Ranking the NFL's best front sevens ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

It's a classic football precept: Great teams build from the inside out. It's not quite true, however. Let's be honest, the best thing you can have is a good quarterback. But good blocking is an important part of a strong NFL offense. The "skill players" get the headlines and the fantasy football numbers, but offensive linemen break open those big holes for your running backs and keep your quarterback upright.

Unfortunately, judging offensive lines with stats can be confusing. Rushing stats are distorted by long runs, for which the blocking didn't matter after the first few yards. Passing stats are distorted by the fact that some quarterbacks are simply more prone to be sacked than others. Nonetheless, we do have some stats that attempt to analyze the offensive line, and by looking at both passing and rushing stats we can get a good idea of which lines have done the most to help teams be successful through the first five weeks of 2015.

To determine the top offensive lines so far this year, I averaged each team's rank in five categories:

Adjusted line yards (ALY): a Football Outsiders metric that splits value between the blocking and the back, based on the length of the run and adjusted for situation and opponent.
Stuffed rate: how often running backs are stuffed for a loss or no gain, the most blocking-dependent part of ALY.
Adjusted sack rate (ASR): sacks (and intentional groundings) per pass play, adjusted for situation and opponent.
Pressure rate: how often the quarterback is under duress, including both sacks and hurries, according to ESPN Stats & Information charting.
Penalties per game by offensive linemen; this category had half the weight of the other four.
Further explanation of the first three categories, with updated numbers, can be found here. Ranks listed below do not include Monday's Chargers-Steelers game.

Here are the top offensive lines through Week 5  :

1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. New York Jets
Yes, really, the New York Jets. (It feels like I have to type all that every time I say the Jets are doing something well.) The Jets were noted for their strong offensive line through most of the Rex Ryan era, but that changed in 2014, when they ranked just 25th in adjusted sack rate and 28th in pressure rate. Certainly, quarterbacks Michael Vick and Geno Smith were part of the problem. This season, Ryan Fitzpatrick is generally average at avoiding sacks, and the Jets are doing a much better job of protecting him. The Jets rank eighth in pressure rate and first in adjusted sack rate, having allowed just two sacks in four games.
The Jets are also improved at run blocking, with Chris Ivory charging through particularly wide holes against Miami in Week 4. Left guard James Carpenter, a free-agent signing from Seattle, has been a big part of the run-blocking improvement.
4. Oakland Raiders
5. Pittsburgh Steelers

>   espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/13876438/ranking-nfl-top-offensive-lines-far-season


Ranking the NFL's best front sevens
On Tuesday, Aaron Schatz counted down the best offensive lines through the first five weeks of the season using line metrics from Football Outsiders and ESPN Stats & Information. Today, we'll flip to the other side and look at which front sevens have been the best in the league so far.

Though they seem like natural comparisons, judging front sevens is really quite different from the way we evaluate offensive lines. Ideally, offensive linemen will play every snap and possess generally similar physical strengths based on their specific blocking scheme. Conversely, a strong front seven should rotate players, particularly on the defensive line, and have players whose varied skill sets can fill the proper roles needed in any situation. Bobby Wagner and Brandon Mebane would fail miserably if they switched positions, but putting them together gives the Seattle Seahawks at least one strong solution to any pass or run call the opposing offense dials up.

These front seven rankings stemmed from an average of five categories:

Adjusted line yards (ALY): a Football Outsiders metric that splits value between the blocking and the back, based on the length of the run and adjusted for situation and opponent. For defenses, it can help show how much the front is stopping opposing backs early compared to how often the secondary is allowing long runs.

Stuffed rate: how often running backs are stuffed for a loss or no gain.

Adjusted sack rate (ASR): sacks (and intentional groundings) per pass play, adjusted for situation and opponent.

Pressure rate: how often the quarterback is under duress, including both sacks and hurries, according to ESPN Stats & Information charting.

DVOA vs. running backs: Measures part of what the front seven does in pass coverage, since linebackers tend to pick up running backs on pass plays. Adjusted for opponent. This category had half the weight of the other four.

Further explanation of the first three categories can be found here, while the full DVOA vs. RB numbers are here.


Here are the top front sevens through Week 5 :

1. Denver Broncos
2. New York Jets
Gang Green's offseason revolved around massive upgrades in the secondary, but lost in all that hoopla was the fact that the Jets' front seven was pretty solid during an otherwise dismal 2014 season. The final season of the Rex Ryan era still saw New York finish fourth in adjusted sack rate, though it ranked just 13th in adjusted line yards.

