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The Jets’ anemic passing offense has certainly contributed in a major way to the team’s 2-8.
Justin Fields had passed for just 1,399 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games.
But I really have no issue with Fields, and nor should anybody else.
His play this year is no different than the film from his first four years in the NFL.
So why would anybody fair-minded person have an issue with him?
SiriusXM NFL Radio host Pat Kirwan, a former Jets executive, said that Fields should have played a different position in the NFL.
Yes, kind of like the New Orleans Saints did with former BYU QB Taysom Hill, who was made a tight end.
But aside from the Jets’ passing offense being a reason for the team’s struggles, another big reason is the play of their defense.
Considering they hired a head coach, Aaron Glenn, who made his bones as a defensive coach, even in a transition year, many expected the Jets’ defense to be better than it is.
One issue has been pass defense communication, something we saw against in the team’s loss to New England.
“Defensively, communication issues came up, and when you have a lot of guys going in and out of the secondary, those things happen,” Glenn said about the Jets’ defensive struggles in Foxboro. “That’s not an excuse at all, but we got to get those things cleaned up.”
Another issue is that the team has no interceptions all season, so no picks in 10 games.
“It’s tough,” Glenn said “To have one takeaway at this point in the season, it’s tough to even imagine that, because you have tipped balls, you have things like that, that you usually get interceptions on. I don’t know if it’s bad luck, I don’t know.”
As legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey once said, “Luck is the residue of design.”
One reason for the Jets’ lack of picks is that they don’t have a lot of cover guys with great instincts who see things before they happen. They have a lot of see and go reactors.
Just like the previous couple of seasons, their linebacker pass coverage is substandard. One of their biggest needs in the draft, free agency, or both next off-season is a linebacker with great coverage instincts.
They also could use a big play safety, who is not a see-and-go reactor, but somebody who jumps routes.
Another reason for the lack of picks is a pass rush that has not been great in most games this year.
Yes, there have been a couple of good pass rush games, but not enough.
Ture, they had a defensive end amass four sacks against Cleveland, and he deserves credit for that, but the Browns’ backup left tackle is not particularly good.
In Tampa Bay, against a team with both starting offensive tackles out, the Jets finished with 1 sack. That is a shocking stat! Too many other games like that with underwhelming sack totals.
One issue is the team playing a defensive tackle, who lacks quick twitch and bendability, quite a bit in the defensive end rotation. He has no sacks in 10 games.
So there are a couple of things Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey need to roll up their sleeves and fix in the off-season.
The need to draft a QB high in the first round, perhaps with their first pick, but then, with their other three premium picks, their second one, and two twos should pick instinctive defensive difference-makers.
Look, there are myriad reasons for the lack of interceptions and turnovers overall, but one factor is the need for more instinctive play-makers on all three levels of their defense.
November 17, 2025
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