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Three Jets who deserve praise in Week 12 loss to the Ravens

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The New York Jets looked to try and get their third win of the season as they traveled to Maryland to take on the Baltimore Ravens. Much like their game last Thursday against the New England Patriots, this was going to be a tough test for the Jets. Despite only being a .500 team, the Ravens are on fire right now, having won their last four games to even up their record at 5-5. As for the Jets, they’ve won two of their previous three games, bringing their record to 2-9. Unfortunately, things wouldn’t go well for the Jets in this one, as they fell to Baltimore, 23-10.

Tyrod Taylor got the nod to start in this one, with Justin Fields getting benched. Taylor played a good game, finishing with 222 yards and one touchdown pass, while throwing one pick. Of course, the offense continued to run through Breece Hall, who led the team in rushing yards, with 44, and receiving yards, with 75. Mercilessly, there are now only six games remaining before the Jets hopefully find their quarterback of the future in the draft. So, in Sunday’s game, who are three Jets players who deserve praise for their performance? Here are three game balls, one for each aspect of the game.

Offense: John Metchie III, WR

Heading into the 2025 NFL season, John Metchie III wasn’t even a thought for the Jets’ receiving group, which revolved around Garrett Wilson. He certainly wasn’t supposed to be a major storyline for the Jets in Week 12 of the 2025 season. Metchie arrived quietly at the trade deadline, in a deal that sent cornerback Michael Carter II to Philadelphia. This was a low-risk, high-reward type of trade for the Jets. Thankfully, it’s certainly been paying its dividends and looking like it’s working out very well for Gang Green.

Metchie finished Sunday’s game with 65 yards through the air, second only to Breece Hall’s 75. Perhaps Metchie’s biggest play of the game came with roughly four minutes left in the second, in a tie game at zero. Taylor found Metchie for a 13-yard touchdown pass, to give the Jets the 7-0 lead. Metchie has shown to be a reliable target, hauling in six passes, which led the Jets. For the first time all season, the Jets seemingly have a wide receiver beyond Garrett Wilson who can reliably separate and convert routine throws into chain-moving gains. This is the role Metchie was drafted to play, and he’s finally getting the opportunity he never received in Houston or Philadelphia.

Of course, the main star of the Jets’ offense at this moment is Hall. However, with a star like Metchie on the field, it certainly takes some pressure off the Jets’ star running back. The Jets’ 2026 wide receiver room is wide open behind Wilson, and the team desperately needs reliable hands. It’s still early, but the Jets may have found something in Metchie. If Metchie keeps stacking performances like this, he could earn a legitimate role in 2026 and maybe even beyond.

Defense: Harrison Phillips, DT

The Jets entered the summer knowing their interior defensive line needed serious help. That’s why the Jets swung trades for both Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs just weeks before the season opener. Phillips has quietly been every bit as important, especially when it comes to solidifying the team’s run defense. He wasn’t a flashy acquisition, and he didn’t arrive with the same breakout hype that Briggs has generated, but down after down, Phillips has become a foundational piece of the Jets’ defensive front.

Since Week 6, Harrison Phillips has been one of the most dominant run defenders in the entire NFL. Among all qualified interior defensive linemen, he owns Pro Football Focus’ second-highest run-defense grade (80.2), trailing only his former teammate, Quinnen Williams. Phillips hasn’t been credited with a missed tackle since Week 1, and he has produced 11 run stops in his last five games, tied for fourth among all interior defensive linemen over that stretch. His 11.1 percent run-stop rate also ranks among the best in football.

In their last three games, they’ve held Browns rookie standout Quinshon Judkins to 74 yards on 22 carries (3.4 YPC), Patriots rookie sensation TreVeyon Henderson to 62 yards on 19 carries (3.8 YPC), and Derrick Henry to 64 yards on 21 attempts (3.0 YPC). Phillips has been a driving force in all of it. Holding someone like Henry to only 64 yards is a win in itself. Phillips is doing exactly what the Jets hoped he would do, and he’s doing it at a level that should make him a near-lock to start again in 2026. He’s not only an emotional veteran leader of the defense, but he’s playing at a very high level as well.

Special Teams: Isaiah Williams, KR/PR

When the New York Jets brought back wide receiver and return specialist Isaiah Williams last month, many fans were understandably confused and upset. The move made no sense to most. After all, this was the same player whose early-season blunders helped cost the Jets games, the same one who was cut after repeated special teams miscues. Yet Aaron Glenn remained loyal to his former Lions receiver. The first-year head coach, who once worked with Williams in Detroit, saw something others didn’t. And now, he looks vindicated.

This was a fairly quiet game on special teams for the Jets. Nick Folk connected on one field goal and one PAT, while punter Austin McNamara just had a poor performance, punting the ball four times, averaging just 38.0 yards per punt. This is far below a good punt average for a game, and certainly an average that didn’t help the field position game much. However, if you’re looking for the standout performance on special teams, look no further than the Jets’ return man, Isaiah Williams.

Williams has been the one to stick, as he’s stabilized the return game and even injected much-needed juice into an offense desperate for playmakers. Williams got a workout in this game. He finished the day with 122 yards on four kick returns, including a long of 38 yards, and also had three punt returns to his credit, for a total of 23 yards. In a game where field position was so important, Williams more than did his part to try and set the tone.

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