Schedule, Schmedule

I saw a headline on NFL.com about the Jets having the toughest schedule.

I understand that perception.

Just look at the first four weeks of October – Seattle, Pittsburgh, Arizona and Baltimore, and that is after ending September against Kansas City.

But you know what, who knows?

Yes, on paper, it looks like a bear, but it’s hard to discern right now the state of a lot of these teams when the Jets play them. We don’t know about their chemistry, health and so forth.

Like last year, when we saw the Indianapolis Colts on the Jets’ schedule, in Indianapolis, I’m sure many of us thought that was going to be a tough one for Gang Green.

But the Colts had so many injuries at cornerback and on the offensive line, they had a hard time functioning. These injuries helped the Jets a great deal in their 20-7 win.

Another example of what I’m talking about. Granted, the Washington Redskins weren’t necessarily considered a daunting opponent on the Jets’ schedule last year when it came out, but they turned into a pretty good team. The Jets had little trouble in that game, in part, because the Redskins had seven starters out due to injuries.

So often it’s not who you play, but when you play them.

Yes, the Jets’ schedule looks very tough on paper, but you know what, you just don’t know what the state of each team will be when they face them.

Same applies to the Jets.

But a couple of things the Jets better improve this year against this schedule, if all the quarterbacks they are slated to face are healthy, is their secondary play, and edge pass rushing.

Giants owner John Mara said yesterday that “We spent all this money in free agency, and we got better.”

Perhaps, but it’s hard to say that right now.

The Jets spent $150 million on secondary players last off-season, and their pass coverage really wasn’t much better in 2015 than 2014. It really wasn’t. Actually, if you want to talk about strength of schedule, the Jets patchwork, much-maligned 2014 secondary faced a much tougher schedule than the 2015 defensive backs. The Jets ended up having their NFL’s easiest schedule last year when it was all said-and-done.

So this is a good example of why you can’t get too crazy about how much teams improved in the off-season.

People thought the Jets were going to be outstanding in the secondary last year after all that spending, and they weren’t.

Todd Bowles, a long-time secondary coach, has got to get his fixed, facing the myriad of good QB’s on the Jets schedule, or this could be a long year in Florham Park.

And something that would help the Jets’ defensive backs is an improved pass rush coming off the edge. Not talking about the interior rush of Mo Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams, but the outside linebackers.

That is why I think, as I pointed out in Jets Confidential Magazine, Noah Spence needs to be the pick if their security department checks off on him. I think he’s going to be a double-digit sack guy.

April 14, 2016

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