Brutal Upcoming Schedule Will Make or Break the Jets Defense

The NFL schedule-makers must have had it in for the New York Jets when they put together the 2014 schedule.

The Jets couldn't have asked for a much better opening game than to host the Oakland Raiders in Week 1. Over the next six weeks, their slate couldn't look much worse. Starting with a road game against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, the Jets begin a six-game stretch that features six of the best quarterbacks in the NFL today.

Player	Games	Comp	Att	%	Yds	YPA	TD	INT	Rate
Aaron Rodgers	9	193	290	66.6	2536	8.7	17	6	104.9
Jay Cutler	11	224	355	63.1	2621	7.4	19	12	89.2
Matthew Stafford	16	371	634	58.5	4650	7.3	29	19	84.2
Philip Rivers	16	378	544	69.5 *	4478	8.2	32	11	105.5
Peyton Manning	16	450 *	659 *	68.3	5477 *	8.3	55 *	10	115.1
Tom Brady	16	380	628	60.5	4343	6.9	25	11	87.3

Over the next six weeks, the Jets will face a group of quarterbacks that features two surefire Hall of Famers, one potential/aspiring Hall of Famer and three movers and shakers.

Make no mistake: There are few head coaches in the NFL who stand a better chance against those quarterbacks than Rex Ryan.

The defensive genius has called some spectacular games against some of the league's best passers, although he hasn't often done it with such a ragtag group of defensive backs as the group he has assembled.

Without Dee Milliner (ankle) in the secondary, Antonio Allen and Darrin Walls fared well against Oakland Raiders rookie quarterback Derek Carr and wide receivers Rod Streater and James Jones. According to stats website Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Allen and Walls played 36 snaps in coverage and were targeted eight times, giving up six completions for 61 yards and one touchdown.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

One of Allen's best plays in coverage was in the fourth quarter on this short throw by Carr to Jones. Jones ran a seven-yard hitch route, with Allen in off-coverage. 

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Allen did a good job of recognizing the short route and started breaking on the pass from the moment it was thrown.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

From there, he had a nice clean tackle of Jones to keep him from getting yards after the catch, resulting in just a one-yard gain on the play.

It was a nice, aggressive play by Allen. That being said, the Jets defensive backfield needs to be wary of being caught playing too aggressively.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

That's what happened to Walls on this pass-interference penalty. Jones was running a double-move downfield route straight at Walls in off-coverage. Walls reacted slightly to Jones' initial move and immediately recognized the threat of Jones going downfield.

Walls deserves credit for recognizing he made a mistake before it was too late, and his intentional interference resulted in a penalty rather than a score. However, don't be surprised if the other quarterbacks on the Jets' schedule go to that well a few more times to test Walls' aggressive style of play. 

Allen and Walls will have a much tougher challenge this week in Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.

They may get some assistance if Milliner makes his return to the field on Sunday. Rex Ryan remains "cautiously optimistic" that Milliner will make his regular-season debut but will wait to see how Milliner's ankle responds after participating in a full practice on Wednesday for the first time in roughly four weeks.

Even if Milliner returns against the Packers, it's hard to say what should be expected from him. Not only is he coming back from a high-ankle sprain, which can linger for a while, but he's also coming off an up-and-down rookie season.

He played well at the end of the 2013 season and was playing well in the preseason before being injured, but there isn't a much more difficult matchup for a hobbled cornerback than Rodgers and Nelson.

"You don't necessarily expect a guy with (Nelson's) kind of size to be able to get down the field the way he does," Ryan said. "The guy's got great body control on the sidelines. He's able to get his feet in bounds. And he's got a knack or something, especially with Rodgers, when he breaks contain, it seems like the ball always ends up going to Nelson."

The Jets will have to have some kind of plan for Nelson, who has been the Packers' leader in receptions and in receiving touchdowns in two of the past three seasons. Milliner may be the most talented corner on the Jets roster, but if he's not good to go, Allen and Walls may have to step up once again.

With a quarterback like Rodgers distributing the ball, the Jets can't afford to hone in too closely on one receiver. 

As a result of Rodgers' aforementioned escapability and his ability to recognize a blitz and know where to go with the ball, the Jets may be better off with a game plan that does not involve heavy blitzes.

2012	Comp	Att	%	Yds	YPA	TD	INT	Rate	Sacked
2013	Comp	Att	%	Yds	YPA	TD	INT	Rate	Sacked
2014	Comp	Att	%	Yds	YPA	TD	INT	Rate	Sacked
When not blitzed	321	469	68.4	3582	7.6	24	5	103.6	37
When blitzed	99	155	63.9	1244	8	18	4	116.7	18
When not blitzed	166	241	68.9	1972	8.2	13	3	106.4	17
When blitzed	44	75	58.7	741	9.9	5	3	97.7	8
When not blitzed	21	30	70	165	5.5	1	1	80.6	3
When blitzed	2	3	66.7	24	8	0	0	91	0

The Seattle Seahawks typically run a more coverage-based game plan and blitzed Rodgers only three times on their way to holding him to just 189 passing yards, one touchdown and an 81.5 passer rating in Week 1.

Ryan may be known for his exotic pressure packages, but he does not relentlessly blitz every single week, and he is more than willing to bend his game plan to fit the opponent.

Last season, the Jets sent extra defenders after New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on only 21 of his 90 dropbacks in two games. They sent extra rushers after New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees only 11 of 53 times he dropped back to throw.

The Jets' saving grace could be their defensive line. Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Quinton Coples and Jason Babin are a group of four quality pass-rushers who can create pressure without the aid of extra defenders.

With the Jets' current question marks in the secondary, it may be prudent for Ryan to continue using a more coverage-based game plan in the coming weeks and against Rodgers in Green Bay. That being said, it will be up to the defensive line to get after the quarterback and the secondary to do its part in coverage if the Jets are going to escape this gauntlet of quarterbacks with their playoff hopes still intact.

Unless otherwise noted, advanced stats provided by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) and quotes obtained via team news release.

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