Jets scouting report: Shakeup at QB complements stout defense

ABOUT THE JETS

• The Jets (7-4) were buoyed by a change at quarterback last week, when Mike White got the start over struggling former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson and threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-10 win against the Bears.

• Receiver Garrett Wilson, one of three first-round picks by the Jets in April, immediately benefited from the change. He caught White's first throw for 11 yards and finished with five grabs for 95 yards and two scores, including a 54-yard score that put the Jets up for good. An injured Jets backfield is without running back Breece Hall due to a knee injury, while Michael Carter is hampered by an ankle issue. Undrafted rookie Zonovan Knight led New York with 14 carries for 69 yards against the Bears.

• The Jets' fourth-ranked scoring defense is led by linebacker C.J. Mosley, who ranks fifth leaguewide with 107 tackles (65 solo). New York's opportunistic secondary features standout rookie cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, the fourth overall draft pick out of Cincinnati who leads the NFL with 14 pass deflections.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT | DL Quinnen Williams

• Williams was the third overall draft pick in 2019 out of Alabama, where he was teammates for a season with Vikings defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson. Williams is a force inside with eight sacks, trailing only the Chiefs' Chris Jones among interior defenders.

• Williams is having perhaps his best season as a pro. The eight sacks are already a career high while his 38 quarterback pressures — combined sacks, hits and hurries as tracked by Pro Football Focus — rank seventh at his position leaguewide.

• Williams said pregame prep has included watching physical defenses that have given the Vikings offense issues: "We watched a lot of film of Dallas against Minnesota, watched a lot of film of the 49ers against Minnesota in the preseason. I know I watch guys that play similar to us, like Fletcher Cox with the Eagles."

COACH SPEAK | Robert Saleh

• Saleh, 43, is in his second season as Jets head coach with an 11-17 record (.393) in the regular season and no playoff appearances. The former 49ers defensive coordinator has turned around a Jets defense that ranked last in points and yardage allowed in 2021.

• Only the 49ers have allowed fewer yards per play this season than the Jets defense (4.8), which has also forced more interceptions than passing touchdowns allowed. Only the Eagles defense has also done that so far.

• Saleh on whether he talks to Jets players about the franchise playing meaningful games in December again: "No, because next week will be the biggest game and the week after. When you're playing for something, every game is the biggest game. That's why you train yourself from when we first got here that this is the championship game, because this is the next game."