Marcus Williams ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

Quick question: Which Jets cornerback leads the team in interceptions this season?

If you're thinking Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, or Buster Skrine, you'd be incorrect.

OK, time's up: It's Marcus Williams, a 2014 undrafted free agent out of North Dakota State. Williams has managed to pick off five passes even though he's played just 36 percent of the defensive snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Williams has primarily been the Jets' dime corner, but he's also been the first man up whenever Revis or Cromartie has been slowed by injuries."He's very patient out there," head coach Todd Bowles said of Williams. "The moment is not too big for him. The ball finds him, number one—very instinctive, very smart player."Not bad for a guy who got waived out of training camp last summer with the Texans, and was released from their practice squad three weeks later, to to get signed by the Jets the day after that.

Williams has missed the Jets' last two games with a sprained MCL. But he's been practicing in full this week, and he's expected to play Saturday night, when the Jets (8-5) play at the Cowboys (4-9) at AT&T Stadium.Williams took few minutes this week to talk about how far he's come in such a short amount of time, and about what he's picked up from working so closely with Revis, who's renowned for his competitiveness and preparation.

Q: How would you assess your progress from Year 1 to Year 2?

A: "Ton of things. Basically just learning, and just being more of a student of the game. I feel like that's what's happening. Bringing in guys like Revis and Cromartie; you can just learn from those guys. It's been a great experience for me; it's been a great year, from that standpoint, as well. Just learning from those guys has been awesome."

Q: Biggest thing learned?

A: "Just how to be a pro, really. Just how to take every single day. From Revis, you can just learn from him just by watching him. He's a guy, he's not going to say a lot of words, he's not as vocal. But he's going to lead by example. Cro's a lot more vocal, and you can see how he leads from that standpoint. There's different ways you can learn from each of those guys."

Q: How have you been able to make so many plays without playing as much?

A: "Just doing what the coaches tell me. The coaches put me in great spots to go out there and succeed. Any time I get a chance, I'm just trying to go out there and get the job done, no matter now many plays I've played."

Q: After the way things began last year, did see you see yourself getting to a point where you're leading a defense like this one in picks a season later?

A: "I've always had confidence in my game, and what I've been doing. Just going back to college, I've always been a guy who's gotten a lot of interceptions. It's just come by just being in the right position, listening, and studying the game even when you're not here at the facility. My main goal is just to try to go out there and do my job as well as I can, so that when the time comes, and they call my number, I can go out there and make a play."

Q: Did you feel you were overlooked coming out of college?

A: "Yeah. I definitely did. Every player wants to be drafted. Coming out of college, I definitely feel like I was overlooked, but it's something that just fuels the fire, and just keeps you motivated, and keeps a chip on your shoulder."

Q: What does Revis do that sets him apart? Obviously, he's talented. But what does he do?

A: "Preparation in the film room. Just how he studies the game. When he's in there, he's commenting on stuff he sees, or if he sees me do something wrong, or in a way that he probably would have done it, he'll give me that advice. It's just little things. He's not a guy that's going to say a lot. But when he says something, you're going to listen to it."

Q: Brandon Marshall had said in the summer Revis is very good at picking up on receivers' tendencies, how they might tip which way they might go when running a route.

A: "Yeah. He's real good at that. He'll say, 'Watch out for this. You know this guy right here likes to push off. Or this guy right here is not that fast, so you don't have to play off his speed. Or this guy right here is really fast, so you might want to back up.' Just little things, little tips that he tells you because he's watched a ton of film on these guys for years. So he knows what he's talking about."

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/4_downs_with_jets_marcus_williams_on_what_hes_lear.html#incart_river_index

[TJ]

Great addition to the Jets' secondary.

 

[kelly]

Big game Saturday night for the Jets in Dallas. 

As you get ready for that one, let's take your questions, in the latest edition of our weekly mailbag. 

~ ~ ~  Alex Goldenberg @fitbutfat

@DarrylSlater Will Marcus Williams get a prominent role in base package when he comes back? Seemed to have earned it in replacement of Revis

No. The Jets are sticking with Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie as their starting cornerbacks, as they should. Both guys have experienced hiccups this season, yes. But Revis remains one of the NFL's top corners. And while Cromartie isn't on Revis' level, he has played better lately. Williams will return this week from a two-game absence (sprained MCL). Look for him to have a role in sub packages, likely in the dime defense (six defensive backs). And if the Jets opt to cut Cromartie this offseason, Williams could compete for the starting spot opposite Revis in 2016. Williams has played well this year (five interceptions). Just not well enough to replace either Cromartie or Revis right now. 

rest of above article  :

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/mailbag_what_is_jets_biggest_positional_need_for_2.html#incart_river_index

[drsamuel84]

He's been a pleasant surprise, not to beat a dead horse but it's amazing how well some guys are playing under the new regime.  Williams and Pryor have both been pleasant surprises, Bilal Powell looks like a completely different player.  It's also great to have Williams stepping up because with out cap situation and the need to re-sign some guys (Mo Wilk.) in the offseason it would be in our best interest to be able to cut Cro. and that salary and put Williams in that #2 spot.

