Tempers boil over as Jets' defense commits 'unacceptable' errors

[92ShaunEllis92]

Tempers boil over as Jets' defense commits 'unacceptable' errors

Cimini

Quinnen Williams, Jets DL coach get heated on sideline (0:16)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williamsstood face-to-face with his position coach, yelling at him on the sideline after an all-out blitz backfired and resulted in a first-quarter touchdown. Later, in the locker room, cornerback D.J. Reed, said the defense committed an "unacceptable" number of mental errors, claiming the players and coaches need to sit down and talk through some of the on-field issues.

The season is only three games old, and the Jets (1-2) already seem to be fighting back dysfunction on the defensive side of the ball. You had Williams, arguably the best player on defense, openly questioning coaching strategy during andafter Sunday's 27-12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. You had Reed, another respected leader, suggesting that maybe the coaches need to simplify the game plans.

"It's frustrating as hell," coach Robert Saleh said after another mistake-filled loss in which they allowed a previously slumping quarterback Joe Burrow to pass for 275 yards and three touchdowns.

The lasting image from the game will be that of Williams, usually mild-mannered, having to be separated from defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton. It happened moments after receiver Tyler Boyd's 56-yard touchdown reception, which gave Cincinnati a 14-6 lead late in the first quarter. It should've been a short gain, but safety Jordan Whitehead missed a tackle at the 44-yard line. There was no backup help because the Jets had sent a seven-man rush, leaving no one between Boyd and the end zone.

 

"We've got dogs in our [defensive line] room," Williams said. "Everybody on the staff knows it, everybody in the organization knows it. I trust the D-line so much that, 'Put it on our back to win this game, man.' You see what I'm saying? That came out of me, to just challenge my defensive line coach, like, 'Yo, put it on our back, Coach. You know what we've got in this room. Like, four-man rush, we don't need all this extra blitzing. Put it on our back and let's go out there and rush.'"

But was that all there was to it? Williams' response sounded like a varnished company line. It’s worth noting that he spent five minutes with a public-relations official before meeting with reporters.

Interestingly, it was their first seven-man rush of the season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Evidently, Ulbrich felt they weren't getting enough pressure on Burrow with a standard four-man rush because he called for extra rushers on five of 15 dropbacks in the first quarter -- higher than their usual blitz rate. For the remainder of the game, he dialed up extra pressure seven times out of 23 dropbacks, roughly the same rate as the first quarter. But there were no all-out blitzes after Williams' sideline spat with his coach.

Saleh didn't see any reason to publicly scold Williams for his outburst.

"I love the fire. I love all of it," he said. "Obviously, we don’t need them to go jawing at each other, but he's being competitive, so he was fine.

"He was challenging us as coaches to give him his four-man rush, so he could move into one-on-one, which, deservedly, he’s not wrong."

Williams isn't a fiery player, so his sideline display probably resonated more. As he joked afterward, "I never get like that. I'm not an aggressive person, so people were like, 'Oh, snap!'" He added that he loves Whitecotton and that he talked it out afterward.

You love the passion, but it's not a good optic for the Jets as a team.

You know what's also a bad optic? Leaving Ja'Marr Chase, one of the best receivers in the NFL, wide open in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown. For the third straight week, rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner was involved in a miscommunication that ended up in a score.

The Bengals lined up in an empty formation, with running back Joe Mixonlined up wide right. He motioned into the slot, then ran his route into the right flat. Both Gardner and linebacker Quincy Williams covered Mixon, leaving Chase uncovered. It was almost identical to last week's blown coverage on Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper -- a Gardner mistake.

It's Pass Coverage 101. It shouldn't be that hard.

"It's unacceptable. The mental errors are unacceptable -- for the coaches, for the players, for everybody that's part of this, including myself," Reed said. "It's unacceptable. We have to have a meeting and just talk about everything -- whether what we're doing is too much, whether we're not overcommunicating. We have to cut it out. We have to get it right."

Reed said a meeting would help because the players could share their "dilemmas, what we're struggling with, what's working, what's not working."

A year ago, the Jets finished 32nd in defense because they were shy on talent. That's no longer an alibi.

[Integrity28]

3 minutes ago, 92ShaunEllis92 said:

You love the passion, but it's not a good optic for the Jets as a team.

 

Optics are for executives. These are football players and if they want to yell, at the coaches because the coaches suck and constantly put them in position to fail, you let them. 

