Every attacking defense faces the same dilemma against Peyton Manning. How much do you blitz a guy that knows what’s coming?
“I think you have to do something,” Rex Ryan said in the first of two press conferences Wednesday. “You’ve got to try to get him off the spot. He’s seen it all, but you just hope for a slight hesitation.”
We charted the first half of Jets-Colts from Week Sixteen, and the Jets blitzed on most downs, usually sending five defenders. It wasn’t particularly effective.
The Colts only led 9-3 at halftime, but Manning left a lot of points on the board by missing open throws to Reggie Wayne (twice), and Dallas Clark. New York’s pressure did not get home, but safety Kerry Rhodes says Manning is like any quarterback if you get to him.
“You don’t fear anybody. And no quarterback is beyond getting rattled,” Rhodes told the New York Daily News. “Even with Peyton Manning, you get to him a couple of times, he’s going to rush his throw. The pressure can affect the way he throws. You don’t have to sack him.”
The Ravens got decent pressure on Manning last week, and made him complete throws into small windows. They also tried to punish the Colts receivers for their catches.
The Jets may have the best tackling defense in the league. They would be well served to try to rattle the young Indianapolis receivers as much as Manning.