Talkers are going to talk. LB Jamien Sherwood? He let his play on the field at New Orleans do the talking for him.
Sherwood's play against the Saints was among his strongest performances of the 2025 season: 11 total tackles (9 in the first half), his second sack of the season (which forced a field-goal attempt) and a stunning leap over a pile of players when he stymied Taysom Hill for no gain on a fourth-and-1 play at the New Orleans 45-yard line.
"Never done it before," said Sherwood, who signed a three-year contract extension in the offseason. "I've seen [former Jets captain] C.J. Mosley do it a few years back, and then we always have a good short yardage presentation. We were in a good call, and it was just the timing of the play. Most of the time when Taysom Hill was in the game, he was a running back. So in that got to have it moment, they were going to put the ball in his hands. Luckily, I was able to time up the snap good enough to make the play."
In his fifth season with the Green & White, Sherwood acknowledged some struggles on defense, both personal and team-wide -- challenges that came to a boil in the two previous games and that prompted HC Aaron Glenn to replace DC Steve Wilks with Chris Harris ahead of Sunday's game. Sherwood responded to the change with his eighth double-digit tackle game of the season and upped his total to 140, 18 short of his total last season (when he led the league with 98 solos).
"My season didn't go the way I would have wanted it to, obviously, in certain areas," he said. "I feel like I definitely need to be way better than I was. So I'm not really mad about it, but I am because it's just things that I got to work on in the offseason and things I need to work on to make sure I get better going into these last few games. But it hasn't gone the way I wanted to. But again, as I continue to keep getting better and learning this defense and get more comfortable, things will change. Last week I did have a better game. But again, just keep my head down, keep working and things will go my way."
Brandon Stephens: 'I Believe in AG and in His Plan'
At 27 years old, CB Brandon Stephens was the elder statesman of the Jets' secondary at New Orleans on Sunday.
On the field with Stephens was Dean Clark, 24, an undrafted free agent who was starting his first game in the NFL. Then there was Qwan'tez Stiggers, 23, in his second year with the Jets after being plucked from the wilderness of the Canadian Football League, making his third start. At safety, the rookie Malachi Moore, 24, (a fourth-round pick out of Alabama) has already carved an important role -- long term -- in the Green & White secondary. All three of the youngins', along with Stephens, took all 78 (100%) of the snaps on defense in the loss to the Saints. Another undrafted free agent CB, Jordan Clark, 24, played more than half the snaps on defense.
"We've got young guys all across the board," Stephens said on Monday. "So, I take it upon myself to be their leader in that group. And carry the guys along and just try to uphold the standard that whoever's on the field can achieve. And so me just being a veteran in the group, and I feel like it's on me to just rally the troops."
The trade of Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis in early November opened the door for rookie Azareye'h Thomas, who after the trade started four games before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury.
Stephens came to the Jets in free agency after four seasons with the Ravens and said he's committed to the plan, the foundation and standard being birthed by HC Aaron Glenn and his staff.
"I believe, first and foremost, I believe in AG and I believe in his plan," Stephens said. "I believe that he's looking for guys that want to be a part of this change. And I think you've probably seen some of that happen as far as who's who's here and who's not here. You can't really change the culture with people that don't want to be a part of it.
"I want to be here, want to be a part of change. Just get it out of the mud for lack of better words."
Isaiah Williams on Brady Cook: 'Biggest Thing, His Leadership'
By now, the speedy Isaiah Williams has carved a place in Jets lore as a kickoff and punt returner. Over the past few weeks, however, Williams has provided more than a hint of his talent as a wide receiver. Over the three games (two starts) undrafted free agent QB Brady Cook has played in, Williams has caught 12 passes for 102 yards.
"The biggest thing is his leadership." Williams said of Cook on Monday. "I feel like everybody in the huddle believes in him. He demands that, you know what I'm saying? But I feel like his preparation every Monday, every Tuesday, he'll hit up the guys like, let's watch some film together, make sure we are on the same page. So the biggest thing that stands out when I think of Brady Cook is his leadership and his confidence, and those are two things that people could buy into. When you're a leader, you're confident, people around you could buy in and let everything else take care of itself."
Williams, who is also an undrafted free agent, added: "It's a tough task, most definitely. As an undrafted guy, I think a lot of times it's just who people are. That's who he is. He embodies that, it's not something that he's got to fake up front, he's just naturally a leader, a guy that's confident, that believes in his abilities. And I feel like it shows."
On Monday, HC Aaron Glenn said that Cook would get his third start of the season, against the Patriots at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