[CrazyCarl40]

 

@DarrylSlater Williams has played well this year (five interceptions). Just not well enough to replace either Cromartie or Revis right now. 

That's not true. I have more faith in Marcus Williams than Cro or Skrine right now.

[kelly]

With a team-leading six interceptions, Williams has already picked off as many passes as the entire team did last year

Desperate to improve on last season’s league-low six interceptions, the Jets spent big on their secondary this offseason, shelling out $150 million on a crop of big-money cornerbacks.

With two games left in the 2015 season, the strategy looks to have worked out pretty well. The Jets already have 17 interceptions this year, nearly tripling their 2014 tally.But if there’s one individual who is most responsible for this turnaround, it’s not one of the team’s big-ticket free-agent signings, like Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie or Buster Skrine. It’s Marcus Williams, a little-used leftover from last year’s team.

With a team-leading six interceptions, Williams has already picked off as many passes as the entire team did last year. But the most remarkable thing about his surprise emergence as a turnover specialist is that he’s done so despite dropping into coverage just 175 times this year.Williams has started only three games all season and was forced to sit out Weeks 13 and 14 with a knee sprain suffered when picking off a pass in a 38-20 win over the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 29. Despite all that, he has managed to snag one interception every 29.2 times he’s dropped into coverage, making him by some distance the most efficient pickoff artist in the NFL this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Williams’ knack for picking off passes shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. In college, he set a North Dakota State record for career interceptions with 21. That drew him to the attention of Mike Maccagnan, then the director of college scouting for the Houston Texans, who signed Williams as an undrafted free agent.

Williams would sign with the Jets following his release by Houston and he was soon followed by Maccagnan, who was named the team’s general manager. Maccagnan found room on this year’s roster for Williams despite a cluster of free-agent additions at defensive back. It was just as well he did. Revis, Cromartie, Skrine and safety Marcus Gilchrist have spent a combined 2,111 plays in coverage, and have combined for just eight picks.

>   http://www.wsj.com/articles/jets-marcus-williams-is-top-pick-for-interceptions-1450657282

 

[Villain The Foe]

Quietly becoming my favorite Jet. Dude is a beast. 

[CrazyCarl40]

Quietly becoming my favorite Jet. Dude is a beast. 

If only he could learn to tackle like one, then he'd be a complete corner. He has lapses in coverage like they all do from time to time, but his ball instincts are very solid.

[Villain The Foe]

If only he could learn to tackle like one, then he'd be a complete corner. He has lapses in coverage like they all do from time to time, but his ball instincts are very solid.

You have a point, but what he's good at...he's great at. 

 

When he's on the field something good happens more often than not. 

[Beerfish]

Very good player but he's no Darrin Walls that is for sure.

[Clementi49]

Sooooo... The same player that started in 2014 for us for Rex and was ridiculed non stop as "we have no secondary" is now leading the team in 2015 with interceptions and jet fans want him to start over Cro in 2016. Some jets fans are damn entertaining. Even more entertaining then Norman v Beckham last Sunday. 

[CrazyCarl40]

Sooooo... The same player that started in 2014 for us for Rex and was ridiculed non stop as "we have no secondary" is now leading the team in 2015 with interceptions and jet fans want him to start over Cro in 2016. Some jets fans are damn entertaining. Even more entertaining then Norman v Beckham last Sunday. 

Marcus Williams wasn't ridiculed last season. He was a late addition and played well down the stretch. The culprits last season were Antonio Allen, Kyle Wilson, and the safeties.

[billo83]

Marcus Williams wasn't ridiculed last season. He was a late addition and played well down the stretch. The culprits last season were Antonio Allen, Kyle Wilson, and the safeties.

Not too mentioned that he gained valuable experience last year and learning on the fly. So it makes sense he is much better this year. 

[Jet Nut]

Sooooo... The same player that started in 2014 for us for Rex and was ridiculed non stop as "we have no secondary" is now leading the team in 2015 with interceptions and jet fans want him to start over Cro in 2016. Some jets fans are damn entertaining. Even more entertaining then Norman v Beckham last Sunday. 

he wasn't with the Jets early, wasn't ridiculed, he was a bright spot in a horrid secondary.

