How the Dolphins’ Easy Movement Unraveled the Jets’ Aim Line Protection

By way of a lot of the yr, I’ve seen a irritating subject with the Jets’ protection. The opponent has too simple of a time getting its finest extensive receiver matched up one on one towards a Jets security.

In Week 14 towards the Dolphins, the problem popped up as soon as once more at a key level within the recreation.

On a fourth and objective line play within the fourth quarter with the Jets up by 8, Miami splits two gamers to the left of the formation. You’ve gotten extensive receiver Tyreek Hill who’s matched up towards cornerback DJ Reed (purple) and tight finish Jonnu Smith who’s matched up towards security Chuck Clark (yellow).

These are honest fights. Reed is the Jets’ high nook with Sauce Gardner not taking part in. On a important snap, you need him protecting Miami’s high extensive receiver. In the meantime a security like Clark is okay towards a decent finish.

The Dolphins put Hill into a extremely easy movement.

Hill leads to the slot. Clark bumps over and finally ends up on him.

The snap comes. Abruptly Reed is on Smith (purple) whereas Clark finally ends up on Hill (blue).

It is a horrible mismatch for the Jets. You’ll be able to’t cowl Tyreek Hill one on one with a security in such a key second. Clark has no likelihood. Hill beats him cleanly, and it’s a straightforward landing.

It’s simply too simple.

I don’t know the way the Jets are teaching their gamers to deal with a state of affairs like this. Maybe they’re having them swap any kind of movement on the objective line.

If that’s the case, there must be some kind of change. It simply can’t be this simple for Miami get a Tyreek Hill coated by a security at a key level within the recreation. DJ Reed shouldn’t have had hassle following Hill and choosing him up. There needs to be extra effort for him to stay on Hill as an alternative of leaving him to Clark.

In case you are a basketball fan, it jogs my memory a little bit of a degree guard-center choose and roll. For those who aren’t, the idea is comparable. Offenses attempt to pressure defenses right into a swap assignments into unfavorable matchups. Basketball groups often coach their guys to do every little thing attainable to keep away from a swap. A swap solely comes as an absolute final resort.

The Jets don’t do a lot to keep away from these unfavorable matchups. We now have seen them time and again. It is a protection that’s simple to govern into protecting a primary receiver with an overmatched security. Week 14 was solely the newest instance.