Adam Gase, Jets Commend Rams' 'True Shutdown Corner' Jalen Ramsey

Rams' defensive tackle Aaron Donald isn't the only player that makes Los Angeles' defense so dominant.

Before facing the league's best defense on Sunday, Jets head coach Adam Gase praised Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

"He’s really good. His instincts alone," Gase said in a Zoom call with reporters this week. "I haven’t been around too many corners where I feel like he has such a great feel for the game."

Through a dozen games played this season, Ramsey has one interception, three pass deflections and 36 tackles. While he's not necessarily setting the league ablaze with his production in 2020, the 26-year-old has proven in his five NFL seasons that he's capable of locking up a team's best receiver while making plays when the ball is thrown his way.

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"He does a really good job as far as feeling the route, feeling the receiver, he’s stopping, he runs the route before the guy," Gase explained. "He knows when to stay deep, he knows when it’s time to gamble. The way he transitions with routes is really impressive and let alone with his ball skills. 

"You better not miss on him to where if he’s driving on an out route and you miss just slightly inside, you’re looking at it’s going the other way."

Ramsey is a three-time Pro Bowler and was an All Pro with the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2017. Through five years since playing college ball at Florida State, the former first-rounder has 11 interceptions and 279 total tackles. 

To make matters worse for New York, Ramsey will line up against a winless Jets team that ranks dead last in the NFL in passing yards per game (166.1). Quarterback Sam Darnold is last among qualifying signal-callers with a 67.3 passer rating.

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The Jets have struggled against top corners this year as well. When New York faced Miami's Xavien Howard in Week 12, Howard added to his league-leading total of interceptions with a pick in the fourth quarter. Darnold has thrown more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (five) in 2020.

Jets offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains recognized this week that not many teams have a "true shutdown corner" along with a "true shutdown interior defensive lineman." Ramsey and Donald are both tremendous, part of why this unit is the best in the league at limiting opponents' offenses (allowing only 285.8 yards per game).

"We have to do a good job up front and then the back end, they have really good players there too and they do a good of disguising coverages and mixing it up that way," Darnold said. "So, we got our work cut out for us, but we are excited for the opportunity."

More from Jets Country to get you ready for Jets-Rams:

• Rams' Star Aaron Donald Praises Sam Darnold, Isn't Taking Winless Jets Lightly
• Jets' Final Injury Report For Week 15: Will Jamison Crowder Play vs. Rams?
• How Jets Are Bracing For 'Game-Wrecker' Aaron Donald
• Why Facing the Rams This Week Will Be Even More of a Nightmare For Darnold, Jets

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