New York Jets Injury Report: Defense Looking For A Way To Replace Wilkerson
By Tyson Rauch
The bad news keeps rolling in for the New York Jets (2-9), as defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson will be ruled out for Monday night’s game versus the Miami Dolphins (6-5) with a toe injury. This is a significant blow to the Jets defense as Wilkerson is a valued veteran leader that is in the midst of a Pro-Bowl caliber season.
Look for the New York Jets to use a platoon of Leger Douzable and Quinton Coples to replace Muhammad with a chance that rookies Trevor Reilly and IK Enemkpali see some playing time as well.
The replacements
Leger Douzable is quietly having a solid season for Gang Green tallying up 18 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Leger is a high- energy player that always seems to be around the football and behind the line of scrimmage.
Quinton Coples (3 sacks) remains an enigma for the Jets as his flashes of brilliance are offset by moments where he completely disappears. Coples has the ability to set the edge but struggles to consistently shed blocks.
The challenge
The Miami Dolphins offense features a moving pocket for quarterback Ryan Tannehill, which puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the defensive line. Tannehill’s mobility allows him to extend plays in the passing game with a threat of taking off and running if the play breaks down.
The New York Jets defensive line must keep the Miami signal caller in the pocket and force the third-year quarterback into bad decisions with consistent pressure. If New York struggles to generate a pass rush, Ryan Tannehill will pick apart the Jets secondary.
Out
DE Muhammad Wilkerson (toe)
Questionable
TE Jace Amaro (concussion)
DE Sheldon Richardson (back)
Probable
DE Leger Douzable (ankle), T Oday Aboushi (shoulder), LB Antwan Barnes (knee), G Willie Colon (knee), WR Eric Decker (toe), LB David Harris (shoulder), RB Chris Ivory (shoulder), C Nick Mangold (shoulder), QB Michael Vick (wrist)
For more Jets news and updates, visit Jets Central.
Tyson Rauch is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
