Quick Fix: Reviewing the rotations against the Jaguars

by Site Admin

Let's start today's analysis with a quick review of the rotations on offense and defense in yesterday's game.

Nose-to-nose

Todd Bowles and his staff continue to introduce different personnel packages each week and that was the case again on Sunday.

This week, Steve McLendon and Mike Pennel were in the starting line-up together, perhaps as the Jets looked to beef up their interior and dissuade the Jaguars from running the ball down their throats. McLendon and Pennel didn't play together at all last week and, while they did a few times in the first two games, they were used together a lot more this week.

With Pennel and McLendon in together, the Jags ran the ball eight times for zero yards. Of course, the flip side to that is that the Jets gave up 5.6 yards per carry when they didn't have both Pennel and McLendon in the game.

Interestingly, although Lawrence Thomas was again employed at fullback, he was back on the defensive line rotation as well this week.

The rise of the four-headed monster

The Jets continue to mix up how they used their safeties. After they used some three-safety dime packages last week, they went away from that this week in favor of FOUR-safety sets with seven defensive backs.

Rontez Miles made his return and the Jets exploited the versatility of their safety group by employing them in this way in 3rd-and-long situations. This obviously worked well, as the Jaguars were just 4-for-15 on third down, including 2-of-10 after halftime.

The Jets did also use a three-safety nickel with Brooks, but only on a couple of snaps.

Five on the line

Having liberally employed jumbo packages over the first three games, the Jets abandoned that ploy this week.

Other than one play where Jonotthan Harrison entered the game and Bilal Powell got stuffed for no gain, the Jets kept just five men on the line this week.

Part of that is because the guy they'd been using as an extra blocker, Brent Qvale, was starting due to injury, but also their restored depth at tight end is a factor.

The Jets continued to reduce the pass protection burden on their right tackle by throwing a lot of quick passes and also by occasionally leaving an extra player in to block on that side.

PREVIOUSLY: Jacksonville gets chunk'd on