SB Nation - Drew Coleman

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. Buffalo Bills Pass Offense

John B — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:14 -0000

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Everybody remembers how poorly Mark Sanchez played in the first meeting between these teams. Ryan Fitzpatrick was better, but he didn't play particularly well either in relief on injured Trent Edwards. Fitzpatrick was 10 for 25. He'll get the start again on Thursday. He also started against the Jets in a game last season with the Bengals, a lethargic New York victory. I'm not convinced the Jets have a tremendous amount to fear through the air. There are some guys who lack the mental capabilities to effectively play the quarterback position. Fitzpatrick has those. He's smart and tough. It just doesn't seem like he has the physical tools. He has below average arm strength and accuracy. He can do a bit of damage as a runner, though.

Since interim head coach Perry Fewell replaced Edwards as the starter with Fitzpatrick, Terrell Owens has really come to life. The controversial wideout had been putting together a very quiet season, raising questions whether he was in decline. He's come back to life in the past two weeks. He's averaged 7 catches, a shade under 150 yards, and a touchdown. At this point, though, does anybody out there think he's going to have that kind of success on Darrelle Revis? Revis handled him in the first meeting. There's a good chance he'll do it again. There's no receiver in this league I'd take over Revis.

Lee Evans against Lito Sheppard? This gives me a little bit more concern. Evans has speed deep. He's the kind of receiver I'm not sold Lito can contain by himself. Josh Reed in the slot? If he's against Drew Coleman, we may have found Fitzpatrick's primary target. Also look for some passes out of the backfield to Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. Both have over 20 receptions on the year. The Bills might particularly look for Jackson, a speedy playmaker, to give Fitzpatrick some safe reads and keep him from being exposed from the blitzes against his young and below average offensive line.

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. Carolina Panthers Pass Offense

John B — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:02:32 -0000

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There are a lot of similarities between the Jets and the Panthers. One of them is both teams have talented quarterbacks capable of taking over a game or losing it by constantly throwing it to the opposition. It's been more of the latter this year for Carolina. Jake Delhomme has only 8 touchdown passes against 14 interceptions on top of his all time horrific Playoff start last year against the Cardinals. His passer rating right now stands at 66.

Steve Smith will draw Darrelle Revis. Smith is one of the top deep threats in the game and owns great speed. He leads the Panthers with 45 receptions, 599 yards, and 4 touchdowns. With Donald Strickland and Dwight Lowery out, Lito Sheppard will rejoin the starting lineup. He'll spend much of his day covering Muhsin Muhammad. This seems like a decent matchup for Lito. Muhammad is not a deep threat. He does a lot of his work underneath, runs good routes, and battles. I like the matchup between the starters.

The Panthers are a better running team than passing team, but there are some areas they can try to exploit the Jets if they are willing to open up their playbook a bit. Then again, that requires putting it into Delhomme's hands instead of their excellent running backs. In any event, Drew Coleman will be the nickel. Coleman is coming off one of worst performances in NFL history against Wes Welker (and that is not hyperbole). In four years, Drew hasn't really developed any cover skills or shown he should be on the field in anything other than extreme passing subpackages. Carolina's third receiver, Jersey product Dwayne Jarrett, has only 10 receptions on the year, but the Panthers could look to exploit this matchup. We could also see them target tight ends Jeff King and Dante Rosario, who split time. They have combined for 31 catches.

The key will be bringing pressure and forcing Delhomme to make decisions quicker than he wants. This is how opponents approch New York's mistake prone quarterback. It's how the Jets should go after Carolina's. The Panthers are playing without Pro Bowl tackle Jordan Gross, who is on IR with an injured ankle. Travelle Wharton will start in his place. He had some struggles against the Dolphins last week. The overload blitzes this week could go primarily to his side.

