The Jets were one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, but this season, thanks to upgrades like drafting Sauce Gardner, the team rose to be one of the best.
Well, one of the best if you look at the numbers. Not if you ask Sal Licata.
Sure, Gang Green allowed the third-fewest passing yards in the league thanks to studs in the secondary like Gardner and D.J. Reed, and tied for the league best mark of 15 passing touchdowns allowed all season, but Sal says the defensive unit was “overrated,” and doesn’t deserve the level of praise it was receiving throughout the season.
“The Jets are great. That defense was so good this year, and the run game too was excellent. You know what else was good? The coaching and the special teams. You’re right, they’re terrific in almost every area. What was I thinking?” Sal said sarcastically when a caller suggested the team just needed a quarterback to contend.
“How was it when the Jets and Zach Wilson had the lead against the Lions late? How’d that big bad defense do? They lost the game for them. The defense is overrated.”
The ground defense wasn’t as elite, ranking in the middle of the pack in rushing yards allowed (but they were in the top 10 in yards allowed per carry), but overall, the unit allowed the fifth fewest total yards on the season, but Sal says those numbers don’t tell the whole story.
“It’s not just the quarterback,” Sal said. “It’s the coach, it’s the special teams, the running game, and that overrated defense. All of it! it’s not good enough. It’s the same old Jets!”
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