During the last three seasons, the Jets‘ defense has been among the best in the NFL.
But if the defensive side of the ball has had an Achilles heel, it has been stopping the run.
That task won’t get any easier this week when the Jets (3-6) visit Kyler Murray and the Cardinals (5-4) in a critical matchup for both teams.
“I think they’re very efficient,” Jets defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton said about the Cardinals rushing attack. “I think they’re committed to it. I think James Conner is doing an incredible job. He’s a very good YAC runner, first contact doesn’t typically bring him down.”
“They’re just doing a really good job of staying efficient, staying committed, and just keep churning, and churning, and churning, and churning, and that’s from like quarter one to quarter four. That’s been talked about extensively for us, like these guys are going to plan to run the ball and they’re going to call the run. It’s not like it’s something that’s fleeting for them.”
In nine games this season, the Jets are fourth overall in yards (290.8) and 10th in points allowed (20.3) per game. However, Gang Green is 21st (132.6) in stopping the run.
The Jets are coming off a 21-13 victory in Week 8 against the Texans, snapping their five-game losing streak. The bad news is that the Jets still allowed 187 rushing yards and 5.2 yards per attempt to the Texans.
Arizona has one of the more potent ground games in the league. The Cardinals rank seventh in rushing yards (149.7) per game, and Murray has also been a significant weapon in their offense. He has rushed for 350 yards and averaged 8.1 per attempt.
The Jets have struggled with mobile quarterbacks for the last couple of weeks. During the loss against the Patriots, Drake Maye ran for a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter. In the same game, Jacoby Brissett, who replaced Maye after he suffered a concussion, also scrambled for a 14-yard gain, which eventually helped set up a one-yard touchdown run by Rhamondre Stevenson late in the fourth quarter.
Then, last week, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud ran for 59 yards on eight attempts. But it isn’t just Murray that the Jets’ defense has to worry about. Conner is also sixth in the NFL in rushing yards (664).
“I would say it’s one of those things where you go ahead and put it in the game plan,” Jets linebacker Quincy Williams said.
“It’s not one of those things where you got to come to the sideline and be like, all right, guys, we got to get prepared for a running quarterback. Then, you all of a sudden try to implement something during the game.
“So now you have something that you practice all throughout the week just preparing for those running type quarterbacks or just a strong run game period. Whether it’s him scrambling, whether that’s a design run, you feel me, or it’s just him using his running back, you feel just to get open.”
The Jets come into Sunday’s game with some momentum after their win against the Texans. Aaron Rodgers practiced fully all three days for the first time in weeks. The 40-year-old has been dealing with a bruised knee, ankle, and hamstring injuries that have limited his mobility.
Rodgers was impressive during the second half against Houston and had his best game since Gang Green’s victory against the Patriots in September. After completing only 7-of-14 passes for 32 yards in the first half, Rodgers ended the night 22-of-32 for 211 yards and three touchdown passes.
Rodgers is also gaining more and more chemistry with Garrett Wilson and rekindling magic with Davante Adams after he was traded to the Jets on Oct. 15. All five of the Jets starting offensive line should play after right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) left guard John Simpson (groin) and right tackle Morgan Moses (knee) all practiced fully on Friday.
“Probably the best I’ve played,” Rodgers said. “I felt good about my play. Obviously, couldn’t go anywhere but up in the second half.
“When we’re all on the same page, which we were so many times, I’ve been saying that same thing almost every single week, ‘What’s the issue?’ Well, 10 guys are on the same page and one guy isn’t. Second half of that game we had a lot of guys on the same page the entire time.”
The Jets understand the assignment during the final eight games of the season. The margin for error is small because they dug themselves into such a deep hole during the first half of the season.
Gang Green currently sits 10th in the AFC. However, the Jets are only two games behind the Broncos in the loss column for the conference’s seventh and final playoff spot.
The Jets lost to the Broncos in Week 4, placing even more of a sense of urgency during the final stretch.
“I think it’s more pressure to sustain success than to come out of a hole,” Adams said about the Jets position. “Sometimes that’s where you got to just look at it as, we in a hole, we got nothing to lose.”
