If there was ever a time for a short week for the Jets defense, this is it. After dropping a 32-19 contest to the 49ers in San Francisco that saw the unit yield 401 yards and surrender eight consecutive scoring drives to end the game, MLB C.J. Mosley spoke about quickly turning the page ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Titans (0-1) in Nashville.
"Definitely eager," he said. "You definitely want to put your best foot forward. Obviously, we didn't have our best game Monday night. They did a great job executing their game plan and we didn't. A lot of great things to look at in this film we watched today, so excited to take our next step forward."
First Job Is Stop the Run
The NFL is a copycat league, and the Jets know the Titans are going to try to attack on the ground. After Jordan Mason had a career day with 147 rush yards against the Green & White, Mosley and the Jets will see a good dose of Tony Pollard behind an offensive line that is led by coaching legend Bill Callahan.
"The way San Francisco jets and motions every single play, that's kind of what Tennessee does with the run game," Mosley said. "There are going to be a lot of pullers, try to get our edges. There's no secret that that's the formula to hurting our defense in the run game on the perimeter. If you can get around us, that's going to create lanes and create gaps for the running backs. So, we have to do a great job of setting edges and everybody running to the ball."
Pollard rushed for 82 yards in the Titans' 24-17 loss to the Bears, a game that saw Tennessee squander a 17-0 lead as Chicago got 14 points off a blocked punt and a pick-6 of Will Levis.
"If we don't handle the run game first, he's going to be able to do whatever he wants to," Mosley said. "If they run the ball well, they're going to be able to get in their boot game, get in their play action, get in all the things that make them successful. Our job first is to stop the run, set edges, and then go play ball after that."
Levis (6-4, 229), who is 3-7 as a starter with a 58.5% completion percentage and 9 TDs and 6 INTs, has impressive physical skills and his receiver group features Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd and DeAndre Hopkins. But he can force the action and was intercepted twice and sacked three times in Chicago.
"He's a talented athlete and he can throw the ball pretty well, but just watching film and just understanding some things about him especially when he comes out, he's one of those guys when things aren't going his way, he can kind of panic a little early," said edge Jermaine Johnson.
Great Groups Hold Themselves Accountable
While the Jets returned seven starters on a defense that finished No. 3 overall last season, the defensive line has two new regulars up front in DT Javon Kinlaw and DL Micheal Clemons. Against the 'Niners, two defensive backs – S Tony Adams (12) and CB D.J. Reed (9) – finished first and third in tackles, respectively.
"We do things at a high level right so much, when one little thing doesn't look right, it's like hold on, what's going on," Mosley said. "It's not a bad thing, but it's just how great teams and great groups hold themselves and their teammates accountable."
To a man, Jets defenders looked inward this week.
"I'll speak for myself. Technique wise, angling wise, it was giving an offense an easier way of kind of capturing the edge especially," Johnson said. "I'll speak for myself, just understanding that if I fix the technique and fix a couple of angles and alignments and stuff like that, that I'll protect the defense and my edge that much better."
Star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams stressed that the Jets must stop the Titans rush attack to earn the right to put the heat on Levis. With Bill Callahan working for his son, first-year HC Brian Callahan, the Titans have blended the rush concepts the OL coach had in Cleveland with the pass concepts his son had in Cincinnati.
"You've got guys up front who are running off the ball, you've got JC Latham, a rookie, who's dominant in the run game, and a dominant left tackle, especially from his first game in the preseason," Williams said. "You've got Tony Pollard, a guy that played at the Cowboys who runs the ball extremely well also, and a great running scheme."
Tremendous Challenge
With Aaron Rodgers returning to action in Week 1, the Jets offense showed promise. Despite converting on 6-of-10 on third down, the Jets were hurt by 3 three-and-outs plus a lost fumble and an interception.
"I think we always have to stay relaxed," Rodgers said. "It's a long season. I think at times people think the season is like you're out in the prairie or the desert and you're wandering around trying to find water, but it's more like a nice, slow Boléro where we're just swaying with the music and reacting to whatever that comes to us and through us. Just trying to not get too high with the highs or too low with the lows."
After an early low on the West Coast, the Jets will look to sway back to .500 in the Music City.
"We've got a great opportunity this week against Tennessee on a short week," HC Robert Saleh said. "They were very unfortunate not to come away with their game against Chicago, and they've got a lot of really good pieces. They've got one of the best O-line coaches in the history of football whose given us fits over the last few years, so it's going to be a tremendous challenge. But like I said guys, it's a 17-game season, we've got 16 of these left, and getting the defense fixed is not going to be a problem."