Patriots 31 Jets 14: Bitter Revenge

John B — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:58:22 -0000

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The slide continues. The Jets are 4-6 and now a Playoff longshot. The Patriots dominated them today, winning 31-14 in Foxborough. This is the kind of Jets-Pats game we've come to know and hate. If New England wanted to get revenge for Week 2 and make a statement, they sure did that. This one was ugly and uncompetitive from the start.

More after the jump.

The Bad:

Mark Sanchez: Another ugly day for the rookie. He looked confused and rattled by New England's pass rush all day on his way to an 8 of 21, 5 turnover affair. There were a lot of bad mistakes. He made bad reads, had some horribly inaccurate throws, and threw one interception off his wrong foot, against his body, and into coverage in the face of a heavy pass rush instead of just throwing it away. He just looked lost out there for most of this one. Unfortunately, days like this are part of having a rookie quarterback. The only way to learn is to make mistakes. With the season pretty much lost, I think all calls for his benching should end. At least the last 6 games can be used to get more time under his belt.

Braylon Edwards: Only a catch for 10 yards. He was silent and had a drop that ended a drive early. Who knows how that could have changed the complexion of the contest?

Defensive Approach: I haven't been very critical of the coaching staff, but the first half left a lot to be desired. The Jets played a base 4-3 and send the linemen. In such a scheme, there are three guys whose job is to generate a pass rush. The nose tackle, Sione Pouha, was there to draw a double team. The three responsible for the rush were ends Bryan Thomas and Calvin Pace. These guys were both considered first round busts because of their respective inabilities to rush the passer as 4-3 ends. Shaun Ellis played the under tackle. Remember how Herm Edwards tried to move him there early in his career and how ineffective he was? This scheme put guys in positions they are proven to not be adept at, although Ellis did have a good game. The only way to stop Tom Brady is to get pressure on him. I'm not sure I get why the Jets didn't come out with the apporach that worked so well in the first meeting, sending pressure from all angles.

There was also the time the Jets disguised a blitz, moved everybody to the line, sent 3, and left nobody deep. I tend to believe there's never a good time to rush 3, but the idea of doing that is to minimize the possibility of a big play. Moving everybody to the line and sending nobody is the worst of all worlds. There's little chance to generate a pass rush, and guys are out of position. Wes Welker had a long grab to set up a score.

Speaking of Welker, the Jets hung Drew Coleman out to dry. Coleman is the fifth best corner on the roster and hardly has any cover skills. He has no business playing man on Welker. Coleman was burned as often as any corner I've ever seen play in a single game. Welker had 15 receptions for 192 yards. Couldn't anybody else cover him? Was something wrong with Lito Sheppard?

Drew Coleman: I know he had no business playing on Welker, but I reiterate that was one of the worst performances of all time.

Kerry Rhodes: About the only time we heard his name, he was either missing a tackle or arriving late in coverage.

The Good:

Special Teams: A few weeks ago, we had people calling for Mike Westhoff to be fired. I don't think we'll see that today. There was a blocked punt that gave the Jets life in the second and David Clowney and Dwight Lowery both had returns in excess of 35 yards.

Darrelle Revis: Maybe Randy Moss will give him a little credit now. Revis quieted Moss again to the tune of 5 catches for 35 yards and several passes defensed. Even in the passes Moss caught, Revis was in perfect coverage, and he didn't do much after his receptions.

Thomas Jones: Quietly compiled another 100 yard game.

David Harris: Led the team with 14 tackles and was the one guy to make Welker pay for going over the middle.

Shaun Ellis: Had a pair of sacks.

Effort: I will give the Jets credit for not quitting in the second half like the Titans did in Foxborough a few weeks back. It was clear these guys battled until the end, and they even turned a 24-0 game into a competitive contest for a bit.

There's not really much else to say. The Pats were so dominant today it wasn't even funny. They made a statement about who the best team in the East really is. The Jets are probably playing out the string at this point.

