NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Overtime loomed.
The Titans, trailing the Jets, 24-17, were on the move as the clock was bleeding toward the end of regulation Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
It was third-and-goal from the Jets 8-yard line and there was Will McDonald busting through the Tennessee offensive line to sack Titans quarterback Will Levis for a 6-yard loss.
The game for the Jets and Titans would officially be over on the next play — fourth-and-goal from the 14-yard line.
That’s when Levis’ desperation pass to Tyler Boyd was broken up by safety Tony Adams to secure the 24-17 Jets win.
But it was the McDonald sack that put the Titans in the impossible situation.
“In my mind, I was thinking, ‘If I win this one-on-one, we win the game,’ ’’ McDonald said.
That sack of Levis was the third of the game for McDonald, who entered the day having recorded three sacks in the 16 NFL games he’d played.
“I thought, Will McDonald, man, he was unbelievable, unbelievable,’’ Jets head coach Robert Saleh said. “I’m going have to look at this tape, but it felt like he was really bringing power to his game today. I thought a couple of his sacks, or at least one of them, he ran right through that right tackle.
“If he continues to develop that, he will be a double-digit sack guy in his sleep.’’
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McDonald, the Jets first-round pick in 2023, set a tone for his day, his best game as a pro to date, on the Titans’ first offensive series when he sacked Levis for a 2-yard loss on third-and-2.
Then, midway through the second quarter, the Titans had the Jets on the ropes, leading 7-0 and with the ball on the Jets 7-yard line.
On third-and-goal, McDonald sacked Levis, who tripped over him as he tried to lateral the ball to running back Tony Pollard.
Pollard never secured the loose ball and Jets linebacker Quincy Williams recovered it.
That play kept the Jets from falling behind 14-0 or 10-0 at best.
“I didn’t even know he tripped over me,’’ McDonald said. “I was just trying to get back there. But I didn’t really see him come up behind me and trip up.’’
McDonald’s performance was particularly significant in the wake of the loss of Jermaine Johnson, most likely for the season, with what’s believed to be a ruptured Achilles.
“We were all playing for him,’’ McDonald said of Johnson.
Asked if this was his best game, McDonald said, “I’ve got a lot more games to play for this to be my best. There’s still more to do.’’
With Johnson likely done for the year and Haason Reddick still stubbornly holding out for a new contract, the Jets desperately need McDonald to play the way he did Sunday.
Because they’re suddenly thin on pass rushers.
“I’m super proud of Will, super proud of the work he’s put in,’’ Jets defensive lineman Solomon Thomas said. “We’ve been proud of Will every day, just the way he works when he shows up, his enthusiasm for life. He has like a little-kid energy in a grown man’s freakish body.’’
Thomas called the loss of Johnson “very emotional’’ for the players.
“Jermaine is someone who pours his heart out every game,’’ Thomas said. “To see Jermaine go down is heartbreaking for him, for us, for his family. It breaks my heart.’’
