Jets Secondary Still Searching for Consistency Following Deflating MNF Loss

You really can't give the New York Jets defense enough credit for the job they did against a potent Chicago Bears offense.

Even though the team left MetLife stadium with a 27-19 loss draped over their shoulders, once again Gang Green showed why they are one of the most fearsome units in the NFL.

It starts upfront with the "Sons of Anarchy." Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Damon Harrison are a nightmare for any offensive line. They're big, strong and because of that, they turn running backs into nothing more than a decoy over the course of a game.

Matt Forte—one of the most talented backs around—felt their wrath. On 13 carries, he finished with just 33 yards rushing. The beauty of that defensive line and their ability to collapse a pocket is that it sometimes can mask poor play from the Jets' secondary.

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This isn't the same group of defensive backs Jets fans are accustomed to seeing. Revis Island has migrated up to Massachusetts, while Antonio Cromartie took his talents over to the 3-0 Arizona Cardinals. Even last year's first-round pick Dee Milliner missed his chance to play on Monday Night Football because of injuries.

Head coach Rex Ryan has now been relegated to using a combination of Darrin Walls, Kyle Wilson and Antonio Allen. Even with one of the most dominant defensive lines in the league controlling the line of scrimmage, that secondary is bound to get exposed throughout a game.

It happened last week against the Green Bay Packers and it happened again on Monday Night Football. Missed opportunities really hurt this team down the stretch, even with Geno Smith's problems. Watching the game, it felt like just about everyone in the secondary dropped an interception.

Chris Nimbley of JetsInsider.com reiterated on Twitter what most of us saw:

We are living in a league that loves to throw the ball. You know it, I know it and the guy down the street from you who doesn't even watch football knows it. Gaudy numbers aren't a trend anymore. They are a reality.

The Jets need to instill a big, old chunk of consistency back in their secondary, and they need it now.

Bears head coach Marc Trestman is a pretty quiet guy. Even so, it's not hard to picture him game-planning for the Jets. He has three guys over 6'2" who have soft hands and can jump out of the building. The whole "let Jay Cutler throw the ball to those guys a lot" plan was bound to work.

A hobbled Brandon Marshall may have been limited to one catch for six yards, but the other two big targets got it going early and often. Tight end Martellus Bennett found holes in the Jets' secondary, hauling in two crucial touchdown receptions. Alshon Jeffery on the other hand, cruised up and down the field, catching eight balls for 105 yards.

So how does Coach Ryan fix these issues? It begins with Milliner. Getting him healthy is key. From Pro Football Focus' (subscription required) vantage point, Milliner finished his rookie year on a high note. Over the last four weeks of the 2013 season he was able to string together a positive grade with his pass defense.

A deeper look into those metrics shows that teams threw the ball in his direction an astounding 38 times. He gave up 19 receptions for 192 yards and one touchdown on all of those attempts. He was seeing a ton of action, and, for the most part, excelling in coverage.

Remember, this is a guy who climbed on top of a soap box and told the world this summer that he was the top cornerback in all of the land, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. He's clearly not the best at his position, but last we saw, he was improving.

In order for that improvement to continue, he's going to have to get back on the field.

The rest of that answer is going to be up to Coach Ryan and the bodies that occupy that area of the gridiron.

Ryan is going to have to go back into his underground lair and come up with a way to make up for their shortcomings. Just the same, these guys have to get together and find some sort of solidarity.

They have to be better. It's that simple. There are only so many times the "Sons of Anarchy" can rise to the occasion. And with New York Daily News reporter Seth Walder reporting that Wilkerson suffered a knee injury, no one knows what the future holds.

Ryan said at his postgame presser that he wasn't sure how extensive the injury was, "but it better not be serious," via NFL Network reporter Kimberly Jones.

No more excuses. Now's the time for this secondary to step up and make something happen. 

Unless noted otherwise, all game scores and information come courtesy of ESPN.com.