4 winners and 4 losers from New York Jets’ brutal loss as Aaron Glenn’s defense wastes impressive offensive performance against Raiders
The Jets finally got the kind of offensive performance they’ve been searching for, but Sunday’s loss exposed a troubling problem that continues to haunt New York.
How do the New York Jets lose a home game in which the offense puts up 33 points? Look no further than Aaron Glenn’s defense.
The Jets fell 38-33 to the Las Vegas Raiders to drop to 2-6, and this was a winnable game. New York moved the football well and kept answering, but the defense never played up to standard. Geno Smith, Braelon Allen, and Adonai Mitchell all did their part. The other side of the ball let them down.
It’s inexcusable at this point for Jets head coach Aaron Glenn to allow his defense to get carved up like the Raiders did to them today.
Winners
QB Geno Smith
Smith has an interception on his stat sheet, but that came on the final Hail Mary. Don’t let that fool you. Geno had a solid day, throwing for 290 yards and two touchdowns.
He moved well in the pocket, showed off his mobility, and made some big-time throws. His playmakers came up big for him, too. You can’t ask much more from your quarterback when he puts 33 points on the board.
RB Braelon Allen
Braelon Allen has been balling, and he kept it going against Las Vegas. He piled up 147 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. He got shaken up at one point, returned to the game, and went right back to doing his thing.
I’ll tell you this much: if the Jets wanted to trade running back Breece Hall at this point, I would understand it. Allen has earned a bigger role and is becoming a bell cow back.
WR Adonai Mitchell
Mitchell finally seems to be healthy again and looks like he never left. He finished with seven receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown. He was phenomenal going up and making plays all afternoon, and he gave Smith a reliable target whenever the Jets needed one.
This Jets passing attack is really starting to look like something.
OC Frank Reich
Reich deserves his fair share of credit for this game and it started with him finding a way to get Garrett Wilson the ball on the first snap of the afternoon. He called a strong game and put his offense in a position to succeed.
I was confused by the Hail Mary call with 14 seconds left, when New York could have tried to pick up a chunk play first. That one decision aside, Reich’s play-calling was a big reason this game was close. At least the Jets offensive play-caller came to work today.
Losers
HC Aaron Glenn
The defense did not play up to the standard it should, and that falls on Glenn who calls plays. The Raiders gashed New York all day. The Jets couldn’t stop the run, and Raiders QB Kirk Cousins had far too much time to find open receivers and make plays against the secondary.
Glenn’s unit has to play better. He also has to put his players in better positions to succeed. With the offense playing this well, a defense led by a defensive-minded coach cannot be the reason the Jets lose.
CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
Brownlee did not have a good football game. Between the penalties and the lack of coverage, he could not make plays on the perimeter when New York needed him most.
CB Brandon Stephens
Brownlee’s running mate didn’t fare any better. Stephens had a rough day and picked up crucial penalties that kept Las Vegas drives alive in the red zone.
The Raiders isolated Stephens in coverage on tight end Brock Bowers a lot, and he just could not keep up. Between Stephens and Brownlee, the Jets’ coverage struggled all game long.
LB Demario Davis
Davis looked a step slow and did not move around well. He finished with seven tackles, but did not do enough from his spot to make plays.
Meanwhile, teammate Jamien Sherwood was doing everything he could, leading the team with 14 tackles. Sherwood needed more help around him, and his veteran should have gave it to him.
The Jets can’t waste games like this
Obviously, nobody expected this season to go smoothly, but this one stings. The offense did its job with Smith, Allen, Mitchell, and Reich all delivering. The defense, which should be the backbone of a Glenn-led team, gave it away.
They’ve shown better this season and looked nothing like it today.
If New York’s offense keeps producing like this, the Jets will be in position to steal some games down the stretch. On the flip side of that, if Aaron Glenn remains the head coach, one could assume that they won’t be able to.
Glenn said the Jets were “on the right track” after last week’s loss. Maybe he just meant his offense.