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. New Orleans Saints Pass Offense

John B — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 13:15:12 -0000

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This is not the kind of game where you want two of your top three cornerbacks out. That is just the challenge the Jets will face against the Saints. Lito Sheppard and Donald Strickland will both miss this one. That means plenty of Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman. Darrelle Revis is probably going to be up against the leading receiver on New Orleans, Marques Colston. Colston's an excellent receiver. When all is said and done, he'll probably replace our own Wayne Chrebet as the greatest wideout ever to come out of Hofstra (if he's not there already). He's also not Andre Johnson or Randy Moss. There's a good chance the Jets can take him out of the game.

It's tough to say how eliminating the top target of the opposition will throw the Saints off. It's going to cause some sort of problems for the Saints. They have an excellent vertical target in Devry Henderson. It's not clear either Coleman or Lowery has the speed necessary to cover him one on one. To make matters worse, the slot man for the Saints, Lance Moore will be back. Lowery can stay with his man in a short burst. He's probably best to cover the slot. Coleman is very unrefined. I would give him safety help on Henderson's vertical routes and live with his struggles underneath.

Former Giant Jeremy Shockey is off to a fast start at tight end. Reggie Bush for all of his faults is a dynamic receiver out of the backfield. Eric Smith has been doing great work in subpackages underneath. I anticipate him playing plenty against both in coverage.

The most important task will be getting pressure to Brees. As we discussed two weeks ago, great quarterbacks will kill you if they get time. It's the job of the defense to make them uncomfortable. The Jets have a coach dedicated to getting to the quarterback. If the Saints block six, the Jets will send seven. If the Saints block seven, the Jets will send eight. If the Saints block eight, the Jets will send nine. Brees is going to get hit. The question is how consistently the Jets can get to him early. There's no room for error because this offense is a big play offense. The Jets will get to him, but if they don't get to him quickly enough, it's going to be a long day.

Strickland and Sheppard Unlikely to Play Sunday

John B — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:00:50 -0000

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Bad news out of Florham Park. Lito Sheppard and Donald Strickland are probably out Sunday. So much for the hopes raised by not signing a free agent corner.

Playing the run-oriented Tennessee Titans without two-fifths of your starting secondary is one thing. Facing Saints quarterback Drew Brees with a banged-up defensive backfield is quite another.

That’s what the Jets will likely be doing Sunday. Cornerback Lito Sheppard (quad) and top-notch nickelback Donald Strickland (ankle) missed their second straight day of practice Thursday and neither is expected to play on Sunday at New Orleans.

"They were iffy, especially Strickland," said coach Rex Ryan Thursday. "Lito looks like he’s coming around. He was running today."

Ugh. Even if they do play, having them at less than 100% is a bad thing against these receivers.

Do you think Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman can step up?

NY Jets @ New Orleans Saints: Interview with the Enemy

Saintsational — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:58 -0000

We are now only two days away from the big kickoff this weekend. Yesterday our guest was Jimmy from Music City Miracles, here to try and help us get a better understanding of what we can expect from the Jets defense. Today, we've got the SB Nation's Jets blogger himself, John B from Gang Green Nation, to answer a few questions and give us his informed perspective. Let's take a look at what John B had to say about the battle of the undefeated.

CSC: The Saints and Jets are probably the two hottest teams in the league right now and somewhat to the surprise of many. Is the Jets success for real or will it begin to falter and crumble at some point?

GGN: I think it's for real. There was a lot of talent on the roster. As long as everybody stayed healthy, it was eventually going to come together. I'm really surprised how soon it's happened with a rookie quarterback and a new defensive scheme. As Mark Sanchez grows more comfortable with the pro game, and the defensive players get more experienced in the system, I'm hoping the play gets even better.

CSC: Are there concerns regarding the health of the Jets secondary? Will they be up to the challenge of facing Drew Brees?

