


“What are you most proud about what you did today?’’
That was a question posed to Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson in the aftermath of the Jets’ eye-opening dominant 30-6 upset rout of the Texans on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
“Our defense,’’ Johnson said.
“Our defense,’’ Johnson repeated. “That’s it. That’s what I’m most proud of. That’s just how we play defense.’’
Every bit of it.
The Jets’ defense, which entered the day ranked No. 9 overall in the league, not only stifled a Texans offense that entered the game ranked sixth in the NFL in yards, but it delivered its most complete performance of the season.
The Texans entered the game averaging 373 total yards per game and managed a total of 135 against the Jets.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud entered as a mortal lock for the NFL’s Rookie of the Year honors and one of the favorites in the MVP race, averaging 295 passing yards per game.
He threw for 91 yards against the Jets on 10 of 23 passing with a 54.8 rating.
Stroud had just 28 yards passing in the first half. Add in the four times the Jets sacked him for 38 yards in losses, his net passing yards were a mere 53.
“Sounds like a normal day to us, to our defense,’’ linebacker C.J. Mosley told The Post. “We played for one another and just executed. It was just fun out there today. It’s been a while.’’
The Jets’ defense is developing quite a knack for shutting down the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
Consider this: When facing Buffalo’s Josh Allen, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts and Stroud at MetLife Stadium this season, the Jets have held them to a combined 810 yards, a 53 percent completion rate (85 of 159), a 60.6 passer rating with just three TDs and eight INTs.
“Whoever the quarterback is, we hold ourself to the same standard, so the same way we prepared for the MVP of the NFL the past two years [Mahomes], the same way we prepared against Jalen Hurts and same we way we prepared every other quarterback,’’ Mosley said.
“We don’t try to do it intentionally, but that’s just what happens,’’ cornerback Sauce Gardner said. “Naturally, we just step our game up. But it’s not intentional because we want to play at the same level, regardless of who it is.’’
Cornerback D.J. Reed called the game “by far, our most complete game,’’ adding, “We dominated.’’
The Jets’ defense, which held the Texans to just 1 of 12 on third-down conversions, closed the game out with three fourth-down stops in the fourth quarter, leading to three Greg Zeurlein field goals that sealed the game.
“We set goals before this game and one of our goals was for me, Sauce to allow the receivers to have under 100 yards,’’ Reed said. “We have a standard in our room and we upheld that standard this game. I’m not surprised by anything we did today.’’
To his credit, Reed referred to the Texans missing some of their best offensive weapons, entering the game without their second-best receiver, Tank Dell, who has 47 catches for 709 yards and seven TDs, and their top tight end, Dalton Schulz, who has 40 catches for 455 yards and five TDs.
Then Nico Collins, their No. 1 receiver who entered the game with 59 receptions for 991 yards and six TDs, left in the first quarter with a calf injury.
“That definitely hindered their passing game,’’ Reed said.
The Jets’ defense did, too.