New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams may be enjoying a modest 2019 NFL season from a numbers perspective. However, Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden does not need the stat sheet to tell him how good Williams has been.

Although the Jets have not had much to hang their hat on this year, they can take solace in the fact that they are currently the best rushing defense in the league. According to Al Ianazzone of Newsday, he feels Williams is a major part of their efforts:

“They’re the No. 1 rushing defense in football and he’s the reason why,” Gruden said on a conference call. “He’s healthy and moving around much better than he did earlier in the season.

“There’s a lot of stuff you got to learn in your first year in the NFL, especially when you play for Gregg Williams. It looks like he’s playing with a lot more confidence, energy. He’s a force in there. It’ll be a challenge for us.”

This is certainly some high praise coming from Gruden. While Williams has not produced the most eye-popping numbers as a rookie with just 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss this season. Regardless, it is clear that his efforts up front have not gone unnoticed.

This week's matchup poses a problem for the Raiders offense and Gruden's emphasis on establishing a run game. It is safe to say that running back Josh Jacobs will have his work cut out trying to get it going against his former Alabama teammate in Williams.