Falcons' defense is taking over, and once again, the Jets are left scrambling for answers

One could argue that the biggest surprise of the Atlanta Falcons' season thus far has been defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.

The long-time defensive coach has been a star for the Dirty Birds. He has completely transformed the unit in impressive time, and is the biggest reason for the team's .500 record entering their bye week.

Meanwhile, his former team, the New York Jets, is reeling as they have looked even worse than they did last year. A big factor in their 0-4 start has been the defense, which has underperformed after some brilliant years with Ulbrich at the helm.

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Things have not been good in Florham Park for quite some time. These past few years have been marred by offensive struggles that have spoiled an elite defense.

But at least they had one elite unit...

This year, their defense has taken a severe step back under new head coach Aaron Glenn and new DC Steve Wilks, despite having pretty much the exact same personnel.

Ulbrich is clearly the X -Factor in all of this; it is no coincidence that his former unit has declined, while his current unit has flourished.

While Gang Green's defense hasn't been horrible, they aren't producing like they should with names like Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams, and Will McDonald IV.

When comparing the two teams, the Falcons have allowed 232 fewer passing yards, 86 fewer rushing yards, four fewer touchdowns, four more sacks, and have forced four more turnovers than the Jets.

Turnovers are something worth focusing on because there is nothing more impactful that a defense can do than give the ball back to their offense. Ulbrich preaches an aggressive style of defense, built upon forcing turnovers—which has only helped Michael Penix Jr. grow in Year 2.

While the Falcons haven't been extraordinary in that area, they have made their fair share of impactful plays. Meanwhile, Gang Green ranks dead last in the NFL in turnover differential, as Glenn's unit has yet to record a takeaway after one month of action. That is straight up unfathomable.

And it isn't like they have played these conservative, turnover-limiting quarterbacks. They have gone against Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, and Tua Tagovailoa, all of whom are susceptible to throwing the ball up in coverage.

The stark difference in all major defensive statistics through four weeks points to the impact Ulbrich has had on this young Falcons' defense.

To this point, there is no team happier that the Jets let Ulbrich go than Raheem Morris and the Atlanta Falcons. Now, New York's postseason drought is expected to last another season.