This year, the Jets' run defense has improved significantly; New York leads the league in adjusted line yards by a huge margin. For reference, the separation between the Jets and the second-place Broncos is almost as large as the gap between Denver and New Orleans, which ranks 27th in the category. And the Jets have done all this without arguably their best player in Sheldon Richardson, who will return Sunday after serving his four-game suspension to open the season.

The Jets could conceivably make a run at the Broncos for the top spot. New York ranks first in pressure percentage (36.3 percent) but just 19th in adjusted sack rate (5.6 percent), suggesting that the Jets have been a little unlucky in converting those pressures to actual sacks. New York has been exceedingly lucky at recovering fumbles (83.3 percent recovery rate, first in the league). That luck isn't likely to continue, but more sacks would definitely help offset the regression.

3. Tennessee Titans
4. Seattle Seahawks
5. Green Bay Packers

>   espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/13883883/ranking-nfl-top-defensive-front-sevens-far-season


 

[peekskill68]

Champions are built from the inside out... 

[FidelioJet]

only if....

[JetPotato]

Champions are built from the inside out... 

Used to. Doesn't mean much without a QB these days.

I'd trade our D and O lines straight up for Green Bay's if we could also switch QBs. Just as fast as they wouldn't.

[JustInFudge]

Remember when we needed to take a Guard 6th overall because our OL sucked?

 

[AFJF]

Remember when we needed to take a Guard 6th overall because our OL sucked?

 

I said all offseason that this O-line wasn't great, but much better than they were made to look by a QB who held on to the ball forever.  Average line + QB who gets rid of the ball in a hurry is a nice combo.

[SenorGato]

Carpenter was a quality FA signing from the go. Jets got a quality younger FA talent with experience to sign quickly and quietly, very un-Jets like move. Hopefully he stays healthy and keeps it up. 

Has Dozier seen the field at all? How's he doing? 

[David Harris]

I miss Damien Woody - that's all I got.

[jgb]

Amazing what not holding the ball for an average of 12 seconds per dropback can do for the sack numbers.

[GREENBEAN]

It's a classic football precept: Great teams build from the inside out. It's not quite true, however. Let's be honest, the best thing you can have is a good quarterback. But good blocking is an important part of a strong NFL offense. The "skill players" get the headlines and the fantasy football numbers, but offensive linemen break open those big holes for your running backs and keep your quarterback upright.

Unfortunately, judging offensive lines with stats can be confusing. Rushing stats are distorted by long runs, for which the blocking didn't matter after the first few yards. Passing stats are distorted by the fact that some quarterbacks are simply more prone to be sacked than others. Nonetheless, we do have some stats that attempt to analyze the offensive line, and by looking at both passing and rushing stats we can get a good idea of which lines have done the most to help teams be successful through the first five weeks of 2015.

To determine the top offensive lines so far this year, I averaged each team's rank in five categories:

Adjusted line yards (ALY): a Football Outsiders metric that splits value between the blocking and the back, based on the length of the run and adjusted for situation and opponent.
Stuffed rate: how often running backs are stuffed for a loss or no gain, the most blocking-dependent part of ALY.
Adjusted sack rate (ASR): sacks (and intentional groundings) per pass play, adjusted for situation and opponent.
Pressure rate: how often the quarterback is under duress, including both sacks and hurries, according to ESPN Stats & Information charting.
Penalties per game by offensive linemen; this category had half the weight of the other four.
Further explanation of the first three categories, with updated numbers, can be found here. Ranks listed below do not include Monday's Chargers-Steelers game.

Here are the top offensive lines through Week 5  :

1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. New York Jets
Yes, really, the New York Jets. (It feels like I have to type all that every time I say the Jets are doing something well.) The Jets were noted for their strong offensive line through most of the Rex Ryan era, but that changed in 2014, when they ranked just 25th in adjusted sack rate and 28th in pressure rate. Certainly, quarterbacks Michael Vick and Geno Smith were part of the problem. This season, Ryan Fitzpatrick is generally average at avoiding sacks, and the Jets are doing a much better job of protecting him. The Jets rank eighth in pressure rate and first in adjusted sack rate, having allowed just two sacks in four games.
The Jets are also improved at run blocking, with Chris Ivory charging through particularly wide holes against Miami in Week 4. Left guard James Carpenter, a free-agent signing from Seattle, has been a big part of the run-blocking improvement.
4. Oakland Raiders
5. Pittsburgh Steelers

>   espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/13876438/ranking-nfl-top-offensive-lines-far-season


Ranking the NFL's best front sevens
On Tuesday, Aaron Schatz counted down the best offensive lines through the first five weeks of the season using line metrics from Football Outsiders and ESPN Stats & Information. Today, we'll flip to the other side and look at which front sevens have been the best in the league so far.

