The dormant pass rush should be the least of the Jets’ defensive worries, Quinnen Williams believes.
On Thursday, Williams cut off a question about the unit’s inability to get to the quarterback.
He wasn’t being rude to the reporter.
The standout defensive lineman was being honest.
It’s insignificant compared to the No. 1 problem the defense has to fix.
“I think we got to stop the run first, man. You have to earn [the right] to rush the passer,” Williams said. “You got to stop the run first, and we didn’t stop the run first, so we didn’t earn the opportunity to rush the passer. First thing foremost is to stop the run.”
Coming from Williams, arguably the Jets’ best defensive player who isn’t known for broadcasting his displeasure, that statement speaks volumes.
If Gang Green’s front seven don’t make adjustments after getting blitzed for 180 rushing yards in an ugly loss to the Christian McCaffrey-less 49ers on Monday, all that talk about their being one of the league’s top units will be hot air.
It was a poor performance all around from the defense, which was gashed for 401 total yards and failed to register a turnover.
But the Jets’ inability even to slow down backup running back Jordan Mason (28 carries for 147 yards) was by far the biggest issue.
They were blown off the ball.
The defensive ends failed to set the edge. Frequently, players were out of position, creating cutback lanes for Mason.
It all led to the 49ers averaging a whopping 6.9 yards per carry.
The lone positive defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich took from the humbling evening was that it showed he has players with character.
He liked how they reacted.
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There was no finger pointing or blame issued from one player to another.
The defense took a beating without lashing out. In the film session the following day, multiple players stood up and accepted responsibility for the performance, most notably starting edge rusher Jermaine Johnson.
To Ulbrich, it showed maturity.
“We have a group that points the finger at themselves, myself included, and every coach included,” he said. “When you have that type of culture and that type of standard and that type of accountability, those things don’t get repeated, in my opinion.”
Of course, this is a results-driven business, and the Jets need to produce better results Sunday in Tennessee.
The Titans are coming off of a loss to the Bears in which they ran for 140 yards — 82 and a touchdown coming from former Cowboys back Tony Pollard.
Tennessee is sure to study the film of what made the 49ers so successful Monday and incorporate at least some of that attack into the game plan.
“It’s no secret: Getting on our perimeter, that’s the best way to be successful against us in the run game,” middle linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “Think about Miami, think about Cleveland, those types of teams. … You can expect to see that for a few more weeks until you knock it out. We won’t expect anything less than to see those similar types of runs. Maybe a different style or different form, but definitely they’ll try to get to our edges.”
The Jets’ defense, while one of the league’s best last year, struggled against the run at times. It was 25th in rushing yards allowed (124.0 per game) and 11th in yards per carry (4.1).
That group also lost some key members up front in Quinton Jefferson, Al Woods and John Franklin-Myers. In Week 1, they were missed.
Still, Ulbrich expressed confidence in the group he has. He expects to see a “response,” a drastic difference Sunday.
“I’m extremely confident in the group we have,” Ulbrich said. “I love every single guy we got in that defensive line room, and they got a lot of pride and I anticipate them answering the call this week. I really do.”
Said Williams: “Definitely, definitely can’t wait for this next game.”
