Three stats, and more, to know following the Jets' 23-17 loss to Minnesota in London on Sunday:
G's Double-Digit Catches
Garrett Wilson continued to be a Jets wideout of distinctions with his 13 receptions for 101 yards and 1-yard TD catch vs. the Vikings. We already noted that he missed by one reception breaking the record for most catches by a Jet in a road game, settling for a tie with Ring of Honor member Al Toon's 36-year-old mark of 13 catches for 106 yards in a 38-14 loss at Indianapolis in 1988.
Wilson also has positioned himself to equal another franchise double-digit receiving mark. On Monday night against Buffalo, he can become the third Jet to have 10-plus catches in back-to-back games. The last to do it: WR Keyshawn Johnson with 10 at the Giants and 11 vs. the Dolphins in 1999. The first to do it: FB Clark Gaines with 12 receptions at Buffalo in 1980 Week 2 and an encore of a team single-game record of 17 catches vs. San Francisco in Week 3.
Opponents' Weekly Reduction
The Jets' pass defense carried on despite losing nickel Michael Carter II during warmups and not having Sauce Gardner for 14 plays. They didn't hold Sam Darnold and the Vikings to under 100 net passing yards, but they did cool down their former first-round QB. Darnold could have joined an elite group of four other QBs, including Aaron Rodgers, who had thrown 2-plus TD passes and registered a 100-plus passer rating in teach of he first five games of a season. But Darnold had no TD throws and a 50.3 rating.
The Green & White maintained their No. 2 ranking with 136.6 net passing yards/game allowed and stayed at No. 1 with 4.88 net yards allowed/pass play. And they did it by lowering the opponents' team passer rating for the fourth straight week. From San Fran's 89.9, the rating fell to 84.2 for Tennessee, 72.6 for New England, and 67.9 for Denver before Minnesota's team rating of 54.6.
Mac Attack Is Back
Part of that pass defense is second-year edge rusher Will McDonald IV, who like the Jets' entire pass rush rebounded from last week's oh-fer (no sacks vs. Denver after 14 team sacks in the first three games) in London. The Jets had four sacks of Darnold, giving them 18 for the season, their most after five games since 2008.
And McDonald joins a short list of Jets who had at least 6 sacks after the first five games of a season since individual defensive sacks became official in 1982. Mark Gastineau did it twice (9 in 1984, 7 in 1988), Shaun Ellis once (7 in 2003) and John Abraham once (7 in 2004). The Jets' mark after six games: Gastineau with 10 in '84, so McDonald has his work cut out for him on MNF against Josh Allen and the Bills.
As for NFL rankings, McDonald's 6 sacks are tied for second through Sunday's games and his 10 QB hits are tied for third.
