Photo: Nick St. DenisIn 2009, the Jets boasted the NFL's best defense. In 2010, they dropped to No. 3 (based on average yards against), and in 2011, Gang Green's defense fell to a disappointing (in their eyes) No. 5 ranking.
This season, New York is re-focused on its 2009 mentality: pressure, pressure and more pressure.
"It’s all about playing faster and playing and going and not just reacting all the time," Scott told the Newark Star-Ledger earlier this week. "Go in there, and we put the pressure on people. Like we did our first year. We came out, we blitzed, we didn’t care. You pick it up or you didn’t pick it up. Somebody swings, so what? We’re going to hit your quarterback."
The Jets were middle-of-the-pack that year in sacks, but they put an incredible amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks, making them throw the ball before they wanted to. New York's defense held opposing quarterbacks to a 51.7 completion percentage, which was league-best by a decent margin.
In 2010, Gang Green was still stout defensively but relied more on the offense than it did the year before. The Jets were even more passive in 2011, and they were much less effective.
"The second year, it’s like, we’ll come off," Scott said. "If a guy swings, you come off your blitz and stuff like that. Then what happens is it becomes a three-man rush, a defense that was supposed to be an aggressive defense turns into a passive one, and gives the quarterback more time."
With Gang Green's offense getting back to a run-first, power mentality via new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, the defense will try to match that with a more fierce attack from its front-seven.
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