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Intriguing tweet from the preeminent New York NFL Insider after the Jets’ loss to Green Bay.
“I think Aaron Glenn has exceeded all expectations calling the defense,” tweeted SNY’s Connor Hughes. “This is not a particularly talented unit and he has them playing really, really good ball. My biggest concern: Does calling the defense take too much attention away from micromanaging the game? So many things slipped through cracks today. It takes attention away from an incredible defensive game plan.”
Some would argue that the micromanaging of the game wasn’t great last year when Glenn wasn’t calling the defense.
Secondly, before we go too crazy with the praise of the defensive coaching, let’s see what they do in Detroit and Chicago the next two weeks. In Week 1, they faced QB Cam Ward, who needs some work, and then in Week Two, they faced a Green Bay team that lost their right tackle on the first series, and then their left guard shortly thereafter. They also lost one of their best receivers, Jayden Reed, on the first series.
Don’t get the wrong idea – Glenn is doing a solid job with the defense, but before we say he’s “exceeded all expectations is a little premature; let’s give this a little more time.
Also, some might perceive that tweet as a slight shot at GM Darren Mougey.
Interesting tweet . . .
Geno Smith had two of the best games of his career in Detroit against the Lions.
In 2022, Smith led the Seattle Seahawks to a 48-45 victory at Ford Field, completing 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a score.
In 2023, he led the Seahawks to a 37-31 OT win, going 32 for 41 with 328 yards and two touchdowns.
These performances were against Glenn’s defensive scheme, and keep in mind, when Glenn left to become the head coach of the Jets, his linebacker coach, Kelvin Shepherd, was promoted to defensive coordinator and is a running basically the same system.
So not only will Smith be facing a defensive scheme he had great success against in 2022 and ’23, it’s basically the same scheme he’s been going against all spring and summer in practice.
And when you throw in all the Lions secondary injuries, it would be surprising if the Jets QB doesn’t have a good game on Sunday . . .
The early-game injuries to linebacker Kiko Mauigoa and Marcelino McCrary-Ball against Green Bay, definitely wreaked havoc on the Jets special teams coverage unit.
Packers returner Skyy Moore had two long returns, a 43-yard kickoff return and a 63-yard punt return.
With Mauigoa and McCrary-Ball out, the Jets were forced to put players in key coverage roles who might not be ideal players to break down with the quick, speedy Moore in space.
Like on the 43-yarder, you had two tall 6-5 defensive ends, Braidon McGregor and Kingsley Enagbare in the center of the action trying to pursue him in the middle of the play. Both tough has bootleather; with their long legs, it’s hard for them to “break down in space,” to use an old football term,
On the 63-yarder, in the middle of the return, you had two 6-5 tight ends, Jeremy Ruckert and Mason Taylor, trying to deal with the Moore, and they had issues “breaking down in space.”
“Breaking down in space” on defense means you have “active, choppy steps that allow the defender to change direction instantly if the runner cuts left or right,” according to Glazier Clinics, one of largest providers of football coach education in the United States. 6-1 linebackers can do that better than long-legged 6-5 cats.
So the bottom line is when you are forced to use a bunch of long-legged 6-5 guys in key kick/punt cover roles, and you have a quick-as-a-tick returner, it’s hard for them to cut with the player in space, and that is what you saw on these two players.
This isn’t in any way a criticism of McGregor, Engagbare, Ruckert, or Taylor. It wasn’t an effort issue, but more a body type issue vis-Ã -vis the roles they were forced into. . .
David Onyemata has sports hernia surgery. It was probably done by Dr. Williams Meyers in Philadelphia, the doctor of choice for many NFL players for this surgery. It’s usually a who’s who of pro athletes in his waiting room.
This is generally about a six-week recovery, but often closer to eight weeks.
The Jets are fortunate to have DT Jack Heflin on their practice squad, and they have called him up.
Rookie Darrell Jackson will likely have a bigger role if he can keep his pad level down.
Jowon Briggs will likely start for Onyemata.
They will also need a little more from Harrison Phillips, who finished the Jets-Packers game with no tackles. He had a fumble recovery against Green Bay after Enagbare forced a fumble, but didn’t register a tackle according to the stat sheet . . .
September 23, 2026
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