The New York Jets are under fire again after they lost 31-6 against the Arizona Cardinals. A game where the Jets missed an insane amount of tackles. This horrific performance led to a team meeting where newly appointed head coach Jeff Ulbrich gave the defense a little tackling presentation, and according to Ulbrich, one of his defensive captains Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner completely dismissed the need for a special tackling presentation for the team. Gardner, who is the Jets 2022 first-round draft pick and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, has been a standout performer in his young career.
However, with the Jet’s poor start his leadership has come under scrutiny as the team’s terrible record might mess up another hopeful season for the Jets. Amidst all the defensive struggles for the Jets, coach Ulbrich took an unusual step by holding a dedicated tackling session, but Gardner was not a fan of the idea.
New York Jets Corner Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner’s Thoughts On Tackling Presentation
🚨WILD: #Jets DB AHMAD GARDNER WAS NOT HAPPY THAT HC JEFF ULBRICH GAVE THE TEAM A TACKLING PRESENTATION…
“We know how to tackle. We know how to tackle. We really don’t need no presentation.”
pic.twitter.com/0gZN7LAced— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) November 15, 2024
Sauce Gardner gave his thoughts to the media saying:
“We know how to tackle. We got to make the tackles. That’s really it. You know, we’ve been doing it, We really don’t need no presentation.”
Sauce has admitted his mistakes in the loss where the Jets as a unit missed a grand total of 17 tackles recorded by ESPN. Gardner emphasized that the team’s issues lie in execution rather than lack of fundamentals. His dismissal of coach Ulbrich’s coaching approach signals there may be some tension within and throughout the Jets organization. Signaling a slight disconnect between coaching efforts to address the defensive struggles and the player’s belief in their abilities.
Where Do The New York Jets Go From Here?
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The big question remains, where do the New York Jets go from here? Well, they stay at home this week to face off against the Indianapolis Colts at Metlife Stadium. In desperate need of a win, speaking of a struggling defense, this defense needs to stop the run. Over their last four games, the Jet’s defense has allowed an average of 148.5 yards on the ground and nine rushing touchdowns. And It’s not getting easier as they face off against Jonathan Taylor and quarterback Anthony Richardson who will be doing a lot of running on Sunday.
Jonathan Taylor is averaging 4.9 yards a carry and has five rushing touchdowns and four 100-yard rushing games this season. The Colts were originally going to start Joe Flacco, but putting Richardson back in is smart against this atrocious defense since he averages 5.9 yards per carry on the ground himself. It’s almost impossible for the Jets to stop the run these days and it could be even uglier if they can’t slow down one of the top running backs in the league and a quarterback who’s better with his legs than his arm.
At this point, no one knows what to expect from the Jets at home against the Colts. This like many other games is very winnable and the Jets are still mathematically in it for a wild-card spot. It would be nice to see them play with some pride in front of their tortured fan base and act like they care. They need to play for the team, not for themselves individually. Let’s hope we see something that resembles a team with a chip on their shoulder against Indianapolis on Sunday before they go onto their bye week.
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