Vilma needs to step up to the plate now more than ever.

I'll just state the obvious - The Jets need to win this Sunday. If they don't, their season will take a turn for the worse. The Dolphins are not good, despite every "expert" picking them to go to the Super Bowl (along with the Giants, ha ha) in the preseason. That being said, they are not a bunch of push-overs. No, that term could be used for the Jets "defense" at this point though.

Indeed, the Jets D needs to step it up, and that means Vilma needs to get the troops organized. Like Ray Lewis, Vilma has the opportunity to go down as one of the best defensive players ever to grace the field (minus the murder charges, we hope!). Vilma needs to take control of the D, get them pumped up and prove he is their leader. If he does that, then maybe they will play better than they actually are. Shit, if a bonafide leader told me I was fucking awesome and nobody could run over, block, or stop me from getting to the QB I would believe it. By that, I mean if Vilma leads by example, so the other players will have no reason but to follow him.

Vilma's gotta be that guy. Vilma can set an example by being everywhere on the field. Jevon Kearse used to be that guy, he ran all over the field and tracked down ball carriers like he had GPS on those bastards, no matter where they were on the field, Kearse tracked them down. Vilma has to be like that, and if he can't be there, he has to instill the belief in this montly crew that they can fuck up any offensive player the other team has.

I know that football is more physical than mental, but if the Jets defense has a strong leader who fucks people up and gets them amped up, then maybe the mental will make up for the physical. Because from what I've seen, the Jets D doesn't have the talent to stop Rutgers' offense. I know that isn't the case, but they are just not playing up to their potential.

Leaders can really turn things around. It's obvious on offense, but the same can be said about defense. As I mentioned, Ray Lewis is a leader. Vilma needs to first play his balls off on every play. From there, the other guys should want to be like him or at least not disappoint him by fucking up. If they make good plays Vilma should be the first to congratulate them, or at least make sure he does in the huddle. I know there are a lot egos on a football team, but if Vilma can make it so his teammates look up to and/or are afraid of him then he can turn this defense around. He needs to balance by having them fear and respect him. They should fear his wrath if they fuck up (I'm not talking a beating, but he should express some verbal disappointment in them). And they should respect his take on the offense and his senses about every play. If he tells a player to move a few feet to the right that player should listen. I know the coaches are suppossed to coach the guys and yell at them for screwing up, but coaches don't play the game. As Yogi probably once said, "Only the players play the game." That being said, Vilma can do what a coach can't do, he can say to a teammate, "Man, you let me down when I got blocked by two guys and you missed that tackle. You need to step it up." Vilma needs to be the Field General that Ray Lewis was and still is.

Let's hope this week Vilma sets the tone and the Jets stop the potent offense (right) of the Dolphins. God knows the competition is only going to get better as the season goes on. Let's not forget that the Jets offense isn't going to score 30 points a game, especially with a QB who has a fucked up shoulder and no running game of which to speak.

I sincerely hope that Vilma takes command the Jets Defense starts stopping offenses, or it could be a long season.

By the way, Let's Go Mets!