Jets LB Quincy Williams says the quiet part out loud about Steve Wilks firing

The New York Jets may not have shut down the New Orleans Saints in what was ultimately a brutal loss in Week 16, but they were able to put together a much more spirited defensive performance after former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was fired and replaced by Chris Harris.

Linebacker Quincy Williams, who looked much better after allowing four touchdowns in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, not only managed to talk up Harris as a defensive leader, but he may have revealed just how deep the rot went when Wilks was here.

Williams said the defense was much better as a whole when it came to communication, which is a sign that Harris took a step in the right direction. Somehow, the follow-up to that quote was perhaps an even more damning indictment of Wilks.

Williams also took time to shout out the Jets playing with more pride than they did under Wilks. Effort, or lack thereof, was the surest sign yet that Wilks was on his way out in New York.

Quincy Williams says quite part out loud about former Jets DC Steve Wilks

Wilks was reportedly so rigid that he was willing to take the entire team down with him. Wilks would not let players freelance or make plays when they saw one could be made, demanding instead that they stay exactly where his scheme dictated they should be, regardless of what was happening in the game.

Not only was Williams better after a disaster of a game against the Jaguars, but fellow linebacker Jamien Sherwood had his best performance in a very long time. Is there a chance that just by subtracting Wilks, many of the underperforming players will get back on track?

Harris is going to have his defensive acumen tested in the next few weeks, as he will need to do battle against New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills teams that will likely play their starters in the name of trying to secure a division title. If they can lock down either of those two teams, Harris will be a strong candidate for the permanent job.

The fact that after just one week, with Harris not installing any of the defensive plays or concepts he wants to realize, the Jets looked much better than they ever did under Wilks has to be an alarming sign. Wilks may never get another coordinator job in the NFL at this rate.