New York Jets finally end embarrassing 637-day drought as defense gets long-awaited breakthrough against Chicago Bears
The New York Jets went exactly 20 games without picking off a pass, and now they can finally breathe. Minkah Fitzpatrick has put the national jokes to rest in his second career game as a Jet.
Could the New York Jets really go another full game without an interception? Not this time. After 637 days and exactly 20 games, the Jets finally have one.
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick broke the streak Sunday against the Chicago Bears. He was back in the lineup after a groin injury he suffered in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. In the second quarter, Fitzpatrick picked off Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent over the middle of the field, and the drought that had followed this defense for well over a year was over.
Look, it is the Jets. Nothing comes easy, and this streak was no exception. But now, they can finally put it to rest.
New York almost ended the drought earlier
The weird part is that New York nearly had this monkey off its back before Fitzpatrick ever touched the football. Defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat picked off a screen pass earlier in the game. For a moment, it looked like the wait was finally over.
Then the flag came out. The play was called back for illegal hands to the face, and the streak lived on for a few more series. Per usual. If there was a way for the Jets to make their fans wait just a little bit longer, they were going to find it.
Obviously, a defensive tackle snagging a screen pass would have made for a fun way to end it. But it is fitting that the guy who finally got it done is the guy this defense has been missing. Minkah Fitzpatrick was definitely needed back in this secondary. He’s made his mark already in Chicago.
Minkah Fitzpatrick makes his return felt
I’ll tell you this much: it is not a coincidence that the first interception in 20 games came in Fitzpatrick’s first game back. He has made a name for himself as a playmaking safety, and the Jets have felt his absence since Week 1.
Bagent tried to work the middle of the field, and Fitzpatrick made him pay. That is exactly what you want from a veteran safety. Quarterbacks have to account for where he is on every snap, and when they don’t, the ball ends up going the other way.
Having him back changes what this secondary can be. Without him, the Jets struggled to defend the Lions passing attack in Week 3. With him, they got a takeaway in the first half of his return against the Bears.
Why that’s a big deal for the Jets
Think about how long this drought really was. The Jets’ last interception came in Week 18 of the 2024 season against the Miami Dolphins, on a pick by former Jets safety Ashtyn Davis. That is a long time to go without a defensive back, a linebacker, or anyone else on the roster coming down with a pass.
The streak became a national talking point, and not in a good way. Every week, the number got a little bigger, and every week, the jokes got a little louder. Finally, the national talk can quiet down because this defense has a key takeaway to point to.
And that’s a big deal. Takeaways swing games. They flip field position, they give the offense extra possessions, and they give a defense confidence that it can make plays instead of just surviving them.
When Fitzpatrick came down with the ball, the Jets trailed the Bears 7-0 in Chicago. New York got the ball back and started driving, which is exactly what an interception is supposed to do for a team that needs a spark. The Jets were able to get a field goal off the leg of Jason Sanders, and the Bears went down and did the same in return.
I don’t know how the rest of this one plays out in Chicago. The Bears currently lead it 10-3 near the end of the first half. I do know this defense looks different with Fitzpatrick on the field. The drought is over, and I don’t think the next interception takes 637 days. With Fitzpatrick back roaming the middle of the field, I expect the Jets to start taking the ball away a lot more often.
