Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich expects unit to 'respond' after tough opening-night outing
San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason, left, runs into the end zone to score against Jets defensive end Micheal Clemons and safety Tony Adams during the second half of an NFL game in Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday. Credit: AP/Godofredo A. Vásquez
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Jeff Ulbrich was feeling all of it Monday night while he was watching his defense get gashed in the run game by the 49ers. There was frustration, and certainly anger, in this humbling performance.
When the Jets defense met on Wednesday, they spoke openly and honestly about what went wrong. Players and coaches stood up and held themselves accountable.
The Jets were the NFL’s No. 3 ranked defense last year and they allowed 401 yards of offense, including 180 on the ground to the 49ers without Christian McCaffrey in a 32-19 loss. Ulbrich, the Jets defensive coordinator, vowed it wouldn’t happen again Sunday in Tennessee.
“That was not to our standard by any means, and that’s everyone involved,” Ulbrich said Thursday. “That’s coaches, that’s every single player, that’s calls, that’s all of it. It starts with me. We have to be better and we will be better.”
It was just the third time in the last 33 games that the Jets gave up more than 400 yards and the fifth time in that same span that an opposing team gained at least 180 yards on the ground.
“That's just not our standard,” edge rusher Jermaine Johnson said. “That's not the norm for us. Nevertheless, we put that on tape. So we got to go out [this] week and put that to bed pretty quick, which I have full confidence that we will.”
The edge setting was the biggest issue. San Francisco beat the Jets badly in the perimeter run game, with Jordan Mason racking up 147 yards on 28 carries.
Other teams, most notably the Dolphins and Browns, have had success in recent years against the Jets’ attacking front using a similar game plan. The Jets expect the Titans to try and follow that blueprint Sunday and see holes open for Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears.
“It’s a copycat league,” linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “As soon as a team is successful, whether it’s pass or run, with certain plays or certain looks, you can expect to see that a few more weeks until you can knock it out. We wouldn’t expect nothing less but to see some of those same type of runs. Maybe a different style or different form, but definitely they’re going to try and get to our edges.
“We all knew what caused us to not be successful and not get off the field. It’s about understanding why it happened and really understanding what do we need to do to not let it happen again. We’ve been together a long time. This isn’t our first rodeo.”
This defensive deficiency has led to questions about the Jets’ D-Line. That has been a position of strength, but some significant contributors from the past few seasons are gone. They were missed Monday.
The Jets did not re-sign Bryce Huff and traded John Franklin-Myers after acquiring Haason Reddick, who is holding out for a new contract.
New faces Javon Kinlaw and Takk McKinley didn’t have much of an impact Monday. Second-year edge Will McDonald didn’t either. Johnson blamed himself for not doing enough to set the edge. Ulbrich believes the line will come up big Sunday.
“I anticipate them answering the call this week,” he said. “I really do.”
Ulbrich expects “a response” from his defense as a whole and for their “style of play” to show itself.
“At the end of the day, it’s about winning games," he said. "We’ve got to do whatever it takes to win this game. That ultimately is the best defense in the league, the one that carries that trophy at the end of the season. We’ve got to get back to that."
The offensive side
Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett didn’t see much rust from Aaron Rodgers in his first full game in 20 months and said, “he had some amazing moments.”
Hackett thought the offense overall was “inconsistent” and said the Jets need to sustain drives to get more players involved. He also said they “corrected” some of the things that prevented them from getting the run game going. The Jets rushed 18 times for 68 yards.
Two-minute drill
Micheal Clemons (triceps) was added to the injury report. He was limited in practice. D.J. Reed (knee) and Michael Carter II (ankle) were limited for the second straight day.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
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