New York Jets Week 14 Report Card: Grading Every Key Defensive Player

The 14th week of the 2011 NFL regular season ended in a definitive victory for Gang Green and Rex Ryan’s defense.

Granted it was against a lackluster Kansas City Chiefs offense led by a quarterback who has played for and been cut by every professional football team this side of the Canton Bulldogs.

The fact remains that the Jets defense played exceptionally against an NFL offense and looked strong in the positions that are always depended upon in the late stages of the season and into the playoffs. With the exception of some garbage time lapses in concentration well after the game was already well in hand, the Jets stifled the Chiefs offense both on the ground and in the air.

The Jets defense committed no penalties throughout the game and amazingly held Kansas City to only four total offensive yards and one first down in the entire first half.

A statement performance from the Jets defense.

Here's the dean’s list for the New York Jets in Week 14.

High Honor Roll

Sionne Pouha – 2 solo tackles (one for safety), 1 assist, 1 sack

David Harris – 4 solos, 2 assists, 1 sack

Calvin Pace – 3 solos, 1 assist,  a half sack

Mohammad Wilkerson – 3 solos, 2 assists

The seven Jets in the box yesterday had a stellar day, holding the Chiefs rushing attack to 65 rushing yards—12 of those yards coming on a Tyler Palko broken scramble. Palko also was on the receiving end on five spate occasions of the suddenly relevant Jets pass rush. The Jets were able to put pressure on Palko from a variety of angles, utilizing both linebacker blitzes and lineman stunts that distributed the credit for the Jets five sacks between six players.

Nose tackle Sionne Pouha has steadily improved to the point where he may soon be considered one of the preeminent interior big men in the NFL. For those who think this is making something out of nothing or over exaggeration, rewind the Jets late-game safety and pay especially close attention to Pouha’s gorgeous technique.

Anyone who knows anything about actually playing and coaching football (more than the typical all-knowing Monday morning quarterback does) knows that Pouha is playing fantastic defensive football right now.

Rookie Mohammad Wilkerson has complimented Pouha phenomenally this season and continues to gain confidence within the Ryan/Pettine defensive scheme. The 6’4”, 316-pound former Temple Owl earns a bit more credit here for the consistent play he has shown because of his rookie status, but he has shown great pad level, explosion and hand placement for such a young player from a smaller college with limited playing experience.

There's not much more that needs to be said in regards to the play of All-Pro linebacker David Harris. Harris continues to assemble one of the finest seasons at linebacker in Jets history and continues to be an absolute beast in the Jets' second level. All it takes is for viewers to open their ears and listen to how many plays pass by without the mention of David Harris in on the tackle. You will not be waiting long.

Linebacker Calvin Pace has also produced a stellar season, making strong stops at the most crucial times in games that still are uncertain. By all appearances, Pace seems to have improved his closing speed in the 2011 season, coming out of nowhere to make plays and to generate positive, momentum changing plays for his defense.

Honor Roll

Brodney Pool – 3 solo tackles

Marcus Dixon – 1 solo, 3 assists, a half sack

Bart Scott – 2 solos, 1 assist, 1 sack

Eric Smith – 2 solos, 3 assists, 1 sack

Safety Brodney Pool had an especially solid performance yesterday against the Chiefs, making strong tackles early in the game as Kansas City was still fighting to spark their offense. His three solo tackles are also commendable on the basis that Pool is an occasionally poor tackler, as all other Jets defensive backs not named Leonhard or Revis notoriously are.

Backup tackle Marcus Dixon filled in very well for injured starter Mike DeVito yesterday, facilitating four tackles and teaming up for a half sack. Dixon was in an inauspicious position, substituting for a red-hot DeVito against a running team that had experienced success against other solid defensive lines.

Dixon’s performance is a great example of how the Jets' performance yesterday shows they have depth at key defensive positions that will benefit them as the season winds down.

Linebacker Bart Scott and safety Eric Smith make my honor roll because they finally fulfilled the expectations placed on them by Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. Eric Smith is regularly put in a position to pressure the quarterback, yet he often finds himself out of position causing huge gaps in the Jets defense.

Yesterday, Smith simply did exactly what he was told. Similarly, Bart Scott simply did what he said he could do. It's always a good sign for a Jets defense when Scott decides to start backing up his brash words.

Satisfactory

Darrelle Revis – 3 solos

Antonio Cromartie – 3 solos

Aaron Maybin – no tackles, no sacks, constantly doubled team on passing situations

It's not that awful of a thing to be an unnamed man on a defense that wins 37-10. It did not seem like there should be much taken from the fourth-quarter passing that the Chiefs were able to muster as the Jets were basically in either a prevent or deep-zone defender set for a good majority of the time.

Darrelle Revis had another ho-hum shutdown performance that has become commonplace, only allowing for some fourth-quarter hyjinx that kept him off my honor roll.  

Antonio Cromartie was not targeted often, which is a no-news-is-good-news sort of thing for the typically violated Cromartie.

Aaron Maybin had his first uneventful game in some time, but it was clear that with the double teaming that Maybin drew from the Chiefs offensive line, offensive coordinators have begun to pay attention to his abilities.

Incomplete

Jim Leonhard – 1 solo, 1 interception, injured knee in second quarter

It is a case of déjà vu all over again.

Hopefully, for Leonhard and the New York Jets, the final outcome of the Jets 2011 season is different than the last time Jim Leonhard was carted off the field in one of the last games of the regular season.

After a seemingly uneventful interception in the second quarter, the signal-caller in the Jets defensive backfield will once again view the rest of the season from the sidelines.

Who will step up to fill the enormous gap left by this injury? It may be the question that determines how this season ends for the New York Jets.