Content available exclusively for subscribers
We all know Robert Saleh’s favorite mantra:
“Get used to the mantra: all gas, no brake,” Saleh said at his introductory presser “When we talk about all gas and no brake, we’re not talking about effort on the field. We’re talking about the process which we do things. We’re talking about the way we prepare, the way we wake up every single morning, the way we rehab, the way we communicate, the way we speak to one another.”
It’s a great philosophy in so many ways, except for one.
And that has to do with how the Jets are playing defense.
The philosophy of the Jets’ defense, to go 100 MPH, run around and make plays, with less rules, is great on paper. However, when some players are flying around the field, sometimes a little recklessly, occasionally leaving them out of position, leading to big plays, that is an example of “all gas, not brake” being a little bit of a problem.
Sometimes with this defense, some players need to pump the breaks at times, take their foot off the gas, and stop playing out of control.
So while the “all gas, not brake” philosophy is a good one for the Jets’ program overall, on defense, they need to ride the brakes sometimes a little more and play with more discipline . . .
In talking about the Jets’ safety position today, which has been ravaged by injuries, Saleh commented on Ashtyn Davis:
“Ashtyn (Davis) is working to get his legs underneath him and get within the groove,” Saleh said.
Kind of a telling quote. Coaches often talk in code in press conferences. Most aren’t going to come out and criticize players in neon, but make you read through the lines.
Obviously, Davis missed time early this season, spending the first month of the season on the injured list rehabbing a pretty serious foot injury from late last season. He also missed the entire off-season and training camp rehabbing his foot. So it’s understandable jumping back into football after missing some much time, can be difficult in your first few games.
However, now entering his sixth game back, and his fourth 2021 start this Sunday, Davis needs to start making plays in pass coverage and Saleh knows that.
And with both of their starting safeties from the beginning of the season, Marcus Maye and LaMarcus Joyner, now out for the year, they need Davis to become more of a factor.
In 15 games, and nine starts, over his two years in the league, he has no picks and just one PD (pass defensed). That is somewhat underwhelming for a safety.
Davis is a very hard worker, has good character, and wants to be great, and now he will have the second half of the season to take that next step and start becoming more of a factor in pass coverage . . .
Rhe Jets are 13 point underdogs to Buffalo in this game, so clearly the Las Vegas oddsmakers don’t think they have much of a chance.
However, they do. I’m not making any predictions or offering any gambling tips.
And hey, they could still get blown out if Buffalo gets their act together.
However, there is an angle to this matchup that could help the Jets hang around, aside from Mike White continuing to play at a high level.
That is the fact that the Bills don’t have a good offensive line. I have mentioned this before. Seemingly, the only way this Jets’ defense can function on a decent level right now is if the other team struggles on the O-Line, because the Jets defensive line, which has a talented group of starters, can pressure the opposing QB, so he can’t consistently sit back there and pick apart the Jets’ suspect pass coverage. We saw that against Cincinnati, and we saw that against Tennessee, in the Jets’ two wins.
This Bills O-Line is bad, and is a big reason the team was upset by Jacksonville last week. Against the Jaguars they gave up four sacks and 19 QB pressures.
Just something to keep in mind, and once again, this isn’t a game prediction, just food for thought.
November 10, 2021
Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Thursday.