Though they seem like natural comparisons, judging front sevens is really quite different from the way we evaluate offensive lines. Ideally, offensive linemen will play every snap and possess generally similar physical strengths based on their specific blocking scheme. Conversely, a strong front seven should rotate players, particularly on the defensive line, and have players whose varied skill sets can fill the proper roles needed in any situation. Bobby Wagner and Brandon Mebane would fail miserably if they switched positions, but putting them together gives the Seattle Seahawks at least one strong solution to any pass or run call the opposing offense dials up.

These front seven rankings stemmed from an average of five categories:

Adjusted line yards (ALY): a Football Outsiders metric that splits value between the blocking and the back, based on the length of the run and adjusted for situation and opponent. For defenses, it can help show how much the front is stopping opposing backs early compared to how often the secondary is allowing long runs.

Stuffed rate: how often running backs are stuffed for a loss or no gain.

Adjusted sack rate (ASR): sacks (and intentional groundings) per pass play, adjusted for situation and opponent.

Pressure rate: how often the quarterback is under duress, including both sacks and hurries, according to ESPN Stats & Information charting.

DVOA vs. running backs: Measures part of what the front seven does in pass coverage, since linebackers tend to pick up running backs on pass plays. Adjusted for opponent. This category had half the weight of the other four.

Further explanation of the first three categories can be found here, while the full DVOA vs. RB numbers are here.


Here are the top front sevens through Week 5 :

1. Denver Broncos
2. New York Jets
Gang Green's offseason revolved around massive upgrades in the secondary, but lost in all that hoopla was the fact that the Jets' front seven was pretty solid during an otherwise dismal 2014 season. The final season of the Rex Ryan era still saw New York finish fourth in adjusted sack rate, though it ranked just 13th in adjusted line yards.

This year, the Jets' run defense has improved significantly; New York leads the league in adjusted line yards by a huge margin. For reference, the separation between the Jets and the second-place Broncos is almost as large as the gap between Denver and New Orleans, which ranks 27th in the category. And the Jets have done all this without arguably their best player in Sheldon Richardson, who will return Sunday after serving his four-game suspension to open the season.

The Jets could conceivably make a run at the Broncos for the top spot. New York ranks first in pressure percentage (36.3 percent) but just 19th in adjusted sack rate (5.6 percent), suggesting that the Jets have been a little unlucky in converting those pressures to actual sacks. New York has been exceedingly lucky at recovering fumbles (83.3 percent recovery rate, first in the league). That luck isn't likely to continue, but more sacks would definitely help offset the regression.

3. Tennessee Titans
4. Seattle Seahawks
5. Green Bay Packers

>   espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/13883883/ranking-nfl-top-defensive-front-sevens-far-season


 

NERDS!!!

[jamesr]

Has Dozier seen the field at all? How's he doing? 

I think Dozier now backs up Mangold ... so not seeing him on the field can be counted as a good thing.

[kelly]

-- So the New York Jets have allowed only two sacks in four games. That's pretty good, considering their total was 47 last season.

"Pretty cool," right tackle Breno Giacomini said of the improvement.

What's going on here  ?

Seven of the 11 starters are the same as last year, including four on the offensive line, yet they're a different team when it comes to protecting the quarterback. Three reasons why they've allowed only two sacks  :

1. Offensive line: The only new starter is left guard James Carpenter, so they're basically doing it with the same personnel as 2014. Therein lies one of the reasons why it's clicking -- continuity. Look around the NFL and you will see many teams that had to rebuild their lines in the offseason. Such is life in the free-agency era. ESPN analyst Bill Polian has said on multiple occasions that offensive-line play in the league is at an all-time low. Many teams are breaking in young players, leading to mistakes. The Jets' starting five isn't perfect, but each starter has at least four years experience. That matters. They also have a Yoda-like player in the middle, center Nick Mangold, who makes the line calls. He has "an offensive coordinator mind and a quarterback mind," guard Willie Colon said. "That's what makes him so great."Collectively, they've been giving Ryan Fitzpatrick time in the pocket, and that's the most important thing. Proof: The Jets' average time from snap to release of the ball is 2.76, second-best in the league, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"We take pride in keeping an old guy like Fitz up," Colon said. "He's old like us and it's our job to keep him clean and keep him upright."

