At 2-9, many Jets followers would like the workforce to lose out to acquire a greater 2026 draft decide.
However Aaron Glenn says he’s making an attempt to construct a basis and believes it’s essential for the Jets to win as many video games as doable earlier than the tip of the season.
“I’m going to offer you a line that you simply guys have heard earlier than: You play the sport to win, Glenn stated. “It’s simply not in a coach or gamers mentality to go on the market and lose video games. We’re not constructed that means.
“We’re built to go out there and play as hard as we can to try and get as many wins as we can. And then we let everything else take care of itself as far as draft and all that, but anytime we step on the grass, we’re trying to improve, and anytime we go into games, we’re trying to see what we did in practice, man can we make sure that transitions out on the field and hopefully that creates wins for us. There are some long-term goals that we have, because we have to have a blueprint, we have to have a vision of where we’re going, but man, we’re in the now of trying to get things done now, so never get that mixed up with how we’re doing.”
If Glenn and the Jets had been genuinely making an attempt to lose video games, they wouldn’t have benched Justin Fields for Tyrod Taylor after the offense has been amongst the worst within the NFL. Taylor will begin once more for the Jets towards the Falcons on Sunday.
In 9 video games for the Jets, Fields has thrown for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception whereas finishing 62.7% of his passes. He’s scheduled to make $20 million subsequent season, together with $10 million assured. Nonetheless, the Jets might determine to reset their quarterback room in 2026 by releasing Fields, drafting a rookie, and pairing him with one other veteran quarterback.
Fields says he was shocked by his benching however pledges to develop into a beginning quarterback once more, whether or not with the Jets or someplace else.
“I just know who I am as a person, as a football player, as a hard worker,” Fields stated. “I feel I do know I’ve the mindset and the talent to realize that. I simply really feel like I must do it on a extra constant foundation, however that’s simply what it’s.
“It’s the ups and downs of life. But it’s not going to do anything but make me stronger on the back end of it.”
The Jets protection has entered uncharted territory. By 11 video games, the Jets have only one takeaway, a compelled fumble and restoration, and no interceptions. They’re the primary workforce in NFL historical past to have only one takeaway of their first 11 video games of the season.
This week’s recreation towards the Falcons may present turnover alternatives with Kirk Cousins beneath heart. Final yr, Cousins led the league with 16 interceptions in simply 14 video games earlier than being benched for Michael Penix Jr.
After Penix suffered {a partially} torn ACL earlier this month, Cousins is as soon as once more Atlanta’s beginning quarterback. That would doubtlessly arrange turnover alternatives for a Jets protection that’s been ravenous to register takeaways.
“It sucks, but we’re working towards it,” Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens stated. “I feel each man on the protection is hungry to get one, and we simply need to be extra intentional about it.
“Whether or not that’s forcing a fumble, getting on it and making a play if the ball is thrown to us. It’s undoubtedly not a very good factor that we’re final within the league in turnovers, however we nonetheless acquired extra ball to play.
Sunday will mark the return of Jeff Ulbrich, who was the Jets defensive coordinator for 4 seasons. He was additionally the workforce’s interim coach after proprietor Woody Johnson fired Robert Saleh 5 video games into the 2024 season.
The Jets had been 3-9 beneath Ulbrich, and Johnson employed Glenn because the workforce’s everlasting coach. Ulbrich says will probably be good to return to MetLife and see a number of acquainted faces.
“There’s a few coaches that are still on the staff that, obviously, I’m very close with and have a lot of love for and spent a lot of time with,” “So it’ll be at all times good to see them.
“But at the end of the day, it’s the next opponent. It really is. And I know that’s a cliche, but it’s the absolute truth. I think, to have sustained success, you have to approach every week that way. It’ll be good to see those guys, and it’ll be cool to just see something familiar regarding the stadium and the area that I lived in for four years there. But for this team and for myself, it’s just the next opponent.”
