2017 Jets Coverage Stats: Week 8

Hello, and welcome back to my series detailing the Jets’ individual numbers in coverage throughout the 2017 season! With seven reports already in the books, we’ll be closing out the first half of the series with today’s report, featuring the Jets’ Week 8 game in New Jersey against the Atlanta Falcons.

Usually, Jets newcomers Trumaine Johnson and Avery Williamson will be featured, but both had their byes in Week 8.

Previous editions: Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

RULES

• The coverage numbers include only legitimate targets into the general area of a receiver/defender. 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 8 SYNOPSIS

The Jets lost their third game in a row in a rainy home loss to the Falcons by a score of 25-20. Despite the rain, Matt Ryan still threw 29 passing attempts, completing 18 of them for 254 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions, culminating in a 113.3 rating.

Trumaine Johnson’s Rams and Avery Williamson’s Titans both had their bye weeks.

COVERAGE NUMBERS

Overall coverage yield: The first chart shows the total coverage numbers allowed by each individual Jet in Week 8.

The Falcons really made an effort to spread the ball around. No Jet saw more than 4 targets, and a tied-season high 11 saw at least one. The linebackers did a solid job, as Demario Davis and Darron Lee allowed only 1 first down on a combined 7 targets. The DBs outside of Morris Claiborne struggled, combining for 8 first downs allowed and only one forced incompletion (a drop).

Coverage by matchup and field side: The chart below shows the Week 8 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!

Morris Claiborne put clamps on Julio Jones before leaving in the third quarter. Jones didn’t register a single catch matched up against Claiborne, as all three of his targets against #21 fell incomplete. He went to work once Claiborne went out, gaining 74 yards on 3 catches, most notably beating Darryl Roberts for a 53 yard bomb. Roberts’ hot streak came to an end with 69 yards allowed on 2 catches, adding two penalties to boot. Jamal Adams gave up his 5th touchdown of the year to Mohamed Sanu; his first against a non-tight end.

FILM

The Big Cat has finally made an appearance on the coverage sheet! Leonard Williams made a play in coverage to become the first Jet defensive linemen to appear on the statsheet during my series. Dropping the defensive linemen is not something the Jets do often, if at all in most games.

Here is Leo’s audition for cornerback reps. Darron Lee creates pressure on the blitz, Leo reads the screen play and disengages the guard, and makes a play on the football to force the incomplete pass.

The brightest spot for the Jets secondary in this game was without a doubt Morris Claiborne. Claiborne forced more incompletions matched up against Julio Jones than the rest of the Jets DBs did the entire game. We’ll take a look at all three of Claiborne’s targets matched up against Jones.

Here, picture-perfect press coverage in the red zone. Claiborne plays the fade perfectly and doesn’t allow Jones to overpower him, making a play on the ball to prevent the touchdown.

Here, Claiborne is on an island against Julio outside on the left. He sticks to Jones for the entire route and reacts quickly to make a play on the ball, breaking up another pass.

Jamal Adams gave up a touchdown for the fourth week in a row to raise his season total to a team-high 5 at this point of the season. For the first time, it wasn’t a tight end beating him to the end zone, but rather a wide receiver.

Adams has a deep quarter in a Cover 4 with the Jets backed up. Sanu is going to run a post in his direction.

Kony Ealy dominates the left tackle and forces Ryan to step up, who decides to improvise and roll left. This will force Marcus Maye, who is to Adams’ right and your left in the picture above, to drop from his zone and pressure Ryan. Though Adams had solid coverage on Sanu initially, Ryan’s rollout leaves Adams at a disadvantage. Great throw, great catch, touchdown.

I have to say, Adams was put in a really tough position here, and was victimized by a great play like he has been unusually often. Nevertheless, it’s troubling to see him so consistently allow opponents to grab six points.

SEASON TOTALS

Here is how the Jets are stacking up after eight 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 8?