New York Jets: 2018 NFL Draft should be about defense

The New York Jets need to focus on one side of the ball in the 2018 NFL Draft, and it’s their defense.

A team can’t win the Super Bowl in the NFL without a great quarterback or great play from the quarterback in the big game, right? Wrong. Defense still wins championships, and the New York Jets should prove that to be true by focusing on defense in the 2018 NFL Draft.

In Super Bowl LII, the offenses reigned supreme. The final score was 41-33. The two teams combined for Super Bowls records in total yards and combined passing yards. However, the game was still in doubt when a play was made by Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham. It was a sack-fumble that essentially sealed the game for the Eagles.

So, even in a game where neither defense really showed up, it was a play on defense that decided the game.

Even the greatest of all-time has had help from his defense just getting to the Big Game. The Patriots defense has been great in games leading up to the Super Bowl. In 16 playoff games that led to Super Bowl appearances, the Patriots defense has allowed an average of 16 points per game.

The Jets need to take a lesson from that. Having a great quarterback is good, but it’s not all about the quarterback. They need to rebuild this defense to make it a Super Bowl caliber defense. They need to be able to get to the quarterback and cover the outside. Both of those things they lacked in 2017.

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Don’t get me wrong, you need a quarterback who can make plays. That said, you need a defense you can rely on to make key stops like Graham did. It’s not always about what your quarterback can do in the big moments, but what your defense can. Defense is still the key to winning championships.

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