Tag: Will McDonald IV

Jaguars vs. Jets: Key matchups

Jaguars vs. Jets: Key matchups

The Jacksonville Jaguars head into Week 15 coming off a refreshing victory at Tennessee last Sunday. It’s only the team’s third win of what has otherwise been a tumultuous losing season.

This weekend provides a favorable opportunity to add another mark to the win column, although the team’s draft positioning may once again falter. The Jaguars host the New York Jets in 2024’s first matchup between teams mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at the key matchups in Jacksonville’s next-to-last home game of the season.

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Jets CB Sauce Gardner

It’s becoming clearer that the Jaguars rookie sensation is already one of the best players on the roster. He was a key reason for the team’s success in Nashville last weekend with eight catches on 12 targets for 86 yards, putting his season total at 54 grabs for 851 yards and six touchdown receptions.

This weekend, Thomas will go one-on-one against one of the best cornerbacks in football, Sauce Gardner.

The Jets have not had the season they were hoping for and are a mess of a franchise at the moment. However, the two-time All-Pro Gardner remains a bright spot, and winning against him in coverage is no easy feat.

That said, Gardner has had some struggles this season, especially on deeper crossing patterns, which could favor Thomas in space and offer run-after-catch opportunities against man coverage.

If Thomas has yet another productive day against Gardner and the Jets secondary, Jacksonville has a chance at winning two games in a row.

Jaguars LT Walker Little vs. Jets pass rushers

There’s a reason the Jaguars extended Walker Little to a three-year, $40.5 million contract. His play since becoming the team’s starting left tackle hasn’t been perfect but has been trending upward in recent weeks, especially in pass protection.

According to Next Gen Stats, Little’s quarterback pressure rate is the fourth-lowest among starting left tackles with at least 150 snaps.

Little faces a daunting task this weekend, however. His likely opponent on most snaps, Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV, has 10 sacks and 52 quarterback pressures on the season.

The Jets are like the Jaguars defensively as they have more trust in their four-down linemen to generate pressure by moving them around the line, rather than pulling out all the stops like some teams.

Little will need to be prepared for whoever New York will throw his way. Don’t forget about Haason Reddick, Michael Clemons and, occasionally, Quinnen Williams.

Jaguars RB Tank Bigsby vs. Jets run defense

Bigsby has established himself as Jacksonville’s running back of the future while putting the team in a tough position with his fellow running mate Travis Etienne Jr. While that is not the topic of this section, how Bigsby can beat New York’s run defense is.

The Jets rank No. 16 in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (119.9) and run stuff percentage (17.1%), and have allowed the 11th-most expected points added (EPA) rushing.

This could be another week where Bigsby sees another 20-plus touch game. The key to turning usage into production is trusting the blocks of interior linemen, center Mitch Morse and guards Brandon Scherff and Ezra Cleveland.

Bigsby is one of the league’s better space-creators and the Jets have allowed the ninth-most yards after contact per attempt (3.14) in the NFL. Bigsby’s 4.9 yards per attempt on inside-designed runs are the seventh-most in the NFL this season, according to Next Gen Stats.

While running backs may not matter to some, Bigsby will play a key part in Jacksonville’s chances at victory this weekend. Bringing him down won’t be an easy feat for New York.

Quinnen Williams was the dark cloud over C.J. Stroud, Jets defeat Texans 21-13

Quinnen Williams was the dark cloud over C.J. Stroud, Jets defeat Texans 21-13

New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams had his imprints written all over his team’s victory on Thursday night. With the Houston Texans frequently in plus territory, Williams and Jets defense unleashed everything they had in the tank to keep quarterback C.J Stroud out of he end-zone.

Stroud had a dismal night trying to attack the No. 2 pass defense in the NFL. Through 30 attempts, Stroud completed just 11 passes for 191 passing yards, and he was sacked eight tines.

With muddy looks for Stroud, Williams did his diligence in the pass rush, tallying 1.5 of those eight sacks on the night. Williams’ pressure and strip sack stopped a promising Texans scoring drive in the first half, setting the tone for relentlessness on defense the entire evening.

While the Jets did allowed running back Joe Mixon to get off, their ability to stall the Texans drives turned out to be a crucial component needed to help them stop their losing streak in front of their home crowd.

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Jets vs. Texans: Quincy Williams will need to mix it up with Joe Mixon

Jets vs. Texans: Quincy Williams will need to mix it up with Joe Mixon

Ranking No. 17 in opponent rush yards per game wasn’t the ideal plan for linebacker Quincy Williams and the New York Jets (2-6)  in 2024.

Still, Williams must help to nullify Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon at MetLife Stadium on Thursday night in Week 9. 

Mixon had 102 yards on 25 carries versus the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, but on a short week notice, he’ll be challenged by a physical Jets defense.

