Jets' Quinnen Williams gives Aaron Rodgers, Packers fits

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Jets already have matched their win total from all of last year, and Quinnen Williams’ presence and productivity is a big reason why.

Williams is far and away off to the best start of his four-year career. He was a dominating, dancing defensive tackle in the Jets’ 27-10 win over the Packers on Sunday, sacking Aaron Rodgers twice, forcing a fumble and blocking a field-goal attempt.

“He’s playing at a different level,” coach Robert Saleh said. “He’s got to continue that. He’s got 11 more left. 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 level.”

Williams also could become an extremely rich man. He’s eligible for a contract extension, and with each game, his value is going up — even if it’s something that he doesn’t want to talk about.

Williams, the No. 3 pick out of Alabama in 2019, often has said he’s not worried about his contract, just getting better and helping the Jets win. He’s doing just that and showing that he’s one of the top interior defensive linemen in the league.

“As elite as I’ve been around,” defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said.

Williams has five sacks and 11 quarterback hits in six games this season. Both are one shy of matching his totals from all of 2021. His career high for sacks is seven.

“He’s different man,” cornerback D.J. Reed said. “Pro Bowl, All-Pro Q. He’s just so disruptive. I kind of feel bad for O-linemen because he wrecks the game, he wrecks every game that we play. In the whole NFL, he’s the most dominant right now. He’s playing at an All-Pro level right now.”

Reed doesn’t really feel bad.

“I be looking like, man, he’s different,” he said. “He just be making splash plays. He’s strong. He’s got all the moves. Explosive. He’s out there having fun. He makes it seem really easy.”

Williams helped get the defense off to a fast start Sunday. On the Packers’ second possession, he had a tackle for loss on second down and a sack on third down. On the first play of the second quarter, he blocked Mason Crosby’s 48-yard field-goal attempt.

And he wasn’t done.

The Jets were up 10-3 in the third quarter and Green Bay was in its territory when Williams had a sack of Rodgers on third down. He got up and showed off some dance moves.

“Just to have fun with the defensive line, with the defense, with the team in general is a big thing that I love to do, that we love to do, to keep the energy up, to keep the energy going,” Williams said. “That’s something we always preach.”

After the sack, rookie Micheal Clemons blocked a punt that Will Parks returned for a touchdown to give the Jets a 14-point advantage.

Rankins played five seasons with Cam Jordan in New Orleans, and he believes Williams is getting to that level.

“I always thought he was that caliber of player,” Rankins said. “I always knew he would achieve this level of elite play. It’s just a pleasure to be able to not only see it and play alongside it but pick his brain and even help him however I can to continue to grow into the dominant player he’s becoming in this league.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.