Despite a 23-17 loss to the Vikings on Sunday in London, the Jets' defense limited the league's No. 4 scoring offense to 6 points and 98 total yards in the second half, to help the Green & White's bid for a comeback, which fell just short.
"They gave up only a few points to that offense that has been ripping everybody up," QB Aaron Rodgers said. "And they did that without Sauce [Gardner] for a decent part of the game and without MC [Michael Carter II]. So, credit to [DC Jeff] Ulbrich and those boys over there. They kept us in the game."
The Vikings leapt out to a 17-0 lead following a pick-6 by LB Andrew Van-Ginkel and 2-yard rushing TD by FB C.J. Ham, that was set up by a pair of pass interference penalties and defensive holding in the secondary. The Jets' defense drew a good bit of laundry early, finishing the first half with 4 penalties for 37 yards.
As the game progressed, however, the secondary cleaned up its earlier mistakes and controlled the pace for the final two-and-half quarters. From the 4:48 mark in the second quarter to the final whistle, defense allowed 92 total yards and 79 yards through the air.
"I thought we did good," CB Sauce Gardner said. "We obviously got quite a few pass interference penalties. It is our job to play, and the refs make calls. Nobody is perfect, but I thought we did pretty well."
With less than 4 minutes to go in the first half, the Jets defense helped to spark an offense that had been struggling, forcing Minnesota's offense into consecutive three-and-outs for the first time all season. Rodgers and the offense capitalized on the second three-and-out, finding the endzone on a pass to Allen Lazard just before the half.
The defense carried that groove into the second half, pitching a shutout in the third quarter. In the frame they allowed the Vikings 41 total yards, and the Jets' offense was able to get 3 points to cut the lead to one-score, 17-10.
Then in the fourth quarter, CB Brandin Echols, playing in place of the All-Pro Gardner (head injury), who left late in the third, but would return, and Carter II (hamstring), came up with a diving interception of QB Sam Darnold. It was the second takeaway of the game after LB Quincy Williams recovered a fumbled handoff by Darnold in the first half.
The Echols' pick put the Jets at the Vikings' 42-yard-line, and the offense converted as Rodgers found WR Garrett Wilson for a 1-yard touchdown pass to make the score game 20-17. The defense allowed two field goals in the fourth quarter and held Darnold to 3-of-11 passing for 51 yards and an 8.5 passer rating in the quarter.
See all of the best game photos from the Week 5 matchup at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
"I thought defense was outstanding today," HC Robert Saleh said. "We chalk up 13 points to 7 on the pick-6 and then the two where we basically gave it to them in full range, but overall, I thought they battled and kept answering the bell."
Coming into Sunday's game, the Vikings had been averaging 29 points, 2.8 passing touchdowns and 340.8 total yards per game. On Sunday, the Jets held them to 16 points, excluding the pick-6, 0 passing scores and 253 total yards.
And after being held without a sack last week against the Broncos, the Jets pass rush found its way again sacking Darnold 4 times, including once by second-year pass rusher Will McDonald IV, his sixth 6th on the season.
"Today's performance just says that we play for one another" Gardner said. "We feel like this team has what it takes to win. I thought today showed that we just need to as an entire team, start finishing. We need to start fast and start finishing faster."
