Three sets of statistical trends, records, mileposts and highlights, Jets Secondary Edition, following their 23-12 loss to the Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday:
Minkah’s Metrics
It was probably not the way Minkah Fitzpatrick wanted to amass some massive metrics, in his first game back from two weeks rehabbing a groin injury. But the ninth-year safety seemed to enjoy his busy afternoon in Chi-town.
For starters, Fitzpatrick was one of 4 Jets who played all 89 defensive plays and all 93 defensive snaps, along with fellow S Dane Belton, CB Azareye’h Thomas and LB Demario Davis ─ and Fitz even played 5 more snaps on specials.
Fitzpatrick also posted 16 defensive tackles, not only the top total in this game but the most in a game in his 126-game career.
He notched 10 of those tackles in the first half alone, plus his much-talked-about second-quarter interception, making him the first NFL safety to get at least 10 tackles and 1 pass defense in a half since Eric Weddle of the Rams did it in the first half against the Bucs in 2019, and the first Jets S since 1994 to go 10-plus-1 in a first half. Victor Green and Brian Washington attained that double in second halves in the mid-Nineties.
Last but not least, Fitzpatrick’s INT was the 22nd of his career, ended the Jets’ pick drought, and, along with another no-giveaway game, improved the Jets’ turnover margin to plus-3. That is tied for fourth highest in the NFL (with 9 other teams) after all Week 4 games and is the Jets’ best TO margin after the first 4 games of a season in more than a decade, or since the 2015 team had plus-6.