During a first quarter in which the Jets and the Broncos each struggled on offense, linebacker Quincy Williams amped up the excitement when he forced a late turnover that led to the first points of the game. After Tyler Badie caught a pass from Bo Nix, Williams made like a sledgehammer and forced a fumble, which was recovered by cornerback Michael Carter II.
Williams was all over the field from start to finish of the Jets' 10-9 loss to Denver at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. In addition to the forced fumble, he made 7 tackles and notched a pair of tackles for loss.
"He's unbelievable, man," younger brother Quinnen Williams said on Monday. "I feel like he's one of the top two, top three linebackers in the league, and potentially could be the best linebacker in the league. And he's been playing lights out this whole year, from sideline to sideline, even last year, sideline to sideline. So I'm super proud, super excited for his play and performances."
Penalties, It's a 'Focus Thing'
The 13 penalties for 90 yards, a list that included 8 pre-snap infractions (5 were false starts), cost the Jets in a game where they outgained the Broncos, 248 to 186, but finished 0 of 2 in the red zone while Denver converted on its only chance inside the 20.
"You know, we today, we got on the film," center Joe Tippmann said on Monday. "And we're confident about our plan to attack that and we just got to clean it up. We got to be, be better. We can't beat ourselves before the play even starts, but we've been working on it since all the way back in OTAs. We had some mess ups and mishaps, and we're confident that we're just going to keep moving forward. And we got to eliminate those mistakes."
From his vantage point on the sideline, Quincy Williams diagnosed the issue as a "focus thing."
"So pre-snap penalties is almost like a focus thing, it's not one of those things where we need to pull the fire drill," Williams said. He added: "It's more like just a focus thing, because I lose my focus sometime during the game, too, though. So, it's just one of those things where we need to recollect ourselves and focus on what we have to do, and then, with that being said, then those penalties."
Looking Ahead to Vikings and Sam Darnold
Quincy Williams knows all about second chances in the NFL, having been cut by Jacksonville, claimed off the waiver wire by the Jets and now a first team All-Pro after a stellar 2023 season. In London on Sunday, the Jets will face another guy who is basking in the glow of a new opportunity -- Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold.
"It's a great thing," Williams said. It's really like a second chance. And if you're one of those people who get that second chance, and you take full advantage that's great." He added: "He's one of those guys that said, 'What can I do to stand out on this team, and what can I do to better this team.' So I'm excited for him, for real."
Quinnen Williams spent two seasons with Darnold after the QB was drafted No. 3 overall by the Jets in 2018. Darnold first moved on to Carolina (where he opened the 2021 season, against the Green & White, as the Panthers' starter), then as a backup San Francisco and now to the Vikings, leading them to a 4-0 record so far this season and is leading the league with 11 TD passes. Darnold is making the most of the opportunity.
"I think he's doing a great job," Quinnen Williams said. "Man, he's playing out of his mind right now. He's balling right now. He's doing a lot of great things. I was here with him for a couple of years. I'm super excited to go against him again, and it's gonna be a great challenge."
HC Robert Saleh on RB Breece Hall: 'A Bad Day'
In the 10-9 loss to Denver, Breece Hall carried the ball 10 times for 4 yards (0.4 per carry) and was thwarted twice from the Broncos' 1-yard line in the second quarter.
"I feel like Breece has had a couple of good ... I know yesterday it wasn't clean," head coach Robert Saleh said on Monday. " It wasn't his best game."
"I don't think there's an issue with Breece with regards to explosiveness and all that," Saleh said. " He still has plenty of juice. His GPS numbers are fine You know, just just chalk it up to a bad day. Everyone, everyone has them and fully expect them to bounce back."
Hall, who had company on a tough afternoon, did corral a couple of passes from QB Aaron Rodgers for 14 yards, and overall through four games he has made 18 catches for 134 yards and a TD. Hall leads the team through four games with 56 carries for 174 yards (3.1 per) and 2 TDs.
"Breece is an awesome guy," Joe Tippmann said on Monday. "You know, he's a guy that's always putting in his work each and every day. Whether it's on the field, in the film room and then taking care of his body, he's somebody that gives it his all every time. So we have 100 percent confidence in everybody that's in that back room, running back room."
