Jets DB Patterson impressive so far

[faba]

By Darryl Slater | The Star-Ledger 
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on July 28, 2014 at 8:00 AM, updated July 28, 2014 at 8:40 AM

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CORTLAND, N.Y. – Saturday at Jets training camp brought the arrival of serious football, as the players donned full pads for the first time since the end of last season.

It also provided a more realistic showcase for cornerback Dimitri Patterson, whom the Jets believe can play man-to-man coverage, particularly press coverage, well enough to change the fortunes of their secondary.

The Jets last season allowed 246.7 passing yards per game, 22nd in the NFL. It marked a stark departure from coach Rex Ryan’s first four seasons, when the Jets ranked first, sixth, fifth and second in the league in passing defense. The Jets’ worst season average during that span: 201 passing yards allowed per game in 2011. Combined, the Jets surrendered an average of just 186.3 passing yards per game in Ryan’s first four years.

A jump of 60 yards in that average last season resulted from several factors: the inexperience of one corner (rookie Dee Milliner), the bum hip of another (veteran Antonio Cromartie) and, most importantly, the absence of the best corner they had from 2009-12 (Darrelle Revis, who now plays for the Patriots).

The Jets will have plenty of time to wring their hands about their two matchups with Revis, Oct. 16 in New England and Dec. 21 at MetLife Stadium. For now, they are focusing on acclimating a lower-profile player, Patterson, to their defense. The Jets signed Patterson in free agency after they either passed on, or failed to land, any of the higher-priced and more coveted cornerbacks available.

Patterson’s specialty is man coverage. Ryan’s defense demands a lot of it from corners, as did the defense used by the Dolphins, Patterson’s previous team. Patterson is also 31 years old and has played in just 15 games combined over the past two seasons because of injuries. Is he still capable of locking down receivers?

Tim McDonald thinks so. At this early juncture of camp, the Jets’ secondary coach said Patterson has “been a little bit of a surprise,” because “he’s further along mentally than I would have expected.” McDonald sees this in Patterson’s mentoring interactions with greener defensive backs.

“Just listening to him talk to the younger guys, you know that this guy is going to be an asset to our football team,” McDonald said.

On Saturday, McDonald also admired Patterson’s press coverage – a technique that requires just as much mental acumen as physical strength. McDonald said Patterson’s grasp of wide receiver spacing and down-and-distance situations allow him to “eliminate a lot of things” the offense might do, as he anticipates how his receiver will break once the ball is snapped.

Patterson, by his own admission, hasn’t been perfect. On Sunday, receiver Stephen Hill sprinted down the sideline, shed Patterson’s coverage and caught a deep pass in stride, though it was not clear if Hill got both of his feet inbounds. Still, Patterson believes his adjustment to the Jets’ defense has “been a real smooth transition” to date.

Patterson credits his past for this. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He did not start a game in his first five seasons, playing for four teams. But he still stuck around the league. Frequently fighting for a roster spot, he understood the value of learning fast.

“I expect myself to pick up things quick, just because I’ve been trained, early on in my career,” Patterson said. “I had to learn quickly. It’s in me to do that, because that’s what I’ve had to do for so long in my career, just being in situations where I wasn’t the guy at the time. It just came natural, just coming in (to the Jets) and over-studying. That’s what I did.”

As a younger player, Patterson said he felt “a year-round sense of urgency to always be mentally prepared, because you know that you’re not going to get the reps that the starters are going to get. You’re not going to be in a rhythm. But guess what? You’re going to be scrutinized as if you’re in a rhythm.”

Patterson can play either the outside or slot corner spot. Right now, the Jets have him outside, as Kyle Wilson mans the slot. Wherever Patterson plays, the Jets would relish seeing him replicate his interception numbers from last season, when he appeared in just six games, but picked off four passes. Milliner and Cromartie each intercepted three passes last year. Milliner played in 13 games and Cromartie, whom the Jets cut and replaced with Patterson, played in all 16.

Ryan, while acknowledging Patterson’s lack of blazing speed, credited his mental sharpness for his success last year – and for his mostly seamless transition to the Jets’ defense.

“I’ve been really impressed with him, with how he is able to adjust to our system and terminology,” Ryan said. “You would think he has been in our system for a long time.”

 

[pointman]

Sounds more like he is a good locker room presence than a talented corner. I hope Dee and his twin McDougle pick up their game quick.

[Sperm Edwards]

Know what really grinds my gears? When journalists (or any writers, really) try to come across as smarter than they are by repeatedly using the "fancier" version of a word - whom instead of who in this case - and use it incorrectly each time.

 

F*cking a**hole. He totally made my stiffy about Patterson go soft.