GGN: One starter, Lito Sheppard, and the nickel, Donald Strickland, missed last week's game. If they can't go Dwight Lowery, who started the first half of last year as a rookie, and Drew Coleman will take their place. It sounds like the team is optimistic about them playing. The Jets worked out a couple of corners this week but didn't sign anybody, which some take to mean Sheppard and Strickland will play. I feel comfortable with Lowery in the lineup if he has to play. Not so much with Coleman. At the end of the day, though, the Jets want to make Brees get rid of it before the receivers have a chance to get open. The secondary will matter, but not as much as the pass rush.

CSC: What makes the Jets defense so good and what does Rex Ryan have to do with that?

GGN: There's a lot of talent on the unit, but two players in particular stick out. The first is Kris Jenkins. He's a force of nature on the defensive line. The Jets blitz a lot. It's tough to find enough blockers to pick up those blitzes when you need 2-3 guys on every play just to try and keep Jenkins in check. The second is Darrelle Revis. The blitzing leaves corners on an island. Revis manhandled Andre Johnson and Randy Moss, arguably the two most talented receivers on the planet in the first two weeks. It's easy to be aggressive when you know you have a guy like Revis there in case the opposition picks up the blitz.

More than anything, Ryan brings an attack mentality that was missing under the old staff. The Jets have had success because they get to the quarterback. The funny thing is the sack numbers don't look that great, but they've held Tom Brady and Kerry Collins under 50% in the past two weeks because they've applied consistent pressure and forced early throws.

CSC: How has Steve Weatherford been working out for you guys?

GGN: It feels like the Jets had about twenty punters in camp. They ended up making two changes between the preseason finale and regular season opener. Weatherford didn't do a great job last week. He only averaged 36 on his kicks and shanked one in crunch time.

CSC: What do you think the Jets need to do to defeat the Saints?

GGN: I'll give two simple keys. The first is get to Brees. They need to force him to get rid it before he wants, before his receivers get open. They need to hit him early and often so he's not comfortable in the pocket.

The second is the Jets need to run block better than they have this year so far. There are four first round picks on that offensive line. They turned Thomas Jones into the AFC's leading rusher last season. It's time for them to assert themselves. The Jets need to control the clock and keep that offense off the field.

CSC: Care to make a prediction?

GGN: I don't love doing predictions. I think it will be a close game. If it was in the Meadowlands, I'd like the Jets. I think the Saints have a slight edge in the dome.

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. Tennessee Titans Pass Offense

John B — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:30:52 -0000

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This is going to be the best offensive line the Jets have faced all season. From left to right respectively, Michael Roos, Eugene Amato, old friend Kevin Mawae, former Colt Jake Scott, and David Stewart are an elite front. Kerry Collins is one of the least mobile quarterbacks in football, but he was only sacked 8 times a season ago. He's gone down twice in 2 games this year. Rex Ryan's Ravens only sacked him once in 2 games in the 2008 season.

The injuries to Lito Sheppard and Donald Strickland are some cause for concern. Tennessee does not have a vaunted passing attack, but they do have a pair of deep threats at the position, Nate Washington and Justin Gage. Darrelle Revis can take one of them away. If Sheppard and Strickland are out, there will be Cover 1 tilted to the side of the other side of the field. Rookie Kenny Britt from Rutgers had a big game against the Steelers in the opener. He's a more refined route runner than you would usually see as a rookie. I can see him taking Drew Coleman to class if they're in a one on one matchup.

The Titans have a trio of good receiving tight ends. Bo Scaife may sit this game out due to an injury, but Alge Crumpler had 4 catches in his place last week against the Texans. Jared Cook is a rookie from South Carolina. He was injured in Week 1 and did not make much of an impact in Week 2, but he does concern me. He might be faster and more athletic than Dustin Keller. The Jets might have to use Kerry Rhodes on him to contain him.

