At this point it might not be a fluke. The Jets very much look like the real deal, and this newfound success has been led by the defense.
The Jets had been trending upwards much of the season, but Sunday’s win over the top team in the division, the Buffalo Bills, rightfully turned heads. They limited Josh Allen to just 205 yards and no touchdowns in the air in the 20-17 win, picking off the Bills quarterback twice.
They’re without question one of the top defensive units in the league, and Joe Benigno said Monday in his weekly appearance on “Tiki & Tierney” that it’s No. 1.
“This is how this team has to win: run the football, run the football, run it again. Short passing game, controlled passing game, those eight-, nine-, 10-yard slants to (Garrett) Wilson, beautiful," Benigno said. "And I’m going to say it, let the best defense in the NFL win the game for you, and that’s the formula. … This is how they have to win, and I’m telling you, this team could not only make the playoffs, they can win this division. Let’s be real about it."
Over the course of the franchise’s history, the Jets have had some solid defenses.
Benigno thinks the 2022 group is on track to being the best ever.
“I’ve seen all the Jets defense for almost 60 years, OK? This might be the best defense they’ve ever had," Benigno said. "This is a much better defense than the Rex Ryan years. How many times did we watch in the Rex Ryan years them play a great game for 57 minutes and then blow the game at the end? Over and over and over.
“This defense, we have the two best corners in football as a tandem in Sauce (Gardner) and (D.J.) Reed, they’re the best corners in football. The secondary is unbelievable, they’ve got 10 guys on the defense line they rotate, they all get after the quarterback. We’ve got maybe the best defensive tackle in the league in Quinnen Williams, the linebackers are (good), every one them, Quincy Williams, (C.J.) Mosley, (Kwon) Alexander.
“This is a big time defense, and that’s how you’ve got to play to win. Run the ball, don’t turn it over and let your defense win the game.”
New York has a tough back half of its schedule, so the defense will be tested plenty over the coming months. That should only help prove – or potentially disprove – Benigno’s theory.
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