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INDIANAPOLIS — The 2-0 Jets — yes, you read that right — and their suffocating defense get the 0-2 Eagles (and their sputtering offense) this week at MetLife Stadium.
After forcing Colts quarterback Andrew Luck to turn the ball over four times in Monday night's 20-7 win, the Jets' defenders are confident they can handle any quarterback they'll have to face.
PLUS: Why Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers likes Todd Bowles' help with play calls
The Patriots' Tom Brady awaits, down the road, standing in the way as the Jets pursue an AFC East title. But this week, the Jets get the struggling Sam Bradford — and maybe their old pal Mark Sanchez, depending on how things unfold Sunday.
If the Jets' blitzes and coverage were able to limit Luck on Monday, what will they do to Bradford on Sunday?
"It'll be hard for any quarterback," nose tackle Damon Harrison said of having to face the Jets' secondary. "I just don't see too many having a level of success against those guys. I say they're mean. That's a mean group we've got back there [in the secondary]. It'll be hard for any quarterback."
Between cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis, "you've got to pick your poison," Harrison said. "It'll be tough for any quarterback. Not just Luck."
Last season, the Jets' depleted secondary had to face a gauntlet of quarterbacks from Week 2 through Week 7 — Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady. The Jets went 0-6 in that stretch.
This season, the Jets' secondary is much better. And it won't have to face another brutal stretch of talented quarterbacks. Luck is out of the way, and Brady is still to come, twice. The only other proven quarterbacks whom the Jets are scheduled to face: Tony Romo, Ryan Tannehill (twice), and Eli Manning.
Other than that, the Jets are looking at playing Bradford, Kirk Cousins, Blake Bortles, Derek Carr, Tyrod Taylor (twice), Ryan Mallett, and Marcus Mariota.
How might inexperienced quarterbacks — and everybody in that aforementioned group is inexperienced, except Bradford — handle the blitzes that appeared to rattle Luck on Monday night? (The Jets also rattled a green quarterback in Week 1, the Browns' Johnny Manziel.)
"To get pressure in [a quarterback's] face and to get him off his spot, that rattles the best of them," Harrison said. "We were able to do that [against Luck]. The rush and the coverage worked well together. Once you get a couple hits on a quarterback, they have to now honor the rush. You have to watch the rush."
Said right guard Willie Colon: "I think the defense played absolutely out of their skulls. That's the sign of a great defense. They kept us in the game."
Rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples said he "wasn't surprised" by the Jets' success against Luck, because "we've got a great defense. We can be as great as we want to be. The sky is the limit."
The Jets' defense was solid over the past two seasons. But one major thing held the unit back.
In 2013, the Jets ranked second-to-last in the NFL with 15 takeaways. In 2014, the Jets ranked last, with 13. So far in 2015, through two games, the Jets have 10 takeaways (five in each game), including nine by the defense. Never before in their history had the Jets gained 10 turnovers in the opening two games.
They're adding up so fast, even Harrison can barely keep track.
"How many do we have now?" he asked Monday night in the locker room.
Ten, he was told by reporters.
"Wow," he said, well aware that gaining turnovers is what separates a great defense from a good defense. "Just keep 'em coming, man. You know what they say: When they come, they come in bunches. When you can't get turnovers in this league, no matter how good you are, if you can't put your offense in a better position, it's going to be tough to win."
Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/201...l_be_hard.html
After forcing Colts quarterback Andrew Luck to turn the ball over four times in Monday night's 20-7 win, the Jets' defenders are confident they can handle any quarterback they'll have to face.
PLUS: Why Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers likes Todd Bowles' help with play calls
The Patriots' Tom Brady awaits, down the road, standing in the way as the Jets pursue an AFC East title. But this week, the Jets get the struggling Sam Bradford — and maybe their old pal Mark Sanchez, depending on how things unfold Sunday.
If the Jets' blitzes and coverage were able to limit Luck on Monday, what will they do to Bradford on Sunday?
"It'll be hard for any quarterback," nose tackle Damon Harrison said of having to face the Jets' secondary. "I just don't see too many having a level of success against those guys. I say they're mean. That's a mean group we've got back there [in the secondary]. It'll be hard for any quarterback."
Between cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis, "you've got to pick your poison," Harrison said. "It'll be tough for any quarterback. Not just Luck."
Last season, the Jets' depleted secondary had to face a gauntlet of quarterbacks from Week 2 through Week 7 — Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady. The Jets went 0-6 in that stretch.
This season, the Jets' secondary is much better. And it won't have to face another brutal stretch of talented quarterbacks. Luck is out of the way, and Brady is still to come, twice. The only other proven quarterbacks whom the Jets are scheduled to face: Tony Romo, Ryan Tannehill (twice), and Eli Manning.
Other than that, the Jets are looking at playing Bradford, Kirk Cousins, Blake Bortles, Derek Carr, Tyrod Taylor (twice), Ryan Mallett, and Marcus Mariota.
How might inexperienced quarterbacks — and everybody in that aforementioned group is inexperienced, except Bradford — handle the blitzes that appeared to rattle Luck on Monday night? (The Jets also rattled a green quarterback in Week 1, the Browns' Johnny Manziel.)
"To get pressure in [a quarterback's] face and to get him off his spot, that rattles the best of them," Harrison said. "We were able to do that [against Luck]. The rush and the coverage worked well together. Once you get a couple hits on a quarterback, they have to now honor the rush. You have to watch the rush."
Said right guard Willie Colon: "I think the defense played absolutely out of their skulls. That's the sign of a great defense. They kept us in the game."
Rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples said he "wasn't surprised" by the Jets' success against Luck, because "we've got a great defense. We can be as great as we want to be. The sky is the limit."
The Jets' defense was solid over the past two seasons. But one major thing held the unit back.
In 2013, the Jets ranked second-to-last in the NFL with 15 takeaways. In 2014, the Jets ranked last, with 13. So far in 2015, through two games, the Jets have 10 takeaways (five in each game), including nine by the defense. Never before in their history had the Jets gained 10 turnovers in the opening two games.
They're adding up so fast, even Harrison can barely keep track.
"How many do we have now?" he asked Monday night in the locker room.
Ten, he was told by reporters.
"Wow," he said, well aware that gaining turnovers is what separates a great defense from a good defense. "Just keep 'em coming, man. You know what they say: When they come, they come in bunches. When you can't get turnovers in this league, no matter how good you are, if you can't put your offense in a better position, it's going to be tough to win."
Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/201...l_be_hard.html
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