Will New York Jets Latest Defensive Focus Fix Woes Against Colts?

The New York Jets changed things up at practice this week in the hopes that it would have an impact in a key area.

Nov 10, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New York Jets safety Jalen Mills (35) and New York Jets cornerback Isaiah Oliver (23) tackle Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) during the second half at State Farm Stadium. / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Just as the New York Jets looked as if they were figuring things out in their victory over the Houston Texans in Week 9, they had another incredibly disappointing performance in Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals.

The team had no answers defensively, as the Cardinals scored 31 points in the first half and cruised to a 31-6 victory. There have been some truly head-scratching performances from New York this season, but last weekend might have been the worst.

A 25-point loss with their season hanging in the balance could be rock bottom for the Jets. It was their most lopsided loss of the campaign, and it is hard to find many positives.

Despite the bleak outlook, there is still a game to be played this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts. If the Jets want to make anything of the remainder of the season, this is a must-win game.

There are plenty of Jets players and coaches that have something to prove the rest of the way. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich would love to rack up a few wins to keep his name in consideration for the full-time coaching gig.

He made some changes to the practice schedule this week. After an embarrassing tackling performance against Arizona, the team put an emphasis on drills to clean things up.

As shared by Rich Cimini of ESPN, they also had more padded sessions, a good way to light a fire under some defenders and hopefully translate into more success on the field Sunday.

“The Jets, who missed 20 tackles in last week's blowout loss to the Cardinals, put a major emphasis on tackling fundamentals in practice," writes Cimini. "Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, a former NFL linebacker, gave a tackling presentation to the entire team (yes, even offense). They also practiced in pads more than usual. In the past five games, the Jets have allowed 501 yards after contact, ranking 31st over that span.”

If the Jets don't improve after last Sunday, it would be clear the towel has been thrown in on the season and Ulbrich is leading a sinking ship.

If the Jets play with some spirit, it may show Ulbrich has some of the tools to be a successful head coach. Motivating players when there isn’t much to play for is a tall task. He is going to learn, one way or another, over the next few weeks.