2. Fitzpatrick: He's a huge reason for the improvement. It's hard to sack him because he sees the field so well and generally makes sound decisions, knowing when and where to throw. That's what separates him from Geno Smith, who was responsible for many of last year's sacks. Pre-snap, Fitzpatrick has the ability to diagnose blitzes, allowing them to adjust their protection schemes. That's why you've seen very few unblocked blitzers. Post-snap, he "never sits back there," Colon said. "Fitz knows where he's going with the ball right away."There's a tradeoff with Fitzpatrick. You know he's going to throw interceptions -- that's his history -- but he'll save negative plays with his ability to avoid sacks.

"I think our line has done a good job with protection and I think Fitz understands where the ball needs to go and it needs to get out," offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. "It's probably a combination of all that."

3. The system: Gailey's system is predicated on quick throws. It doesn't happen all the time -- they're among the leaders in long-pass attempts -- but it's the general philosophy. By spreading the field with three, four and sometimes five receivers, they create more options for the quarterback. They can also force teams to play man-to-man coverage, which makes for easier reads for the quarterback. And let's not forget about the receivers, their most talented group in years. While they don't have anyone in the regular rotation with the ability to gain quick separation off the line of scrimmage, they have big targets such as Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker who can use their size to make catches even when they're covered.

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55017/jets-plan-is-to-keep-old-guy-upright-and-its-working

[#27TheDominator]

Carpenter was a quality FA signing from the go. Jets got a quality younger FA talent with experience to sign quickly and quietly, very un-Jets like move. Hopefully he stays healthy and keeps it up. 

Has Dozier seen the field at all? How's he doing? 

I have no recollection of seeing Dozier on the field.  He played one offensive snap when Mangold went out.  He has apparently taken over the special teams snaps from Colon after the injury against Philly.  The offensive lineman only play about 18% of the special teams snaps, so he has been on the field for 10 plays.  He actually got one extra snap on specials compared to the other OLinemen against the Dolphins.  I am not sure why.  FWIW, Qvale and Winters played all ST snaps and have more offensive snaps, so that probably puts him between them and Harrison/Ijalana (0snaps/inactive) on the depth chart. 

[kelly]

Sheldon Richardson's teammates and coaches say all systems appear to be go for the third-year defensive end's return to action against Washington on Sunday."Just his personality has been outstanding," coordinator Kacy Rodgers said today. "You can see the excitement in the D-line group as well — they got one of their guys back. His whole persona, the way he carries himself, the effort he's been giving at practice this week, it's been very pleasant to have him back."

"It's good to have him back," said LB Calvin Pace, reflecting to his own suspension in 2009, for violation of the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. "I know the feeling of having to sit four games. You feel like you let everybody down. It's tough sitting, watching football, after playing all your life. I'm just glad he's back in his element, preparing for this week and getting a chance to go out and play."

Head coach Todd Bowles spoke Wednesday about welcoming No. 91 back into the fold "with open arms" and said he and his staff have formulated a plan on how to use Richardson against the Redskins. What might the plan be  ?  "I'll tell you Sunday night," Bowles said. The coach allowed that Richardson could start but that would be based on the alignment the 'Skins open up in, not on anything related to the week of practice.

Bowen's Focus

Before Long Islander Stephen Bowen became a Jet this offseason, he was a Washington D-lineman for four seasons, 50 games and 45 starts. He knows a little bit about the Burgundy & Gold, but he said he wasn't asked to do much guest speaking about the upcoming opponent."We went over certain things, just talked about certain players I've played with," Bowe said. "But it's totally different. There's always so much turnover. You've just got to rely on your techniques mostly."Of course I have history there, but you have to approach the game like a professional," he said. "This is a game that brings us toward our goals of winning the division, stacking up wins, getting into the playoffs and winning the championships. This is our next opponent and we're working very hard to get our next win."

rest of above article :

>   http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangefb/NotesQuotes-Its-Good-to-Have-Sheldon-Back/dba49335-7876-43f9-80d0-5871e5429095

[Larz]

I just got an erection that will last for 4 hours

[SenorGato]

I have no recollection of seeing Dozier on the field.  He played one offensive snap when Mangold went out.  He has apparently taken over the special teams snaps from Colon after the injury against Philly.  The offensive lineman only play about 18% of the special teams snaps, so he has been on the field for 10 plays.  He actually got one extra snap on specials compared to the other OLinemen against the Dolphins.  I am not sure why.  FWIW, Qvale and Winters played all ST snaps and have more offensive snaps, so that probably puts him between them and Harrison/Ijalana (0snaps/inactive) on the depth chart. 

Thanks. Not sure what to make of it, but I'm going with "being groomed to take over C."

[Jetlife33]

I'm surprised not to see the Rams defensive front 7 in the top 5, I feel like they are one of the best groups out there. 

