David Bailey Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week After Browns Breakout

David Bailey was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday, and anyone who watched the Jets beat Cleveland can see why. The rookie edge rusher had three sacks and four quarterback hits in a 17-12 win that required the defense to keep making plays. He also tied for the team lead with seven tackles. The Jets announced the honor after a game in which their defense sacked Deshaun Watson eight times.

Three sacks will grab the headline, but Bailey was involved throughout the afternoon. He played 57 of 68 defensive snaps, and the Jets held Cleveland to 198 total yards. Aaron Glenn also praised his work against the run in the team report, which matters when evaluating more than the highlight plays. A pass rusher who can affect the quarterback and hold up on other downs gives the defense far more flexibility.

Bailey said the defensive line had spent extra time working together on its four-man rush during the week. That preparation showed up in a performance that went well beyond one rookie getting hot. Dane Belton, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Darrell Jackson Jr., Jowon Briggs and Will McDonald IV also recorded sacks, forcing Cleveland to deal with pressure from several spots. Bailey led the way, but this was the kind of collective effort that can change a close game.

The award puts him in a small group. According to the Jets, Bailey is the ninth rookie in franchise history to win a Player of the Week honor and the fourth rookie to win one on defense. His three sacks also put him among the few Jets rookies to reach that mark in a game. Through five games, he leads the team with five sacks, six tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits. Those are strong early numbers for the No. 2 overall pick, even with plenty of season left.

Jets fans can take another look at the performance in the JetNation David Bailey All-22 discussion, which includes his Week 5 snaps against the Browns. The award is a nice marker for a rookie who has already become a major part of the pass rush. The bigger test comes next, when opponents have a fresh reminder of what happens if they let Bailey take over a game.

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