And nothing about our backup corners is anywhere near as entertaining as watching Beckham blow up and go from darling of the NFL to psycho, erratic, self centered, its all about me diva in one afternoon

 

[Patriot Killa]

His ermgance helps a ton. We can now cut Cro to save money while just plugging Williams into the starter role next year with the same to better results.

[Clementi49]

You get the point. Jets fans are annoying. 

[Beerfish]

You get the point. Jets fans are annoying. 

No the point is you were pretty well 100% wrong in your statement.  Almost no one blasted Williams as he was one of the few bright spots and he never came to the team half way through the year.

[CrazyCarl40]

You get the point. Jets fans are annoying. 

Agreed. Especially misinformed ones that spout off comments without actually knowing anything. You'd know your own kind better than the rest of us.

[kelly]

Michael Salfino had a great article out a few days ago about Marcus Williams, perhaps the most under-appreciated member of the defense. Despite the big names of Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Buster Skrine, Williams has six interceptions in just 175 snaps. Compare this to Revis, who has played 513 snaps and has four interceptions. In fact, Williams has as many interceptions as the entire New York Jets defense had all of last season.

Williams is currently tied for third in the league in interceptions, a remarkable feat by the former undrafted free agent playing in limited time. In short, Williams has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and having sure enough hands to come down with the ball in a league where cornerbacks are often jokingly referred to as wide receivers with hands of stone.

If the team releases Cromartie during the off-season to save approximately $7 million against the salary cap, Williams is the guy to keep an eye on for replacing Cromartie as CB2. It sure is good to see #20 actually making plays for the defense.

>     http://www.ganggreennation.com/2015/12/23/10660510/marcus-williams-is-an-interception-machine

[kelly]

Jets’ unsung cornerback making a name for himself

Jets cornerback Marcus Williams was sitting at his locker this week discussing his season when Sheldon Richardson stopped by.

“Don’t be modest,” Richardson implored.

But Williams was not in the mood to brag, even though he has reason to. The second-year cornerback has six interceptions this season, tied for fourth-most in the NFL. This, despite the fact Williams has been the team’s fourth cornerback for most of the season. Williams has started three games this season when others were injured, but for the majority of the season he has played only in dime situations or when one of the starters is off the field.

Williams picked off his sixth pass last week against the Cowboys, his first game back after missing two full games, and most of a third with a knee sprain.“It’s been fun,” Williams said. “It’s funny to think if I hadn’t missed those three games how many more it could be. Just being in the right place at the right time. Coaches are putting me in the right position and a lot of studying as well.”

Williams came on for the Jets at the end of last season. After picking him up when the Texans released him, the Jets started Williams at cornerback for the final eight games. He was a steadying presence at a position that had been a weakness for the Jets all season. Then, Rex Ryan and John Idzik, the two men who gave him his chance, were fired.“I didn’t know what to expect, but from what I heard from other players who have been with coach [Todd] Bowles is he loves DBs,” Williams said. “Me being a young player, I said, ‘OK this gives me a chance,’ even though we brought in some guys. It gave me a chance to show what I could do and prove my talent and also learn. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it would be a learning experience.”

The Jets signed the big-money trio of Darrelle Revis, Buster Skrine and Antonio Cromartie at the position, but Williams kept making plays in training camp enough to earn some playing time this season. He has made the most of that time.In the first meeting with the Patriots this season, Jets wide receiver Eric Decker had six catches for 94 yards, beating up Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler for most of the day. How did he do it against the Pro Bowl corner?

“They put the safety over Brandon [Marshall] and kind of gave us one-on-one matchups,” Decker said. “I think just some of the route concepts they called and [Ryan Fitzpatrick] putting the ball in the right place allowed me to have success. I think there were definitely plays back and forth where he got me and I might have gotten him a few times. He’s a Pro Bowler for a reason. He’s a scrappy guy. He’s a great corner.

Depending on what they do this game, he’s a tough guy to go against and you have to bring your A game.”

>     http://nypost.com/2015/12/26/jets-unsung-cornerback-making-a-name-for-himself/

[Jet in PA]

@TurnOnTheJets:

Cromartie: 898 snaps, 29 tackles, 12 PDs, 0 INTs, 0 FFs, FR, 0 sacks

M. Williams: 285 snaps, 27 tackles, 10 PDs, 6 INTs, FF, FR, 1.5 sacks

Something needs to be done here. He needs to be the number 2 and I don't mean at FS either.