12/07 — Some fans have wondered over the past two years why reporters frequently quote non-starters such as David Bowens and Matt Chatham. It's not just because both Jets linebackers are good guys, which they are. It's because they're good talkers, good at knowing what to say and what not to say, but saying it in an interesting, informative manner.

They're good at the BP. Not the Bill Parcells but the Big Picture.

And in Bowens' case, he's also been playing a more prominent and impactful role in recent weeks, especially in the nickel and dime fronts, the sub packages, that are used on more than one-third of the Jets' defensive plays.

"We're doing a lot of different things with our personnel in the sub," Bowens told me this week. "We're able to switch up a lot of people. We have a lot of interchangeable parts. I'm the fattest and the oldest, but I can play a lot of positions. David Harris has been doing a great job in coverage and blitzing. We have a lot of linebackers that are about the same size."

So while Kerry Rhodes talks about simplifying things on defense in general, it appears the sub packages are getting more complex. Everything from two-man to six-man lines, players exchanging roles, and that six-men-waiting-for-a-train look that has been used judiciously and has worked so well. (I asked Bowens if he's at liberty to say what the team calls that look. "It's a secret," he said.)

What's not a secret is that the defense's overall improvement has been built in part on improvement in the nickel and dime. Here are some selected categories that have improved from the first nine games compared to the last three when five or more DBs are on the field (TDA–Touchdowns allowed, Y/P–Yards per play allowed):

"What you want to do is create a communication problem for the offense," Bowens explained. "I've played tackle, end, linebacker before. They can't ID me by what position I'm playing. Shaun [Ellis] has played end and tackle. C.J. Mosley, the same thing."

And teams have to start dealing with Bowens making plays again like he did when he was a Dolphin. After getting his feet wet with limited reps in the defense over the first half of the season, he turned it on against Pittsburgh (half a sack, 1.5 tackles behind the line) and was in John Beck's passing lanes all day Sunday with three PDs, one of which popped in the air and landed in Darrelle Revis' hands for an interception.

Bowens may be fat and old (but not nearly as fat or old as this Radar operator), but along with his ST contributions, he's developed into one of the key components of the defense's post-bye rejuvenation.