With linebacker C.J Mosley still a question mark, Williams is the man needed to make an impact on defense versus the run.



Williams had eight tackles in a 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 8, working a heavy load versus a total of 31 running plays. Williams and the defensive unit should expect a similar offensive attack from the Texans (6-2) who are without star wide receivers Stefon Diggs (knee) and Nico Collins (hamstring) on Thursday.   

Expect Mixon and quarterback C.J Stroud to be highly operative in play-action. Williams must be able to diagnose the Houston offense pre-snap to be effective. If not, Stroud may shred the Jets with passing targets to tight end Dalton Schultz.

Ultimately, if Williams and the New York defense can force enough punts in a low scoring affair, they might be able to ride their home crowd into victory land to stop this never ending losing streak.

Sauce Gardner continues to stand on business in Jets’ 24-3 Patriots win

Sauce Gardner continues to stand on business in Jets’ 24-3 Patriots win

New York Jets defensive back Sauce Gardner intimidates opposing NFL quarterbacks by playing terrific man coverage. Gardner’s impact singlehandedly allows defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to blitz at will.



New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett only attempted 18 passes versus the Jets and he didn’t target the wide receiver covered by Gardner often. Brissett’s reluctance, a factor influenced by Gardner, helped lead to sacks by Will McDonald IV, safety Chuck Clark, and Quinnen Williams.

Wide receivers are hardly ever open when Gardner is in coverage and quarterbacks simply aren’t willing to take the risk of throwing in his vicinity.


When Gardner isn’t in coverage, he’s mixing it up, preventing first-downs by making physical open-field tackles, another facet of his defensive prowess.

For Gardner, it isn’t always about making the highlight reel, but about making it difficult for the opposing offense to move the ball, and more importantly, getting off the field on third-downs.

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Jets’ Will McDonald IV is taking his sacks in stride

Jets’ Will McDonald IV is taking his sacks in stride

Will McDonald IV is off to a hot start for the New York Jets.

He doesn’t really care all that much.

With three games in the books, McDonald is already up to 4.5 sacks in the 2024 NFL season. He added another 1.5 in his team’s 24-3 win over the New England Patriots on Thursday.

McDonald was one of New York’s defenders who clearly were playing motivated. On one of his sacks, McDonald pulled out Jermaine Johnson’s sack celebration as a tip of the cap to his teammate who is dealing with an Achilles injury.

Even head coach Robert Saleh liked it.

“It’s cool, (Johnson) is loved in this locker room,” Saleh said via video conference. “It was cool to see.”

Despite that, McDonald is cooling his jets. He knows it’s a long season ahead.

“No, I ain’t impressed yet. Have to finish the season for me to be impressed,” McDonald said. “It doesn’t really matter unless we get to that championship and get that ring.

McDonald’s full thoughts can be found in the SNY clip below:

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Jets’ Will McDonald IV, Micheal Clemons do Jermaine Johnson’s sack celly vs. Patriots (video)

Jets’ Will McDonald IV, Micheal Clemons do Jermaine Johnson’s sack celly vs. Patriots (video):

Wholesome moment alert thanks to Will McDonald IV and Micheal Clemons.

The Jets are rolling early against the New England Patriots in their “Thursday Night Football” clash at MetLife Stadium. Both on offense and defense.

Speaking of the defense, it has a bad evening to be Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

While the offense is turning heads, Gang Green’s defense looks like they are back. The pass rush in particular looks good and McDonald and Clemons are a big reason why.

But they haven’t forgotten about their teammate Jermaine Johnson.

Johnson, likely done for the 2024 season due to an Achilles injury, is watching a very good effort. Knowing that, when McDonald and Clemons recorded sacks, they both did Johnson’s trademark sack celebration.

A lovely touch.

Their efforts have helped the Jets get off to a 14-3 lead on their AFC East rivals in the first half.

Check out both plays and cellys below:

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What we learned from the Jets’ Week 2 win over the Titans

What we learned from the Jets’ Week 2 win over the Titans

The New York Jets (1-1) continued their 2024 NFL schedule with a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans (0-2) in Week 2.

Following the victory, as is always the case, we were taught a few things about this football team. There were things to take away from all three phases of the game that was.

With that, here are seven things we learned from the Jets’ win over the Titans:

Rodgers was 18-for-30 passing for 176 yards with two touchdowns. A performance that reminded one of his MVP years? No, of course not, but the clutch throws Rodgers made late in the win showed he’s still got something in his right arm that the Jets should be happy about.

While the Jets defense got the job done in the win, it was not because of cornerback Sauce Gardner. He was uncharacteristically bad. In his last nine games, he was credited with allowing six catches for 59 yards combined. He allowed five for 97 yards in Tennessee.

