As the Jets head into their Week 9 matchup with the Chiefs, the defense has become a concern following their loss to the Raiders.
With Gange Green looking for the right balance on both sides of the ball, rookie cornerback D’Angelo Ponds’ lack of playing time is becoming notable with each passing week.
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Aaron Glenn was asked why Ponds has seen so few snaps, and the second-year coach said that the rookie will get his chance.
“We can only play so many people,” Glenn said Wednesday. “You see that across the league a number of hot picks… [Fernando] Mendoza hasn’t played at all. We have some other good players on the team; he’s going to get his shot. He’s a damn good player, we all know that. Just be patient and give him a little time. He’s going to get a shot to play.”
The second-round pick has appeared in six games this season, and of the six, Ponds has played double-digit snaps just three times.
In Week 4 against the Bears, he played 18 defensive snaps (19.4 percent), making three tackles (one solo). The next came in Week 6 against the Patriots, where he played 11 snaps (16.2 percent), but didn’t record a tackle. New England threw three passes his way, and the receivers completed two passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
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And finally, in the team’s Week 7 game against the Dolphins, Ponds got his biggest opportunity. That day, Ponds played 30 snaps (46.2 percent) and recorded two tackles (both assisted). Malik Willis threw two passes in Ponds’ direction and completed one pass for five yards.
While not a huge sample size, the Jets could perhaps use a change after the Raiders put up 38 points and 247 yards through the air. When the question of personnel changes came up Wednesday, Glenn said his staff decides on who plays on a week-to-week basis.
“Every week we always evaluate the roster. And we make the best decision as far as that is concerned and that’s ongoing,” Glenn said. “We always look at it from a coaching perspective on who gives us the best chance to win and we make those decisions as we go through the week.”
Entering this week, the Jets boast the 11th-best overall defense in the league with a No. 5- ranked passing defense, so the team has largely been a pass-stopper this year, but with the team (2-5) on its way to another potential losing season, will Ponds get more time to show what he can do?
As Glenn said, we’ll have to be patient and see.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
