Naming Three Jets' MVPs at the Bye Week
The New York Jets have plenty to play for moving forward.
Having survived a season-opening six-game gauntlet by going 3-3, Robert Saleh's crew hits its bye week with a chance to chase a playoff spot on the other side.
As for the team's top performers through the first one-third of the schedule, Jets Country has identified one Most Valuable Player (MVP) for each phase of the game — offense, defense and special teams.
All three of the featured players are operating at an All-Pro level and must continue to do so if the Jets hope to end their 12-year postseason drought.
Offensive MVP: Breece Hall, RB
Hall has been nothing short of electrifying despite less than one year removed from ACL surgery. After showing star potential during an injury-shortened rookie campaign, the 2022 second-round draft pick has returned to top-flight form.
The Jets' RB1 ranks second amongst NFL leaders in yards per carry (6.5). Displaying his patented speed, he has accounted for the majority of the team's explosive plays thus far.
Hall's 72-yard touchdown run gave the Jets the lead for good in a Week 5 road win over Denver. Hall reached 21.5 miles per hour on the play, the eighth-fastest speed by an NFL ball carrier this season according to NextGenStats.
"He’s pretty good, isn’t he?” said Saleh after the 31-21 victory.
The 22-year-old Hall gained 25 yards on a reception in the most-recent victory over Philadelphia. He began the season with runs of 26 and 83 yards against Buffalo. The second-year pro also accounted for a 43-yard field flipper in a near-upset against Kansas City.
Hall ranks eighth overall amongst NFL rushing leaders (426) despite starting the season on a workload limit. He averaged fewer than 10 touches per game through the first four weeks.
The Jets have since taken the training wheels off and Hall proved he's ready for the increase in reps. He rushed for 177 yards on a career-high 22 carries against Denver. One week later, the hard-running Hall gained 93 yards from scrimmage on 17 total touches against Philadelphia.
For an offense that lost its starting quarterback four snaps into the season, Hall has been the key to keeping things afloat.
Defensive MVP: Quincy Williams, LB
The three-year, $18 million deal he signed in March is looking like an absolute bargain for the Jets right now. Williams is playing his way into the NFL Defensive Player of the Year conversation through six weeks.
The complete linebacker has been exceptionally effective defending the run, dropping back in coverage and rushing the passer. His 60 combined tackles are seventh most in the NFL and he also has five passes defensed, four quarterback hits and six tackles-for-loss.
"I would challenge everyone here and elsewhere that there’s not a better backer in the NFL right now. He is playing at an elite level in my opinion, and it’s just so exciting to see for the young man," said Jets' defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
Williams has made multiple key plays in pass coverage, starting with denying Bills' running back James Cook on a wheel route that could have resulted in a touchdown. He showed his speed in passing situations against New England in Week 3, forcing Rhamondre Stevenson out of bounds after a three-yard screen and dropping receiver Kendrick Bourne after a two-yard catch.
"The biggest thing was controlling my speed, so I felt like this year I'm more in control of my speed," said Williams, who initially joined the Jets off waivers in 2021.
The 27-year-old linebacker was a menace to quarterback Russell Wilson in the victory over the Broncos. He accounted for nine stops, three quarterback hits and 2.0 sacks in Denver. His late-game strip sack allowed for Bryce Hall's clinching scoop-and-score.
In the 20-14 Week 6 win over the reigning NFC champions, Williams became the first Jet in franchise history to record at least 12 tackles, 1.0 tackle-for-loss, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery in a single game.
Special Teams MVP: Thomas Morstead, P
Morstead is looking like the team's most valuable free-agent addition of the offseason. The 15th-year pro has been a model of both consistency and professionalism thus far.
The reliable Morstead ranks sixth overall amongst the NFL's net punting leaders (44.4) and has routinely helped the Jets in the field position battle. The 37-year-old punter has successfully placed 12 of his 29 kicks inside the opponent's 20-yard line (fifth in NFL).
"He’s aggressive and wanting to get it inside the 10 and when he does, we feel as a defense that we’re pretty good in the sense that we can keep them inside the 10-yard line," said Saleh.
That aggression set the stage for safeties in back-to-back weeks.
Morstead pinned the Chiefs inside their own 10-yard line with a 49-yard boot and a subsequent offensive penalty by tackle Jawaan Taylor behind the goal line gave the Jets two points and possession. One week earlier, he boomed a 54-yarder that went out of bounds at the Broncos' 6-yard line. On the next snap, Al Woods made a beeline to the quarterback and forced an intentional grounding penalty in the endzone.
Morstead also stepped up to handle kickoff duties with Greg Zuerlein fighting through a groin injury in Week 3. He kicked off four times in the 15-10 setback to New England with the first two going into the endzone for touchbacks. The third kick was fair caught for a touchback and the fourth backed the Pats up to the 16-yard line.
After Pro Bowler Justin Hardee went onto Injured Reserve, Morstead took on the role of special teams captain.
READ MORE:
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Jets Hope Decimated Defensive Backfield Gets Healthy During Bye