That said, there is no reason to believe that Gardner won’t go back to normal starting next week against the New England Patriots.

On the flip side for New York’s defense was Will McDonald IV. McDonald led the way with a legendary performance as he mustered up three sacks, including a clutch one late to help lock in the victory.

CJ Mosley (toe) left the Week 2 contest early. The linebacker was replaced by Jamien Sherwood who played incredibly well. Sherwood led the Jets with 12 tackles, including one for loss. Pro Football Focus graded Sherwood as his team’s best defender on the day with an overall mark of 82.7.

It looks like there is room for both Breece Hall and Braelon Allen in the Jets’ backfield. The pair played well against the Titans in their own right. Hall had a very impressive touchdown catch, giving his team the lead in the fourth quarter. After an early receiving score of his own, Allen took home the game-winning carry from 20 yards out.

Irv Charles notched a blocked punt for the Jets’ special teams unit. The Titans have now allowed back-to-back blocked kicks to start their season. Kudos to Charles, though. A good and momentum-changing play.

Haason Reddick watch gets brighter. Sure, McDonald performed well, but the Jets defense lost another pass rusher against the Titans in Jermaine Johnson. His season is over because of an Achilles injury. Now is the time to get Reddick in the door amid his contract dispute…

WATCH: Will McDonald credits Jets’ win to Jermaine Johnson during on-field interview

WATCH: Will McDonald credits Jets’ win to Jermaine Johnson during on-field interview:

Will McDonald IV saved a huge game for the New York Jets against the Tennessee Titans.

McDonald had his first career sack… and first three-sack game for the Jets (1-1) in the 24-17 win. Of the three, the final one was the biggest as it iced the game.

In New York’s red zone, Tennessee quarterback Will Levis dropped back and was hopeful for tying the game. He did not as McDonald’s final takedown gave the Jets the ball back.

McDonald was clearly emotional after such an outing, but not just because of the sacks and victory. Defensive teammate Jermaine Johnson appears to have sustained a season-ending Achilles injury.

During his on-field interview after the game, McDonald credited the win to Johnson.

McDonald’s full post-game interview can be found in the Sportsnet New York clip below:

 

2023 NFL Draft: The best NFL player/scheme fits in the first round

Anthony Richardson, Will McDonald IV, Zay Flowers, Deonte Banks, and Mazi Smith are walking into ideal NFL environments for their talents.

Per Pro Football Reference’s Weighted Career Approximate Value metric, the three most valuable picks in the 2022 NFL draft were cornerbacks.

Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, selected by the Jets with the fourth overall pick, dominated in his rookie season in a Robert Saleh defense that demanded an alpha cornerback who was fine on an island. Marcus Jones, selected by the Patriots with the 85th overall pick, knew enough about how to play man coverage to make a different right away in a Bill Belichick defense in which man coverage is a non-negotiable. And Tariq Woolen, selected with the 153rd pick by the Seahawks, was a massive defender with that same kind of alpha mentality who fit perfectly in a Pete Carroll defense where “having that dog in him” is as important as any particular measurable, though Woolen’s alien-like measurables certainly helped — and showed up on the field.

And here’s the thing — if you took those three players and made flip teams in 2022, there’s no guarantee that any of them would have done well as they did. Putting a rookie in the most hospitable environment possible is an obvious path to success. At least, you think it’s obvious, until you watch some NFL teams completely fail to do it.

Here, we have five specific new marriages between NFL teams and draft picks in which the fit is the thing, and it looks really good — for all kinds of reasons.

Panthers were reportedly ‘high’ on Jets DE Will McDonald IV

Panthers GM Scott Fitterer hinted at trading up into the back of the first round for a particular group of players. One of those targets may have been Will McDonald IV.

The day before the Carolina Panthers got cracking on the 2023 NFL draft, general manager Scott Fitterer dropped a little hint about the backend of the first round.

In an interview with team reporter Kristen Balboni, Fitterer said there were players he would’ve been willing to trade up for on Thursday night. Here’s the exact quote:

“We’re trying to figure that out right now. We’re making calls. We know where the group of players are where we wanna be. There’s a group where we’d wanna go up. There’s a scenario where we’d wanna go up and look at a player—if we can get there.”

Well, we may know who one of those players was.

According to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer, the Panthers had their eye on Iowa State University defensive end Will McDonald IV.

That interest makes complete sense given Carolina’s need for pass rushers. Plus, everyone and their grandmother who did a two-round mock draft seemingly had the 6-foot-4, 239-pound defender going to the Panthers.

But, they got beat to the punch. The New York Jets ended up plucking McDonald off the board with the 15th overall pick while the Panthers got their edge help in the third round with University of Oregon’s DJ Johnson—who they, perhaps ironically, did trade up for.

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