Jets Offensive Breakdown: Isaiah Davis Steps Up, Jelani Woods Makes His Mark, and Brady Cook Faces the Learning Curve
As the Jets wrap up another week, we’re taking a closer look at three offensive players who stood out-some for their flashes of promise, others for the challenges they’re still working through. Let’s dive into what we saw on Sunday from Isaiah Davis, Jelani Woods, and Brady Cook.
Isaiah Davis: Making the Most of Every Touch
Isaiah Davis hasn’t been a regular feature in the Jets’ offense lately, but when his number was called on Sunday, he delivered. Ten touches, 65 yards, and a touchdown-that’s the kind of efficiency that turns heads, especially on a team still searching for a spark in the run game.
What’s notable here isn’t just the stat line-it’s the context. Despite a standout performance earlier in Cincinnati and Braelon Allen being sidelined for much of the season, Davis hasn’t seen a major uptick in usage.
Meanwhile, Breece Hall’s production has hit a wall. Over the last four games, Hall’s averaging under three yards per carry, and he hasn’t broken a run longer than 15 yards in over a month.
On Sunday, his longest run was 13 yards, but outside of that? Just 10 yards on 11 carries.
Whether it’s a matter of Hall wearing down, defenses loading the box when he’s on the field, or something else entirely, the bottom line is this: Davis looked like the more effective back. He ran with energy, decisiveness, and consistency.
His 24-yard touchdown wasn’t just a highlight-it was a statement. And earlier in the game, when he got three consecutive carries to move the chains and set up the Jets’ opening score, it was a clear sign the coaching staff was willing to trust him in non-garbage time situations.
Even beyond the big moments, Davis was steady. His other nine touches produced 41 yards, and every single one of them gained positive yardage-none went for more than seven, but none were stuffed either.
That kind of consistency is rare, and it’s been a theme throughout his career. In games where he’s had at least one carry, he’s averaged four yards or more in 14 of 19 appearances, with a career clip of 5.8 yards per carry.
The Jets aren’t exactly in playoff contention, so there’s no harm-and potentially a lot of benefit-in seeing what Davis can do with a larger role down the stretch.
Jelani Woods: Quiet in the Passing Game, Loud in the Trenches
When the Jets picked up Jelani Woods at the end of preseason, it felt like a move that might mark the end of the road for Jeremy Ruckert. Fast forward to December, and Ruckert’s still hanging around-he’s even signed a two-year extension-while Woods had barely seen the field until Sunday.
But with Mason Taylor out and Stone Smartt limited to just 11 snaps, Woods finally got his shot, logging 24 offensive snaps-most of them alongside Ruckert. He didn’t get a target in the passing game, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t make an impact.
At 6'7" and 253 pounds, Woods brings serious size to the tight end room, and it showed in his blocking. He was on the field for 13 run plays and held his own, including a key block on Davis’ 24-yard touchdown. Woods sealed the edge with authority, opening up the lane that Davis exploded through.
He wasn’t done there. On a crucial 3rd-and-1 in the red zone, the Jets motioned Woods to the outside shoulder of the left tackle.
He got out in front of Josh Hines-Allen and executed a textbook reach block, giving Davis just enough space to convert. Earlier in that same drive, he helped control the edge again, springing Davis for another positive gain.
With Taylor already ruled out for the upcoming matchup against the Saints, Woods is likely to see more action. If he can continue to block like this-and maybe earn a few targets in the passing game-he could carve out a meaningful role in this offense.
Brady Cook: Flashes of Growth, But Turnovers Still Loom Large
Brady Cook got his first career start under center on Sunday, and early on, it looked like the Jets had something to work with. He completed his first six passes, orchestrated a touchdown drive in the first quarter, and threw his first career touchdown to Adonai Mitchell. The Jets helped him settle in with some quick throws and simple reads, and he responded with poise-especially on a third-down conversion where he rolled out and delivered on the move, something he struggled with the week prior.
That’s progress. Last week, Cook looked rushed, his ball placement was shaky, and he couldn’t make throws on the run.
With a full week to prepare, he looked more composed. But the rest of the game showed why he’s still very much a work in progress.
Cook finished in a game-manager role, which is fine-until the turnovers start piling up. He threw three interceptions, and while one could be pinned on Arian Smith for not fighting for the ball, the bigger concern is Cook’s inability to push the ball downfield with confidence. His only other completion of 15+ yards came under duress, and he couldn’t step into the throw, forcing his receiver to make a tough catch.
That hesitation is something you expect from a young quarterback, but it’s also something he’ll need to shake if he wants to stick. The Jets are giving him another start, but haven’t committed to him beyond that. If Cook wants to earn a longer look, he’ll need to do two things: protect the football and start completing passes beyond the sticks.
Right now, he’s not playing at a level that screams long-term starter-or even clear-cut backup-but he showed enough composure and growth to justify another shot. The turnovers are a problem, but he didn’t look overwhelmed, and that’s a small but important step.
Final Thoughts
The Jets' offense is still a work in progress, but there were some encouraging signs this week. Isaiah Davis is making a strong case for more touches, Jelani Woods is showing value as a blocker, and Brady Cook-despite the turnovers-is learning on the fly.
With a few games left, there’s still time to evaluate who might be part of the future. And for a team not playing for the postseason, that’s the most important thing right now.