Quick Hits: Woeful run defense sinks Jets chances in Oakland
Obviously there were a lot of issues in today's performance in Oakland. However, the main concern should be the run defense. Having surrendered 190 yards to the Bills, the Jets were determined to improve this week. They only gave up 180 this time, but the performance was arguably even worse.
There were some shocking breakdowns on a team-wide level and we're going to scrutinize some of the worst ones here. A lot of them seemed at first glance to be attributable to one player, only for the replay to reveal an even bigger catalyst for the breakdown. In fact, each of these saw multiple players badly at fault.
Let's start with Marshawn Lynch going up the middle for a big gain to set up the first touchdown. Obviously you can't use an excuse that they were worn out or had given up because it was so early in the game at that point.
The announcers actually called out Mike Pennel for a missed tackle on this play, but he was far from being the biggest issue. In fact, Pennel arguably did a creditable job of leveraging across the front of the center to fill that lane and slow Lynch up.
Let's start with Darron Lee, who gets absolutely pancaked by the tight end. On the replay, you could perhaps make an argument for a hold, but the way he was knocked back as he tried to fill that lane was shocking.
The lane opened up because Lawrence Thomas got easily driven back by a double team. Donald Penn initially helps out the left guard and then is able to peel off as Thomas is driven well back off his spot.
Finally, Demario Davis gets sealed on the backside as he perhaps anticipates that there's a lane opening off-tackle. With Penn free to peel off and meet him at the second level, Davis vacates the cutback lane and that's why Lynch is able to break out for a first down run. Davis is essentially guilty of abandoning his post here as he tries to do too much.
Bizarrely, the Jets held Lynch to a perfectly acceptable 45 yards on 12 carries, only to then allow nine yards per carry on non-Lynch runs. It was as if they were focused solely on stopping him and switched off completely whenever someone else got the ball.
So, that was bad. But this was worse:
Some credit goes to the Raiders for the play design with the quick toss and for their execution as blockers. However, there were some blown assignments on defense too.
The issue here is that three players rush to try and ensure outside contain, but Kony Ealy is bracketed by a double team, opening a huge cutback lane. There's not much Ealy could have done about that.
Both Juston Burris and Jamal Adams react to the pitch with Adams getting kicked out by a block and Burris getting too far upfield to recover back into the play as he tried to chase Jalen Richard down from behind. Again, you couldn't criticize too much here because if they stayed at home then maybe Richard gets around the edge instead.
The big problem is that Darron Lee also reacts and tries to get outside. He's making a read, but it's the wrong read and he vacates the left side, opening the lane up for Richard to quickly accelerate up to full speed. Then, to compound matters, as he realizes his mistake, he gets pancaked once again.
Finally, Demario Davis has to try to fill the cutback lane but is driven out of the play at the second level by Penn again, who picks him off on the move and prevents him from getting anywhere near the ball carrier.
Another long touchdown had taken place on the previous drive. At first blush, this was due to two missed tackles by Muhammad Wilkerson and Juston Burris:
Burris obviously failed badly in his attempt to make a desperation saving tackle at the second level. However, if you look at Wilkerson, this isn't his gap and he actually comes close to preventing Cordarrelle Patterson from getting into the clear. That's a play he'd have made routinely before last year though.
The gap actually opens up because Thomas is once again easily handled at the point of attack and the two linebackers, aligned in the A-gaps at the snap, are also driven out of that lane with embarrassing ease. Davis is driven laterally with an interior kick-out block while Lee is driven backwards and struggles to get off the block.
Before I get accused of making excuses for Wilkerson, though, I don't recall ever seeing him moved by his man on a play easier than he was on this touchdown by Lynch:
The run defense was expected to be one thing that the Jets could hang their hat on this season, but after two games there are some serious problems to sort out.
You'd expect improvement over the next few weeks because the Bills and Raiders have great offensive lines with continuity but based on these breakdowns you have to question the defensive line depth and whether this linebacker pairing is physical or instinctual enough to hold up against the run in this system.
Much more in-depth analysis will follow throughout the day tomorrow.