Three sets of statistical trends, records, mileposts and highlights following the Jets' 26-19 road loss to the Patriots on Sunday:
No Sacks? Bailey Still Packs a Punch
David Bailey has been adapting to the NFL so well that even on a no-sack day, the Jets' rookie edge still left his imprint on the game at New England.
He did get a hit on QB Drake Maye, but most significantly, he separated two Pats from the football with forced fumbles. The third-quarter fumble by RB TreVeyon Henderson recovered by LB Jamien Sherwood at the Patriots 36.
"That's something we felt he would be able to do for us, not only being able to attack the quarterback but being able to get the ball back," HC Aaron Glenn said of Bailey during his Monday media availability. "We just hope we continue to get those things. The one thing we're doing quite a bit is being able to punch the ball out. ... I thought it was a hell of a job by him."
Set your filters any way you want, and Bailey still keeps popping up on top of the search. Who are the only rookies since 2000 to record 3-plus sacks, 3-plus forced fumbles and 6-plus QB hits in his team's first 6 games? Bailey, who has 5-3-8 in those categories, and Chandler Jones for the 2012 Patriots (5-3-9).
That's via TruMedia.com, and so is this with slightly different parameters: Bailey is the only NFL rookie since tackles began to be tracked in 1994 to have 30-plus tackles, 5-plus sacks and 1-plus FF in the first 6 games of a season.
Oh, yes, and Bailey drew another holding penalty, this one on TE Hunter Henry. It's the fourth time this season an opponent was flagged for holding Bailey, tied for the league lead in this lower-visibility category.
Minkah's in the Mix
It's not a statistical chase that attracts any attention or pays any bonuses, but it was interesting nonetheless. Over the last 8 seasons, from 2018 through Week 5, there was a snarl at the top of the NFL takeaway leaderboard. Four safeties were tied for the most career takes in that span, each with 28 The list included Kevin Byard. the esteemed safety now plucking picks and recovering fumbles for the Patriots.
Sitting in fourth place with 27 takeaways since 2018: Jets S Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The Sunday score in the big TO matchup between Fitzpatrick and Byard was more fitting of a football match across the pond like the Jaguars and Texans just played that morning. Fitzpatrick downed Byard, 1-0, by picking up the bouncing fumble ferociously forced from behind by Jamien Sherwood after WR DeMario Douglas had motored almost 40 yards into Jets territory with the Maye pass.
That gave Fitzpatrick his 28th takeaway and he is now in a 5-way tie for the most career TAs by any player from 2019 through Sunday's games. What matters more, we suspect, is that Fitzpatrick, since entering the league in '18, has 8 fumble recoveries, 22 INTs and 30 total takeaways ─ and counting.
Check out the top photos from the Jets' Week 6 game against the Patriots.
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
New York Jets 2026 Season: New York Jets at New England Patriots on October 18, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA (New York Jets Photo).
Turnover Watch
A good turnover margin alone doesn't win NFL games. But it helps, and the Jets continue to test positive, which in this area is a good thing.
With 2 takeaways (Fitzpatrick's and Sherwood's FRs) and 1 giveaway (Geno Smith 's first INT of the season), the Jets were plus-1 in TO margin vs. the Pats. That gives them a plus-4 margin for the season, which before the MNF game was tied for fifth in the league. It's only the second time since 2010 that the Jets were as good as plus-4 after 6 games. (The '23 team was plus-5.)
