KONY EXPRESS
Kony Ealy finished one of the toughest weeks of his life with one of the best games of his career.
Ealy, who missed two days of practice this week following the death of his sister, was a defensive force in the Jets’ 23-20 overtime win against the Jaguars, batting down a career-high four passes, and recording his second career interception.
After the game, an emotional Ealy received the game ball in the locker room, and was hugged by teammates. The Jets reportedly gave Ealy the option to sit out Sunday, but the defensive end wanted to play.
What followed was a game he will never forget.
“It’s not the same Jets team it has been in the past,” said Ealy, who didn’t discuss his sister’s death after the game. “The attitude of this football team is different than in past years.”
After recording three passes defended all of last season — and one through the first three games this season — Ealy set the highest mark of any player in the league this season. According to Pro Football Focus, no other defender in the league has batted down more than two passes at the line of scrimmage in a game this season.
None were as impressive as Ealy’s one-man effort, late in the third quarter, when he tipped a Blake Bortles pass up to himself and notched an interception, setting the Jets up at the Jaguars’ 7-yard line. The Jets ultimately settled for a field goal, taking a 20-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
“I’ve done it before,” said Ealy, who also had three quarterback pressures. “We needed a turnover. ... I just had an opportunity to make a play on the ball.”
On his third team this calendar year, Ealy has taken advantage of his opportunity with the Jets.
After spending his first three seasons with the Panthers, Ealy was traded to the Patriots in March, but was cut by the defending Super Bowl champions Aug. 26. The next day, the Jets claimed him off waivers.
Clearly, it hasn’t been the season he expected. And maybe, the team he’s now with isn’t who everyone expected it to be.
“We’ve owned up to our mistakes and we showed you when we play as a team and as a unit, we can go anywhere,” Ealy said. “We’re going out there and we’re playing. We’re just not talking about it.”