In last week's 27-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Jets defense finally found its groove in the second half. The defensewent from 0 sacks, 0 QB hit, and only 1 tackle for loss at halftime to 2 sacks, 9 QB hits and 6 tackles for loss at the end of the game. DE Carl Lawson credits the change to settling down and playing the Jets' style of football.
"I feel like the difference in second half was just, you know, we just stuck to our guns, and we didn't get out of character," Lawson said. "We just played the way we were playing all season. I think first half maybe it was a little fast paced, and we kind of got out of character. But in the second half, it really just calmed down and it was like, hey, we're those guys, just go ahead and just do what we do."
This week the Jets take on division rivals, the Buffalo Bills, for the second time this season. In their first meeting in Week 9, the Jets won, 20-17. The Jets defense helped force Josh Allen's worst statistical game of the season so far with a season-low 46.8 passer rating, 2 interceptions and a season-high 5 sacks. Lawson knows that to beat the Bills again, they need to be better.
"I think we need to just raise everything that we did before," Lawson said. "The Bills know how we played them last game, so I bet you they are preaching in that building, we got to do this and that. We got to raise our intensity, do nothing different, but raise everything that we did well and take it to another level. So that's going to be a huge challenge for us."
The Jets have not swept the Bills since 2016, and never in Josh Allen's career. For Lawson, he finds playing teams the second time around in a season to be smoother for him.
"For me, it's a little bit easier, because you get a sense of the team the first game and then after that it's easier," Lawson said. "I can't really speak for anybody else, but I feel like it's a little bit easier the second game because you kind of know what's going on and there's more film out there."
Lawson is just one of seven players this season with 6 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, 40 quarterback pressures and 1 forced fumble. With 5 games remaining in the regular season, and the playoffs within reach, Lawson knows there's still room for improvement for him and the defense.
"We need to ramp it up as much as possible to reach our full potential," he said. "I know I want to reach my full potential, any game that I play, but I just want to keep getting better and better and better each game. I feel like that's what we want to do as a defense."
