For the first time all season, Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich called a seven-man rush during a game, dialing it up on the final play of the first quarter, a 3rd-and-10 from the Bengals’ 44.
The result? Tyler Boyd beat the single coverage on a short middle pass and ran 56 yards for Cincinnati’s second touchdown, putting them up 14-6 – and clearly, Quinnen Williams was NOT happy about it, as he was caught by cameras screaming at Jets defensive assistant Aaron Whitecotton and having to be held back:
Several players stepped in between Williams and Whitecotton, and head coach Robert Saleh also came over to talk to Williams – who, after the game, tried to downplay the incident.
“It wasn’t really an argument like it seemed, just a loud conversation,” Williams said. “In the game, man, you just get heated. I love my coach, man. My coach love me. We all competitors out there. We got dogs in our room, bro. I just trust my D-Line so much that…put it on our back to win this game man. That came out of me to just challenge my D-Line coach and be like, ‘Put it on our back, coach.'”
Ulbrich didn’t call another seven-man rush the rest of the way, and the Jets did sack Joe Burrow twice after the blow-up, when Williams felt settled the team.
“We don’t need all this blitzing and stuff; four-man rush, let’s put it on our back,” Williams continued. “It's not like I’m trying to make them call the plays, I just trust the defensive live, the edge rushers, and the defense in general. This defense is going to go as the line goes, so we have to step up and execute.”
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And, Williams reiterated he “loves coach (Whitecotton) like a brother.”
“That’s love right there; that’s like a brother. Me and my brother argue all the time, me and my d-line argue all the time,” Williams said. “We talked right after that, got on the right page, and heard each other out. There’s no love lost. He’s one of the best line coaches I’ve ever had.”
Saleh had a similar view to Williams’ when it came to the incident.
“He was challenging the coaches,” Saleh said. “We don't need them to jaw at each other but he's being competitive. I love the fire.”
What Saleh may not love is that his defense is allowing 27.3 points per game, and, if not for a furious comeback, the Jets would be 0-3 and near the bottom of the league in points scored.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
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