The Jets’ Season Feels Like a Lost Cause
J-E-T-S. Just End The Season.
It’s hard to believe, but the Jets seem less like a legitimate NFL team and more like a placeholder, lingering in the league’s landscape without a solid identity or plan. Perhaps the NFL is simply allowing them to continue their games to spare itself the hassle of organizing an expansion draft.
During their encounter with the Broncos in London on Sunday morning ET, the Jets faced their sixth straight loss at the start of the season. To make matters worse, they achieved a staggering net of minus-10 passing yards, marking the lowest total in the history of the franchise and the worst seen on an NFL field since 1998 when Chargers rookie Ryan Leaf faced off against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
Justin Fields faced relentless pressure, getting sacked a whopping nine times for a total loss of 55 yards. On the final drive of the game, the Jets found themselves trailing by just two points, 13–11, with a first-and-10 position sitting at the Denver 46-yard line. In a baffling move, offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand opted for a pass play, resulting in Fields being sacked for a five-yard loss again. He managed to complete a short pass to Garrett Wilson on the following play, representing his ninth and last successful throw of the game out of 17 attempts. However, on the next play, an incomplete pass followed as Fields threw late, leaving Wilson vulnerable to a brutal hit from safety Talanoa Hufanga.
As they faced a critical fourth-and-8 situation, head coach Aaron Glenn had the option to bring in veteran kicker Nick Folk to attempt a long-distance 62-yard field goal—after all, he had already converted a 52-yarder earlier in the game. Surprisingly, Glenn chose to leave the offense on the field, and Engstrand, in a puzzling decision, called for Fields to drop back to pass again. Unsurprisingly, Fields was ultimately sacked again, sealing the Jets' fate in what became yet another loss.
Losing is one thing, but being utterly incompetent while doing so takes it to a whole new level.
Glenn exhibited a mix of fear and uncertainty during the game, a combination that is detrimental for a leader on the sidelines. With just a minute left before halftime and the Jets trailing 10–6, Glenn decided to execute a successful fake punt from his own 37-yard line. However, instead of seizing the momentum, he opted to let the clock run out, leading to an animated Garrett Wilson on the sidelines as time wasted away.
Justin Fields, now on his third team in as many years, has shown why he’s struggling. He completed only 9 out of 17 attempts for a mere 45 yards, frequently appearing indecisive with the ball. This trend mirrors his time with the Bears, where he was sacked an alarming total of 55 times in 2022, an NFL record for a player of his mobile stature—only the second quarterback ever, besides Lamar Jackson, to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season.
Previously, the Steelers were 4–2 before deciding to bench Fields. While they watched Russell Wilson finish the season with a disheartening 47.9 QBR, Pittsburgh never once considered reinstating Fields. Despite this backdrop, general manager Darren Mougey made the baffling choice to invest $40 million in Fields over two seasons, with $30 million guaranteed. This decision is particularly astonishing because Mougey came from Denver's front office, where he'd seen Wilson's expensive contract effectively go to waste.
Mougey must have perceived Fields as a better option than Wilson, according to Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Tomlin and a franchise that has made the playoffs four out of the last five years. So why did he offer Fields such a lucrative, multi-year deal?
It’s essential to note that Fields isn’t the sole culprit for the Jets’ woes. The offensive line's dismal performance was evident, as highlighted by those nine sacks he suffered. Credit should also be given to the Broncos, who possess an impressive pass rush, led by Nik Bonitto, who has an astonishing league-high of eight sacks. Denver currently tops the league with 30 sacks, a pace that, if maintained, could see them shatter the single-season record of 72 previously set by the 1984 Bears.
Despite this, the Jets played as if they weren’t competing at a professional level this past Sunday. The quarterback's performance was subpar, as was the coaching staff's, resulting in a disheartening defeat with no touchdowns on their score sheet.
Looking ahead, the next moves for New York are glaringly clear. They should consider trading running back Breece Hall, who will be a free agent soon. Furthermore, veteran backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor, boasting 59 career starts with 28 wins, deserves a chance. In his sole start for the Jets this year, he threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns in a nearly memorable upset against the Buccaneers.
At this juncture, continuing to play Fields, who has failed to reach 50 yards in two games out of five starts, seems unwarranted.
As the months progress, discussions will arise concerning which player the Jets should draft next to inject hope into the Meadowlands. What’s promising is that New York may have the first overall pick, as they are currently the only winless team left in the league. The downside? They haven’t successfully drafted and developed a legitimate franchise quarterback since the legendary Joe Namath hung up his jersey back in 1977.
With 11 more games to go, Glenn has ample opportunity to demonstrate that he shouldn’t be dismissed after only one season—a fate we witnessed last year with Jerod Mayo's exit from New England. Although this may appear harsh, Mougey and the ownership need to evaluate whether they believe Glenn and his staff should oversee the training of a rookie quarterback. As it stands, evidence supporting that they can do so effectively is scant.
In the meantime, Jets fans find themselves stuck in the all-too-familiar position of waiting.
Waiting for a hero. Waiting for a glimmer of hope. Waiting—at this point—for the season to come to a close.
