Don't look now, but the New York Jets are 4-2 and their young cast of playmakers is collectively breaking out.
At the front of that group is Quinnen Williams, a former first-round pick who has picked the perfect time -- the fourth year in his rookie contract -- to elevate his performance. The defensive tackle is turning heads on a weekly basis and reached a new height in Week 6 when he recorded two sacks, blocked a field goal, forced a fumble and finished with four tackles in the Jets' 27-10 win over the Packers.
It's a development Williams' teammate, Sheldon Rankins, saw coming back in training camp.
"Probably about three weeks into camp, I pulled him aside," Rankins said Wednesday, via the Associated Press. "And I was like, 'Just do this -- all year. Just do that. Don't do nothin' else. Just do this.'
"And he's been doing it so far."
Williams said during the week he felt "very good" entering training camp, and his fit in Robert Saleh's defensive scheme is allowing Williams to prove his offseason work was worthwhile. After recording a career-high seven sacks in 13 games in 2020, Williams is on pace to more than double that mark in 2022.
"Quinnen is playing at a different level," Saleh said. "We're only six games in, but he's got to continue that. He's got 11 more left, but he keeps doing this, there's no reason why he shouldn't be Pro Bowl, All-Pro -- all the different accolades you can get. He's playing at that type of level."
Williams stands as an example of what could be a permanent shift toward contention for the young and hungry Jets, who are enjoying quality play from a number of players. First-round pick Sauce Gardner has played excellently at cornerback, while fellow rookie Breece Hall is building a case for Offensive Rookie of the Year, and the two are far from the only ones succeeding.
If Williams keeps this up, a trip to Las Vegas will likely be in his future. An appearance in the playoffs could be, too.