[jamesr]

I'm surprised not to see the Rams defensive front 7 in the top 5, I feel like they are one of the best groups out there. 

Their linebackers must suck because their D line is one of the best.

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk

[32EBoozer]

I just got an erection that will last for 4 hours

If you have an erection that lasts more than 4 hours, please contact your doctor and seek help. 

 

To see the Jets get a win over NE next week I would have an erection until Christmas.

If we miss the playoffs I will be flacid until next season.... see what my wife puts up with!

[kelly]

It’s really not about the Redskins this week. Yes, the Jets have had plenty of film sessions and developed a specific game plan for Sunday’s game against Washington at MetLife Stadium.But as the Jets view what they see as a 12-game sprint to make the playoffs, it’s not so much about the opponent as it is playing with an imposing dominance that’s consistent week after week.

“Once you go out there and dictate what you want to do, even if a team knows what you’re doing, it shouldn’t matter,” cornerback Antonio Cromartie said. “The biggest thing for us is to just go play football. The goal is to be productive and play [lights] out and put it all together.”The Jets (3-1) hope to do that against Washington (2-3), which is coming off a 25-19 overtime loss to the Falcons. Pro Bowl defensive Sheldon Richardson has been activated following a four-game suspension to start the season. It has brought a feeling of wholeness to a Jets’ defensive unit that is seeking greatness.

Despite being the second-ranked defense in the NFL, there’s a sense of urgency to improve.“No matter how good the numbers look, they’re just numbers,” said Jets nose tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison. “We’re still nowhere we need to be. Not even close. We’ve done a good job getting by. But we’re not where we need to be.”Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins will be the target of the Jets full-force pass rush that figures to be helped not only by the return of Richardson, but also multiple blitzes from defensive backs and linebackers. Redskins quarterbacks have been sacked just six times this season, but Cousins will be without starting Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams (concussion) and center Kory Lichtensteiger (shoulder and finger) against the Jets. Ty Nsekhe will make his first NFL start replacing Williams. Josh LeRibeus will make his second NFL start at center.

“We want to make their quarterback uncomfortable,” Cromartie said. “If you make any quarterback uncomfortable, it makes it harder for the offense to operate the way it wants to. You want to get him out of his spot and get him moving around.”It would be easy for the Jets to get excited about the first quarter of their season. They’re coming off a 27-14 win over the Dolphins in London and a relaxing bye week. A date with the Patriots looms in eight days. But head coach Todd Bowles keeps reminding his team there is plenty of work to be done before anyone starts patting himself on the back.

“They still know that we have a ways to go fundamentally and communication-wise,” Bowles said. “But they’re getting to know each other and they’re getting better.”The Redskins injuries along the offensive line, coming in a week Richardson returns, might seem the perfect mix for the Jets, who have collected seven sacks and a league-high 13 turnovers through four games.

Washington led the NFL in rushing after two weeks, but has gone to more of a passing game in recent weeks. But with their offensive line banged up, figure the Redskins to go back to the running game, featuring backs Alfred Morris (276 yards) and Matt Jones (220 yards), who is questionable with a toe injury.“Coach Bowles will tell you, it’s not about what they’re doing, it’s about what we’re doing,” Harrison said. “We need to dictate what teams can do. If we can stop the run and force them to pass, that’s great. If we limit the passing and force them to run, then something’s got to give.”

It’s about consistency now.

“Looking at teams that do well year end and year out, they focus on themselves,” linebacker Calvin Pace said. “They don’t beat themselves. They don’t turn the ball over.“They stick to the game plan and give themselves a good chance to win. The talent is there for us. It’s about execution and playing with poise.”

Now it’s about the Jets more than anyone.

>   http://nypost.com/2015/10/17/sheldon-richardsons-back-so-its-up-to-jets-d-to-impose-its-will/

[#27TheDominator]

Thanks. Not sure what to make of it, but I'm going with "being groomed to take over C."

Captain? 

I have been checking the snap counts a little more often to see what we can learn.  The thing it is most illuminating about is guys who are hurt or dinged that we didn't notice.  For instance, the new guy, Dion Bailey, playing safety in London when Pryor went down.  It's a nice story, but it only happened because Jarrett was already injured.

[kelly]

-- There was a lot of speculation last week on Sheldon Richardson and how he'd be deployed in his season debut for the New York Jets. Would he play a lot or a little? Base or sub packages  ?

The answers : A lot and neither (kind of).

