Three stats to know, and more, from the Jets' 10-9 home loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday:
Jets' Stingy Back End
CB D.J. Reed passed around some credit, not only to the Denver defense but to his unit as well for holding rookie Bo Nix and the Broncos passing game in check.
"It was a tough game," Reed said. "If you looked at the stats sheet after the game, you would think that we won. But we've got to give credit to their defense. They played a phenomenal game as well."
Reed was one of a number of reasons for some stats the Jets D put on the board. Through Sunday's games, the Green & White pass defense had risen to No. 1 in the NFL in allowing 128.0 net passing yards/game. (After Monday's games, they're second in yards/game, first in yards/play.) The ranking was no surprise since the Patriots managed 61 net passing yards and the Broncos registered just 60 yards in the last two games..
The 121 yards are the sixth-fewest net passing yards allowed by the Jets in consecutive games, and it marks the first time in franchise history that the Green & White have held back-to-back opponents to fewer than 75 yards each. The Jets have never held three consecutive opponents under 100 net passing yards in their history, but they'll give it a go in London against the Vikings.
Rodgers' 'Uncomfy Pocket'
As for the Broncos' abovementioned defense, HC Robert Saleh said he didn't think Aaron Rodgers would be on the Jets' injury report this week although Rodgers came up gimpy late in the game from a Denver takedown. Saleh also acknowledged the 14 hits of Rodgers that the brawny Broncos were credited with and said: "You want your quarterback feeling comfy back there, and he definitely wasn't comfortable."
It's rare that Rodgers, who was sacked five times, gets hit that much. He was hit 11 times in the first three games combined this season. Unofficially, as a starter for Green Bay from 2008-22, the most he was hit in a game was 14 times in a 37-29 Packers loss at Carolina in 2015. And the last time Jets QBs absorbed more hits in a game was the 16 the Eagles notched against Luke Falk and David Fales in the Jets' 31-6 road loss in 2019.
The Book on Mike
Jets WR Mike Williams, coming off last season's knee injury, is showing steady increases in key production every game. From Weeks 1-4, Williams each week has had more targets than the preceding week (0-1-4-5), more receptions (0-1-3-4), more receiving yards (0-19-34-67) and more first downs (0-1-2-3).
In addition to his 67 yards against the Broncos, he also drew a 15-yard pass interference penalty on Broncos CB Riley Moss late in the game that moved the Jets to the Denver 36 with 1:04 to play.
One last note on Williams: In his final game for the Chargers before getting injured in Week 3 at Minnesota, he had seven catches for 112 yards and his most recent TD catch. The Jets just happen to be going on a road trip later this week to play the home-team Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
