Rex on the Jets D

Courtesy of the Post:

Rex Ryan will handle his defensive crisis the same way he handled Mark Sanchez a few weeks ago when Sanchez was struggling mightily. He's ordering the defensive players to go back to basics, concentrate on fundamentals so they can stop someone -- something they've had big-time problems doing of late...

"We talked fundamentals and his technique. We really focused on it and he got better. Now, he's looked like a different quarterback these last couple of weeks. That's what you have to do [with the defense]. There are no excuses. We need to get back to who our defense is, we need to practice. We're going to go back to individual drills [and] fundamental drills and really hone that in."

Sandwiched around the 22-17 win in Pittsburgh, the Jets defense allowed 45 points to the Patriots and 38 to the Bears Sunday. This has become a serious source of concern and embarrassment for Ryan.

Ryan, who prides himself on his defenses and constantly boasts about how no defense of his has ever been ranked worse than sixth in the NFL at the end of a season, conceded taking this tact "is kind of unusual at this time of year."

But desperate times call for desperate measures. The Jets defense, which couldn't stop the run and was carved by Bears QB Jay Cutler for three touchdown passes in the third quarter, is lost right now.