[bitonti]

When people talk about how the Jets had the worst defense in franchise history last year, they often don't mention the offense was bottom 5 in third down conversions. 

this is going to be accused of "cherry picking" or "Zach hating" but football is three phases and a failure of one phase effects the others

should the defense have played better? Of course. That whitehead missed tackle was awful, as was the Chase "switch off to no one"  

but games are won 30-27 each week 

the worse problem on Sunday was the offense settling for FG instead of TD. 

defense becomes a scape goat for the problems we don't want to talk about 

for what it's worth the Jets are 19th overall in 2022 for third down conversions but somehow in the botttom 5 of converting first downs at home

 

oh and one last hot take: Quinnen is their best player, maybe tied with Sauce, but it looks to me like the defense at least has guys who give a damn. Their mistakes are aggressive penalties like roughing and head shots. At least they care.

The offense looks like night of the living dead 

[FidelioJet]

4 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

Optics are for executives. These are football players and if they want to yell, at the coaches because the coaches suck and constantly put them in position to fail, you let them. 

I agree, no biggie about the argument...

But QW was wrong - they weren't getting there with 4...and even when they did - Burrow simply rolled out and made a play then.  

I see no issue with blitzing there, in fact they probably need to blitz more - simply because the front 4 isn't getting it done.

[Rhg1084]

Good, glad to finally see some emotion. This “positive vibes only” mantra is tiring 

[More Cowbell]

The problem is not calling an all out blitz, the problem is the guys you are sending are not getting to the QB.  

[Integrity28]

1 minute ago, FidelioJet said:

I agree, no biggie about the argument...

But QW was wrong - they weren't getting there with 4...and even when they did - Burrow simply rolled out and made a play then.  

I see no issue with blitzing there, in fact they probably need to blitz more - simply because the front 4 isn't getting it done.

The blitz wasn't working either. This aspect of it is irrelevant. The article is about the outburst and optics, not the validity of a 4-man rush and getting QW isolated in a 1-on-1. 

[Augustiniak]

7 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

The blitz wasn't working either. This aspect of it is irrelevant. The article is about the outburst and optics, not the validity of a 4-man rush and getting QW isolated in a 1-on-1. 

I thought the most interesting thing was that they blitzed a lot in the first quarter and cincy burned them.  After Q’s outburst they didn’t blitz, and the d was much better.  So if I’m reading this correctly, Q was pissed they blitzed b/c he felt the DL could generate pressure and didn’t want the secondary bare, and he was right.  And apparently the defensive coaches listened, which is bad if you want the defensive coaches to succeed.  Q knows more.  

[Darnold Schwarzenegger]

Personally I liked that q actually showed some emotion. This team sucks. Atleast I know 1 player actually gives a fook 

[TheNuuFaaolaExperience]

Jets record since Quinnen Williams became a New York Jet - 14-38. Yell at the coach when having you on the team makes a difference. 

Can't wait to pay this guy $27 million a year. 

[JoJoTownsell1]

35 minutes ago, bitonti said:

When people talk about how the Jets had the worst defense in franchise history last year, they often don't mention the offense was bottom 5 in third down conversions. 

this is going to be accused of "cherry picking" or "Zach hating" but football is three phases and a failure of one phase effects the others

should the defense have played better? Of course. That whitehead missed tackle was awful, as was the Chase "switch off to no one"  

but games are won 30-27 each week 

the worse problem on Sunday was the offense settling for FG instead of TD. 

defense becomes a scape goat for the problems we don't want to talk about 

for what it's worth the Jets are 19th overall in 2022 for third down conversions but somehow in the botttom 5 of converting first downs at home

 

oh and one last hot take: Quinnen is their best player, maybe tied with Sauce, but it looks to me like the defense at least has guys who give a damn. Their mistakes are aggressive penalties like roughing and head shots. At least they care.

The offense looks like night of the living dead 

The offense looked like it was being lead by a 37 year old washed up vet.....

Meanwhile the defense hasn't forced a 3 and out since Saleh got here.

[Beerfish]

Dear Quinnen, get to the fing QB and the team will not have to blitz and put us in jeopardy, yours truly, everyone in the universe.

[Alentador31]

They need to play the nest players more. Too much rotation on the dline hurts this defense. 

[Rhg1084]

4 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

Dear Quinnen, get to the fing QB and the team will not have to blitz and put us in jeopardy, yours truly, everyone in the universe.

Quinnen is doing fine, he had a sack yesterday. Guy has been great this season 

[Beerfish]

1 minute ago, Rhg1084 said:

Quinnen is doing fine, he had a sack yesterday. Guy has been great this season 

2.5, 7, 6 sacks his first three years, 1.5 this year.

No he is not doing fine.

He is doing fine for a mid round DT who makes a few plays.  He is a non entity as far as disruption for a #3 overall pick.

Wake me when he puts 3 or 4 big plays together in one game.

[bla bla bla]

The offense has plenty of issues, Fant and Flacco being the 2 big ones but they will not be here beyond this season.

The defense needs to be able to get pressure with 4 DL against a terrible OL and a statue of a QB. I'm glad Q is mad but his unit has been more disappointing than any other so far this season.

