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Florham Park – Because the Jets’ defense is struggling so much this year, it’s obscuring some really strong play from a few of their offensive players.
The idea that some people would be critical of the offense for settling for too many field goals on Sunday in their 38-33 loss to Las Vegas is losing the plot.
Yes, settling for four field goals is far from ideal, but the Jets lost 38-33. Putting up 33 points in an NFL game should be enough to win.
The Jets defense right now is apocalyptic.
Brian Costello of the New York Post asked Aaron Glenn today, “Aaron, are you considering any personnel changes on defense with the struggles?”
“As far as?” Glenn responded to Costello.
Some might argue that, the way the defense is playing, they absolutely should make some personnel changes.
A big question is why slot corner D’Angelo Pond is still not seeing much time, serving in a backup role to Jarvis Brownlee.
Costello asked Glenn today, “Ponds only played one snap defensively Sunday, other than the game Jarvis (Brownlee Jr.) was down for, he hasn’t had a big role. Why hasn’t he had a bigger role on defense?
“Guys, we can only play so many people,” Glenn said.
But Brownlee doesn’t seem to be playing very well in coverage. He struggled in coverage against Las Vegas, and also had two penalties.
Costello, one of the few people who will ask the coach tough questions, followed up with, “You guys were excited about him and it’s strange to see him not have a role.”
“Yeah, I think you see that across the league with a number of high picks if you just go around, sometimes you get those guys. (Fernando) Mendoza hasn’t played, I don’t think at all. But the thing is we have some other good players on the team,” Glenn said.
Perhaps, but not many people on this defense are playing like “good players,” and while Brownlee is tough as bootleather as a tackler, his coverage instincts are injurious at times.
After the Jets loss to Las Vegas, we wrote a blog calling the current state of the Jets defense an “emergency” and that they needed to make some changes now, even suggesting they hire a veteran coach as a “defensive consultant.”
Perhaps they don’t view the situation as dire.
As Nick Saban liked to say, “Everyone looks at the world through a different set of eyes.”
But it would certainly be fascinating to be a fly on the wall in a Jets defensive meeting the last few weeks. Going back over the film with the players, man, it would be interesting to hear what is being said to some of these players, with so many mistakes being made. In 2026, perhaps rhetoric in film study is toned down from 10-20 years ago, in these politically correct times. But in the past, some of these guys would be ripped a new one by old-school coaches.
The expression some people might use to describe the current state of the Jets defense is “a dumpster fire.”…
There are some offensive players balling on this team right now.
Even though Kenyon Sadiq only had one catch against Las Vegas, once again, we saw on this one play, what a rare talent he is.
In the third quarter, Geno Smith rolled left and hit Sadiq down the left side for 22-yard gain. Aside from getting open with his 4.37 speed, what you also saw on this play was his 43.5-inch vertical leap, using his pogo stick legs to jump up and snatch this pass, which was a little high.
Big-time play.
AD Mitchell (pictured above) had 7 catches for 142 yards and a touchdown against Miami.
When we talk about Darren Mougey’s trading of Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for two first-round picks, we probably don’t emphasize enough the inclusion of Mitchell in that deal.
Watching him last week, it looks like they got three first-round picks from Carly Irsay-Gordon in that deal.
Remember, when Mitchell was picked in the second round out of Texas, some personnel people had a late first-round grade on him. Great size-speed ratio – 6-2, 205 with 4.34 speed.
What we saw last week was a first-round receiver.
Omar Cooper was superb two weeks ago in the Jets loss to Miami, with two long catches and a 3-yard TD grab. Mason Taylor was also superb in that game with two great TD catches on 50-50 balls.
Taylor had a couple of blocks against Las Vegas that were awfully impressive. Not sure a lot of people realize what a great blocker this kid has turned into. He really gets after it.
In the second quarter, on a 24-yard run by Braelon Allen, Taylor took out defensive tackle Adam Butler, who is 6-4, 301. Taylor is 6-5, 251. He neutralized a man who outweighs him by 50 pounds at the point of attack.
The Jets offensive line is playing well, the QB is playing well, the weapons are playing well, the running backs are playing well, but the defense is so bad that the efforts of the offense in most games are not leading to many “W’s.”
November 4, 2026
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