Well. We won't wait a lot to see what type of defense we have. Week 2 against Colts on the road at Monday Night Football. Entire country will be watching. We know Colts offense will be a powerhouse. If this defense can play competitive against Colts Offense, I will believe we have something special. Until then, I will not get my hopes up. Yes we look good on paper but let's see how it translates onto the field.
Why don't you think he will be good? I'm curious. Since you seem to be basing that on his play at Louisville rather than his play last season, what didn't you like about his play at Louisville? Is it Pryor, or is it that you didn't like/trust Idzik and/or thought the Jets should have taken a WR in the first round? I think he has the potential to be at least a solid, if not very good safety. I think that he was very good in college at Louisville. He has speed, athleticism, strength, and is a hard hitter. He was playing out of position last year as well as adapting to the NFL, plus I'm not sure what quality of coaching he received last year, and don't think Rex's system used him in the best way.
If they place him on the PUP list, he has to miss at least 6 games, right? He may not be that far away from being ready to play. I may be wrong, but if he's on that list, I don't think he's even able to practice during that time. How then could the Jets evaluate him and he have any chance to develop if he has to come in cold, out of football shape, and with no practice reps in the middle of the season.
Our defense is going to be studly, there is no doubt about it. The team chemistry this year is an interesting thing, since normally totally revamping a unit leads to poor chemistry for at least one season. However, Cromartie, Revis, Wilkerson, Pace, and Harris all played together on the Jets in the past, and Demario Davis and Quinton Coples are pretty familiar with Cro as well. We have vet leadership at each level of the defense, and tremendous talent on the defensive line. Our secondary and linebackers won't be quite at the same level as they were in 2009/2010, but our defensive line is significantly better and deeper. With the 3 man front rotation we have, our guys will be fresh all game and dominant against the run. I envision a ton of 2nd and long and 3rd and long for opposing offenses, which is when we will consistently be getting Mo, Sheldon, and Williams out there at the same time in various 4 man fronts mixing in various weakside rushers. I suspect we will be susceptible to the big time TE's, but beyond Gronk we won't face any consistently elite TE's all year. We do face Julius Thomas with Jacksonville, but I have a feeling we will be terrorizing Bortles too much for Thomas to go off on us.
Last year Fitz was having his best season ever until he got hurt. Plus he knows this offense and won't have to learn a new one.
Agreed! The Colts have added and improved an already good offense this offseason and it will be a good test.
I think Pryor may come on strong later in the year. He's an instinctive player, and he'll be in a position to succeed, and with a few weeks of real football and adjusting to Bowles particular brand of defense, I'm confident in his ability. Not only have the corners been upgraded since last year, but we have a real free safety now as well. I had Pryor ranked highly in a group with Odell Beckham, Darquez Dennard, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. OBJ and HCD both had stellar second halves to the season, and Dennard was buried on a talented CB depth chart in Cincy. Playing his proper position, I'm pretty confident Pryor will be markedly improved once he's comfortable in the new system.
A lot of people are suggesting that this team can model after the Seahawks or after the 2000 Ravens and make some noise. While I don't think this defense is good enough to follow those molds, there is a comparison that I think the Jets can mimic; the Bengals. Last year, Cincy went 10-5-1 (should have been 11-5; missed OT chip shot led to the tie) despite the fact that Andy Dalton was the 25th rated passer with 3,398 yards, 19 TD's and 17 interceptions. Those are all numbers that I think Geno can realistically reach, with a defense that should be better than Dalton's, a good running game and Brandon Marshall as his "A.J. Green". The obvious response is to point out the fact that the Bengals never win playoff games, but I'll settle with getting there for now after the season we just had.
The Jets defense has been the only thing worth a shit lately. It's probably the only thing worth watching this year as well. Everybody is happy if the offense can move the chains and give the defense a little rest.
being a first round pick is not a litmus test of quality. We know that all too well. So have a whole team of First rounders also means nothing. Dwayne robertson, Vernhon Gholsten! cough cough. Im sure there is a team of first rounders sitting on their asses somewhere not in the NFL as well.
Are you serious? He looked like Sean Taylor in his first game vs the Bengals I think, he was flying around the field, knocking people out and balls loose, making plays in the running game and vs the pass, spot on with all his tackles. Then he suffers the concussion and he hasn't been the same ever since. Hopefully now playing in the box, being healthy and having studied the defense, having better players around him and what not he can go back to who he was in the preseason last year, if he does that he can become one of the elite safeties in the NFL.
What Bengals game did you watch? Pryor looked like Sean Taylor? Pryor does not have the skills to ever be an elite player. The NFL game is too fast for him, just hope he improves this year to be a major contributor. He will never be "elite".
I'm confused? Sugar coat it any way you want, but Pryor's performance last year sucked for a 1st round draft pick. Jets drafted this guy over Bridgewater, and that will haunt them for years to come.
He's talking about the preseason game in Cincinnati, it was his best game of the year, albeit in August
