At this point last season, the New York Jets were flying high, having lost just one game under new coach Todd Bowles, establishing a rhythm on offense with journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and finding their identity on defense thanks to the return of Darrelle Revis.
For all of New York's lapses on offense (age, lack of speed) and defense (secondary depth), the defensive line was supposed to be the one sure thing heading into 2016. However, led again by newly minted Muhammad Wilkerson and bolstered by emerging second-year end Leonard Williams, the second iteration of the New York Sack Exchange is performing as if in a bear market, and their ineffectiveness on pass plays is leading to chunk plays in the secondary.
Though Williams has broken out with five sacks in five games, Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson have not fared as well, totaling a combined 2.5 sacks on the season and averaging a combined five tackles per game in their past two contests. What's worse, a lack of pressure on the quarterback has facilitated huge days from Russell Wilson and Ben Roethlisberger in consecutive weeks (663 yards, 7 passing TD in total).
With a healthy Carson Palmer and the sleepy Cardinals receivers waiting for their shot at Gang Green, Richardson and the Jets know they need to change something, and quickly, telling NJ Advance Media on Friday the Jets are "not even close" to as effective as they should be.
"We should be better than what we're doing," Richardson added. "I know it's new to some guys, but some guys are making plays and some guys aren't. Some guys are trying to do too much and hurting the defense."
Solving systemic defensive issues mid-season isn't a quick fix. The Jets still struggle mightily in the secondary, even when Revis is healthy, surrendering the second-most passing yards per game (303.0) and five passing TDs on 40-plus-yards or more, including a 72-yard bomb to Sammie Coates within the first five minutes last weekend. Their linebacking corps is experienced on the inside with David Harris, but is young and prone to breakdowns on the outside with rookie Darron Lee and Lorenzo Mauldin.
One answer might be using Richardson specifically in more of a pass-rushing role, rather than as a dropback OLB, which was his starting position against Pittsburgh in Week 5.
"I should be rushing," Richardson explained. "There are some times when I actually caught myself dropping back. I got used to turning and running so much, and I got pump faked. And then I turned around and (the quarterback) still had the ball. I could've had a sack on that one."
Misutilizing a gold mine of line talent is so far just one of Bowles' many errors in judgment this season, but it may prove to be his costliest if he doesn't reorganize his rushers and the Jets stay taxiing on the tarmac.
