Throughout the season, NewYorkJets.com will provide a Stock Report focusing on the Jets' upcoming matchup.
This week's report features players and/or themes that are trending before the Green & White take on the New England Patriots in Week 11.
📈 Will McDonald IV & Jets Pass Rush
Edge Isaiah Williams stole the show on Sunday, tying a franchise record with 4 sacks in the Jets' win against the Browns. The pass rush unit as a whole, however, showed tremendous growth totaling a season-high 6 sacks and 13 pressures.
Edge Jermaine Johnson, who continues to work himself back from a torn Achilles tendon, and LB Quincy Williams each registered a sack and 2 tackles for loss, and the unit played a complete game, accounting for at least 1 sack in each quarter, including 3 in the final frame.
"Our guys have been buying in," HC Aaron Glenn said. "I give these a lot of credit. … But it wasn't just the buy-in that we have. We have guys staying in the fight and that's what I thought they did."
They will have a great chance to keep that momentum against the Patriots and QB Drake Maye. Maye has been the second most sacked QB in the NFL this season (35) and been pressured on 33% of drop backs.
📈 Milton Williams & Patriots Run Defense
The New England Patriots have the top-ranked run defense in the NFL this season allowing a league-low 79.2 rushing yards per game and just rushing 3 scores across 10 weeks.
In 9 of their 10 games, no tailback has managed to reach 50 rushing yards. The list of victims includes Pro Bowlers James Cook and Bijan Robinson. In Week 10, Buccaneers RB Sean Tucker became the first to eclipse that mark totaling 53 yards on 9 attempts (5.9 YPC).
"In the end, we get stops when we need to," Patriots HC Mike Vrabel said of his defense following their 28-23 win against the Buccaneers last week. "I am proud of our guys for always battling and competing. These kinds of performances come from our guys laying it on the line."
New England added two big names up front in free agency, former Eagles DL Milton Williams and Pro Bowl edge Harold Landry. They have combined for 9 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 10 games and helped fix a run defense that ranked 23rd last season.
📈 Penalties
The Jets have been successful at limiting penalties over their last 4 games (2-2) after struggling to limit the mental errors to begin the season.
Over the first 5 weeks of the season, the Green & White averaged 8.4 penalties for 70.4 yards per game. Since Week 6, the Jets have committed 4.5 penalties per game for an average of 31.8 yards per game. Both those marks rank fourth in the NFL over that span.
"We have to understand, before you can win games, you have to learn how not to lose games," HC Aaron Glenn said. "And we done a better job in that case."
In addition, the Jets found ways capitalize on opponent's unforced errors, including in their Week 10 victory against the Browns.
With 58 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter the Jets were ahead by 27-20 and facing fourth-and-4. QB Justin Fields' hard count got Cleveland's DE Cameron Thomas to jump offside, and the neutral zone infraction gave the Green & White a first down and a chance to run out the clock.
