The New York Jets experienced both ups and downs on defense throughout the season's first quarter. They have made a number of big plays, but are allowing 22.8 points pre game and 378 yards per game. But middle linebacker Jonathan says the Jets are improving.
"Defensively, of course, we're still working our way and getting better," he said. "The biggest thing is that we saw improvement, Eric Mangini saw improvement, and Bob Sutton saw improvement in the game last week."
Read below for much more from Vilma and a number of Jets from today's locker room period...
New York Jets' WR Laveranues Coles, 10.4
On returning home…
I've been doing this for a while, so it's just another football game for me. It's always good to go home to see your family and friends, but again, it's still just another game.
On pressure being on the offense…
That's why we play the game. We need all players of the football team, not just the offense or just the defense. If that was the case, we'd just line up and go against their defense the whole game… it doesn't work that way. You line up and play the football game. The game could be won by offense, it could be won by special teams, it could be won by our defense. So you can't just say offensively, we need to crack their defense.
On his physical health…
Do I look okay? I'll be out there. I don't think I've been limited. I've been taking a lot of reps lately, going through practice and doing all the drills with everyone else, so I don't see any limit. There's no limits, trust me, with our coach there's no limits.
On the offensive lines improving…
I think you've got to give credit to everyone, our offensive line, our running backs, tight ends, as a group they've taken large strides. They're very successful right now. They're doing a great job of making things happen up front and giving us opportunities for the passing game and the running game. I think right now, we have a very talented group up front and the guys really care about what they're doing. Any time you have guys that really care about what they're doing, you can't help but get better.
On CBS failing to report on his health post game…
We'll if I'm breathing, I'm fine. Any time you play a football game, people are going to be concerned about you. I mean, my family is nervous for me every time I step on the field, but that's just what your family is going to do. Nothing to be exaggerated, it's just the same stuff week in and week out.
New York Jets' LB Jonathan Vilma, 10.4
On finding his way in the new defense…
If I was in a 3-4, trying to learn a 4-3 right now, you're not going to be 100 percent, especially not after four games of a season. For a 4-3, it still took me a good three or four years to really understand it and really master it, so it's always going to be a work in progress being in a 3-4.
On the unit's overall growing pains…
Of course, nobody's going to perfect, at a 3-4, maybe Kimo [von Oelhoffen], because he's been there at Pittsburgh. Aside from that, a lot of guys run a 4-3 their whole career, so for being in the 4-3, we just have to keep learning and keep grinding and each week we'll get better.
On talking to coach about trying different things…
Coach is a smart coach and he understands us as players; he understands our strengths and weaknesses. Obviously, he came from New England which everyone knows is a 3-4, but he's not solely going to stick to that, he's going to what's best for us to win and for us to make plays. We could easily be 4-0 right now feeling good about ourselves. We're not, we're 2-2 and defensively we're just going to have to keep getting better.
On the differences between 3-4 and 4-3…
The angles are a little bit different, the assignments are a little bit different, but the bottom line is to get to the ball. Every backer knows that, how you get there may be different in 3-4 and in 4-3, but the bottom line is always just getting to the ball.
On facing more traffic in the 4-3…
It depends on how you want to run the 4-3. Some guys like to run the 4-3 where the D-line penetrates and you still have the linemen up there, some guys like to run 3-4 the D-line doesn't penetrate and you don't have linemen on you. So it just depends on how you run the scheme in the system.
On how it felt to change to a 4-3 in the second half (against Indianapolis)…
It was different and it was good for us as a change of pace. Going against Indianapolis, especially Peyton Manning, you want to show them different looks to make them think a little bit out there.
On his mental make-up…
I'm fine. I wish we could be 4-0 right now obviously, but other than that I'm fine. Defensively, of course, we're still working our way and getting better. The biggest thing is that we saw improvement, Eric Mangini saw improvement, and Bob Sutton saw improvement in the game last week. It just looks bad when you give up two touchdowns in the final two drives.
On the key to stopping Leftwhich…
He's a strong-armed quarterback, he's very good, and he reminds me of Peyton Manning even though he doesn't get the accolades. It's going to be tough. We're going have to try to do the same things, try to contain him as we did Peyton [Manning] and hopefully, he won't get up on us.
