For more than a decade now, and basically since their last playoff game all the way back in 2011, being a New York Jets fan has been a special kind of football agony. But so far in 2022, it’s been a much different story, as the team sits at 5-2 — right behind Josh Allen and the mighty Buffalo Bills — in the AFC East. Today, The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt tells us about the young defensive stars (Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams) who have helped power this surprising turnaround. Plus, the long, winding football journey of the coach they call “Smash”, who is in Robert Saleh’s ear during some of the game’s most critical moments.

Follow Zack Rosenblatt’s coverage of the Jets: https://theathletic.com/author/zack-rosenblatt/

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