Oct 14, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) reacts to a call during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
When it comes to the criticism of Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, the critics, trolls and haters are way out of line. In fact, it’s more likely than not that Gardner and Williams are victims of their own success.
An All-pro player in each of his first two seasons as a pro, Gardner set the bar at a level that is simply not sustainable. No player at any position is going to be an All-Pro every single yea. And now that Gardner isn’t an undisputed top two or three corner in the NFL, Jets fans have decided to pounce.
Claims that Gardner “sucks”, “should be traded” or “was never that good” are absurd.
If Gardner were as bad as his critics claim, teams would be giving up one catch after another, but that’s just not the case. In fact, Gardner is 12th in the NFL in completion percentage allowed at 55.2%. Does that sound like a guy who can’t cover?
And don’t think NFL offenses aren’t aware of what Gardner can do. Otherwise, why else would his target rate be as low as it is. In looking at corners who have played at least fifty percent of their team’s snaps, only four of the NFL’s top 20 cornerbacks have seen fewer targets than Gardner’s 29.
So what the Jets have in Gardner is a guy who is rarely targeted and allows a low completion rate when he is picked on.
Now Sauce Gardner has struggled with penalties (six) and poor tackling, but he makes his money as an elite cover man and while he’s not what he was in years one and two, he’s still among the best in the league.
Then there’s Williams, whose slow start to the season also drew the ire of Jets fans. There were those who claimed that Williams had decided to start “mailing it in” now that he got his big pay day. This is delusional thinking.
Still commanding more double teams than most defensive linemen in the NFL, Williams looks to have returned to form in recent weeks.
Over their past four contests, Williams has logged 21 QB pressures, 2 hits and five sacks. Sound like a guy who decided to put his feet up and stop working? Far from it.
