The New York Jets defense had a difficult afternoon against the Kansas City Chiefs, allowing five touchdowns ina 35-12 loss at Arrowhead Stadium. David Bailey provided some much-needed disruption with two sacks and two forced fumbles, but the rest of the defense struggled to consistently slow down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense.
Pro Football Focus grades offer another perspective on the defensive performance, identifying players who struggled within their individual assignments. Although Bailey's return gave Aaron Glenn's defense a significant boost, the unit still surrendered 257 yards and 21 points after halftime. Kansas City found too many ways to exploit the defense when the game was still within reach.
The defensive front had
difficulty creating consistent pressure outside of Bailey's production, while the secondary had its own challenges. Five players finished with the lowest defensive grades against Kansas City, including several contributors who will need better performances moving forward.
Here are the five lowest-graded Jets players on defense against the Chiefs in Week 9, according to Pro Football Focus.
Jets' lowest-graded defensive players in Week 9
5. Harrison Phillips, defensive tackle — 40.1
4. D'Angelo Ponds, cornerback — 38.9
3. Malachi Moore, safety — 38.9
2. Jowon Briggs, defensive tackle — 37.0
1. Demario Davis, linebacker — 28.1
Davis landed at the bottom of the defensive rankings with a 28.1 grade. That's a difficult result for a veteran linebacker who finished with nine tackles, including five solo stops. His tackle total shows he was involved in the action, but PFF's evaluation suggests his overall performance didn't meet the standard expected of him.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: PFF: 5 lowest-graded Jets players on defense in Week 9 vs. Chiefs