On the key to stopping Fred Taylor…
He's a great back. He's very agile and a big, fast back, so for us, we just have to get a lot of guys around the ball. We have to take the same approach that we did in a couple of these other games, we need to get a lot hats around the ball and gang tackle him.
On Taylor's effectiveness increasing with Jones…
I don't know if it increases [his effectiveness], I think it gives him a blow and the worst thing you want to see is a fresh Fred Taylor. It helps them a lot to have a guy like Maurice Drew that comes in, spells him, and does a good job when he spells him then Fred Taylor can go back out there fresh.
On the defense adjusting to the different running styles of Jones and Taylor…
A little bit. They have different running styles, different size and speed, but they're both quick and elusive backs. They can both get out there and make the big one.
On their time of possession related to the running game…
Always; there's a great correlation between time of possession and running the ball. They're able to run the ball effectively and you can chew up the clock when you do that.
New York Jets' C Nick Mangold, 10.4
On facing a big match-up…
It doesn't really change anything, the blocking schemes are still the blocking schemes. If we don't execute any of them it doesn't matter who you have back there. But it really matters, especially with those two guys, if you don't execute they're going to make the day real rough. It's going to be a big focus to execute and hopefully, we can get things done.
New York Jets' WR Jerricho Cotchery, 10.4
On this week's challenge…
It's going to be a great challenge this week, because the Jacksonville defense has a great motor. They rally to the ball, similar to the Buffalo defense, all those guys rally to the ball. This is a bigger defense and these guys are very physical, so we definitely want to come out and match their intensity to start the game out.
On comparing Pittsburgh tapes to Indianapolis tapes…
Overall, they've been playing great. I think the Pittsburgh game definitely stands out, because those guys were hitting, those guys were getting to the ball consistently throughout the game and they played with a lot of energy and emotion. I think we just need to match that this week.
On Jacksonville being able to pitch a shutout…
No, not all I know that we'll do what we're coached to do. We execute and the sky's the limit for this offense. So we don't worry too much about any defense doing certain things against our good offense. We're just going to go out and make plays and try to do things to keep our defense fresh and just put points on the board.
On being the aggressors…
As an offense, we definitely feel that we can dictate the tempo of the game and anything that's going on in the game as long as we execute and do what we're coached to do out there.
On Mathis…
He's a guy that does take risks, but I think he knows when to take those risks and that's been working out for him, it's the reason he has the interceptions that he has. He knows when to take those risks. Obviously, he's doing some good studying on the QB and also on the receivers because, he picks the spots to make plays.
New York Jets' RB Leon Washington, 10.4
On hearing from old friends…
I'm trying not to, I look at my cell phone and there are a lot of 904 numbers being called on me. I'll probably try to get to them later on this week once I concentrate more on the task at hand, and that's the game we have against Jacksonville, not that I'm going home.
On growing up in Jacksonville and returning to play…
It's a childhood dream. It's been my dream since I was a child to play in the National Football League, and to get a chance to play at home right in the area that you grew up in. When I walked out of my apartment complex where I grew up, I could see the stadium. I could see the jumbo-tron, so that should give you a pretty good picture of how close I was. Everybody in the neighborhood, everybody in the community knows me, so they'll be watching the game.
On going to the stadium as child…
I used to sneak in there and run on the field a little bit; all those things you did as a child, you got in a trouble a little bit, but just having fun. I'm just excited to go home and play in front of the crowd. I had a chance to work there also selling peanuts and Coca-Cola, so I'm pretty familiar with the Jaguars.
On dreaming of playing football while selling peanuts…
Yeah, you like to think that, but I was young, I was 13 or 14 years old and I didn't really have any direction in my life, but I knew my dream was playing football. I played in little league football and it's kind of crazy to think back to it now; I'm definitely blessed.
On controlling his emotions…
The best thing about it is that I've got a little familiarity with it because I played in college there. I played in a big bowl game against Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship game. So I'll be able to hold my emotions, but it will be emotional and it will be fun for me, at the same time though, I need to realize this is a National Football League game and we want to win.
On developing chemistry…
Being a young running back is hard enough, but I am in the National Football League trying to get used to the offensive line and get more carries, so the more you do it, you get better at it and that's the best thing I can say. The more you practice at it, the more you get shots at it, and the better you get so hopefully, we can improve on it week in and week out.
