It’s straightforward to level to the turnovers. It’s pure to spotlight what number of occasions the Jets have actually given away management of video games this season.
As a result of with out three fumbles — together with Braelon Allen’s miscue close to the aim line — the Jets (0-4) may need secured their first win of the season in opposition to the beforehand winless Dolphins on Monday.
With out Xavier Gipson’s fourth-quarter fumble in opposition to the Steelers, Aaron Glenn seemingly would have earned his first win in his debut.
And with out a pair of turnovers in Tampa — together with a Tyrod Taylor pick-six simply earlier than halftime — the Jets might have upset the Bucs as a substitute of dropping within the last seconds.
With out the league’s worst turnover margin (minus-7), the Jets wouldn’t have suffered three one-possession losses, and be coming into Sunday’s recreation in opposition to the Cowboys (1-2-1) as one in all three winless groups within the NFL.
“There are some issues that we all know we’ve to do to scrub these issues up, and most essential is the turnovers,” Glenn mentioned Tuesday. “We can’t flip over the ball and count on to win these video games. … If we clear these issues up, I feel we’ll be glad in regards to the route that we’re going.”
Even with quite a few, ill-timed turnovers, the Jets have had their probabilities. However further alternatives haven’t been supplied.
The Jets are the primary workforce in 20 years — and fifth prior to now 90 years — to lose their first 4 video games with out recording a takeaway.
In Glenn’s last three seasons as Lions defensive coordinator, Detroit averaged 1.3 takeaways per recreation, by no means ending worse than 18th within the league. Final 12 months, the Jets averaged one per recreation, down from 1.6 (No. 7 within the NFL) in 2023.
The Cowboys have dedicated six turnovers (4 interceptions, two fumbles) by means of 4 video games.
“Defensively, we’ve to emphasise taking the ball away,” Glenn mentioned. “We’ve to in follow, each time the ball’s within the air, we’ve to assault the ball. Each time the runner has the ball, we’ve to go for the punch-out, whereas nonetheless attempting to make the deal with.”
The previous Jets star cornerback has but to make his mark on a unit that ranked among the many league’s prime 5 in whole protection the earlier three seasons.
Presently, the Jets rank twentieth in whole yards allowed (330.3), twenty fifth in speeding yards allowed (130.5), twenty third in first downs allowed per recreation (20.5), thirtieth in yards per completion (10.9), twenty fourth in sacks per recreation (1.5) and thirtieth in drives permitting a landing or discipline aim (54.8 p.c).
Most significantly, the Jets have allowed at the least 27 factors every week, rating twenty eighth in scoring protection (30.0)
“They had been put in some unhealthy spots [Monday] and you may’t put your protection in unhealthy spots relating to the turnovers,” Glenn mentioned. “Nonetheless, the identify of protection is limiting factors. The factor we’ve to do is restrict factors. Once they do get these turnovers in our territory, we received to drive them to kick discipline objectives and never surrender touchdowns. I do know it’s robust for a protection to be put in that state of affairs, however we’ve to dwell for these moments.”
October presents causes for optimism.
The Jets — who’ve the third-easiest remaining schedule (.433 win proportion) — face Dallas’ Thirty first-ranked protection, in addition to the Panthers, Browns and Joe Burrow-less Bengals.
However self-discipline stays one other roadblock.
After committing 13 penalties on Monday, the Jets are averaging eight penalties per recreation (twenty third) and 72.8 penalty yards (twenty eighth), following back-to-back seasons averaging probably the most flags within the league.
Star cornerback Sauce Gardner mentioned he believes the Jets are flagged extra “primarily based off of us not successful.”
Simply win, child.
“Right here’s what I do know, it’s a must to earn the correct to get numerous these calls,” Glenn mentioned. “There have been various calls in that recreation I felt that didn’t go our means that I assumed we must always’ve gotten … [but] we had quantity of penalties on our finish that we’ve to scrub up. We’re speaking a couple of workforce that had two years of main the league in penalties and we’re nonetheless attempting to scrub these issues up. However I don’t wish to put all of it on that. I wish to speak about that in-house and ensure we do all the things to scrub these issues up.”
