“One of the reasons we’ve been successful these past two weeks is we’ve been able to disguise our man coverages, disguise our zones,” Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said, “and make it uncomfortable not just for the quarterback reading what we’re in (but also) the receivers have to be on the same page as well if they’re running the route the quarterback thinks they should be running.”
Pettine’s statement came in response to a question about the Steelers’ Mike Wallace, one of the fastest wide receivers in the NFL. Pettine believes one of the keys to slowing down Wallace is to mix the looks they give him, though he admitted it’ll often be “Football 101: If you have a great vertical threat, as many times as you can you want to jam him at the line and keep somebody high over the top.”
The Jets had better make sure that top stays on. Wallace led the NFL this season with 26 catches of 20 yards or more, including five for more than 50 yards. And of his 10 touchdowns, nine were for 29 yards or more.
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