5 Studs & 3 Duds in Jets' Season-Saving Win Over Browns in Week 5

A few young players stood out in the hard-fought win on Sunday.

New York Jets rookie pass rusher David Bailey (center) showed everyone why he was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Sunday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It wasn't pretty. It wasn't sexy.

But at the end of the day, a win in the NFL counts the same no matter how it was achieved. The New York Jets understand that better than anyone after their 17-12 comeback victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

In a rain-soaked contest in which the Jets tried to end a three-game losing streak, New York outplayed the AFC North-leading Browns before a 29-yard touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson to Denzel Boston gave Cleveland the lead in the final quarter.

After a Jets fumble, the Browns fumbled the snap on a punt, setting up Gang Green's offense to take the lead for good. Now, at 2-3, the Jets will try to build on this win.

And there were plenty of studs that helped them along the way.

Stud: David Bailey

When a team drafts a player with one of the top five picks in an NFL Draft, the hope is that they will have a "Welcome to the NFL" moment, a game where he proves exactly why he is a top prospect in the league. After four weeks, Jets fans were getting impatient that second-overall pick David Bailey hadn't had that moment.

It all changed on Sunday.

Bailey was the best player on the field on Sunday, totaling three sacks, four quarterback hits, and seven pressures. Even better, Bailey made several excellent plays against the run that stymied the Browns' rushing attack.

So far this season, Bailey has recorded five sacks and leads the team in pressures. On Sunday, he proved why the Jets made him the second overall pick.

Dud: Jets tight ends

After missing the last two games, Mason Taylor returned and added another wrinkle to their offense. Many wondered how Taylor's play would mix with first-round rookie Kenyon Sadiq.

Overall, though, the tight end position was quite disappointing on Sunday.

Taylor caught just three passes for 24 yards. He laid some strong blocks in the running game, but needs to be more impactful in the passing game. The day wasn't much better for Sadiq either. The rookie made two catches for three yards and lost a fumble in the red zone. In fairness to him, he did get hit hard and had to leave the game with a concussion. But a turnover like that cannot happen.

New York will need more impact plays from this tight end room.

Stud: Jason Sanders

How about the Jets kicker? The weather was atrocious, and Jason Sanders was abysmal all training camp. Yet at the start of the fourth quarter, Sanders nailed a 54-yard field goal in the pouring rain. It was an important field goal, as it put the team within striking distance when the Browns responded with a touchdown.

So far this season, Sanders has been quite good so far this season. He looked like his old All-Pro self.

Dud: Four-minute offense

The drought finally ended, but it's not like the team has seemingly turned the corner with their four-minute offense. The only reason the Jets finally got the job done after going eight straight games without scoring in the final four minutes of the first half and regulation was Cleveland's fumbled punt.

They executed enough to score a touchdown, but they failed to score going into halftime after committing several penalties again, and they couldn't even drain the clock when they got the ball back with the lead in the closing minutes of action. Just because the defense wrapped the game up on its own doesn't excuse the offense.

The group needs to be better when it matters most.

Stud: Braelon Allen

Several young players had great games for the Jets. Chief among them was running back Braelon Allen. He went over 100 yards on 24 carries, including the game-winner from 23 yards out. His best run, though, came when he ran over a Brown and broke it outside for a big gain.

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen had his best game with Gang Green on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This performance showed how good Allen could be going forward. Getting him to run downhill changes how this running game could look. In fact, this was the best he's looked in his career.

Dud: Brandon Stephens

I wouldn't say Stephens had a bad game. However, I'd say he was beaten on the two plays that mattered most at the time. He was called for pass interference on Cleveland's last scoring drive that kept the ball in the Browns' hands.

He also gave up the touchdown in single coverage. If the Browns hadn't fumbled their punt and the Jets hadn't scored, Stephens' play would be highlighted worse than people realize.

For the most part, though, the former Baltimore Raven has been quite good this season. He'll need to be better on Sunday, though.

Stud: Garrett Wilson

Garrett Wilson had another dominant game. Ho hum - it must be Sunday.

Wilson's seven-catch, 104-yard day led the way for New York's offense, which included a 32-yard touchdown in which Wilson spun away from a would-be tackler to get into the end zone. He is New York's best offensive weapon and remains the go-to guy this season.

Stud: Darrell Jackson Jr.

New York's pass rush was exceptional on Sunday. As a collective unit, they recorded eight sacks. Even with how good the group was, though, fourth-round rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. really stood out on his own.

The Florida State product recorded his first career sack on Sunday, but he also had two pass deflections late in the fourth quarter. If he continues to play as he did on Sunday, he will become a consistent player on New York's interior defensive line.

And one of the better late-round picks made in the last few years.

Stud: AZ Thomas

Thomas could have had a game-ending interception on the final drive, but he'll have to settle for a key pass breakup. So far this season, the second-year cornerback has played very well and easily looked like the team's best cornerback on Sunday.

His size and physicality are a perfect fit for the blitz-heavy approach that the Jets want to run with Aaron Glenn. If Thomas continues to perform like he has this season, it will only enhance the team's outlook moving forward.

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