Jets Go Up 1 Spot in ESPN's NFL Power Rankings After Beating Browns

The New York Jets went up one spot in ESPN's NFL power rankings after beating the Cleveland Browns in Week 5. 

New York went from No. 26 to No. 25. 

The Jets, who are 2-3, are one spot ahead of the 1-4 New Orleans Saints and one spot behind the 2-3 Indianapolis Colts in ESPN's Week 6 NFL power rankings.

In Week 5, the Jets beat the Browns 17-12. David Bailey became the first Jets rookie since Hugh Douglas in 1995 to record three sacks in a game and the first in the NFL to do so since James Houston of the Detroit Lions in 2022.

Bailey had three sacks, eight quarterback pressures and seven tackles against the Browns. New York selected Bailey with the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Bailey didn't make much noise in the first four games of the season, but he showed in Week 5 against the Browns why the Jets took him with the second pick.

Bailey sacked Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for a six-yard loss in the first quarter and he kept going. Altogether, Bailey was on the field for seven of the Jets' eight sacks.

Cleveland had a final chance to win the game with 1:41 left and no timeouts, but New York’s defense, as it did all game, stiffened and sealed the win when Will McDonald had a strip-sack of Watson on fourth down and recovered the fumble.

On offense, Jets QB Geno Smith went 17-of-30 through the air for 182 passing yards. He had one touchdown pass, no interceptions and was sacked four times.

Smith fumbled the ball once against the Browns. Watson fumbled three times, though, so Smith did the best he could in a rain-soaked game.

Smith led the NFL in interceptions last season with the Las Vegas Raiders. He threw 17. It's been impressive to see the QB take care of the ball through the air this season.

Smith has 1,084 passing yards and six passing touchdowns thus far in his second stint with New York. The two-time Pro Bowler is completing 69.4% of his passes.

The Jets only have one interception in the Aaron Glenn era. New England Patriots QB Drake Maye has thrown seven interceptions this season, so let's see if Glenn's defense can get one next Sunday. 

According to ESPN, the Jets are playing more zone than man-to-man this season, which makes the low total even more perplexing. The Dallas Cowboys are the only team with zero interceptions.