Heading into the final chapter of the season, the Jets and Giants have a few things in common. One major factor that has stood out – defense.
Their consistent defensive lapses have led to a combined 5-21 record into Week 15. And there are some similarities between them, almost mirror-like.
Fortunately, time can be on their side.
The Jets’ defense began an overhaul with the trades of Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, while the Giants’ unit -primarily their pass rush – presumably was set to be the catalyst for the team.
They currently are tied for 18th in the league with 29 sacks. Yet, edge rusher Brian Burns, having a Pro-Bowl season, is second in the league with 13.
Unlike the Jets, the Giants’ defense has been a full-fledged soap opera. There’sbeen plenty of drama, and it hasn’t been pretty.
However, the Giants’ defense has been porous against the run, as they rank 31st over all- second last – in the league. They rank 31st -only ahead of the besieged Bengals’ unit – in total defense and 24th against the pass.
As a result, the Giants have allowed an average of 28.2 points per game, only ahead of Dallas and Cincinnati.
Their unit was a major reason the Giants blew five fourth-quarter leads and cost former head coach Brian Daboll his job.
Former defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s firing by interim head coach Mike Kafka was well overdue, and Daboll may have saved his job if he acted upon it.
There was defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence’s public calling out by former linebacker and Giants’ icon and radio color analyst Carl Banks, who questioned Lawrence’s work ethic and overall effort.
Former Penn State standout linebacker Abdul Carter, has been teetering on being a bust with his immaturity and undisciplined nature off the field, being flagged for team violations.
Carter has underperformed with 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks through 13 games, not the level of production expected from the third overall pick in the past draft.
The Giants’ defense has a chance to redeem itself if they can muster a stellar effort against the free-falling Commanders, who have lost eight straight, at Met Life Sunday.
With the Vikings at home and the Raiders in Vegas to follow, they have a chance to close some gaps, posting a dominant showing against Washington. They will end the season against the Cowboys’ high-octane offense.
As far as the Jets, they have reshuffled the deck with first-year coordinator Steve Willks in charge. Statistically, their numbers aren’t that bad, being ranked 17th overall, eighth against the pass, and 30th against the run.
Linebacker Quincy Williams, whose stock rose dramatically over the last two years, has had a bad year, as he was benched earlier in the season.
Budding edge rushers Will McDonald and Jermaine Johnson both have been disappointments with 10 sacks -McDonald has seven- between them. Middle linebacker Jamien Sherwood, viewed as the replacement for C.J. Mosley, signed a three-year, $45 million deal in March and started slowly. Since then, Sherwood leads the team in tackles with 121, a trait Mosley usually mastered.
It became apparent earlier this season that the Jets don’t have all the pieces in place, and Wilks’ formations and schemes have been questioned. The Jets have allowed 26.8 points per game, placing them 27th in the league.
After some respectable performances in the previous week, the Jets’ defense looked uninspired in giving up 21 first-quarter points to the Dolphins last week in their 34-10 loss, allowing Miami an average of 11 yards per play.
Life won’t get any easier Sunday in Jacksonville, where the Jets will try to contain a surging Jaguars’ team that has four straight and scored 25-plus points in six straight games.
Is there a short-term solution? Probably not. Both teams can hope to patch some holes down the stretch of this season.
The Giants will have a new staff and possibly a new GM in place for next season, and they do have some pieces in place.
So do the Jets, who also have the luxury of an abundance of draft picks to help fill some voids. There have been some rumblings that Wilkes’ future could be in jeopardy.
Even in the current heavy-pass league, defense can still win divisions, playoff games, and championships.
Both teams have the time to figure it out.
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