David Harris On Jets 4 Man Fronts

[JetNation]

David Harris spoke to the media today after the Jets minicamp practice at Florham Park.  One question he was asked was if he liked that the Jets were lining up in 4 man fronts so far this offseason?  His answer was interesting and illustrates even more why Quinton Coples was selected and how much the Jets have riding on him.  Here is David’s answer:

Yeah, it’s the same defense it’s just that everybody’s in different positions. Quinton Coples, who’s very athletic for his size, he really loves it. With so many different choices in our front four with the things that he’s able to do and he has tremendous upside. Hopefully it’ll carry over into the season.

When you consider these two things, you will see that a 4 man front on a more consistent basis this year, is a very real possibility.

1.  Karl Dunbar is the new defensive line coach, you get a clearer picture that the Jets are open to change.  Here is an that looks at some different defensive fronts the Jets could play this season.

2.  The success that the New York Giants have had over the New England Patriots in recent years with a 4 man line.

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[SenorGato]

He should say something like "it's really special and unique, like Sporano's offense." That way there would be two articles out of this...one being the defense and one being a piece on how yet another Jet takes a "veiled shot" at Schottenheimer.

[dbatesman]

ZOMG R WE 4-3 NOW D00dZ?

[Ryno the Jet]

June 15, 2012 6:59 AM 3 comments

Jets will rely on the 'foundation' of the defense and play more four-man fronts

BY Manish Mehta

A year and a half after Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine devised one of the most creative defensive gameplans in NFL history, the duo has quietly made a schematic shift that could jolt a lagging pass rush. In 2010, Gang Green dressed an unthinkable 11 defensive backs – 25 percent of the active roster – to stymie Tom Brady in a 28-21 divisional playoff win over the Patriots in January 2011.

For the better part of three seasons, Pettine and Ryan have relied on innovative and unconventional tactics to create havoc within the framework of their 3-4 scheme. Although the Jets will retain some of those 3-4 roots, Pettine admitted that “we’re going to be more 4-3” to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2012. The Jets have finished 18^th, 7^th and 17^th in the league in sacks under Ryan.

Pettine went so far as to predict that the Jets may not play any 3-4 base defense in their six AFC East games that feature three teams with spread offenses. “We might not play a snap of base defense in a division game this year,” Pettine told me. “If it’s five snaps a game, that’s probably a lot.”

The defensive philosophy this season is simple: “Best 11.” Thanks to an influx of athletic young defensive linemen (see: Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples), the Jets’ best 11 defensive players will necessitate a four-man front.

“With the personnel we have,” outside linebacker Calvin Pace said on the final day of Jets minicamp Thursday, “It’s logical to do it.”

Added Pettine: “We just feel that our system is flexible enough that depending on what you’re giving us, we’ll have some answers.”

Ideally, here’s what the four-man front would look like: Wilkerson will play “80+ percent of the snaps,” according to Pettine. Pace and Coples will be the primary edge rushers with a rotation among Sione Pouha, Mike DeVito and Kenrick Ellis for the fourth spot. Marcus Dixon will bounce between the interior and edge. The defensive line, Pettine said, is the “foundation and strength of the defense.”

“If he’s fresh,” Pettine said of Coples, “There’s going to be more than a reasonable chance that he’s going to be out there on all downs.”

Regardless of the alignments, new defensive line coach Karl Dunbar’s primary teaching point this spring has been developing better pass rush techniques for all the defensive linemen, who have typically been stout run blockers in the past. The theme is to use their hands and body leverage to get to an offensive lineman’s edge rather than simply try to bull rush. “I’m just like BASF,” Dunbar said. “I don’t make the products you have. I just make them better.”

Dunbar has emphasized converting from playing against the run to playing against the pass after the snap.

In other words, the defensive linemen will typically play the run first (depending on down and distance, of course) and make the appropriate adjustments if they recognize pass.

“I’m more a go-through-the-wall type of guy,” Pouha said. “Now I’m being smart and going around them.”

There were good early returns from minicamp. In 49 snaps – or about 75 percent of an average amount of plays in a game – the first-team defense generated six simulated sacks, according to a Daily News breakdown.

