain. Later on that series, Mo Wilkerson and Calvin Pace (who led the Jets in tackles with seven) stopped Ridley for no gain.
The Jets defense held Tom Brady and company to field goals on these first two possessions.
On the Pats third drive, some of the defensive confusion started to rear it’s head. On the first play of this Pats possession, there was signicant confusion on what players were supposed to be on the field, and the Jets were forced to call a timeout. Marcus Dixon had his hands in the air as to say, “What is going on here?” I’m not blaming him, but he was confused as to whether they wanted him in the game or not.
The Jets got their act together, and this drive ended after four plays.
The Pats next drive, also only lasted four plays. One of the better defense plays on this drive was a real nice shed-and-stop by Wilkerson on the Pats six to stop Faulk after just a gain of one.
The Jets excellent run defense continued in the third quarter when Sione Pouha stopped Green-Ellis for no gain on the Pats first offensive play of the second half. While Sione made the tackle on this play, kudos to Mike DeVito and Wilkerson who created a wall and there was nowhwere for Green-Ellis to run on the left side, and Pouha finished the runner off. This possession was another three-and-out.
Let’s turn to the linebackers.
On the Pats first offensive play of the game, Brady threw a quick out to Aaron Hernandez in the short right flat – this should have been about a five-yard gain, but David Harris missed a tackle, and it turned into a gain of 12.
At the end of the Pats first drive, Aaron Maybin rushed up the middle, and got in Brady’s face, and this caused a near pick by Kyle Wilson on a pass on the short left side to Deion Branch.
Late in the second quarter, Jamaal Westerman forced Brady into a safety with an intentional grounding call. Westerman beat two blockers to get to Brady. First, he beat RT Sebastian Vollmer with an inside move, and then shed a block attempt by Danny Woodhead, and trapped Brady in the end zone.
There was another QB pressure by a linebacker on the same drive. On the first play of the drive, Harris blitzed, and made Brady threw it away.
On a 25-yard strike from Brady to Rob Gronkowski late in the first half, Westerman blew by LT Matt Light, and had Brady dead in the water, but the Pats QB didn’t it again, he some how slipped away (this play was reviewed regarding a possible fumble).
Maybin got to Brady in the middle of the third quarter, but Houdini got away again, and hit Gronkowski for a TD, but the play was overturned because the tight end stepped out of the end zone before the catch.
We will have Part II of our defensive reviews – a look at the secondary – by 9 PM this evening.