Before I delve into this, I'll first state that I'm aware Wednesday night was just one game and, therefore, not a sufficient sample-size. But for the sake of this argument, the focus will be on this game and this game only. There were two interesting facets of the Cowboys/Giants game that, in my opinion, pertain to the Jets. 1. Importance of Running Game Despite the wide-open Offenses and prolific Passing attacks that predominate today's NFL, an effective Rushing attack is still necessary to succeed. The Giants RBs rushed for 82 total yards. Bradshaw gained 78 yards on 17 carries. However, his longest run went for 33 yards. So, the other 16 carries gained 45 yards, which averages out to 2.8 per carry. The Giants weren't getting blown out, so it's not like they had to abandon the run -- they just weren't very effective running it. The Cowboys' DeMarco Murray rushed for 131 yards on 20 carries, with a longest run of 48 yards. So, his other 19 carries totaled 83 yards, which averages to 4.3 per carry. Even though Dallas' TDs were scored via the Passing game, the rushing attack was effective throughout the game. 2. Importance of Secondary Much debate has occurred around here about the value of the Secondary; that is, have the Jets invested too much in the Secondary? Will Revis be overpaid? Etc. It's seemingly evident that a ferocious pass-rush is much more valuable than a smothering Secondary, but Wednesday night's game showed that a talented Secondary is still important. The Giants have one of the best - if not THE best - pass-rushing Defenses in the league with their Front 4. Wednesday night, however, it wasn't enough to mask an atrocious Secondary. In all fairness to the Giants, they have DBs who are banged up, so backups were playing. The argument has been that a relentless pass-rush can not only compensate for a weak Secondary, but also make the Secondary better. In general, I agree with this. But if this is the case, then how/why did Cowboys Passing attack carve up the Giants' Secondary? Clearly, it was a combination of the Giants' pisspoor DBs, along with the fact that the pass-rush wasn't effective. It's not implausible, as we saw Wednesday night, for a pass-rush to fail; and when that happens, it puts on the onus on the Secondary. The Cowboys have a premier pass-rusher in DeMarcus Ware, AND they invested a lot in improving their Secondary this past Offseason. As a result, the Cowboys were able to pressure Eli, but even when he completed passes to the WRs, the Cowboys DBs were on them. Had the Cowboys Secondary been weak like it was last year, the Giants WRs probably would've had more success, despite Ware and the pass-rush. All of this relates to the Jets because we know that (a) the Rushing attack is supposed to predicate everything else on Offensive; and (b) Rex values the Secondary immensely. While we've questioned these two philosophies, especially in the current state of the NFL, last night's game demonstrated that Rex appears to be on the right track. I suppose the real 'answer' is to maintain balance within the systems, but I think Rex's emphasis on the Run game and the Secondary holds water.
Jason Witten did a solid job on JPP, does any of our tight ends have the ability to hold off a premiere pass rusher when asked to?
Good analysis. Rex also values the DE position highly. Just that we don't have a premier pass rusher like Ware or JPP. I believe an efficient pass rush does help to hide the problem of a poor secondary. Clear example were the Giants when their front four got hot late last season.
Just to followup on some of the comments above: I have never suggested that a weak secondary was an acceptable state of affairs. Teams will find your weakness wherever that is and beat you by exploiting it. What I think is clear however is that average players in the secondary and a great pass rush is better than the opposite scenario. That's why I don't want a CB taking up the cap slot of a double-digit sacker. The Cowboys defense did two things effectively on Thursday night, they shut down the Giants running game for the most part and they harassed Eli into having a mediocre night. The key player for them was DeMarcus Ware.
If Coples, Wilk and Ellis play well enough to make Revis expendable... Hallelujah! That said, they'd have to play pretty damn incredibly - losing Revis would instantly send our secondary from probably the best in the league to somewhere in the middle of the pack, if not worse. I don't know that I'm sold on that tradeoff...
looks like Rex is pushing for a d-line that can get after the QB without blitzing extra players AND a solid DB core AND an upgrade to the Safetys. Rex is GREEDY!!!! cant wiat!
just curious if anyone knows what's the most any team has ever spent (percentage wise) on one side of the ball, and how that team fared.
