The New York Jets have regained a measure of ESPN respect with their 17-12 Week 5 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
For Week 6, Gang Green moved up a notch to No. 25 on the ESPN Weekly Power Rankings, rising one position from No. 26. While a small jump, it positions the team to continue climbing after a disastrous showing against the Chicago Bears in Week 4.
ESPN evaluates all 32 teams entering Week 6. To form the list, our power panel of more than a dozen NFL analysts evaluates how all 32 teams stack up against one another.
This week, two additional questions were posed to its reporters: Which teams are meeting or exceeding expectations? Which teams are already in jeopardy of a failed season?
To answer that, ESPN Jets analyst Rich Cimini pointed to an old Jets bugaboo: Interceptions are rare.
“The frequency is roughly the same as a term in the House of Representatives: every two years,” he quipped. The Jets have broken their 20-games-without-a-pick status, thanks to veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who picked one off against Chicago.
But even with that dreadful NFL record in the rear view, they still have just that one pick in 22 games.
Fitzpatrick dropped a potential interception in Week 5 against the Browns.
“The Jets are playing more zone than man-to-man this season, which makes the low total even more perplexing,” Cimini noted. “The Cowboys are the only team with zero interceptions.”
Despite the lack of takeaways, the Jets rank fourth in total defense in the NFL, yielding 293 yards per game and 10 total touchdowns.
The Jets are fourth in pass defense, giving up 175 yards per game and 6 touchdowns.
But the team drops off a cliff when it comes to run defense, currently ranking No. 19. They have given up an average of 118 yards and four touchdowns. That low performance rating is undoubtedly tied to the Chicago Bears debacle, when Kyle Monangai ran wild, racking up 146 yards on the ground and getting to the second level with ease.
The Jets play the New England Patriots this week at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. The Pats running game in 2026 relies on a 1-2 punch between veteran Rhamondre Stevenson and second-year back TreVeyon Henderson. The latter has a high ankle sprain and will miss the Jets game. It’s the second ankle sprain this season for Henderson, which may mean an extended absence.
The Patriots will likely elevate a back from the practice squad and lean on Stevenson against the Jets.
