Jets Defensive Coordinator Confident Despite Rough Start
HERTFORDSHIRE, England — Steve Wilkes brings three decades of coaching experience, including two decades in the NFL. Recently, as the Jets defensive coordinator, he’s witnessed both struggles and successes, and he believes improvements are on the horizon.
“I’ve seen it,” said Wilkes on Thursday, acknowledging his past experience. “I know things will get better because I was part of it.” However, Jets fans may be skeptical as they reflect on the team’s defensive performance over the first five games.
Currently, the Jets are 0-5. Much of that can be attributed to their defense. They’ve been allowing 31.4 points per game, ranking as the fourth-worst start for the team through five games, according to ESPN. Opponents are scoring on 53.7% of their drives against them, which is the third-worst rate in the league.
Additionally, the Jets are facing a concerning lack of takeaways. They haven’t managed to record a turnover yet on defense. In fact, they’re the first team in NFL history to start a season without a turnover in five consecutive games since the league began tracking this stat in 1933. Just for context, the Jaguars have already scored 14 points in turnovers this season.
This lack of turnovers is particularly troubling. The Jets tend to favor a strong running game on offense but struggle to create big plays in the passing game. Ideally, they need to gain some shorter fields to avoid the pressure of executing lengthy, 12- or 13-play drives. Unfortunately, the defense hasn’t allowed for that yet.
It’s almost as if the Jets are playing the opposite of complementary football. “The number one thing is consistency,” Wilkes stated. “We’re doing a lot of great things. It’s just about being consistent throughout the game.” That said, it’s a bit hard to pinpoint what these “great” things actually are.
For starters, the pass defense has been lackluster, giving up the fourth-most passing touchdowns in the league at 11. The Jets rank 27th in rushing yards allowed, likely because teams often build a big lead against them, leading to increased rushing attempts. They also struggle to reach the quarterback, with only seven sacks this season—four of which came in the first week against the Steelers.
Last week, during a game against the Cowboys, Dak Prescott mentioned that he had a sack that he blamed solely on himself. This performance came against a Cowboys offense that was down four starting offensive linemen.
As defensive captain Quinnen Williams noted, “We’re 0-5. For me, defense is the problem and the reason we’re 0-5… you have to fix things.” Williams emphasized that to turn things around, no matter where a player is on the field, they need a major defensive overhaul.
Wilkes often blitzed around 30.2% of the time, but those blitzes haven’t produced the desired results. Additionally, the Jets have had significant issues getting off the field on third down. A missed tackle on a crucial third-and-one allowed the Cowboys to tie the game 3-3.
Missed tackles have become a persistent problem, with the Jets tied with the Bengals for the most missed tackles in the NFL at 49. For instance, during the second quarter last week, a missed tackle on an explosive run really highlighted these struggles.
Wilkes commented on these missed tackles, acknowledging that players need to be better positioned and more disciplined. “It’s about muscle memory and executing in those situations,” he said, stressing the need for improvement in practice.
