Did the Jets Take Advantage of Turnovers in 2017?

Did the Jets Take Advantage of Turnovers in 2017?
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By GangGreeninYonkers@Michael_Nania Feb 12, 2018, 12:00pm EST Share Tweet Share
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Did the Jets Take Advantage of Turnovers in 2017?
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Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
How good of a job did the Jets do in capitalizing off of opponent turnovers this past season? Let’s dive in.

TURNOVERS FORCED

The Jets recorded 11 interceptions (tied for 20th) and 9 fumble recoveries (tied for 14th), which puts their takeaway total of 20 at 20th in the league.

CAPITALIZATION

Let’s look at all drives that started with either an interception, fumble, blocked punt, or blocked field goal, discounting drives that culminated with the end of a half. The Jets had 19 of those in 2017.

• Did not record a single turnover off of an opponent turnover; one of ten teams.
• Recorded a score on 9 of 19, a 47.4% rate. That placed them at 26th in the league, with the league average at 56.4%.
• Scored a touchdown on 5 of 19, a 26.3% rate, placing them 23rd and below the league average of 32.9%.
• Punted on 9 of 19, a 47.4% rate, the 2nd highest rate in the league above a league average of 27.8%.
• Averaged 15.7 yards per drive, 2nd fewest in the league (ahead of the Giants).

How about drives off of turnovers that set them up in opponent territory?

Turnovers are great momentum-swingers, but they don’t always necessarily set the offense up in prime scoring position. Let’s narrow the field down to drives that began off of turnovers on the opponent’s side of the field. The Jets had 9 of those.

• Scored on 8 of 9, an 88.9% rate that placed them 7th in the league, above the league average of 77.7%.
• Scored a touchdown on 4 of 9, a 44.4% rate that placed them 17th in the league against a league average of 46.8%.

Clearly, the Jets’ numbers off of turnovers were much better in opponent territory. They did a pretty solid job of capitalizing when the defense put them in prime position. In fact, their only non-scoring drive off a turnover starting in opponent territory was a missed field goal.

One thing that I took away from looking at these numbers is the profound impact turnovers have. Leaguewide, the average drive resulted in a touchdown 19.9% of the time and a score 35.2% of the time. Drives starting with a turnover (the INT, fumble, BLK kick, and BLK punt filter mentioned earlier) resulted in a touchdown 32.9% of the time and a score 56.4% of the time. Sometimes they say the best offense is a good defense, and in football that tends to be true possibly more so than any other sport.

 

The above numbers are absolutely ABYSMAL. This has been the most disappointing factor probably anyone could point to. It also goes back much farther than Blowes. This was a problem that haunted Rex Ryan's tenure here as well. You're looking at a defense that is terrible with this for over 10 years now. The way I see it:

1) The CS does NOT practice stripping the ball from ball carriers. The defense, that I can easily tell, does not try to generate turnovers for the most part. The CS does not teach defenders to jump routes. They stay right where they are supposed to be or get noticed being totally OUT of position and give up big plays.

2) As an obvious result, they do NOT generate turnovers at all.

3) Even if the defense does get a turnover they almost never score with the ball. No great or even inspiring, enthusiasm generating returns, they simply go nowhere and automatically hand the ball back to the offense.

4) Even when the offense gets the ball on a turnover they almost never capitalize on their easy opportunities. That's most likely because the Jets offense is garbage. They are so sorely lacking in talent that it is pathetic.

5) The OC never gets aggressive with his play calling if he gets a free opportunity. The CS is from top to bottom more interested in "preventing loss" than "trying to win". They are all far too conservative for their own good.

All in all, and with all of the factors that I have pointed out, this is just another huge black eye for the Jets defense. Anyone who says Blowes is a defensive coach and he'll quickly perfect the defense does NOT know what they are talking about. He's been here for 3 years altogether and his defenses are still garbage. Has he even had a comparable or higher ranked defense than Rex in any year since he's been in NY? I know the last years defense was ranked like 25th in the league. yet, Mac has invested top pick after top pick on fixing Blowes defense and yet Blowes is never able to make the most of it. Why anyone supports this joke of a HC I will never know. This is probably the biggest reason why he should be fired besides his horrible win/loss record.

 

Good point. I never thought of that. But even if they were getting more sacks it wouldn't matter because they hardly ever try to strip the QB. This is something that absolutely must change and quite frankly I'm surprised most of the dingbats on this site are not talking about it much more? If the Jets defense actually got their fingers out of each others a$$es and became more on par with the league average for turnovers you would instantly see this team improve in a big way..........

 

Well, if they have been it sure as hell doesn't show on the field. It's that lack of results that tends to make you think they don't practice the fundamentals for defense.

This entire post is such jibberish. 4 picks in 3 years??? Do you even follow the Jets draft history? They've been drafting defensive players in the 1st round for over 10 years now. Yet, they have a dingbat for a HC that has the Jets D ranked 25th and the team is 5-11.

And yes, they don't get pressure on the QB. So what are you telling me? I've been talking about the Jets terrible drafting for eons now.

And Mac is just as much to blame as every other GM the Jets have had. Darron Lee sucks. Leo is an OK player. After 3 years in town and Mac drafting 3 linebackers and 2 DL the Jets defense should field some sort of decent pass rush.

 

Show me ANY HC with a record of 20-28 and I'll show you a terrible HC. Yes, it is the simplistic answer, and it's also CORRECT.

 

ANYONE who somehow thinks the HC is there to win games. ALL the good HC's in this league get aggressive when they're playing with house money. You get a turnover in the opponents territory and you try to go up top to your burner. Parcells, a GREAT HC, would always get aggressive when he got a turnover. That's how you put the opponent to bed.........

 

Foolish post and a lame attempt to explain your ridiculous point of view.

NO, I do not think the offense was going to magically perform better after a turnover. That's ridiculous. But what I do think they should be doing is getting aggressive when they generate a turnover. Once again, if you're playing with house money you bet more, or in this case go for the gusto and attempt to put the opponent out of commission.

 

Bill Bellichick got FIRED for the exact records you speak of. So, YES, Blowes should be FIRED. Perhaps he does work out in another city? WHO CARES? He got his chance in NY and he's TERRIBLE.