The Jets needed their cornerbacks to hold up in Week 1, and that group came through against the Titans.
That was especially true for Michael Carter Brownlee, who was thrown into a tough spot in his first game against his former team. With second-round rookie D’Angelo Ponds sidelined, Brownlee had to step in as the expected slot starter, and the assignment was no joke. He spent plenty of time lined up against Titans wideout Wan’Dale Robinson, who led the NFL in slot receiving yards for the 2025 season.
Brownlee handled it well. He posted the team’s best Pro Football Focus coverage grade at 82.0 over 28 coverage snaps.
On four passes thrown his way, he gave up only two completions for eight yards and allowed a 56.3 passer rating when targeted. Robinson saw six targets overall, but only one came against Brownlee, and that one did not turn into a catch.
Brownlee also made his presence felt against the run, finishing with a team-best 78.2 run defense grade.
The next test for Brownlee is keeping that level of play going. He made an immediate splash after arriving last season, but his performance settled back down as the year went on.
There was at least one clean sign here, though: he wasn’t penalized. That matters, because penalties were a major problem for him last season, when he was flagged nine times, the most on the Jets.
Brandon Stephens opened his Jets season on a solid note as well. His first year with the team was uneven from the start, with early struggles, a midseason surge, and then another rough stretch late in the year. The overall picture included some strong moments, but also plenty of warning signs, including an 8:0 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Against Tennessee, Stephens looked much steadier. He logged 40 coverage snaps and earned a 63.4 coverage grade from PFF. On five throws into his coverage, he allowed two catches for 26 yards, forced an incompletion, and gave up a 57.1 passer rating.
As for Thomas, he finished with the second-best coverage grade on the team at 75.2, trailing only Brownlee. He allowed seven catches on eight targets for 46 yards and a touchdown, but the broader picture was more encouraging than the raw line suggests. Thomas led the Jets with five tackles and three stops, and receivers averaged just 6.6 yards per catch against him.
Aaron Glenn also made good use of Thomas in his first game calling the Jets defense. Glenn moved him around and even sent him on a cornerback blitz against Cam Ward.
Cornerback was one of the more uncertain parts of the Jets’ roster entering the season. Brownlee was covering for an injured rookie, Stephens was trying to steady an inconsistent 2025, and Thomas came into the year with plenty to prove as a full-time starter.
For one Sunday, at least, all three answered.
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