The Jets gave up the leagues least passing yardage (by 30 yards per game!), allowed the leagues least yards per attempt (by 0.6 yards per attempt). TDs allowed, Opponent's passer rating, 40+ yard passing plays allowed, completion% allowed and Pass D DVOA, all measures that put the Jets D atop the league.
When people say "it's a passing league" it doesn't initially seem like praise of a team like the Jets, but if the game is largely determined by who passed more effectively then an elite pass D is a fantastic asset.
So how good were they? Here is what they held opposing passing Os to.
(Weeks 9, 16 and 17 not included because they were a bye and games with opposing starters pulled
| Week | Opponent | Yards | Comp% | Y/A | TD | INT | QB Rating | ANY/A |
| 1 |
Texans |
166 | 54.5% | 5.0 | 0 | 1 | 59.3 | 2.86 |
| 2 | Patriots | 216 | 48.9% | 4.6 | 0 | 1 | 53.1 | 3.34 |
| 3 | Titans | 170 | 40.5% | 4.6 | 1 | 2 | 41.5 | 2.28 |
| 4 | Saints | 190 | 62.5% | 5.9 | 0 | 0 | 78.9 | 5.93 |
| 5 | Dolphins | 262 | 75.0% | 5.8 | 2 | 0 | 127.4 | 7.21 |
| 6 | Bills | 159 | 50.0% | 5.3 | 1 | 1 | 63.1 | 4.03 |
| 7 | Raiders | 158 | 53.3% | 5.3 | 0 | 2 | 40.7 | 1.79 |
| 8 | Dolphins | 112 | 54.5% | 5.5 | 1 | 0 | 85.8 | 2.92 |
| 10 | Jaguars | 221 | 61.5% | 8.5 | 1 | 0 | 101.6 | 8.14 |
| 11 | Patriots | 310 | 68.3% | 7.6 | 1 | 0 | 98.6 | 7.42 |
| 12 | Panthers | 130 | 41.1% | 3.8 | 0 | 4 | 12.7 | -2.05 |
| 13 | Bills | 98 | 39.1% | 4.3 | 0 | 1 | 34.3 | 0.78 |
| 14 | Buccaneers | 93 | 42.4% | 2.8 | 0 | 3 | 12.1 | -1.49 |
| 15 | Falcons | 152 | 47.1% | 4.5 | 1 | 0 | 69.7 | 5.06 |
| WC | Bengals | 146 | 50.0% | 4.1 | 1 | 1 | 58.3 | 2.38 |
| DIV | Chargers | 298 | 67.5% | 7.5 | 1 | 2 | 76.9 | 5.07 |
| TOT | Total |
2881 | 53.6% | 5.5 | 10 | 18 | 61.7 | 3.63 |
The Jets schedule of pass Ds was about average, but they held their opponents to passing production over 16 games that is bottom 5 in passer rating (slotting between the Raiders and Bucs) and comp%, Yards per Attempt that would tie for 31st in the league with the Browns, and a pathetic ANY/A (at sub 4 ANY/A passing is just a especially boom/bust run game, not a superior way of moving the ball).
Other thoughts from the data
- The week 8 game against the Dolphins game gives a big example of the difference between passer rating and ANY/A. By passer rating it's one of the best games played against the Jets. By ANY/A it was a pretty ugly day. The reason was that the Dolphins O gave back over half their passing yards with 6 sacks for a whopping -60 yards.
- The Jets aren't particularly prolific sackers, but it doesn't stop them from playing great pass D.
- They absolutely routed bad QBs. To the JaMarcus Russels, Jake Delhommes, Kerry Collins' and Josh Freemans of the world the Jets D was hell. More competent QBs were hit or miss.
After the jump we'll look at them against just top 10 passing Os.
| Week | Opponent | Yards | Comp% | Y/A | TD | INT | QB Rating | ANY/A |
| 1 |
Texans 18/33 2 -21 |
166 | 54.5% | 5.0 | 0 | 1 | 59.3 | 2.86 |
| 2 | Patriots 23/47 0 |
216 | 48.9% | 4.6 | 0 | 1 | 53.1 | 3.34 |
| 4 | Saints 20/32 0 |
190 | 62.5% | 5.9 | 0 | 0 | 78.9 | 5.93 |
| 11 | Patriots 28/41 2 -11 |
310 | 68.3% | 7.6 | 1 | 0 | 98.6 | 7.42 |
| DIV | Chargers 27/40 2 -15 |
298 | 67.5% | 7.5 | 1 | 2 | 76.9 | 5.07 |
| TOT | Total |
1180 | 60.1% | 6.1 | 2 | 4 | 72.5 | 3.63 |
For the season those 4 offenses all completed at least 65% of their passes for over 7.7 Y/A, with a TD:INT ratio better than 1.7 and a 95 over higher passer rating. They averaged over 270 yards passing per game. The group average well substantially below all of those marks. The Jets didn't just make bad passing Os look horrific, they made the good ones look mediocre.
The reason the Jets have made it this far is by owning the other side of the "passing league" coin.