New York Jets and Gregg Williams are a terrific match
The New York Jets are about to make a great decision. Bringing in Gregg Williams as defensive coordinator is simply an excellent idea.
A lot has been said about New York Jets coach Adam Gase. I have done quite a bit of the talking here on these pages.
One thing he deserves credit for is having guts to go after big fish to join his staff. Take a look at the news if you haven’t seen it yet:
New #Jets coach Adam Gase is on the verge of a big hire: Former #Browns interim coach Gregg Williams is in talks with Gase to become their new defensive coordinator, sources say. Things are progressing in this direction, and those involved believe it’ll get done.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2019
Time to give Adam Gase his props on this one. Hiring Gregg Williams is a brilliant idea.
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The proof is in the pudding, ladies and gentlemen of Jets Nation. Gregg Williams gets defenses to perform.
Let’s look at his work in Cleveland from 2017-2018. Before he got there, the Cleveland defense was 30th in DVOA (per Football Outsiders). In 2017 they jumped up to 16th.
It was up to 12th in 2018. The Cleveland Browns had an improving defense.
That almost says it all by itself.
Over three years with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, the defense was ranked 9th, 7th, and 15th.
In 2013, one year before Gregg Williams’ arrival, the defense was ranked 11th, but that team did have talent in Robert Quinn and other players.
In other words, Williams didn’t have as far to take those guys.
The most important part of what Williams brings to a defense is attitude. He’s a loud, aggressive coach and it rubs off on his players.
The video clips are out there. He is in the face of his players and gets his teams playing with a swagger. It’s a bit reminiscent of when Rex Ryan was in town. The Jets had swagger and, at least at the beginning, the play to back it up.
Trumaine Johnson played for Williams for three years with the Rams. He told the Athletic (subscription required):
"He doesn’t play defense. He attacks the offense."
How great is that? We have watched the Jets defense read and react to what the offense is doing for so long now. Attacking would be a welcomed change.
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Now, many will go and focus on the “Bounty Gate” scandal as a reason to pan the signing. He admitted to offering payments to players for injuries, including to the likes of Brett Favre and Kurt Warner.
I share the disdain for that entire situation. It could not be tolerated and the fact that Williams was at the forefront was troubling. If this was the first job back since his suspension my take on this hire would be different.
However, he has worked for three separate teams since the suspension and there has been no return talk of any of this. That would lead one to believe that Gregg Williams learned his lesson.
Williams gets defenses to perform and to do so with attitude. Great choice here.