NY Jets news: Haason Reddick breakout, OL injuries mounting, Jeff Ulbrich emotional

Haason Reddick has arrived!
OL injuries piling up
Jeff Ulbrich almost cried

Justin Fried

Haason Reddick / Kevin Sabitus/GettyImages

The NY Jets managed to pull off a surprising 21-13 win over the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football on the back of an eight-sack performance from a defense that had C.J. Stroud running for his life all night.

One player who chose the right time for a breakout performance was Haason Reddick. The two-time Pro Bowler finished with eight pressures on just 32 pass-rush snaps in his second game with the Jets, recording his first half-sack as a member of the organization as well.

Those eight pressures were the second-most generated by a Jets player this season, per Next Gen Stats, behind only Will McDonald, who had nine pressures of his own on Thursday night.

Reddick's presence allowed others such as McDonald, Quinnen Williams, and Micheal Clemons to put together big nights as well. It took him nine weeks, but Reddick is finally making the impact the Jets hoped he would.

Other NY Jets news:

OL injuries poling up

The Jets made it through the first couple of months of the season with their starting offensive line mostly intact. Unfortunately, the situation has deteriorated in recent weeks.

The Jets were already without starting right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker for the second week in a row entering Thursday night's game. Backup interior offensive linemen Wes Schweitzer and Xavier Newman remain on the injured reserve.

Add two more guards to the growing list of injuries, as John Simpson (groin) and Jake Hanson (hamstring) were both knocked out of Thursday's win over the Texans. Backup tackles Max Mitchell and Olu Fashanu were inserted into the lineup in their place.

The Jets are now down their top five offensive guards. The newly-signed Alec Lindstrom has experience playing guard, while former UFL standout Kohl Levao could be promoted from the practice squad. Fortunately, the Jets have 10 days to rest up before their next game.

Jeff Ulbrich got emotional after Jets win

It's been a difficult few weeks for Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, but the well-respected defensive coordinator earned his first win as an NFL head coach on Thursday night.

The Jets' players opted to give Ulbrich the game ball as a sign of appreciation and respect, and according to star cornerback Sauce Gardner, the first-year head coach was on the verge of tears in the locker room.

Ulbrich is known for his fiery personality, so it's heartwarming to hear how emotional he got about his first win. Gardner told reporters the Jets were extra motivated to win this game for Ulbrich.

The Jets have improved to 3-6, and while their playoff hopes may still be on life support, they feel just a little more alive now after the team finally has snapped its five-game losing streak.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.