Jets' defense takes accountability, makes vow to never repeat Buffalo debacle
The Jets' Quinnen Williams reacts against the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium on Sep. 7 Credit: Jim McIsaac
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — During a defensive team meeting this week, Jets players made a pact with each other that what they let Buffalo do to them last Sunday won’t happen again.
The Bills ran for 224 yards in the Jets’ 30-10 loss. It was 171 more rushing yards than they gave up to Pittsburgh the previous week. It led to some open dialogue between the players that each one of them had to be better.
“We really honed in and focused on the step back that we took from Week 1 and Week 2,” captain and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said Thursday. “We all made a pact as a defense, player-to-player, that that won’t ever happen again.”
Williams said it wasn’t a players-only meeting and that no one specifically spoke up. It was a regular defensive meeting that included watching film of the loss and going over the mistakes. There were plenty of them, physical and mental.
Missed tackles and penalties hurt the Jets against Buffalo. They committed five defensive penalties on third and fourth downs. Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks referred to that as his group’s “nemesis.” Williams said “stupid penalties” was a topic.
“We all took constructive criticism from each other, owned up to what we need to do right and got better,” Williams said. “Not just talking about it, but really taking the time yesterday and today to get better at what we need to get better.”
The Jets (0-2) will try to earn their first win of the season Sunday at Tampa Bay. Their defense will have to be stout and smart against a good team with a number of weapons.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield is a great leader who has thrown an NFL-high 74 touchdown passes since the start of the 2023 season. Mayfield has Mr. Consistency Mike Evans and exciting rookie Emeka Egbuka to target. In the backfield, Bucky Irving and Rachaad White are a tough tandem to stop.
The Buccaneers are banged up on the offensive line, though. Right tackle Luke Goedeke (foot) and right guard Cody Mauch (knee) were placed on injured reserve this week. All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs is recovering from offseason knee surgery.
The Jets have their own problems, particularly on defense, which was supposed to be a strength. They returned eight starters from last season, but they have given up 34 and 30 points.
“It’s crazy,” cornerback Sauce Gardner said. “It’s definitely frustrating. We got to fix that for sure.”
The Jets are learning a new system, but Wilks said nothing “schematically” has led to their breakdowns. He said the Jets’ over-pursuit on some runs against Buffalo and missed tackles came down to their fundamentals and a lack of execution. Williams “100%” agreed and said there is a lot to clean up.
“We got to make the tackles,” he said. “We got to not make penalties on third down. We got to get the get the ball out of the quarterback’s hand fast. We got to win our one-on-ones up front. We got to do the things that the coaches can’t control on the field and the things that we can control.
“When we stop making stupid penalties on third down and when we stop making mental errors when it comes down to the fundamental and execution stuff, we’re going to be a great defense. We’re going to be a defense that’s probably going to be one of the best in the league.”
Aaron Glenn said allowing 224 rushing yards is “absolutely unacceptable” and that the coaches and players are working on patching up those holes.
“Big ships turn slow,” Glenn said. “Every day we’re going to chop wood to make sure we get it the way we need to get it to. I’m not expecting this to be just the wholesale turn of events and we’re going to be the No. 1 defense in the league. But the thing that we’re going to do, we’re going to focus on those things we have to do to get better.”
Two-minute drill
Jermaine Johnson (ankle) didn’t practice for the second straight day, putting his availability in Sunday’s game in doubt. Josh Reynolds (hamstring), Jay Tufele (illness) and Kene Nwangwu (hamstring) also hasn’t practiced this week . . . Nickel back Michael Carter II (shoulder) and safety Tony Adams (hip) were limited after not practicing Wednesday.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
