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Another potential building block for Jets defense is emerging


Gas2No99

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Another potential building block for Jets defense is emerging

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When the Jets’ defense spontaneously broke into dance during a 34-21 win over the Bills last Thursday night, only one player wasn’t in on the act.

“I didn’t think the break was going to be that long,” outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins said this week. “I just tried to focus.”

But with the way he played, and the potential he flashed, Jenkins deserved to be front and center.

The 23-year-old finished the game with two sacks — his first multi-sack outing of his career — two quarterback hits, and a forced fumble. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

So far this season, most of the focus has been on the development of rookie safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye. The progression of second-year linebacker, and former first-round pick, Darron Lee, has also been closely monitored. The Jets are banking on that trio to be cornerstones of the defense for seasons to come.

Yet Jenkins, selected 83rd in the 2016 draft out of Georgia, could be another piece of the future puzzle. And for the moment, he has earned his right to dance in the spotlight.

 

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Jenkins earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.Paul J. Bereswill
 

“Jordan — player of the week. I keep telling him congrats every day,” teammate Leonard Williams, who has known Jenkins since high school when the two appeared in the same All-American game, said. “It’s awesome to see him progressing in his second year and doing so well.”

“Just understanding the techniques that [linebackers] coach [Kevin] Greene is trying to teach him,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “He got better that way. Looks like he’s been getting a grasp of it the past couple weeks. I think from a learning standpoint he’s gotten better.”

Asked what part of his game he believes has improved the most, Jenkins didn’t emphasize technique.

“Being relentless out there. Not giving up on plays,” he said, adding giving sustained effort was a problem in his rookie campaign.

“I’m hunting more this year than I was in the past. … In order to play outside backer, you got to be mean, you got to be nasty, you got to be dominant out there. That’s the mentality we all carry.”

Though the entire defense has been showered in praise lately, Jenkins hasn’t forgotten all the criticism the unit received before the season. It has been stored away, and it continues to drive him.

“Everyone who is talking us up now, talking about how good we’ve been playing, were the same people who were laughing at us in the offseason, saying, ‘I don’t know how the Jets are going to get one win this season. They probably can’t even win the bye week,’ ” Jenkins told The Post.

 

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Jenkins was pretty good at chasing down QBs at Georgia, too. Getty Images
 

One particular comment caught his attention — something along the lines of “There’s not one great player on that team at any position.” Jenkins said he thinks about that statement before every game.

Combine the heightened motivation, the improved technique under Greene, and an added level of comfort out on the field, and you’re left with eye-opening performances like against the Bills.

I’m not as stressed when I’m out there. I’m not second-guessing myself,” Jenkins said. “I feel like I belong. I feel like I can hang with these guys.

As an often-overlooked piece of a young unit that is exceeding expectations, Jenkins certainly looks like he belongs.

“It’s definitely something that is great to be a part of,” he said. “I knew we were going to be a young bunch. That’s what I love.”

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8 minutes ago, dbatesman said:

He has 4.5 sacks in 23 games, and nearly half of them came last Thursday. 

He's not a pass rush specialist and his job isn't just getting sacks. He is supposed to set the edge, which he has done well ever since he was drafted. Don't be such a negative Nancy. Sack totals doesn't tell the full story. He is a solid young player that looks to be improving, has stayed healthy, contributed throughout his short career and was a late 3rd round selection. Typical negative Jet fan reaction to throw out a 'lack of sack production stat' to neg a young, promising player.  

I'm surprised you didn't fit in a note in there on how D.Lee is tiny.  

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1 minute ago, PepPep said:

He's not a pass rush specialist and his job isn't just getting sacks. He is supposed to set the edge, which he has done well ever since he was drafted. Don't be such a negative Nancy. Sack totals doesn't tell the full story. He is a solid young player that looks to be improving, has stayed healthy, contributed throughout his short career and was a late 3rd round selection. Typical negative Jet fan reaction to throw out a 'lack of sack production stat' to neg a young, promising player.  

Come on brah, who drafted him???

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Just now, PepPep said:

He's not a pass rush specialist and his job isn't just getting sacks. He is supposed to set the edge, which he has done well ever since he was drafted. Don't be such a negative Nancy. Sack totals doesn't tell the full story. He is a solid young player that looks to be improving, has stayed healthy, contributed throughout his short career and was a late 3rd round selection. Typical negative Jet fan reaction to throw out a 'lack of sack production stat' to neg a young, promising player.  

I'm not negging anything. Jenkins was my adopt-a-Jet this year. He's a perfectly fine player, especially relative to his draft position. But calling him a "building block" is a bit of a stretch.

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4 minutes ago, BurnleyJet said:

I like him he's a plug and play unathletic Calvin Pace kind of guy. He's not going to put up big sack numbers, he sets the edge well and plays hard.

I remember Alex Gordon getting two sacks for the Jets in one game also..

Member the good ole days when Geno would record his own multi-sack games by running out of bounds.

Image result for member berries

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4 hours ago, bla bla bla said:

Morton and Greene were some of the best coaching decisions we've made in a long time. I could just be seeing everything through rose colored glasses but I don't think teams look forward to playing against this team right now regardless of record. 

And despite what some say Bowles gets credit for improving the coaching on the Jets sideline from the poop that he seemed to have out there last year.  Bowles said that he wanted guys who were teachers and he got em, a good thing..

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12 hours ago, BurnleyJet said:

I like him he's a plug and play unathletic Calvin Pace kind of guy. He's not going to put up big sack numbers, he sets the edge well and plays hard.

I remember Alex Gordon getting two sacks for the Jets in one game also..

I don't think that's fair.  He's got good explosion.  He posted a 37" vertical and 10'1" broad jump at 260 pounds.  The only LBs who out jumped him were a lot smaller.  

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13 hours ago, dbatesman said:

He has 4.5 sacks in 23 games, and nearly half of them came last Thursday. 

If there’s any player in Mac’s drafts to doubt, this guy ain’t one of them. While he hasn’t played lights out, he has been consistent and shown flashes of brilliance.  He’s got good instincts and plays the part- oh and he looks like a LB. ?

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