[Rhg1084]

4 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

2.5, 7, 6 sacks his first three years, 1.5 this year.

No he is not doing fine.

He is doing fine for a mid round DT who makes a few plays.  He is a non entity as far as disruption for a #3 overall pick.

Wake me when he puts 3 or 4 big plays together in one game.

Lol ok all the analytics stats say he’s a top DT this year, but Beerfish on Jetsnation.com says he sucks 

[Saul Goodman]

[Creepy Lurker]

42 minutes ago, TheNuuFaaolaExperience said:

Jets record since Quinnen Williams became a New York Jet - 14-38. Yell at the coach when having you on the team makes a difference. 

Can't wait to pay this guy $27 million a year. 

I can’t wait to use our top 5 pick to replace him like with Leo. Endless cycle of underperforming DTs. 

[Matt39]

I gotta imagine there was more to this blow up than just an argument over a 7 man rush.

[92ShaunEllis92]

5 minutes ago, Matt39 said:

I gotta imagine there was more to this blow up than just an argument over a 7 man rush.

Probably not a fan of the rotation and wants more snaps. I saw too much Rankins, Solomon Thomas, and JFM - for my taste -  when Q should be playing 95% of the defensive snaps. 

[Augustiniak]

6 minutes ago, Matt39 said:

I gotta imagine there was more to this blow up than just an argument over a 7 man rush.

My hunch is that the dline is pissed off at all the communication breakdowns in the secondary, and they don’t want them blitzing b/c they need to stay back there and cover.

[Integrity28]

1 hour ago, Augustiniak said:

I thought the most interesting thing was that they blitzed a lot in the first quarter and cincy burned them.  After Q’s outburst they didn’t blitz, and the d was much better.  So if I’m reading this correctly, Q was pissed they blitzed b/c he felt the DL could generate pressure and didn’t want the secondary bare, and he was right.  And apparently the defensive coaches listened, which is bad if you want the defensive coaches to succeed.  Q knows more.  

You might be right. The quote from the coach says, “and rightly so” or whatever. I didn’t watch the game, but this makes complete sense.

[Ghost420]

This DC should be fired today. 

[AZSOJ]

Agree but this is our HC's D not Jeff... Frankly, they oth should go. 

The Jeff Ulbrich-led New York Jets defense has allowed a 69% completion rating. They’ve allowed 37 touchdowns and stolen only 8 interceptions. Teams average 7.7 yards per play against Gang Green, and an average of 27 points scored. 

[Trotter]

Most on here simply asked for a competative team and overall improvement.

we simply wanted to see better play with perceived better players especially on d.

How the  hell did it all go to sh_t after 3 games?

[munchmemory]

First time in recorded history that the names Whitecotten and Whitehead appeared in the same news piece.

[Bleedin Green]

Nothing tells the story of the Jets better than the argumentative outburst being over which unit of the defense is more desperate for help, the pass rush that never gets there or the coverage that's always getting beat.

 

Next week, the battle can turn to the offensive side when the incompetent OL gets upset as keeping TEs and HBs in to help them block results in a triple-covered Wilson and every other WR blanketed.

[munchmemory]

1 minute ago, Bleedin Green said:

Nothing tells the story of the Jets better than the argumentative outburst being over which unit of the defense is more desperate for help, the pass rush that never gets there or the coverage that's always getting beat.

 

Next week, the battle can turn to the offensive side when the incompetent OL gets upset as keeping TEs and HBs in to help them block results in a triple-covered Wilson and every other WR blanketed.

I want to see someone on the team punch LaFleur so hard that his brother in Green Bay hits the deck.

[FootballLove]

It'd be like if Saleh had the entire d-line drop back into coverage allowing the other team to convert on a 4th and 1. LOL. 

Didn't our last DC get fired for a cover-0 blitz? These ****ers never learn.

[Fantasy Island]

3 hours ago, Alentador31 said:

They need to play the nest players more. Too much rotation on the dline hurts this defense. 

And they need to play man coverage not zone

[GreenFish]

Good. The players feel like the fans do. They should be frustrated. I haven’t seen this from Jets players in a while. The Rex Jets had passion like this.

[Barton]

Quinnen completely lying to the media after the game about what really was said/why he exploded.

I'm guessing the coach told him to step his game up, in some manner. 

[undertow]

I would like to take Q's side here but the 4 man rush gets zero pressure so not sure what he's going on about.

[Barton]

1 minute ago, undertow said:

I would like to take Q's side here but the 4 man rush gets zero pressure so not sure what he's going on about.

 

Duh. He's lying.

Did you see his reaction? Thats a you're challenging my manhood reaction. Coach probably called him out for playing like a noodle.