INDIANAPOLIS — Linebacker Bryan Thomas hasn’t racked up the stats this season, but the Jets aren’t complaining.
Because that’s not indicative of what Thomas does.
“Bryan’s had an exceptional year for us, very quietly,” Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said this week. “One of the reasons it’s been quiet is that it hasn’t necessarily shown up on the stat sheet.”
In his eighth year with Gang Green, Thomas is the second-longest-tenured Jets starter, behind defensive end Shaun Ellis (10 years). A first-round pick by the team in 2002, Thomas is a starting outside linebacker. He has played every regular-season game the past five seasons.
And according to Pettine, when the Jets have unsung work that needs to be done — grind-it-out dirty work that’s essential but often not glorified — Thomas typically is the defender who gets the request.
“He has had a lot of the thankless jobs for us — the buy-up two blocks or to loop around and contain the quarterback late in the down, hit a certain receiver and then go ahead and add to the rush late [in the play],” Pettine said. “He’s been given a lot of those jobs, and he’s done them really well.”
Thomas racked up 53 tackles and two sacks this season, which isn’t huge production for a starting linebacker who plays every game. But considering his role and his versatility (which Pettine praises), the Jets are thrilled.
And keep in mind, sometimes Thomas does make that huge play. In the Jets’ 24-14 wild-card win over the Bengals two weeks ago, Thomas forced Laveranues Coles’ first-quarter fumble, thwarting a Cincinnati scoring opportunity. He also had a sack and seven tackles that afternoon.
“I pretty much play my role on the defense,” Thomas said. “And my role is to drop in coverage or occupy this guard so somebody else can come free, or occupy this tackle so somebody else can come free. But that’s my job and as long as we’re winning, that’s all that matters.”