‘We’re fighting our asses off to close that gap, and we will’ – Aaron Glenn knows what is required of New York Jets after 1-2 start
The New York Jets are 1-2, but the point differential, the roster growth, and a favorable October slate tell a different story than the record suggests.
The New York Jets are 1-2 through three weeks of the 2026 NFL season, and Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is saying all the right things about where this team stands. Despite the record, there is clear reason for optimism with the Jets heading into October. Not just for the future, but for right now.
Watching the Jets’ first three games objectively, there were frustrating moments in Week 2 and in yesterday’s loss to the Detroit Lions. But this team looks further along early in the season than it has at any point in recent years. Glenn knows it, and he made that clear after the game.
“We’re right here. Our guys know it’s this gap right here that we’ve got to close. We’re fighting our asses off to close that gap, and we will, from a coaching perspective and from a player perspective,” Glenn said.
The numbers back up the progress
Look, the bar was low. The Jets’ point differential in the 2025 season, Glenn’s first year, was -203. New York put up 300 points last season (17.6 per game) and gave up 503 total points (29.6 per game), placing them dead last in the NFL in point differential.
The Jets currently have a +10 point differential despite the 1-2 record. Is that a little skewed due to the blowout win in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans? Obviously. But the improvement is real. The New York Jets are a better football team at this point in the season than they were at any point during Glenn’s first year. That’s a big deal for a team that’s been in the dumpster, for lack of a better term, over the past decade.
October could define the Jets’ season
Now, the schedule for the month of October shows a lot of promise. New York goes to Chicago next week to face a solid Bears team that might be without quarterback Caleb Williams. The following week, the Jets host the Cleveland Browns, who are 2-1 but represent a similar talent level to New York.
The month wraps up with two divisional games. The Jets travel to New England to face the Patriots and then host the Miami Dolphins. The away game against the Patriots will be tough. New York has struggled against New England for a long time. But the Patriots are not a good football team this year, and Miami has not won a game yet.
I think the Jets have a legitimate opportunity to stack some wins here. Could they stumble? Sure. But this is as favorable a four-game stretch as you could ask for given where the roster is right now. The talent is there, the coaching is trending in the right direction, and the schedule sets up well for them.
New York needs to capitalize. They still have yet to show they can win tough games. If Aaron Glenn is right and this team closes the gap over the next month, the Jets could be sitting at 4-3 or even 5-2 heading into November. That would change the entire conversation around this franchise.
