Some Jets members have been vocal about the team's strengths being on the offensive side of the ball.
Don't laugh, this is no joke.
A friendly rivalry has been brewing all summer.
Part of the preseason bravado can be attributed to the offseason additions of offensive linemen John Simpson, Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses.
Part of that is the return to health of Aaron Rodgers and the continued development of young stars Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson.
The Jets' offense continues to badmouth the defense's position.
“They're trying to say they're an offensive organization,” Sauce Gardner said with a smile on Saturday. “Wow, that's the first time I've heard an offensive player say that. Aaron said it.”
Even if Gardner or linebackers C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams don't necessarily agree with those sentiments, the defense is pleased to see so much confidence coming from that other side of the ball.
Defense, they say, is still king in Florham Park.
But this is definitely a good thing compared to past years, when the Jets' defense had to carry the offense in order to win games.
That is no longer expected to happen.
The Jets ranked 29th in scoring last year with 15.8 points per game, but an improved offensive line and a healthy Rodgers should give them the offensive firepower to ease the pressure on the defense.
That goes beyond how little the Jets scored last year.
Last year, their average time of possession was 25 minutes, 2 seconds, which ranked 25th, meaning defenses were on the field for long periods of time each week.
It can happen to even the best-conditioned players.
So not only were the defenders losing matches more frequently, they were also spending an inordinate amount of time on the field.
Improving your attack power can solve this problem.
“We’re going to be able to shoot the ball more, that’s the biggest thing,” Williams said. “We don’t have to play a safe defense where we have to be defensive. [the other team to] “Zero. We can take chances. We have the offensive power to compete point by point, so we can take shots with confidence.”
“That could be a big difference,” Mosley said. “Obviously, it depends on our offensive line being able to lock down defensively. [own] “You control the clock, you score points, your defense can be aggressive when it needs to be, you're not always in a bind. … It's definitely a factor. When you go on the field in a game and you make 75-80 plays instead of 55-60, you definitely feel the difference. You wake up the next day and you definitely notice the difference.”
As for which unit is better, it will probably remain the defender.
This unit features one of the best cornerbacks in the league in Gardner, a top defensive tackle in Quinnen Williams and outstanding players at all three levels.
Last season, he was second in passing yards, third in total yards and 10th in points allowed.
But Mosley doesn't mind the offensive team's playful insults.
“They can say whatever they want if we win football games,” the veteran middle linebacker said, “It's cool to have a little battle about which team it is. At the end of the day, we're there to compete and do the right thing for each other.”
“If it makes people feel better to say they're an aggressive organization, that's fine by me.”
