2017 Jets Coverage Stats: Week 7

Welcome back, and hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend! Now that it’s all over, it’s time to get back to our usual, everyday lives; part of which includes reading into the Jets’ individual coverage stats in 2017!

Previous editions: Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

RULES

• The coverage numbers include only legitimate targets into the general area of a receiver. Throwaways and deflections at the line are excluded.
• The stats for each individual are that of the quarterback’s passing numbers when targeting the individual’s matchup. A player could have an interception to his coverage credit even if the interception itself was made by a teammate. For example, when Tyrod Taylor threw an interception targeting Darron Lee’s matchup, Juston Burris ended up with the interception, but I would add that incompletion and interception to Lee’s resume.
• I did not apply the same rule to fumbles; I will only count those if forced by the covering defender.
• Penalties counted are only those accumulated in coverage.

Remember that these numbers reflect raw production only, and not always are indicative of true performance level! It’s plausible that a defender can get completely smoked and end up being credited with an interception, or vice versa, bringing very tough coverage but allowing big yardage due to an incredible catch. Make of these numbers what you like!

WEEK 7 SYNOPSIS

The Jets lost their second straight game to fall below .500 for good, losing to the Dolphins by a score of 31-28 in Miami. They blew a 28-14 fourth quarter lead by way of some awful individual coverage performances that will be touched on more below. Between Matt Moore and Jay Cutler, the Dolphins completed 25 of 37 passes for 326 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.

Trumaine Johnson’s Rams obliterated the Cardinals in London by a score of 33-0.

Avery Williamson’s Titans needed overtime to beat the Browns in Cleveland by a score of 12-9, but that lackluster performance was not his fault. Williamson had a dominant game against the run and was sound in coverage, both of which we’ll look at more below.

COVERAGE NUMBERS

Overall coverage yield: The first chart shows the total coverage numbers allowed by each individual Jet in Week 7. Avery Williamson did not see a target and is not pictured.

Last week, I wrote this about Buster Skrine’s performance against the Patriots:

Buster Skrine had a phenomenal game

His Week 7 performance could not possibly have been more different. Skrine had about as bad a game imaginable for a defensive back. He yielded 8 receptions on 8 targets, 7 of which were first downs, and 3 of which were touchdowns. To boot, he added 3 penalties for 36 yards, altogether culminating in a perfect 158.3 passer rating allowed that might actually be overselling his performance. It was that ghastly.

Darron Lee also had a very rough performance. Morris Claiborne and Darryl Roberts were strong on the outside. Jamal Adams gave up his 4th touchdown of the year and 2 deep first downs, but made up for it with strong coverage on an interception thrown in his direction.

Coverage by matchup and field side: The chart below shows the Week 6 coverage yield for each Jet broken down by opponent matchup and the side of the field they lined up on. Check out my glossary at the bottom of the image!

Trumaine Johnson had a strong day against Larry Fitzgerald, providing sticky coverage all game and holding him to his third-lowest yardage total of the season at 29.

Buster Skrine just had a day to forget no matter how you slice it. He was chewed up on both sides of the field and was beaten for a first down by four different Dolphins.

FILM

Avery Williamson has been quiet on the charts recently, so I want to give him some time in the spotlight. Don’t be fooled by his passer rating allowed or his absence on the stat sheets. Williamson is playing some good football, dominating against the run and doing a fine job in a limited coverage role to limit his targets.

This first clip isn’t anything spectacular, but I included it just to show you that Williamson isn’t just some thumper who is hidden in coverage. He gets some assignments now and then, and is capable of holding up. Sound reps like this one help keep his target total low in comparison to guys like Darron Lee. (He is covering the man in motion down the field)

This next Williamson clip isn’t in coverage (sorry to disappoint the die-hard coverage fans reading this), but I want to emphasize just how great he can be against the run. Against Cleveland, Williamson only played 35 (48%) snaps. Yet, he still ended up with 10 tackles in the run game that did not result in a first down; the most of that variety in the league that week. Below, he collides with now-teammate Isaiah Crowell for a five yard loss.

I apologize. Nobody came here to see great Jets run defense. You came to see terrible Jets pass coverage. Let’s get back to it! As you know by now, Buster Skrine did not have one of his best games in Week 7. He was just a step or two behind consistently. Here, he gets toasted out of the right slot by backup Leonte Carroo.

This time lining up in the slot on the left against Kenny Stills, Skrine gives an 8-yard cushion yet still gives up enough separation for Stills to grab a less-than-ideal pass down the field. It’s one of two touchdowns Skrine yielded to Stills; another one was nullified by penalty.

The natural Hard Rock Stadium grass wasn’t kind to Jamal Adams as he was victimized by tight ends yet again. First, early in the game, Adams bites hard on a play action and slips into oblivion as he allows Julius Thomas to slip free for a wide open 25 yard gain.

Later, Adams slips trying to react to a pick play on the outside and gives up a touchdown to the prehistoric Anthony Fasano.

It wasn’t all bad for Adams, though. His other two targets against Fasano and Thomas were strong. On one, Adams had tremendous coverage, but Thomas made an insane leaping one-handed grab. On the other, seen below, Adams glued himself to Fasano to draw an overly aggressive Matt Moore throw into the waiting arms of Marcus Maye, who gets credit for the pick since the ball was thrown into his zone.

Darryl Roberts continues to surprise me as I go through these reviews. He was targeted at a high rate relative to his snap count, and teams got very little out of those targets to this point. Here, Roberts sticks to Jarvis Landry down the sideline (top of your screen.)

The statistical highlight of Trumaine Johnson’s Week 7 was the sheer lack of targets he allowed to Larry Fitzgerald. Fitz was targeted only 3 times; tied for the second fewest of his career and his fewest since 2010. However, Johnson made a pair of impressive open-field stops on Fitzgerald as well. Here, Johnson does a great job knowing where the sticks are and keeping the play in front of them, as he avoids engaging the extra blocker and makes a phenomenally strong tackle to limit any yards after contact and hold Fitzgerald just short of the marker on third down.

SEASON TOTALS

Here is how the Jets are stacking up after seven weeks of work in 2017, sorted from top to bottom by total yards allowed.

What are your thoughts on how the Jets did in coverage in Week 7, and how they have done as a whole to this point of the year? Are you pleased or disappointed in Trumaine Johnson? Has Darryl Roberts surprised you? Will Jamal Adams improve his numbers going into the second half of the year? Let me know your thoughts on the coverage report series and the results!