The defensive line depth coupled with solid man-to-man cover cornerbacks will also give Pettine and Ryan the flexibility to play more “46” defense, an aggressive variation with five pass rushers that was originally designed by Buddy Ryan nearly 30 years ago. Although Rex Ryan installed the 46 in the Jets’ defensive playbook in 2009, expect it to be used more often out of any personnel grouping. Pettine and Ryan could conceivably use the 46 with goal-line, short yardage or base defense groupings.

“It doesn’t matter what the offense does,” Pettine said. “If they think that they’ll keep us out of it by going with four wide receivers… no it won’t. We’re better suited to play it now.”

Perhaps the greatest benefit, Pettine said, is that the 46 will force opponents to have simple pass protections. Offenses will either have to have five one-on-one blocking matchups or “turn the protection” by blocking gaps, which often creates mismatches for rushing linebackers.

Pettine noted that there were several times this off-season when those zone protection schemes against the 46 resulted in running backs Shonn Greene or Joe McKnight having to block Pace or Coples.

Although most teams that play the 46 typically use a Cover-1 look (one safety in the post) with man-to-man coverage underneath, the Jets will disguise their coverages when showing a Bear front. It’s the ultimate high-risk, high-reward defense that Ryan and Pettine won’t be afraid to use.

“Driving on the New York streets is very risky, but I drive home every night,” Dunbar said. “If you’re going to win big, you got to gamble big.”

http://twitter.com/TheJetsStream

[Ryno the Jet]

Jets' defense aims for former heights by simplifying its approach

Published: Friday, June 15, 2012, 5:00 AM Updated: Friday, June 15, 2012, 6:10 AM

By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

Robert Sciarrino/The Star-Ledger (L-R) Quarterbacks Tim Tebow (15) and Mark Sanchez (6) laugh at they leave the field at the conclusion ofJets minicamp.

The Jets defense has the same goal each year: To be No. 1 in the league.

The unit has been in the top five in each season under coach Rex Ryan, but the last time it was No. 1 was 2009. So this offseason, the coaching staff worked to simplify the playbook and “take the gray out” — in order to get back to the approach that worked so well three years ago.

“Let’s just go!” outside linebacker Calvin Pace said.

That’s not a rallying cry, it’s a way of playing. Linebacker David Harris explained it as “taking the hesitation out.” The goal is for players to play fast, which means there may be less reads on a play or less emphasis on getting into the so-called perfect call.

The defense’s offseason objective of “one step faster” is applied mentally, not just physically.

“Last year, we were a victim of thinking too much,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “Taking the gray out has allowed us to play fast. Everything we do is going to be moving fast, just like we did our first year.”

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said the coaches’ offseason project was to go through the playbook page by page, comparing the tape and the playbook drawings. He asked each position coach, “What in your area is gray? What do your players hesitate on?”

The Jets removed some calls and clarified others. Pettine said the emphasis shifted away from calls with too many moving parts.

For example, instead of a player having to read if it is run or pass, and then hit the tight end, and then rush, the Jets may use a call that asks the player to simply get to the quarterback — and maybe hit someone along the way.

They also leaned on calls that have players line up based on the left and right sides, or the field and boundary, rather than reacting to the offensive formation or where a certain player lines up. This will let the defense get set and play fast.

“Make the offense adjust to us,” Scott said. “Last year maybe we were reacting to the offense, and I think this year, we took it out. Let’s just go back to do what we do, let’s play fast and physical. And now make the offense have to speed up, because they are not getting time to read, because we’re forcing them to make a decision faster.”

Pace called it a rewind back to the methods used in 2009, after getting away from the core of Ryan and Pettine’s defense.

Of course, the personnel is much different than it was three years ago, so this defense will have its own distinct look. Pettine said the Jets took out some 3-4 calls and added in more 4-3 calls, to best utilize their personnel.

The Jets have always mixed in 4-3 looks, but now that can be achieved with 2011 first-round pick Muhammad Wilkerson and 2012 first-round pick Quinton Coples at the end positions, instead of outside linebackers.

