Aug 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Jets defensive tend Nate Lynn celebrates with New York Jets defensive end Paschal Ekeji (54) after sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Drew Allar during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Although it is only the preseason, the Jets have begun to turn the tide on the defensive front after going all of last season without an interception.
During the second quarter of Saturday’s showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Gang’s secondary picked off sophomore quarterback Will Howard twice. Although neither turnover resulted in points scored, the Jets went on to shut out Pittsburgh 17-0.
“I wasn’t here last year, but any time we get turnovers it’s really big,” former All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said on Monday.Super demoralizing for the opponent, super uplifting for us.”
An eight-season veteran who has made five Pro-Bowl appearances, Fitzpatrick was the Jets’ marquee addition of the offseason. Against his former team, he recorded a tackle and witnessed his teammates Andre Cisco and Samuel Womack make plays on the ball.
At the 9:30 mark of the second quarter, Cisco intercepted a short pass from Howard at the Jets’ eight-yard line to end the Steelers’ drive. Later on in the frame, Womack ended the Steelers’ second drive with an interception of his own at his team’s 23-yard line.
Up to that point, Howard had completed six passes to lead his team into Jets territory. He finished the game going 10-for-15 on passes with 74 yards.
The Jets’ defense was the only thing stopping him from potentially scoring on both occasions. That same unit was also responsible for sacking Howard twice and rookie quarterback Drew Allar three times.
Allar was limited to going 11-for-23 with 110 yards. New York’s defense held up against the Penn State product, preventing him from leading any scoring drives.
“For the most part, we’ve established our identity and figured out who we want to be,” Fitzpatrick said.
Green Gang’s defense played up to its potential in support of a successful outing for the offense. During the first quarter, quarterback Geno Smith connected with tight end Jelani Woods for a 15-yard touchdown. Later in the fourth quarter, kicker Jason Sanders nailed a 39-yard field goal, while sophomore quarterback Brady Cook found wide receiver Quincy Skinner Jr. for a 31-yard touchdown.
“I will never complain about being on the field. Every day you get a new opportunity to take a next step forward to getting better. I feel like I’m doing that, and I want to keep it up,” Woods said.
