Faria's Focus: 8 Jets Thoughts After Win vs. Browns (Garrett Wilson, Ongoing Concerns, Optimistic Outlook & More)

Here's what matters most after Gang Green took one step closer to the .500 mark.

Sports Illustrated's Nick Faria shares what's on his mind to begin Week 6, including how the Jets are getting the ball back to star WR Garrett Wilson. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

One day, Jets fans will be able to watch their team at home when the weather is not horrid.

Sunday was not one of those days.

New York used the elements to their advantage, though, in outlasting the AFC North-leading Browns in a 17-12 rock fight. The win bumped the Jets' record to 2-3, with an upcoming Week 6 contest against the Patriots to get ready for.

The end of a three-game losing streak will have plenty of takeaways, so let's go through eight of my top thoughts following New York's latest win over the weekend

Yes, an ugly win should still be celebrated

Some Jets fans believed that the team was already doomed this season. Others felt there was nothing head coach Aaron Glenn could do to earn another year after a dismal 1-3 start. Most fans would argue a five-point win over the Browns in an ugly contest shouldn't be celebrated.

The jury is still out on Glenn and New York's future, of course. No one knows how the rest of the season should go.

But for a team that won just four of their first 21 games under this current regime, celebrating wins should never be frowned upon. The Jets, for the most part on Sunday, played well. In many ways, the game shouldn't have been as close as it was. New York's defense dominated, and their offense did move the ball down the field consistently. Turnovers and penalties were their big issue.

But there's a fine balance between wanting to see the team be successful and actively rooting for their demise. In the case of the Jets, it's clear that people should celebrate a good win against a team that was in first place in their division at the time rather than get angry over a lost draft pick—especially this early in the year.

TL;DR—it's okay to celebrate a win like this, and don't let anyone tell you it isn't.

Jets' defensive blueprint can succeed long term

That was it. That was the blueprint that showed just how good the Jets' defense could be for the remainder of the season. Glenn called blitz plays on over 50 percent of the snaps faced. In turn, the defense recorded eight sacks and harassed Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for most of the afternoon.

The Jets' pass rush didn't leave Browns QB Deshaun Watson with much breathing room in Week 5. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

David Bailey was the big winner, posting a team-high three sacks in a breakout performance from the second overall pick. In many ways, the young star was the best player on the field for the Jets throughout Sunday's contest.

"Just relentless," Glenn said. "The other things that really showed up in the game was (David's)
ability to play the run, and I think that's one thing that he's not getting enough credit for, but man, he did a hell of a job when it came to run defense too, so he just had an all-around game as far as affecting the quarterback and playing the run."

It wasn't just Bailey, though. Fourth-round rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. notched his first career sack (h/t Glenn Naughton) and two pass deflections at the line of scrimmage. Throw in quality play from Kingsley Enagbare and Will McDonald IV, and the Jets' defensive line played the best it has all year.

Rookie DT Darrell Jackson having himself a hell of a day. Two batted passes at the LOS and gets in on a big sack here with Enagbare. pic.twitter.com/W5xxCgLUQT

— Glenn Naughton (@JNRadio_Glenn) October 11, 2026

It also helps that Jamien Sherwood had his best game and was the team's leader in PFF rankings at 83.5 Throw in another elite performance from AZ Thomas, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Dane Belton and New York's secondary also stood out.

All elite defenses need good pass rushes, though. And the team's performance on Sunday provided the blueprint for how good they could be moving forward.

New York finally figured it out with Garrett Wilson

When it comes to the Jets' offensive game plan, I'll let Glenn's response from Monday tell it all:

"Any time we can get Garrett involved, good things happen," New York's head coach said.

Seven catches, 104 yards and a sick touchdown to get the scoring started. Yep, Wilson remains one of the best receivers in football. As long as he keeps getting the overwhelming share of the targets, New York should stay successful on offense.

It's just that simple.