Pettine believes the defensive line is now the “foundation” of the defense while there is some uncertainty at the outside linebacker spot, calling Bryan Thomas a “question mark” after Achilles and shoulder surgery. The Jets will follow their depth to get their best 11 players on the field, Pettine said, but their alignments will always be game-plan specific.

The Jets often used 4-3 looks during minicamp. Pettine explained “over-practicing” four-down formations was an objective this spring, since they had more experience in other packages.

But he liked what he saw and said to expect “a lot” of the 4-3 looks in training camp and the season.

“(New defensive line) coach (Karl) Dunbar had great success with the 4-3, with a four-man line in Minnesota, that’s his expertise,” Scott said. “Now we have a lot of guys that can play it, and we can be flexible in our fronts.”

Being flexible and playing fast have been hallmarks of this defense, and the Jets hope that propels them back to the No. 1 ranking this year.

For more Jets coverage, follow Jenny Vrentas on Twitter at twitter.com/Jennyvrentas

Jenny Vrentas: jvrentas@starledger.com

© 2012 NJ.com. All rights reserved.

[T0mShane]

ZOMG R WE 4-3 NOW D00dZ?

Between that and using Tebow on the punt team...it's like they reinvented the sport.

[Ryno the Jet]

http://forums.jetnat...our-man-fronts/

Pettine admitted that “we’re going to be more 4-3” to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2012. The Jets have finished 18^th, 7^th and 17^th in the league in sacks under Ryan.

Pettine went so far as to predict that the Jets may not play any 3-4 base defense in their six AFC East games that feature three teams with spread offenses. “We might not play a snap of base defense in a division game this year,” Pettine told me. “If it’s five snaps a game, that’s probably a lot.”

This should get the sh*t storm stirred up again...

WE ARE THE NEW, NEW YORK GIANTS D-FENCE OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!

[T0mShane]

Has anyone told Bart Scott that he's not playing in any games against the AFC East yet?

[Ryno the Jet]

Has anyone told Bart Scott that he's not playing in any games against the AFC East yet?

“Last year, we were a victim of thinking too much,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “Taking the gray out has allowed us to play fast. Everything we do is going to be moving fast, just like we did our first year.”

“Make the offense adjust to us,” Scott said. “Last year maybe we were reacting to the offense, and I think this year, we took it out. Let’s just go back to do what we do, let’s play fast and physical. And now make the offense have to speed up, because they are not getting time to read, because we’re forcing them to make a decision faster.”

“(New defensive line) coach (Karl) Dunbar had great success with the 4-3, with a four-man line in Minnesota, that’s his expertise,” Scott said. “Now we have a lot of guys that can play it, and we can be flexible in our fronts.”

He's trying not to think too much about it.

THINK FAST, BART!

[Theguyingreenandwhite]

This defense has me so excited for this season I can't wait.

[Ryno the Jet]

This defense has me so excited for this season I can't wait.

No doubt, and fans are not the only ones taking notice. Here is an assessment from ESPN's AFCE Blogger James Walker. It should be noted that Walker is from Miami and usually negative towards the Jets, but he only had positive things to say about the Jets D after attending mini camp this past week:

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/print?id=43524

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Likes, dislikes from Jets, Patriots minicamp

By James Walker

The AFC East blog is wrapping up its two-stop minicamp tour in the Northeast with the New York Jets and New England Patriots. It was a fun week in which I was able to see both teams up close.

But before we head back to our Miami headquarters, here are some things we liked and disliked from the Patriots and Jets:

Things I liked

No. 2: Jets’ defense

Watching the Jets practice and talking to players in the locker room, it's clear the Jets' defense is hungry. The defense was a top-five unit last year, but the players still do not feel they played to their standards. The Jets' defense was flying around the football in minicamp and appears to be getting its swagger back.

In-house players such as linebacker Bart Scott and second-year defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson look in great shape and much improved. Outside additions such as rookie defensive end Quinton Coples and veteran safety Yeremiah Bell also are making plays. If the Jets can get hard-hitting safety LaRon Landry (Achilles) healthy, they will have defensive playmakers at nearly every position. Jets linebacker Calvin Pace says they want to be the No. 1 defense in the NFL this season. If everyone stays healthy, the Jets could have a shot.

[Theguyingreenandwhite]

Has the potential to be scary good