A Jets pass-rush that has been one of the most impotent in football is about to face a Houston offensive line that has been the best in the league. A Jets run defense that has been the second-worst in football is about to be tested by a Texans rushing attack that shows how Ground and Pound is supposed to be done.
It’s safe to say Monday Night at MetLife Stadium, the Jets’ struggling front lines are going to be front and center.
“It’s a huge opportunity for us to bounce back, a chance for us to get out of this slump; because we have the guys here. We have the guys on this defense to be a great defense,’’ defensive lineman Mike DeVito said Wednesday. “We’re putting it together, we just have to get our confidence back, and this is the perfect stage to do it on.’’
The Jets’ once-vaunted run defense is ranked 31st in the NFL so far this year, while Houston, with Arian Foster, is ninth in the league in rushing yards. The Texans build their whole offense around that ground game, with mobile linemen, zone blocking and stretch plays that are hard to replicate, and just as hard to stop.
“Yeah, we haven’t stopped the run like we need to,’’ safety Yeremiah Bell said. “That’s something we’ve got to get taken care of, because when a team can run the ball on you … they control the clock, they keep you on the field and it’s not a good thing. It’s something we definitely got to get corrected, and we’re aware of it.’’
The Jets, whose five sacks are the fourth-worst in the NFL, will have to find a way to get penetration against a stellar line that has allowed the fewest sacks in the league. But they can’t lose gap discipline and just ignore the back side, because they’ll get punished by the talented Texans.
“There are some guys on that team that I’d like to have, let’s put it that way,’’ Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “We have some young defensive linemen that I think are very talented, that I think their future is going to be [up]. But I need to get them there quick. They might not be there yet, but we have to get there with that group.’’
Young defensive linemen Kenrick Ellis, Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples will have their hands full, as will cornerback Kyle Wilson, who will have to step up against wide receiver Andre Johnson with the loss of Darrelle Revis.
“When you look at the film, you see that you have opportunities to make plays, but then you see a lot of opportunities that teams missed against [Wilson]. You just have to go out and execute your offense,’’ said Johnson.