When you think “run defense,” your mind first focuses on the trenches – the nose tackle, the three-technique, the inside linebackers – but run defense is a team effort. All 11 guys play a role in their team’s run-stopping performance. Obviously, the men in the trenches are more involved than the men outside, but defensive backs are certainly an integral piece of a team’s run defense.
The Jets ranked second in run defense DVOA a season ago. Their interior defensive line was the driving force behind that dominant performance, but one position’s output in that phase should not go overlooked – cornerback.