I also learned that a great defensive line needs depth or it will wear down early in the season, ala the Giants. I also learned that a great defensive line can be somewhat offset by replacement refs not calling holding. It will be just our luck this season to have a great DL that is negated by replacement refs.
This is what I'm thinking too. Since we don't have a premier pass-rusher coming off of the edge (and, other than Maybin, we haven't really sought one), I assume that Rex wants to generate pressure/collapse the pocket with his DL, while his DBs blanket WRs.
Rex knows what he's doing on D and what he wants to do on O Defense- pretty simple, stop the run, disguise blitzes in obvious passing situations, basically take away half the field with Revis covering opposing #1's, hopefully Cromartie is consistent and Wilson can handle the slot. Bell and Landry look fine. Coples/Wilkerson/Ellis will be our main pass rushing trio with Harris, Davis and likely Maybin and/or Pace in. Thomas/Scott/Pouha will likely be run stuffers and Sapp when healthy will rush the passer opposite Maybin Offense- we lack a true run game to be ground and pound. We need big receivers to help block, we got the lead full back but we dont have a true #1. Shonn Greene is a #2 in this system, Powell looks to have potential and I'm excited for him, McKnight is strictly a pass catcher similar to Bush being used in NO. We need a true #1 running back, a Ray Rice, MJD, Beast Mode, Trent Richardson, Doug Martin, Frank Gore, Steven Jackson, Cedric Benson, bruising back who fits for yards and then use Greene late in games to wear teams down. Powell has been compared to Fred Jackson and I think him and Greene should split carries early.
This points to the issue at hand: If you already have the best CB in the game, then do you allot a large percentage of the cap to that player, and create different ways to get after the QB? Or do you say adios to the CB, thereby downgrading Secondary, and hope to find a premier pass-rusher? If you opt for the latter but don't get a premier pass-rusher, then what?
No you keep the best defensive player in the NFL at all costs, this D would take a major hit without Revis regardless of adding a legit pass rusher we got some cap room and a deep draft next year to add a legit 3-4 OLB who will reek havoc on the opposing QB if we do trade Revis I want at least 2 1st rounders and a young stud remember last year with Leonard and Smith people still said we had the best secondary now with Bell and Landry and our ability to stop the run our defense is gonna keep us in game. like I said get a stud RB and and pound the ball and we're fine
Depends on what Revis has to offer to the defense. If he can do what DeMarcus Ware does, then maybe yeah. My verdict has always been that you don't need a top-tier CB - as long as they stay above average, that's more than fine. If you couple top-tier pass rush with above-average secondary, you will get much better result than top-tier secondary and above-average pass rush coupling. There's a reason why Deion never won the SB with his original team, Falcons. (And that Falcons had powerful offense as well, heralded by WRs like Andre Rison, Mike Pritchard and Michael Haynes.)
Until the Jets find themselves a top tier pass rusher, I think they do need to lock up Revis for the next few years. It'd be good if he was locked into the team for 2013/2014, maybe 2015, with much more flexibility later in the contract in case we do draft or find a premier pass rusher to go with that deadly interior DL. I think if they don't go nuts in free agency and have smart drafts, it should work out. Keller is about the only other big name from the Jets that really warrants consideration for resigning next season in FA, maybe Landry if he proves his worth. Even then Antonio Allen and Josh Bush could prove their worth, or Bell might have just enough tread left on his tires to go 1 more season until it's solved through the draft.
I thought the refs did fine on wed. Of course there were a couple missed calls but no more than normal.
They were letting both teams get away with murder on the line. All night. Ware was in headlocks by the end of the game. And that was the best crew. Revis will be able to just hang on to dudes down the sidelines, because they wont call it.
