It depends on the circumstances. If the guy is constantly overpursuing and getting pushed backward and then making plays downfield, than the stats can be decieving. W/ D rob, he was padding stats early on, by providing a good pass rush and making plays downfield. Meanwhile He was getting pushed backwards and totally giving up his gap/responsibility. However, recently D rob has gone from a liability inside, to really a strength. His play has been absolutely outstanding. Not only is he holding his ground inside for the linebackers to make plays, but he's also shooting gaps, causing disruption and making plays at and behind the LOS. It's as if he has combined the role of a 2 gap NT w/ his old role of a 3T type. When he plays that way, the stats are very impressive! Tat kind of play is a nightmare for offensive coordinators and very few(if any) other players in the league can boast that kind of flexibility as a defender. IMO, he'd be even more effective at 3-4 DE w/ a quality NT next to him, as he could concentrate on his pass rush and quickness, but he has played like a top 5 NT the past 5 weeks or so...and long term, we could do a whole lot worse(assuming he stays consistent) at NT.
Hobson is having the best year of his career by far and has been one of the best players on the Jet defense this year, both in terms of consistency and in making impact plays. If you have missed that, well . .. . . And Thomas has really been coming on lately. The Jets clearly need help on the DL. A run stuffer and an edge pass rusher are the top priority along with a guard (Moore is the weak link on the OL and Kendall is getting old). The LB's are solid.
