Defense can now attack

[Jetster]

I keep hearing about the loss of Damon Harrison and haven't heard much talk about Steve McClendon. From the little I've read, McClendon uses his speed & quickness inside, where as Harrison was more power.

I'm gathering McClendon likes to attack gaps, Damon would just go straight on. It seems to me that Todd is OK giving up a few more inside rushing yards from time to time, but wants to get more pressure on the QB. 

While losing a player like Harrison might be a big deal for some teams, the Jets have 3 pro bowl type Dlineman who all are over 300Lbs & can play the run too. I never heard once that the Jets & Macc were trying to resign Damon.

Now that Macc has revamped the entire LB core other than Harris any holes created should close much faster than last year when DD was always out of position & slipping off tackles. All 3 of our Dlineman are big & quick and are versitile enough to play outside or inside depending on the opponent. My point is that the media is making the Harrison defection seem like a bigger deal than it actually is. What's everyone's thoughts on this?

[The Crusher]

Giants paid a lot of money to help the the run defense in s pass first league. Our entire defense just got much faster.  We might be a  little softer against the run inside without him and with our smaller faster linebackers but I think we will be fine.  Whatever place we may slip as a run defense I really believe we climb as a pass defense.  I expect to see articles about Revis resurgence how the secondary is fine without Cro due in large part by taking away underneath routes and disrupting QBs rythym.  Looks good on paper and time will tell

[Jetster]

Be interesting to see who emerges as an edge rusher. Mauldin, Bishop, Catapano. Our big 3 are guys that need to be doubled, someone's getting a free release. I can see Pryor & Lee up the middle & Skrine off the edge too.

Kacey Rogers has a lot to work with & can get creative. I think our D is going to surprise some opposing fans, seems most fans see the Jets on the schedule & pencil in a win,lol.

[Joe Jets fan]

21 minutes ago, The Crusher said:

Giants paid a lot of money to help the the run defense in s pass first league. Our entire defense just got much faster.  We might be a  little softer against the run inside without him and with our smaller faster linebackers but I think we will be fine.  Whatever place we may slip as a run defense I really believe we climb as a pass defense.  I expect to see articles about Revis resurgence how the secondary is fine without Cro due in large part by taking away underneath routes and disrupting QBs rythym.  Looks good on paper and time will tell

This!

The defense looks fantastic on paper, if it turns out to be that good this team is going to win a lot of games.

[jdeacon]

I see zero drop off in the run game. Harrison is a great run stuffing nose but we have amazing linemen and the hitman harris ready to clean up anything coming through the middle. McLendon is no scrub, if anything he adds more to the team with the ability to get more interior pressure than Harrison did.

[Jetsfan80]

Our biggest weakness when blitzing was the potential for a slow LB to be covering a RB one-on-one on a wheel route.  We can only hope that our new, faster LB corps is ready to handle that duty so that we can attack as much as possible.

The running game between the tackles?  Not a problem.  Mo can even play NT when needed.  That's how versatile he is and a big reason why we paid big money to bring him back.

[Jetster]

2 minutes ago, jdeacon said:

I see zero drop off in the run game. Harrison is a great run stuffing nose but we have amazing linemen and the hitman harris ready to clean up anything coming through the middle. McLendon is no scrub, if anything he adds more to the team with the ability to get more interior pressure than Harrison did.

That's the one thing I've heard about McClendon is that he's much more quick than powerful. That bodes well for more holding calls as its much easier to get away with holding straight up than when a guy slips by you at the snap & has a straight line to the QB. His type of play might not mean much on an inferior Dline but he's playing with 3 of the best in the league.

[PepPep]

So just to be clear, Macc said they tried very hard to bring back Snacks. The Giants simply outbid them. This is evident in the contract he got.

The combination of McLendon and J.Jenkins (another 300lb DT/DE), along with Richardson, Wilk, and L.Williams is plenty of BEEF to stuff the run. And these guys will be rotating situationally to stay fresh. I actually don;t see a drop-off in run defense. We still have Harris and any speed we added to the LB group will help a well. 

I mean, I simply think the Jets are primed to be one of the best defenses in the league this year.

It will hinge on 3 things:

1. Can the Jets improve their edge rush? (this will be interesting to see. The Jets didn't draft an elite pass rush prospect and did not sign an elite pass rusher in FA. Can guys like Lee, Jenkins, Bishop, Reilly, Mauldin, etc. improve the overall pass rush? Will the improvement come from McLendon, Wilk, Richardson and L.Williams?) 

2. Can the Jets improve their LB coverage? (they signed Henderson, Carter and drafted Lee- so you would think so)

3. Can the Jets find stability at the #2 CB (Milliner, Williams, Skrine could all be that guy- so you would think so)