New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles is considered one of the best defensive minds in the NFL. He coordinated the No. 2 and No. 7 defenses in the NFL (by Football Outsiders' DVOA) in his two years with the Arizona Cardinals, while his Jets are expected to have one of the league's best point-prevention units this year. He's known for using exotic coverages and generating pressure without necessarily having pure pass rushers on the roster as well as getting better-than-expected seasons out of veterans that were passed on by other teams.
Still, Bowles knows a challenge when he sees one, and Andrew Luck is a challenge. "It's a nightmare," Bowles said when asked of the task of preparing to face Luck and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, per the New York Daily News. While the task could be slightly less daunting than initially expected if the Colts are without star wideout T.Y. Hilton for the game (Hilton did practice on Saturday, so maybe not), Bowles might be working a bit shorthanded as well, as cornerback Antonio Cromartie's status is up in the air.
Former Jets coach Rex Ryan may have laid out a blueprint for how to attack the Colts offense last week, as his Bills brought a heavy rush all game and disrupted the QB's rhythm. Luck dropped back to pass 53 times last Sunday, and on 25 of those occasions the Bills sent a blitz. Luck was just 9 for 23 for 118 yards, a touchdown and two picks on those plays. We can likely expect to see another heavy dose of blitzes from the Jets until Luck proves he can beat it.