Aaron Glenn's importance stands out

What does Glenn do well as head coach? What position group has improved under him?

These are questions that have been asked in recent weeks during New York's three-game losing streak. Yet in Sunday's win over the Browns, it was clear that Glenn's importance to the team was clear.

Defensively, the Jets remain vastly improved from last season. Maybe they aren't good enough to dominate elite offenses like the Bears' or Lions', but even the most ardent critic of Glenn can't deny the improvement in their defense.

The coach's top skill is more than just calling plays, though. In years past, the Jets had a history of keeping their heads down during tough moments. When something bad happened, it would cascade into a mountain of bad things.

So far this season, though, the opposite has happened.

Head coach Aaron Glenn isn't letting the Jets get bogged down by the negatives this season, further cementing him as the right man for the job. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bad things have happened, and the team has responded. The clearest example came in the closing minutes of the game. Gang Green, down 12-10, watched their quarterback fumble at midfield. In years past, the Jets wouldn't have been able to recover from that. Instead, their special teams made a play, the offense responded, and the team won the game.

That is coaching. It's an example of the team not giving up when things seemed low. And it's a good reminder that while Glenn still has a lot to prove, there are some obvious things to build on.

Jets' regular problems still show up

The Jets should be pleased with this win. They did some things they have struggled to do and found a way at the end to win.

That said, many of the same problems the team has dealt with continues to be an issue.

New York committed 10 penalties on the day for over 100 yards. The Jets' lack of discipline remains a major issue going forward. Their passing offense also seems out of whack at times due to a number of pressures given up. Whether it's starters getting beat along the offensive line or Geno Smith holding onto the ball too long, the Jets need to do a better job of getting the ball out quickly in the passing game.

Braelon Allen's best changes Jets' offense

When healthy, Breece Hall is one of the best running backs in the game. New York's biggest problem has been not finding someone to complement the star runner when he comes off the field. For years, it seemed like the duo of Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis just simply weren't enough.

Then Sunday happened.

Allen ran for a career-high 116 yards on 24 carries and the game-winning score from 22 yards out to pace New York's rushing attack. Along the way, he broke several tackles to set the tone for the Jets' offense, earning some praise from his head coach.

(Allen) went out there and he did his job. No one was surprised. We're all happy for him, happy for him that he had a chance to go out there and really show what he can do on a consistent basis, so I mean that was good to see, it was really good to see.

Aaron Glenn on Braelon Allen

It is incredibly important for Allen to continue playing up to this level. It adds a new power dynamic the Jets haven't had - even when Hall is in the game.

Special teams remains just that

Before the season began, it seemed like the Jets had a major question mark at kicker. After five games, that question is no more. Jason Sanders has been excellent since winning the job during camp in a shaky position battle.

Jason Sanders has turned the Jets' kicker position into a strength. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sanders nailed a 54-yard kick in the rain and is 8-for-9 on kicks so far this season. He has missed an extra point, but the former Dolphin appears healthy and is playing very good football.

Even more important, the Jets' punt return unit recovering the muffed punt from the Browns late in the fourth quarter won them the game. New York's special teams unit remains just that: special.

Darren Mougey's draft grades continue to look good

I have been high on Darren Mougey as general manager of the Jets. He seems to understand positional value well and has been very good in the first couple of drafts. The 2025 class has every-down starters in Armand Membou, Mason Taylor and AZ Thomas.

The 2026 class may be even better with Bailey, Sadiq, and Jackson all with breakout games over the first five weeks. New York will need to see more from first-round pick Omar Cooper Jr. when he returns from injured reserve, and more reps for D'Angelo Ponds will be huge for the secondary, but the Jets have six clear starters from the last two draft classes.

It could get up to eight if the aforementioned players are able to produce moving forward.

Getting eight starters in two draft classes is a huge success for any modern GM. For Mougey, his work should be celebrated so far, even with a losing record to start.

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