JETS READY FOR TEDDY?
Gang defense better than expected, but hasn’t seen anything like Bridgewater and Broncos
The Jets defense better be ready to meet the challenge that the high-flying Broncos present.
It’s a small sample size against two bad opponents, but the Broncos (2-0) are averaging 409 yards of total offense and putting up 25 points per game heading into their home opener. The catalyst for their offense has been Teddy Bridgewater, who has been lighting it up in his first season in Denver.
On the flipside, the Jets (0-2) defense has been a better than expected unit through two weeks of the season.
They’re allowing 22 points and 320 total yards per game, both good for a Top 15 ranking. That’s a good start, but the Broncos pose a different challenge. They can attack you through the air and the ground.
Head coach Robert Saleh has immense respect for Bridgewater — a Pro Bowler now with his fourth organization — and knows his young squad is in for a challenge Sunday afternoon at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High.
“I have so much respect for his game. I think he’s one of the more underrated starters in this league,” Saleh said on Wednesday. “His release, he gets rid of the ball really fast, he’s a very, very good decision maker, he’s very accurate, he puts the ball where it needs to be and he can move a little bit.”
Bridgewater is averaging 296.0 yards passing after two games on the road. He has four touchdowns, zero interceptions and is completing 77% of his throws. The most impressive part is he isn’t dinking and dunking, he’s letting it fly.
Bridgewater is averaging 8.5 yards per pass attempt and is logging 10 intended air yards per throw, per Pro Football Reference. Both rank in the Top 8 of the NFL. He has attempted 13 passes over 20 yards in the first two weeks, the most in the NFL.
In the first drive of the third quarter against the Jaguars, Bridgewater exemplified how aggressive he’s been.
The Jaguars were in Cover 4 with safeties Rayshawn Jenkins and Andrew Wingard deep over the top. Shaquill Griffin, Tyson Campbell and Chris Claybrooks were at their respective corner spots.
Broncos outside receiver Courtland Sutton was on the left and KJ Hamler was next to Sutton in the slot. Tim Patrick was on the right side of the field.
Patrick and Hamler ran crossing routes and once they passed 10 yards, Jenkins and Wingard picked the pair up. That vacated the middle of the field and left Sutton, who had inside leverage on a post route, oneon-one with Claybrooks.
Bridgewater saw the mismatch and let it rip for a completion of 55 yards for Sutton.
That means the Jets secondary, who has played solid through the first two weeks, will be challenged more than they have been to date. Panthers QB Sam Darnold logged 5.5 air yards per completion in beating the Jets 19-14 in Week 1 and Patriots rookie Mac Jones had 2.5 last week in New England’s 25-6 win. That’s dink and dunking at its finest.
So, expect Bridgewater to push the ball down the field.
“We’ve got to play sound,” Saleh said. “It’s going to be a challenge in terms of trying to eliminate the explosives with these guys, they’re explosive all over the football field on offense, but it’s a challenge we’re up for.”
The ideal game plan to combat that explosive attack is the Jets defensive line creating pressure. With down the field throws, it means longer developing routes that require more time in the pocket.
“Our rushers have to come alive,” Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “Can’t give them a lot of time back there and we got to be sound in the back end.”
What makes the Broncos aerial attack even more prolific is they feature a balanced offense thanks to the running back duo of Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams. They’ve been bludgeoning teams on the ground with 130.5 rushing yards per game, fifth most in the NFL.
“They’re not the type of team that you stuffed them a couple times and they abandoned it. They’re committed to it, they’re going to give the ball to the guys,” Ulbrich said. “When you face a Pat Shurmur offense, that’s where you have to start. You have to start with stopping the run game so we’re absolutely committed to doing that.”
The Jets defensive line — led by Quinenn Wiliams — has to be on their A game.
“Everything starts with our D-Line room. Stop the run first,” Williams said. “We got great run stoppers like Folorunso Fatukasi, Nathan Shepherd, myself. Just stick to the basics and make sure we knock back the line of scrimmage.”
That is a major key because if the Broncos can run with success then that’ll lead to play action throws with over routes behind the linebackers, which equals explosive plays. Bridgewater has 30 play action attempts — most in the NFL — and he’s completed 76% of his passes for two touchdowns and 181 yards.
C.J. Mosley said when the Broncos go play action, it’s on the linebackers to contain those plays.
“See play action pass and know to get our depth because a lot of our coverage with those overs and deep routes gonna be on us,” Mosley said.
The Jets defense has been playing much better than expected. But against the Broncos the challenge will be through the roof.