I'll finish where I started. It all comes down to getting heat on Kerry Collins. Collins is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the game in my book. You never hear anything about him other than him being the weak link of the offense. He was a top 10 pick. He took a team to the Super Bowl. He took another to a Conference Championship Game, and the Titans to the top seed in the AFC last year. He makes good decisions. He has a solid set of receivers even if there is no Randy Moss or Andre Johnson. Against a potentially depleted secondary, one of them will eventually get open if he has time. Tackling will also be key as Collins can check down to Chris Johnson, a speedy back who had the game of his life last week.

Jets Meet With FA Cornerbacks

David_Wyatt — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:49:44 -0000

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards, right, catches a pass against cornerback Corey Ivy during practice

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Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post has confirmed that the New York Jets met with both Corey Ivy and Justin Miller today.

Justin Miller a former Jet and pro bowl returner was released by the Oakland Raiders during final cuts, as was Ivy from the Browns.

If you remember Ivy visited with the Jets during the off-season and was considered some what of a lock by some to sign. However after being shown the game tape of Donald Strickland, we decided to move in another direction.

Now I don't want to start rumours but could this possibly mean that one of the injurys to either Sheppard or Strickland is a little more serious than first thought, or is it just extra veteran depth at the position.

I certainly would take Corey Ivy over Drew Coleman.

The Jets Who's Who Injury Report

David_Wyatt — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:20:06 -0000

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New York Jets cornerback Lito Sheppard breaks up a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Kelley Washington

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Do you think the fines handed down by the NFL to the Jets surrounding the whole Brett Favre injury incident had any type of effect. It certainly didn't effect us financially but looking over the injury report from today it seems that if you even dared mutter about any type of injury you were heading to the list, just to be careful of course.

First of all lets get to the two big ones that I'm sure you have all heard about by now, I only just heard because I only just got home but was very disappointed.

Donald Strickland and Lito Sheppard have both been listed as out for Sunday's clash with the Titans. While Strickland's comes as no surprise to me, I thought Lito would be at worst a game time decision. What this means is that Lowery will move over to the 2nd corner position and Drew Coleman..........*waits for the collective groans to fade* will take over from Strickland's nickel position.

Outside of these two there really is only one doubt, and that comes in the form of 7th round 2009 draft choice OG Matt Slauson who is nursing a ankle injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday after being limited in practise today.

Here are the other names that you will find on the injury report who participated fully in practise today and listed as probable for Sunday, in fact nearly all of them are guaranteed for Sunday.

Kellen Clemens (Elbow), Kris Jenkins (Back), Jim Leonhard (Knee), Dwight Lowery (Ankle), Nick Mangold (Toes), Sione Pouha (Ankle), Mark Sanchez (Knee), Bryan Thomas (Ankle), Jamaal Westerman (Quad), Damien Woody (Shoulder), Wallace Wright (Hamstring).

Looking at the list alone is enough to make you break into a sweat, fortunately we know that the majority really are not an issue. However we are certain now that if we are to go 3-0 on the season, we will have to do it missing key contributors in the secondary.

Corner Trouble?

John B — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:00:21 -0000

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Per Rich Cimini:

Lito Sheppard (quad) and Donald Strickland, the Jets' second and third corners, didn't practice at all. It's not looking good for this weekend.

"I'm not 100% convinced that both of them will play," Rex Ryan said.

They'd be replaced by Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman, respectively.

Lowery made a great play at the end of the game against the Pats. I think he could do a good job against the Titans. I remember how well he played at the start of last season when the pass rush was working. He's not that fast. That means he gets into trouble when he has to cover receivers for a long time. Over a short spurt though (the blitz forcing an early throw), he can stick with a guy, and his ball skills make him a good contributor.

Coleman I'm not so crazy about starting. He got burned a few times last week, which has pretty much been the story of his career so far. Nate Washington and Justin Gage are deep threats, and Kenny Britt is a really good route runner for a rookie. I don't like the idea of leaving him on an island, but I don't think Rex is going to give extra safety help because that would limit his blitzes to an extent.

In other words, get well soon, Lito and Donald.