The practice of giving nicknames to imposing NFL offenses and defenses is nearly as old as the game itself.
Chicago is synonymous with defense due to the nickname 'Monsters of the Midway', given to the ferocious Bears defense assembled by the legendary George Halas way back in 1940 and 1941.
It's always good advice to stay out of the 'Strip Club,' but especially timely for the Vikings this weekend as they face the opportunistic New York Jets. Tim McNiff has more on Kirk Cousins' ball security woes, and great NFL nicknames in today's edition of #McNiffsRiffs.https://kare11.tv/2PIPEDg
Other well-known monikers given to deserving offensive and defensive units include Pittsburgh’s famed 'Steel Curtain' of the 1970s, Dallas’ 'Doomsday Defense,' also in the 70s, and of course our very own 'Purple People Eaters' of the late 60’s and early 70’s.
Back in 1981 a New York Jets fan by the name of Dan O’Connor submitted the 'New York Sack Exchange' name to a pre-season contest held by The Jet Report, a team magazine. Jets PR Director Frank Ramos used the nickname in a press release and it was soon picked up by the media. The success of the Jets front four of Mark Gastineau, Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam, along with the arrival of Lawrence Taylor to the crosstown rival New York Giants, inspired the NFL to start counting quarterback sacks as a statistic.
Usually it takes some time before a unit earns a nickname, but in the case of the 2018 New York Jets it only took about four weeks of the regular season before their aggressive and opportunistic play earned them a handle... and it’s a doozy. The writers at newyorkjets.com have labeled the Jets defense 'The New York Strip Club' for their ability to separate opposing quarterbacks and ball carriers from the football.
Last Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts was the Jets third game of the season in which they turned their opponent over at least three times. By recording four takeaways from the Colts the Jets have a running season total of 15, which is the second most in the NFL. Impressive, when you consider that in 2017 the Jets produced just 20 turnovers all season.
What’s most troubling is that an area the Jets seem to be best at is exact;u where Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is at his most vulnerable... protecting the football.
The Jets have become masters of the strip sack, the play where you not only get to the quarterback, but you make a concerted effort to swipe at the ball in an attempt to dislodge it from the quarterback’s throwing hand.
“I just think the coaches are making more of an emphasis to go after the ball”, says linebacker Jeremiah Attochu. “Especially with sacks not being sacks anymore, you never really know if you’re going to get flagged or not. I think there’s a bigger emphasis on that.”
If extra incentive wasn’t there before, the Jets would seem to have it this week when they face Cousins and the Vikings offense. After all, he has the dubious distinction of leading the league in fumbles with 5 through the first six games. They'll be fired up to invite Mr. Cousins into 'The Strip Club.'
“Finding that balance of protecting the football while being aggressive, welcome to quarterbacking in this league,” said Cousins after the Vikings win over Arizona.
As the NFL has increasingly become a passing league defenses know that the best way to defend the pass is by not letting the quarterback throw the football in the first place. And in Kirk Cousins, the Jets see a perfect opportunity to invite one more unwilling opponent into their club.
“They’ve done so well, we obviously feel like we need to protect the football as we always do” says Cousins. “But just when you’re going against a team as good as they are at taking it away, just having a heightened sense of awareness of the need to not give them that whenever possible."
Knowing that the Jets have a knack for the strip sack... and knowing his well-documented history of having trouble holding the ball under pressure... Cousins would be wise to protect the football BETTER than he usually does, and Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo would be well advised to devise a game plan that revolves around getting rid of the ball before the strip club even opens.
The outcome of the game could be riding on it.