New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn, who calls his own defenses, just got a severe Saturday migraine, courtesy of the New England Patriots.
New England made it official, activating wide receiver A.J. Brown from injured reserve, meaning he will, barring any late setback, return to the lineup on Sunday at Gillette Stadium when the Jets come in looking for the upset.
We know how this will play in the Patriots lineup, both the good and the bad. He will take snaps away from hot Patriots’ pass catchers like Efton Chism and Kyle Williams, but Brown will also likely open space for the rest of the Patriots on the field.
Jets prepared for Brown
But what will Brown’s presence do to the Jets’ defensive game plan?
“I think he’s a good player,” said New York defensive coordinator Brian Duker of Brown. “They have plenty of deep threats, and he just gives them certainly another element of that. Over the years, he’s certainly done a great job in deep balls, but he also does a great job running and catching the intermediate routes. (He) has really good play strength. He’s a very good receiver.”
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New York has been blitz-heavy all year, a choice that yielded eight sacks a week ago in a quagmire at Cleveland.
New York’s answer?
Duker and Glenn have a solid size match for Brown – if they choose to go man up with him – in Azareye’h Thomas.
“(Thomas) is a big man that can run. He is able to go up and play man coverage and play press man coverage but also he has the intelligence to be out there and play zone,” said Glenn. “The more reps that he gets, the better and better he’s getting also. I like exactly where he is at.”
Even without Brown, Drake Maye has shredded zone-heavy schemes in the last two weeks.
Listening to Glenn and Duker in their media sessions, it doesn’t sound like the New Yorkers are about to change how they have gone about defending so far.