Reaching into the not-too-distant past, Todd Bowles employed a game plan from last season that worked for his Arizona Cardinals against the Dallas Cowboys. On Sunday, Bowles scrapped his 3-4 base defense in favor of a 4-3, adding Richardson at defensive tackle to the already formidable trio of Muhammad Wilkerson (end), Leonard Williams (end) and Damon Harrison (tackle). Richardson wound up playing 49 of 63 defensive snaps in the 34-20 win over the Washington Redskins, far more than anyone anticipated.

The immediate reaction to the tactical switch: This was just Bowles adding another defensive lineman to the scheme so he didn't have to cut playing time for one of his three regulars -- i.e. the easy way out. Afterward, he explained that wasn't the case."It wasn't just to accommodate Sheldon from a game-plan standpoint," he said. "Most of their run game is based off the double-team and people getting up to the linebackers on the second level. We thought we could take that away and put another guy down. They couldn't handle all of them. [It was] just to try to combat them."It worked. Known for their power-running offense, the Redskins rushed for only 34 yards on 17 carries. Naturally, it helped that the Redskins were missing two starters on the offensive line, including Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams. What's more, the wrinkle will give the New England Patriots something else to think about this week as they prepare for Sunday's showdown.

Veteran Bowles watchers will recall he did the same thing last season as the Cards' defensive coordinator. Facing the eventual NFL rushing champion, DeMarco Murray, he used a 4-3 front against the Cowboys, straying from his beloved 3-4. That worked, too. They held Murray to 79 yards on 19 carries, and the Cards won the game, 28-17. Naturally, it helped that Tony Romo was injured; Brandon Weeden started for the Cowboys.On Sunday, Kirk Cousins played the role of Weeden, a non-threatening quarterback who didn't have his No. 1 weapon, wide receiver DeSean Jackson. The Jets intercepted Cousins twice, holding him to a 57.9 passer rating.In their 4-3, the Jets deployed David Harris as a true "Mike" linebacker, with Calvin Pace (strong) and Demario Davis (weak) used as on-the-line linebackers. The odd-man out was outside linebacker Quinton Coples (nine snaps), who played only when they used a 3-4. In the nickel, Williams slide inside with Richardson, with Leger Douzable (subbing for Harrison) joining Wilkerson on the outside. On a handful of plays, Wilkerson and Richardson rushed from a stand-up position, allowing them a running start.

"Every defensive lineman likes to stand up," Richardson said, smiling. "That's a universal thing."

The Jets recorded only one sack (a Wilkerson-Richardson split) and five quarterback hits, but that could be attributed to Washington's short-passing game. Cousins got rid of it quickly, if not accurately. Richardson, returning from a four-game marijuana suspension, was credited with a half-sack and three assisted tackles in his return.

A look at the Jets' snap counts:

DEFENSE (based on 63)

Line: Wilkerson 59, Williams 57, Richardson 49, Douzable 33, Harrison 25, T.J. Barnes 5.

Linebacker: Davis 63, Harris, Pace 25, Coples 9, Trevor Reilly 7, Lorenzo Mauldin 6.

Secondary: Marcus Gilchrist 63, Darrelle Revis 63, Antonio Cromartie 63, Calvin Pryor 55, Dexter McDougle 25, Buster Skrine 23.

OFFENSE (based on 67)

Quarterback: Ryan Fitzpatrick 67.

Running back: Chris Ivory 34, Zac Stacy 25, Tommy Bohanon 18, Bilal Powell 8.

Wide receiver: Brandon Marshall 57, Eric Decker 56, Quincy Enunwa 49, Devin Smith 16, Jeremy Kerley 8.

Tight end: Kellen Davis 40, Jeff Cumberland 21.

Line: D'Brickashaw Ferguson 67, James Carpenter 67, Nick Mangold 67, Breno Giacomini 65, Willie Colon 42, Brian Winters 25, Brent Qvale 5.

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55151/todd-bowles-unveils-defensive-wrinkle-another-look-for-patriots-to-digest

[#27TheDominator]

Only 9 snaps for Coples?  Ouch.  Especially with Douzable getting over 30.  Coples had a huge sleeve/brace on his arm.  He has an injured elbow.  He looked like Mo Vaughn.  That may be the reason for his limited snap counts.  He has been on the injury list since the Eagles game

[kelly]

-- New York Jets linebacker Calvin Pace has been around a while, and the 13-year veteran has played in his share of Jets-Patriots games, which he said are usually pretty wild.

"It's crazy, because the game, no matter who they have, it always comes down to the end," Pace said Wednesday. "So it's just about making those plays. It seems like they always get the ball before half; it seems like they always get the ball before the end of the game, no matter how things go, so it's just -- we gotta be on the winning side, and get off the field some type of way. Sometimes you gotta withstand a punch and just keep on fighting."

