Defensive Notes

How big a difference does one player make? Pretty big when that player is Jets’ nose tackle Kris Jenkins, acquired from the Panthers in the offseason.

Jenkins has almost singlehandedly has transformed the Jets’ defense from one of the league’s worst against the run to one of its best. Stopping the run is a critical first step toward racking up sacks and turnovers, and the Jets should get plenty in upcoming games -- against shaky offenses from Oakland, Kansas City, and St. Louis.

Chargers rebound? We won’t overrate their performance against a Matt Cassel-led Patriots offense, but if you drafted them early you have to like what they showed in that game: 4 sacks, 2 turnovers, just 10 points allowed. For all their early-season struggles, they’re right up there among the top 6 or 7 teams in sacks and turnovers.

Finally living up to their promise of the last three years: Arizona. The Cardinals are 2nd in the league in sacks, they shut down a great Cowboys offense for most of the game Sunday, and indeed they nearly had another sack-forced fumble-defensive touchdown in that game; it was taken away by the always controversial tuck rule. Throw in the fact that their return teams make plays every now and again, and you’ve got a defense that can be started basically anytime it plays at home (where it’s much better than on the road). The post-bye schedule has some favorable matchups coming up: divisional foes St. Louis, San Francisco and Seattle. The Cardinals will win this division, and their defense will have some quality games the rest of the way.

Waiver Wire Defense of the Week: The Cardinals, Falcons, Jaguars and Eagles are all on byes, so some owners might be scrambling for a one-week fill-in. A couple of possibilities in week 7:

Texans: Houston finally got its first win; now it gets its best matchup of the season, a home game against the winless Lions. Whoever the Lions start at quarterback will probably struggle to avoid Mario Williams; the team can’t run the ball; and it keeps making mistake. Nice kick return teams for the Texans, too.

Dolphins: Time to give Miami its due. Despite surrending a late touchdown to lose at Houston, this defense has played very well, and it gets a favorable matchup this week: home against the Ravens. Miami should be able to slow the Ravens’ running game and then come after Joe Flacco, who looked very much a rookie quarterback against the Colts last week.

On the flip side, we want nothing to do with Carolina, facing a Saints’ offense that’s on top of its game right now; or Green Bay, hosting a Colts team that might have straightened out its offensive woes in blowing out the Ravens.

Other news and notes:

- Just like a year ago, injuries in the secondary are a problem for the Ravens defense. We’re not jumping off after championing them just last week, but it might be time to look for a backup option in case this group continues to slip.

- New England, with back-to-back West Coast games (49ers and Chargers), decided to stay in California last week. Judging by their poor showing at San Diego, that move might have backfired. When picking defenses, possible factors to consider in future weeks include the perils of a road-weary group of players.

—Andy Richardson

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