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Early in Jets training camp, there were rumblings. Quinnen Williams, a defensive tackle, possessed a distinguishing characteristic.
Williams has always possessed potential. Since the Jets drafted him third overall in 2019, he has demonstrated this ability. In Williams’s fourth season, though, things finally clicked. He entered his second season under Robert Saleh’s system after a healthy offseason. In August, the indicators of a monstrous year were already apparent.
Four months later, the rumors of a significant year had been confirmed. Williams has been the Jets’ top player. He has been unstoppable in the midst of a resurgent Jets defense with 11 sacks. Williams was on his way to a career-best performance on Sunday until suffering a left calf injury in the second quarter. Williams had twice sacked Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills were unable to block him, and Williams’ injury allowed them to move the ball more effectively. Now, the Jets are awaiting word on Williams’ availability for Sunday’s game against the Lions. Saleh stated that there is a 50/50 chance that Williams will play.
If Williams is unable to play, the Jets will miss him. Why wouldn’t they? This year he has been an absolute beast.
Saleh stated, “The dude is unblockable, man.” He is one of the top football players.
During the first half of the Jets’ loss against the Bills, Quinnen Williams sacked Josh Allen before suffering a calf injury and leaving the game.
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Williams’ season will almost definitely conclude with his first selection to the Pro Bowl. He should also be a member of the first-team All-Pro and may receive some votes for Defensive Player of the Year, though it seems unlikely that he will surpass Nick Bosa of the 49ers. Williams, however, has established himself as one of the top defensive linemen in sports.
Williams is tied for third in Pro Football Focus’s ranks of interior defensive linemen. He is tied with Rams superstar Aaron Donald, the benchmark for all other interior linemen. Chris Jones of the Chiefs and Dexter Lawrence of the Giants are ranked first and second, respectively. According to the site’s rankings, Williams is first in rush defense and sixth in pass rush.
Williams, according to Saleh, is comparable to Donald and Jones.
According to Saleh, they are three of the most dominant interior defensive lineman in the game now. They are difficult to block, and they do so in a variety of ways. Chris has incredible length and flexibility, Aaron Donald is obviously quick and explosive in confined areas, and Quinnen is sheer raw strength. “Therefore, there is no doubt that Quinnen is among the best.”
Aaron Donald, the gold standard of interior defensive linemen, gives Tom Brady a difficult time.
AP
Carl Lawson of the Jets played alongside All-Pro defensive lineman Geno Atkins when Atkins was with the Bengals. Lawson stated that he believes Williams will attain the same level. Lawson also emphasized how advantageous it is for a defense to have a dominant center like Williams.
“In the NFL, the ability to take control of the game from the center position is so rare,” Lawson said. “There are many edge rushers, but if you can do it from the middle, you’re simply a wacky chess piece.”
Williams has been Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s chess piece. His 11 sacks are tied for the most among NFL interior lineman alongside Jones. According to PFF, he ranks third with 11 quarterback hits and fifth with 45 pressures.
Pass rush productivity is a statistic created by Pro Football Focus that compares sacks, hits, and hurries to the number of times a player rushes the quarterback. Williams receives pressure on 8.6% of his snaps, the highest rate among interior lineman with at least 10 pass rush snaps. Jones receives pressure on 7.1% of his rushes, while Donald receives pressure on 5.9% of his rushes.
Robert Saleh has been able to construct a defense that has allowed the third-fewest yards per game in the NFL because to Williams’ middle pressure.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Because he has earned it, the Jets will have to give Williams a huge contract deal this offseason. In recent years, the Jets have not had to pay many of their own players, but Williams is an exception.
Lawson stated, “He’s so constantly dominant.” “He is extremely clever. He is arranging the situation like chess pieces. He is in the company of the elite.”
Mosley’s instant
C.J. Mosley has received much criticism for his encroachment penalty on fourth-and-1 just before halftime, which allowed the Bills’ first touchdown drive to continue. But here’s why it’s acceptable for Mosley to attempt a play there and fail: he rarely does.
Mosley’s unfortunate lunge over the line of scrimmage was not the play that was discussed in the Jets’ locker room after the game. His pass breakup occurred with 1:06 remaining in the game.
CBS
After the Jets’ field goal reduced the score to 20-12 with 1:08 remaining, the Bills regained possession. Everyone believed the Bills would run the ball, forcing the Jets to utilize their timeouts. On the first down, however, Josh Allen faked a handoff and left Dawson Knox wide open for a split second. Mosley recognized the pass and quickly recovered to swat the ball from Knox’s hands. It was a brilliant move by the linebacker. Reed congratulated Mosley in the locker room following the game because Reed should have covered Knox but raced the line of scrimmage anticipating a run.
“Everyone on the field except for the Bills was thinking run,” Mosley added. “Fortunately, I had sufficient depth, so I simply observed how Knox angled out and had a peculiar blocking angle. As soon as I turned around, I observed him release. I simply took off and prayed that I would arrive safely. It was an excellent play. D.J. kept saying, ‘Thank you, thank you.’ I said, ‘Hey, bro, I feel you. I was also attempting to obtain the run. This is why we have 10 brothers. Someone must be looking out for your safety.”
Mosley’s sentence was a costly oversight. However, he rarely makes them, so the Jets can live with it.
Brooks Bollinger was the starting quarterback for the 2005 Jets, who lacked a significant passing attack.
This season, the Jets have only 13 throwing touchdowns, which is an extremely low total. But there have been worse seasons for the Jets: 13 losses would be tied for sixth-worst in team history. With four games remaining, the Jets should be able to escape finishing with the lowest passing touchdown totals in franchise history.
1. 1976 — 7 passing TDs
2. 2005 — 11 passing TDs
T-3. 1991, 1992, 2009 — 12 passing TDs
T-6. 2013, 2022 — 13 throwing TDs
T-8. 1970, 1977, 1989, 1990, 2012 — 14 passing TDs