In the NFL it's no secret that injuries to one player mean an opportunity for another. Enter Jalen Mills.
After being released by the Giants in mid-August, the 9-year veteran was signed to the Jets' practice squad on Sept. 24. Elevated to the active roster in mid-October and seeing his first game action against Buffalo on Oct. 14, Mills has started the past three games. The Jets' defensive backfield has been riven with injuries to safeties Chuck Clark (now on Injured Reserve),Tony Adams and Ashtyn Davis as well cornerback D.J. Reed and nickel back Michael Carter II.
Mills, 30, grabbed the opportunity and has been a steady, versatile and hard-hitting presence in the last four games, at both safety and cornerback.
"Definitely been a roller coaster, something that I've never been a part of, being released from the team, missing the first four, four or five games, starting on practice squad, and kind of building myself back up," he told reporters on Monday when the Green & White (3-6) returned to the practice field ahead of Sunday's game at Arizona (5-4), the current leader in the NFC West.
Mills was with the Eagles for five seasons after being drafted out of LSU in the seventh round (No. 233 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. In his final season in Philadelphia, he started 15 games at safety. In 2020, he signed on with New England, playing mostly at cornerback in 43 games (34 starts).
"The process is always to come in with your hard hat on," Mills said. "Earn the respect of the guys you're trying to feel with. Then the coaching staff and earn their trust and their respect as well. And then go out there and perform. And that's just kind of been my mindset -- go out there, put my best foot forward. And show this organization, show the guys I'm playing with, they can trust me and I go out to make plays and help this team win football games."
That "hard hat" mentality was on display in last Thursday's win over visiting Houston when Mills took 100% (79) snaps on defense and led the team with 10 total tackles (4 solo) and was credited with 2 pass defenses.
Rookie Impresses Morgan Moses
Veteran tackle Morgan Moses found himself with a couple of unfamiliar guys at guard to his left for the entire game against the Texans.
First, Jake Hanson stepped in to replace the injured Alijah Vera-Tucker. Then when Hanson left the game after 21 plays, in stepped rookie Olu Fashanu. To the credit of Jets' first-round draft pick out of Penn State, playing guard had not been part of his résumé. At some point, Fashanu is expected to be a starting tackle.
"I think the amazing thing about is that you've seen a band of brothers go to him on the sideline when we found out that he was gonna go in at guard," Moses said Monday. "I mean, from AVT who was not dressed because of the injury, going to him and just talking to him about different techniques. And then obviously, myself, as a veteran guy, and everybody's had that opportunity where you got thrown in and something, something similar to that, and it's sink or swim. But I just told him, I said, 'Look, man, don't worry about it. We'll make the calls, we'll adjust on protection and just go out there and play.' "
Not only did Fashanu play, he played well in taking 64% (37) of the snaps on offense.
"Remarkable is one of the only words I can give it," interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said of Fashanu the morning after the Jets' victory. "Here's a guy that, minus walk-through reps and minus drill work at practice, that's his only exposure to this position. No live reps, no team reps, and to go in there and function like he did, it's unbelievable."
Quincy Williams on Cards' Kyler Murray
Though Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray only carried the ball 2 times for 6 yards in the Cardinals' win over the Bears on Sunday, he is No. 3 in rushing among NFL quarterbacks so far this season with 350 yards on 43 carries (an impressive 8.1 yards per). He presents a mobile challenge to the Jets' defense, and LB Quincy Williams is well aware.
"I would say it's one of those things where you go ahead and put it in the game plan," Williams said. "So it's not one of those things when you got to come to the sideline and be like, 'Alright guys.' We got to get prepared for a running quarterback. All of a sudden you try to implement something during the game. So now you have something that you practice all throughout the week, just preparing for those running-type quarterbacks, or just a strong run game period, whether it is him scrambling, whether that's a desired run."
He added: "But the way our D-line was eating this week, I'm very confident in them."
Williams was referring to the Jets' 8 sacks in last Thursday's win over mobile QB C.J. Stroud (who ran 8 times for 59 yards) and the Texans.
