The New York Jets climbed a spot in ESPN’s NFL power rankings after their Week 5 win over the Cleveland Browns, moving from No. 26 to No. 25 in the Week 6 list.
At 2-3, the Jets sit just above the 1-4 New Orleans Saints and just below the 2-3 Indianapolis Colts. That small bump comes after a 17-12 victory in which New York’s defense did the heavy lifting and then some.
David Bailey was the headline. The rookie edge rusher became the first Jets rookie since Hugh Douglas in 1995 to post three sacks in a game, and the first player in the NFL to do it since James Houston of the Detroit Lions in 2022. Bailey finished with three sacks, eight quarterback pressures and seven tackles, making his presence felt all afternoon against Cleveland.
The Jets selected Bailey with the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Week 5 looked like the kind of breakout that justifies that kind of draft capital. He got to Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for a six-yard loss in the first quarter and kept coming after him from there. Bailey was on the field for seven of New York’s eight sacks, a big reason the Browns never found much rhythm.
And when Cleveland got one last shot with 1:41 left and no timeouts, the Jets closed the door. Will McDonald delivered the strip-sack of Watson on fourth down and recovered the fumble to seal the win.
Geno Smith did enough on offense in the rain-soaked game. He finished 17-of-30 for 182 yards, with one touchdown pass and no interceptions, while taking four sacks. Smith also lost a fumble once, but Watson put the ball on the ground three times, and New York’s overall care with the football tilted the game its way.
Smith’s ball security has been a clear plus this season, especially after he led the NFL in interceptions last year with the Las Vegas Raiders. He threw 17 picks then. So far in his second stint with New York, he has 1,084 passing yards and six touchdown passes while completing 69.4% of his throws.
The Jets have also given up just one interception in the Aaron Glenn era. Next up is a Patriots defense led by Drake Maye, who has thrown seven interceptions this season.
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One of the more immediate swings could come from Sunday nights Packers-Cowboys matchup, which carries real significance for how the Jets first-round haul ultimately sorts out. For a fan base used to watching games with draft implications in mind, this is the rare week where rooting interests are split in an especially awkward way, because the result could determine which team leaves New York in a better spot when the board starts taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
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The timing could also matter on defense, where the Jets have leaned heavily on zone coverage and have seen young players begin to make a real imprint. David Baileys five sacks in five games have put him in rare company, while Jowon Briggs and Azareyeh Thomas have both sounded encouraged by how the group is performing and how Bailey is affecting games. There is still a little unfinished business on the injury front, though, and one more check still has to be cleared before the picture is complete. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Defense Finally Delivered The Kind Of Disruption Fans Needed
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For Cleveland, the aftermath was as blunt as the scoreboard. Head coach Todd Monken acknowledged the protection breakdowns were unacceptable and said improvement has to come in coaching, in protection and in execution, a familiar list after a night when the Jets made the Browns pay for every missed block and slow read. [Read more 🡒]