On Sunday, the Saints defense led by coordinator Rob Ryan and the Jets defense led by head coach Rex Ryan gave up a total of 62 points and 805 yards while forcing zero turnovers in losses to the Cowboys and Lions. The Ryan brothers know they need to do better.
As Rob Ryan said before Sunday’s games, the inability of the Saints and Jets to force turnovers is a black mark on the family name.
“Right now, man, nobody’s doing worse than the Ryan brothers,” Rob Ryan said, via Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. “We might say we are two of the best coaches, and I believe that, and I know that. We’re doing everything we can to do it, but we have to do more. There’s got to be something else out there. We keep emphasizing it and all of that, but that’s lip service. We need to start getting turnovers and it needs to start happening this week.”
Opposing quarterbacks have thrown 110 passes against the Saints and 96 passes against the Jets this season, and neither team has a single interception. The Saints have only recovered one fumble, and the Jets have only recovered two. When it comes to forcing turnovers, the Ryans’ defenses are at the bottom of the league.
In fairness to Rex, however, it should be pointed out that Rob really has no business lumping his defense in with Rex’s because the Jets’ defense is a lot better than the Saints’ defense. The Jets’ defense is leading the league in sacks and rushing yards allowed per game and is fourth in the league in total yards per game. Aside from forcing turnovers, the Jets’ defense is playing well.
But the 29th-ranked Saints’ defense is terrible any way you slice it. Both Ryan brothers are 1-3 and in danger of losing their jobs, but Rex’s problem is his offense. If Rex coached a team with Drew Brees, no one would be saying Rex was having a bad year.