Coming off a three-game losing streak, the New York Jets weren’t looking hopeful. I’m not sure it’s much better now. With a mixed record in weeks five to six, Jets fans still aren’t sure what to expect from their team on Sundays. While they’re still coming out strong and making each game a true competition, the Jets sit at 2-4 with plenty of tough games ahead. They face Miami next week in what I hope will be an easy win, but then they host the Las Vegas Raiders, travel to Kansas City, and host the Buffalo Bills. I feel like this is going to be another one of those seasons (just like 2022) where fans look back and think, What happened? We had a chance here.
Week 5: Jets vs. Browns
I was worried going into this rainy game at MetLife Stadium, especially after the Cleveland Browns seemed to be gaining some momentum in weeks two to four. I am glad that the Jets surprised me with a 17-12 win. The defense showed who they are, with rookie DE David Bailey shining, breaking through with 3 sacks and 5 tackles — a performance that won him AFC Defensive Player of the Week and Pepsi Rookie of the Week.Â
It wasn’t just the defense that made strides. The Jets reestablished their offensive footing, with big games from Braelon Allen and Garrett Wilson. It still hurts to have Breece Hall sidelined, but Allen stood strong. He ran for 116 yards and secured a New York victory with a late touchdown. I know I was a bit harsh on him in my last two articles, but he’s been the driving force of our offense in Hall’s absence. Frank Reich also finally did what fans have been calling for: getting the ball in Garrett Wilson’s arms. I truly cannot praise Garrett enough. He dominated our opening drive, earning 69 of his 104 yards and a touchdown on the first drive alone. If only we did that more often!
Aaron Glenn may have saved his job with this outing, and he also made his way back onto thousands of meme pages with the clip of him dangling the challenge flag in front of the refs. Beyond the viral sideline antics, though, his defensive adjustments were exactly what we — and he — needed to see after a rough stretch that put Glenn on the hot seat. For now, he still has the locker room and much of the fan base behind him.
However, this win wasn’t dominant like week one in Tennessee. Former Jets linebacker Quincy Williams had three forced fumbles and seven tackles, making sure AG and Darren Mougey knew that they made a mistake in letting him walk. We still have work to do, and this win wasn’t easy.
Week 6: Jets vS. Patriots
Finally, our first divisional match came in week six against the New England Patriots. Garrett Wilson said it best: “it’s a big-a** game.” And we lost it.Â
The Jets came out strong, driving down the field with a mix of clean passes from Geno Smith and strong runs from Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis. Once again, though, a penalty killed the spirit: Tim Patrick was called for offensive pass interference on what would’ve been an impressive touchdown for TE Omar Cooper Jr. in his return from injury. Right after, the Jets’ defense held Drake Maye and company to a three-and-out. This positive momentum didn’t last, though, as the Patriots defense responded with a stand of their own, giving the ball back to their offense, which quickly drove down the field to score a touchdown.
Play-calling issues struck again, with New York going for two 4th-and-1s in Pats territory. These decisions weren’t horrible on their own, but our conversion attempts — an Isaiah Davis run and a Geno Smith sneak — weren’t impressive. If the Jets had sent out Jason Sanders for two kicks, they could’ve led 9-7 early. Even worse, we failed to execute under pressure. With the ball back in our control with 1:46 left in the first half, we should’ve been able to grind out at least a field goal to make the score 6-10. Instead, we gained a mere six yards and punted the ball back to New England, letting them score another touchdown and gain a 17-3 lead into halftime.
The Jets came out of halftime fighting to reclaim their identity, with the defense forcing the Pats’ turnover on downs. This set Geno Smith up for a monster 48-yard throw to Omar Cooper Jr. in the endzone, which earned him his first career TD. As New England scrambled to respond, David Bailey forced the ball out of TreVeyon Henderson’s arms, and Jamien Sherwood recovered for New York. Unfortunately, Geno threw his first interception of the year at an unlucky time; however, on a horrible break for New York, DeMario Douglas fumbled while trying to extend a 50-yard play for the Pats, and Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered the ball.
A rare takeaway for this team, but I was disappointed with our defensive line that day. Considering the number of injuries on New England’s O-line, we should’ve been able to create much more pressure today.
If we want to have any semblance of a chance in our upcoming games, we need to get it together.
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