Pace said the Jets have enough talent in their secondary to match up with the Patriots' stable of receivers. The key, he said, would be to make sure the front seven gets pressure on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

"We can't give him all day to throw," Pace said. "We can't make it 7-on-7 for him. I like our chances, man. We've got some guys that can go. We've just got to get there."Pace was asked if he notices Brady slowing down at all."Nah, man. He's ageless," Pace said. "From the day I got here until now, he's still doing it, still putting the ball on the money. The thing I respect about him is, no matter who's out there, he can find the open guy and put the ball on the money. So there's a reason he'll be in the Hall of Fame someday."

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55255/calvin-pace-says-key-for-jets-will-be-putting-pressure-on-tom-brady

[bitonti]

I'm surprised not to see the Rams defensive front 7 in the top 5, I feel like they are one of the best groups out there. 

I don't think much of these rankings at all. These are mine, prior to Week 7.  (shameless self promotion) 

 

http://subscribers.footballguys.com/apps/article.php?article=2015OLranking_week7

OL rankings

Rank	Team	Grade	Run	Pass	Notes
1	DAL	A+	A+	A
2	CLE	A	A	A-
3	GB	A-	A-	A-
4	NO	A-	A-	B+
5	NYJ	B	B+	B-	Colon returned.
6	OAK	B+	A-	B
7	HOU	B+	A-	B
8	BAL	B+	B	B+
9	CIN	B+	A	B-
10	PHI	B+	B+	A-
11	AZ	B+	B+	B+
12	MIA	B	B	B+
13	WAS	B	B+	B	Lichtenstieger out.
14	CHI	B	B	B+
15	DEN	B	B+	B
16	KC	B	B-	B+
17	JAX	B-	B-	B-
18	SD	B-	B	C+	Dunlap, Franklin back.
19	DET	B-	B-	B-	Warford returned.
20	CAR	C+	C+	C
21	SF	C+	B-	C
22	NYG	C+	C+	C+	Beatty practicing.
23	ATL	C	C	C+
24	BUF	C	C	C-	Henderson concussion.
25	TB	C	C+	C	Smith to return.
26	MIN	C-	C	C-
27	IND	C-	C-	C
28	SEA	C-	C-	D+
29	TEN	D+	D+	D+	Schwenke to IR.
30	NE	D	D	D-
31	PIT	D	D	D	Beachum to IR.
32	STL	D-	D	D-

Defensive Front 7 rankings

RANK	TEAM
1	Seattle
2	New England
3	Kansas City
4	Buffalo
5	New York (A)
6	Baltimore
7	Miami
8	St. Louis
9	Houston
10	Minnesota
11	Carolina
12	Detroit
13	Washington
14	Philadelphia
15	Tampa Bay
16	Dallas
17	Denver
18	Cincinnati
19	Green Bay
20	Jacksonville
21	San Francisc
22	Cleveland
23	Tennessee
24	Pittsburgh
25	Oakland
26	New York (N)
27	Atlanta
28	Arizona
29	Indianapolis
30	Chicago
31	San Diego
32	New Orleans

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

How is Cleveland O Line ranked so high? Are you assuming they have LeBron and K. Love starting for them?

[drdetroit]

I'm surprised not to see the Rams defensive front 7 in the top 5, I feel like they are one of the best groups out there. 

they are underrated as hell and keep that team in games because that ram offense with nick Foles ain't putting up points

 

With Shelly back we have the best front 7 no question 

[drdetroit]

How is Cleveland O Line ranked so high? Are you assuming they have LeBron and K. Love starting for them?

they do have a good OL.  Their qb and receivers suck.

[Jetsfan80]

How is Cleveland O Line ranked so high? Are you assuming they have LeBron and K. Love starting for them?

What's the issue?  Their o-line has been good for years.  Hell, they're making Josh McCown look like a Pro Bowler back there.  And a few years back they made megabust Trent Richardson look like a stud before they flipped him for a 1st rounder to the stupid Colts.

However, I do think New England, Arizona, Atlanta and Cincinnati's o-lines have had better seasons thus far.

 

 

[bitonti]

How is Cleveland O Line ranked so high? Are you assuming they have LeBron and K. Love starting for them?

Joe Thomas the best LT in football probable HOF. Bitonio a borderline Pro Bowl LG, Alex Mack a 2x Pro Bowler,  RG John Greco and rt  Mitchell Schwartz are solid enough to keep 1st round pick Cameron Erving on the bench. 

