Bless Austin’s Week 10 performance against the Giants might not have been a fluke after all.
Austin had another solid performance in New York’s dominant win over the Redskins on Sunday. Washington’s passing attack sputtered throughout the afternoon, and Austin was a big reason why as he excelled in coverage all game.
There’s no doubt that Austin has been Gang Green’s best rookie performer for the past two weeks. What about New York’s other neophytes, though? Let’s take a look at where they stand in the latest edition of Jets Wire’s rookie power rankings.
No. 5: TE Trevon Wesco
Last Week: No. 4
One week after recording the first catch of his career, Wesco couldn’t keep the good times rolling against the Redskins.
The West Virginia product did not appear in the box score against Washington. Ryan Griffin served as New York’s dominant tight end with five catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.
No. 4: OT Chuma Edoga
Last Week: No. 5
Sunday was miserable for Edoga as he was bullied by Redskins edge rusher Ryan Kerrigan and suffered an ankle injury that forced his early departure.
Kerrigan beat Edoga twice for Washington’s only two sacks of the day before Edoga departed with an ankle injury in the first half. He did not return and is set to undergo tests on Monday, according to Adam Gase.
Edoga’s status as a starter might not only be up in the air because of his ankle, but because of his recent poor play. At this point, it’s hard to justify leaving the third-round pick in the starting lineup even if he’s healthy.
No. 3: DT Quinnen Williams
Last Week: No. 3
Williams’ performance against the Redskins was a step in the right direction given his lack of production against the Giants last weekend.
The Alabama product recorded one tackle and one quarterback hit against Washington, which is a step up from his showing of no tackles and one quarterback hit against the Giants in Week 10.
Just when it seemed Williams was on his way to becoming a consistent contributor, he has fallen off dramatically. He’ll look to get back on track against the Raiders next weekend.
No. 2: DE Kyle Phillips
Last Week: No. 2
Phillips turned in another solid but not spectacular performance against the Redskins with three tackles and one for a loss.
Henry Anderson has cut into Phillips’ playing time considerably since his return from injury. That hasn’t caused much of a drop-off in Phillips’ production, though. When given the opportunity, the undrafted free agent out of Tennessee has made his fair share of plays. Expect that to continue with or without Anderson factoring into the defensive line rotation.
No. 1: CB Bless Austin
Last Week: No. 1
It’s only a two-week sample size, but there’s a real chance the Jets have themselves a gem at cornerback with Austin.
For the second straight week, Austin was a star for New York on the outside against the Redskins. He routinely blanketed his assignments in coverage, broke up a pass and contributed three tackles.
In a year in which the Jets have received downright awful play from their outside cornerbacks, Austin has been a welcome addition to the equation. He’ll likely be tasked with covering Oakland’s Tyrell Williams in Week 12.
