In a season where little has gone according to plan for the New York Jets, one unit continues to shine-and not just shine, but dominate. Despite a lopsided 48-20 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday, the Jets’ special teams nearly delivered yet another game-changing moment. And if not for a controversial flag, Isaiah Williams might’ve added another electric highlight to what’s becoming a breakout season.
Midway through the second quarter, Williams fielded a punt and took off, slicing through Jacksonville’s coverage like a hot knife through butter. He found daylight, turned on the jets (pun intended), and crossed the goal line for what looked like his third return touchdown of the year.
But just as MetLife Stadium erupted, the play was called back. Officials flagged Tre Brown for a block out of bounds-one that raised more than a few eyebrows.
Without that penalty, Williams would’ve become the sole owner of second place in Jets franchise history for return touchdowns in a single season, trailing only Dick Christy, who had four over 38 games. Williams is doing it in just 12.
Jets special teams coordinator Chris Banjo didn’t hide his frustration postgame. “I hate it for the guys because they work their asses off throughout the week,” Banjo said.
“Every time they take the field, they believe they can have a positive impact. It showed again on that play.”
Banjo, in his first year leading the unit, has brought a fresh edge and a clear vision-and it’s working. “You get to see how special Isaiah is with the ball,” he added.
“Again, I hate it for the guys, but we move on. We’ve got to do a better job as coaches and players, making it black and white, so we don’t put ourselves in those situations.”
That attention to detail-and the ability to extract explosive plays from his group-has turned the Jets’ special teams into the best in the league. And it’s not just the eye test saying that. The numbers are backing it up in a big way.
New York currently leads the NFL with a 10.8% special-teams DVOA, a metric that measures a unit’s efficiency compared to league average. To put that in perspective: the gap between the Jets and the third-place Colts (4.8%) is wider than the gap between the Colts and the 20th-ranked Panthers (-0.9%). That’s not just dominance-it’s historic.
With three games remaining, the Jets are on pace to post the fourth-best special-teams DVOA since the stat began being tracked in 1978. Think about that. In a league that’s constantly evolving, where special teams often get overlooked, Banjo’s crew is putting together a season for the record books.
And remember, this isn’t a group that’s been elite for years. Just last season, the Jets ranked 24th in special-teams DVOA.
That kind of year-over-year leap is almost unheard of. It speaks volumes about the culture shift Banjo has instilled and the buy-in he’s getting from his players.
Williams has become the face of that resurgence, a dynamic returner with game-breaking ability every time he touches the ball. But it’s more than just one player.
The blocking schemes are crisp. The coverage units are disciplined.
The coaching is sharp. It’s the kind of complete, cohesive unit that wins field position battles-and sometimes games.
So while the Jets’ offense continues to search for answers and the defense battles inconsistency, the special teams are setting the tone. And if Sunday’s called-back touchdown proved anything, it’s that this group isn’t done making noise. They’re just getting started.