Led by cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, the Jets fielded one of the best defenses in the NFL last season. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that in a recent article by CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr naming each team’s best duo, those two All-Pros were the pairing for the Jets.
Gardner and Williams, after just one year together, have become the heart and soul of the Jets’ defense and will be a key reason if the Jets make some noise in 2023.
Here’s what Kerr had to say about the duo:
The Jets have one of the top young cornerbacks and defensive tackles in the game. Gardner already is one of the best players at his position in the NFL, being the first rookie cornerback named as a First Team All-Pro since Ronnie Lott in 1981, and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He allowed just a 44.9 passer rating in coverage, as opposing quarterbacks targeting Gardner completed just 44.2% of their passes (Gardner had two interceptions and allowed just one touchdown).
Williams is one of the best pass-rushing defensive tackles, ranking second at his position in sacks (12) and tied for first in quarterback hits (28). He set a career high in pressures (52) and pressure rate (12.9%) while earning First Team All-Pro honors.
The Jets defense had the best turnaround in scoring since the 2000-2001 St. Louis Rams (-11.1 points per game), dropping their points per game allowed from 29.7 in 2021 (last in NFL) to 19.6 in 2022 (fourth in NFL). The emergence of Gardner and Williams are a massive reason why.
There have been plenty of famous duos in sports and pop culture over the years. As long as their play rolls over from 2022, Gardner and Williams could soon become as famous as Sonny and Cher or Simon and Garfunkel.
