REX APPROVES
Ryan likes what he sees in Jets’ defensive coordinator Gregg Williams
Rex Ryan has faith in the 2020 Jets, because he has faith in one man: Gregg Williams.
The former Jets head coach has forgotten more about defense than most us will ever know, so his endorsement of Gang Green’s de facto head coach of the defense carries plenty of weight.
“Gregg’s smart,” Ryan told the Daily News. “He’s really a smart guy, aggressive, gives you multiple looks. There’s not many of them like that in the league right now. A lot of these guys are one-front, one-coverage guys. Gregg ’s not.
Gregg’s going to challenge you mentally. That’s what gives this team a chance.”
The Jets, mired in the NFL’s s third-longest playoff drought t (nine years), face a litany of challenges in the wake of key losses on defense. Williams lost his two best players in All-Pro safety Jamal Adams (traded) and linebacker C.J. Mosley (COVID-19 opt out) in the past six weeks, prompting many to wonder what kind of magic brew the defensive coordinator will have to keep his unit from unraveling.
Williams overcame a spate of injuries last season without complaining. The Jets somehow finished seventh in total defense, second in run defense, 11th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA overall efficiency and second in run efficiency rating.
Ryan credited Williams, who coached with his dad, Buddy Ryan, for the Houston Oilers three decades ago, for his flexibility and ingenuity.
“He’s a legitimate coach,” Ryan said. “He’s a damn good coach. He’s one of the better coordinators in the league. I’ll always have respect for Gregg. I really like him. If I was going to watch film on some teams, I would want to see what Gregg would do defensively. He’s creative. Some of the other teams, you’re like, ‘F—. I’m not getting anything from some of these guys.’ But Gregg and Dick LeBeau were the two that I really looked at and respected. That’s why I think the Jets are in great hands with Gregg as the D-coordinator.”
Ryan, who had a Top 6 defense in four of his six seasons as Gang Green’s head coach and eight out of 12 seasons as a either a defensive coordinator or head coach, admitted that losing Adams will present challenges for Williams.
“You got to find a way. You don’t concede anything,” Ryan said. “At safety, you can create different things. Obviously (Adams) is a great player, but if you want to blitz, you can put a blitzer in there. You can put a man-coverr guy in there. The difference is that (Adams) was a combinaation of everything. Obviously, it’s going to be a big loss, but at the same time, it’s a lot easier to replace a safety than it is a corner. Gregg’s going to be fine.”
Ryan is bullish on the Jets despite the prevailing sentiment, because of his confidence in Sam Darnold to make a significant jump in his third season.
“I think the team is going to be a lot better than people give them credit for,” Ryan said. “Let’s face it. If you have a franchise quarterback, it’s hard not to win. Now look, hopefully they protect him a little better
than (last year)…. This is the best quarterback the Jets have had since…. I mean, look, Sanchez wasn’t near as bad as some people think, but this kid looks legit. So, there’s no reason to think that they can’t win.”
In the end, Ryan thinks Williams’ brain will be able to overcome some of the personnel deficiencies.
“Every year people lose players, but it’s not the end all be all,” Ryan said. “(Adams) is a good player. It’s not like losing Darrelle Revis, I can assure you. (Adams) is good. I love the kid… He’s a safety. Gregg can find playmakers back there…. I still hold out hope on this team.”