Things just keep getting worse and worse in the green half of New York. As if they needed another story, All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner shared his frank thoughts about strategies the New York Jets coaching staff have used after an embarrassing 30-6 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10.
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What the Jets were supposed to be able to rely on this season was their defense. With defensive guru Robert Saleh at the helm, they started just 2-3. But their defense was one of the best in the league. Since he was fired, they have become arguably one of the worst units in football.
The fact that Jeff Ulbrich, who was the defensive coordinator, was promoted to interim head coach only sent the defense further into chaos. They lost their defensive-minded head coach. Their DC now has to split his responsibilities between that of an HC and that of a DC.
And it seems their star players are not big fans of the new head coach’s tactics. Ulbrich decided to put on a presentation about tackling after the team missed a whopping 20 tackles against the Cardinals, tied for the most by a team in any single game this year.
Missed tackles were a huge reason they lost big last week, so it seemed logical that the staff would want to spend extra time hammering that home during the ensuing week of practice. Apparently, Gardner was none too pleased with that.
“We know how to tackle. We know how to tackle. We gotta make the tackles. That’s really it. We’ve been doing it. We really don’t need no presentation. I know where he was coming from when he did it but us as professional athletes we gotta be able to make tackles. Me included, for sure.”
While it seems Gardner does appreciate the spirit in which Ulbrich’s presentation was made, he feels that it was unnecessary because as professionals they don’t need to be taught basic concepts. His position is understandable but is also coming off a bit sensitive.
If a player fumbles twice in a game, are the coaches supposed to leave him to his devices or help him improve that part of his game? It’s the same with tackling. Fans were quick to point out that if a defense misses 20 tackles in a game, maybe they actually don’t know how to tackle, or might need a refresher on the most important mechanics.
sauce gardner when coaches have to hold players accountable for something that they keep messing up on pic.twitter.com/9iEN2N3shT
— chappie (depressed steelers fan) (@TrentJordanFan) November 15, 2024
Either way, something’s got to give with this Jets defense, as it only seems to be getting worse with every week we get further and further from Saleh’s firing.
Sauce Gardner and the Jets defense have been terrible lately
Entering the 2024 season, spirits were high in the Jets facility. They had solid skill players, a revamped offensive line, and already employed an elite defense boasting All-Pros like Sauce Gardner. All they needed was Aaron Rodgers.
Unfortunately, nearly every part of that plan has fallen apart. Rodgers seems to be a shell of his former self, even with the addition of his pal Davante Adams. But realistically, that could have been expected, right? A 40-year-old coming off an Achilles tear is unlikely to set the league on fire.
Tom Brady and LeBron James have really ingrained massively unrealistic expectations on players in their late 30s and early 40s.
It’s Gardner and the defense that was supposed to be the Jets’ calling card. But over the last six games, five of which were losses, they have allowed 23+ points five times. Since Saleh left, they have allowed the 8th-most points in football. That’s not going to cut it for a defense that needs to do some heavy lifting opposite New York’s 26th-ranked scoring offense (17.7).
The Jets’ ugly defensive performance in Week 10 was a bad sign. Sauce Gardner’s comments show that the worst may be yet to come for the Jets and their defense.