 

as for NE their OL is flat out garbage and got even more garbage when Solder out for the year. They have 3 rookies starting right now and one of them, center David Andrews, was undrafted. Tom Brady leads the league is shortest time from snap to throw, about 2 seconds. That's the story of the NE OL. 

This is an up to date ranking including injuries. 

[AzogtheDefiler]

Joe Thomas the best LT in football probable HOF. Bitonio a borderline Pro Bowl LG, Alex Mack a 2x Pro Bowler,  RG John Greco and rt  Mitchell Schwartz are solid enough to keep 1st round pick Cameron Erving on the bench. 

 

as for NE their OL is flat out garbage and got even more garbage when Solder out for the year. They have 3 rookies starting right now and one of them, center David Andrews, was undrafted. Tom Brady leads the league is shortest time from snap to throw, about 2 seconds. That's the story of the NE OL. 

This is an up to date ranking including injuries. 

My bad. I just use the naked eye test and to me Cleveland most always stinks. LOL

[kelly]

Don’t expect Jets coach Todd Bowles to steal other teams’ game plans for stopping Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Bowles was asked Thursday how teams are covering Gronkowski.

“I don’t see anybody covering him. That’s the problem,” Bowles said with a laugh. “Everybody’s tried everything. He’s probably seen every coverage he’s going to see in his lifetime — doubles, triples, vices, top — he’s seen anything. You’ve just got to be smart and be able to make your share of plays.”

Gronkowski has 23 catches for 425 yards and five touchdowns for the 5-0 Patriots. The 6-foot-6 matchup nightmare now has 60 career touchdowns, one of just five tight ends to ever accomplish that feat. The Patriots’ offense has plenty of weapons, starting with quarterback Tom Brady, but Gronkowski is the big one in the middle of the field the Jets have to stop.

Jets safety Calvin Pryor promises the Jets won’t be one of these teams that lets Gronkowski run free.

“Guys tend to play off of him and different things like that,” Pryor said. “But with us, it is definitely going to be different. We are going to try to get up in his face and do different things. I can’t say what the game plan is going to be. We are going to do different things to try to challenge him to make plays and that is going to be tough.”No one around the Jets is revealing their game plan for Gronkowski, of course. In the offseason, the team actually had hoped to throw safety Antonio Allen, who performed well in 2013 on the task, at Gronkowski, but Allen tore his right Achilles tendon in camp. It could be some combination of safeties Pryor and Marcus Gilchrist or the Jets could involve cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie or Darrelle Revis. The problem if you move a cornerback inside on Gronkowski is who covers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola?

“Tom does a great job of finding ways to get the ball when he is in different positions,” Pryor said. “Whether he is lined up on the line of scrimmage at tight end or split out, giving him different looks. But they have other guys that they focus in on — Edelman, Amendola, [Keyshawn] Martin has come along, [Dion] Lewis out of the backfield, he is like a receiver. He does a great job of getting balls out to the receivers and running backs so you can’t just focus on one guy.”Pryor would not say whether he expects to see a lot of Gronkowski on Sunday. Pryor covered him last season and got beat for a touchdown in the teams’ second meeting in December. Pryor is just 5-11, so he would be giving up 7 inches to Gronkowski.“It’s not just Calvin. It’s everybody on our team. It’s everybody on every team,” Bowles said. “You’re not going to have a 6-7, 6-8 corner go out there and cover Gronkowski. You’ve just got to play football. You can’t worry about the height thing.”

Bowles was quick to point out Gronkowski is more than just a big, fast target. Despite the off-field persona of “Gronk,” the fun-loving, goofy guy, Bowles said Gronkowski is a deep thinker on the field.“His size overshadows everything,” Bowles said. “I think what everyone fails to realize is he’s a very smart player. He’s not just big and tough. He’s a smart player and he has very good feet. When you line up somebody like that at the wideout position, that’s a tough cover.”

>     http://nypost.com/2015/10/23/how-in-the-world-do-you-stop-rob-gronkowski-1-jet-provides-hint/

[SenorGato]

Captain? 

I have been checking the snap counts a little more often to see what we can learn.  The thing it is most illuminating about is guys who are hurt or dinged that we didn't notice.  For instance, the new guy, Dion Bailey, playing safety in London when Pryor went down.  It's a nice story, but it only happened because Jarrett was already injured.

Did you note Sunday that Dozier was the guy who came in when Mangold went down? He looked good too, I thought.

[#27TheDominator]

Did you note Sunday that Dozier was the guy who came in when Mangold went down? He looked good too, I thought.

Yep.  Three more offensive snaps.  I actually tried to watch him, but that was "pay attention to the game" time.