Aaron Glenn has turned the Jets defense into something few people saw coming, and after Week 5 it’s producing numbers this franchise hasn’t touched in a quarter century.
New York’s win over the Cleveland Browns gave Glenn’s group its third game of the 2026 season in which it held an opponent under 200 yards, making the Jets the first team since the 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers to reach that mark in three of their first five games. That Tampa Bay defense was stacked with stars - and the Jets don’t have Derrick Brooks or Warren Sapp - but the comparison still says plenty about how far this unit has come after being the punchline of the league last season.
Glenn scrapped his preferred 4-3 front and rebuilt the defense from the ground up after the embarrassment of the 2025 season, and the early returns are obvious. The Jets aren’t just surviving on scheme; they look organized, physical and far more difficult to deal with. Glenn also being much more hands-on with the defense has been a major boost.
The schedule has helped some, of course. Those sub-200-yard outings came against a Tennessee Titans team that “doesn't look like it can tie its shoes under Robert Saleh,” a banged-up Green Bay Packers group in ugly conditions, and the Browns. By contrast, the Jared Goff-led Detroit Lions and Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears were able to have their way with New York.
Still, the Jets have done what better teams are supposed to do: they’ve punished weakened opponents, something past versions of this defense often failed to do. And one of the biggest signs of real progress came up front, where pressure on the quarterback has been a lingering problem despite all the resources the team has poured into that area.
Against Cleveland, No. 2 pick David Bailey accounted for three of the eight sacks of Deshaun Watson. Kingsley Enagbare and Will McDonald also got home, and the Browns’ offensive line never looked up to the challenge.
The linebackers and secondary have played their part, too. Demario Davis has lifted the floor of the linebacker group in exactly the way many expected, while the back end has held together better than predicted even with Minkah Fitzpatrick missing time because of injury.
That has allowed Brandon Stephens and Azareye'h Thomas to give the Jets a workable outside cornerback pairing despite the touchdown allowed, while Jarvis Brownlee Jr. has become a busy playmaker in the slot. Dane Belton, meanwhile, has gone from free-agent flier to immediate fan favorite and extension candidate thanks to the way he’s played.
The Jets still aren’t a great team, and offensive coordinator Frank Reich has drawn criticism for some lackluster game plans. But on Glenn’s side of the ball, New York is no longer a joke. It’s a legitimate, stingy unit - and after five weeks, that’s a major step forward.
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After the Jets win over the Browns, Garrett Wilson made a point of using social media to stand up for a teammate whose impact had already been felt on the field. The moment fit the mood around a locker room that has been trying to turn a good performance into something a little more meaningful, and Wilsons post said plenty about how players inside the building view one another when the spotlight is on.
Wilson had every reason to feel good about the day himself after catching 7 of 11 targets for 104 yards and a touchdown, but he still took the time to back David Bailey in the aftermath. Baileys work against Cleveland was impossible to miss, and Wilsons response added another layer to a win that felt bigger than a single box score, even if the outside recognition still hasnt caught up. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Kept Their Season Alive But Aaron Glenn Questions Remain
The Jets needed a response in Week 5, and they got one with a win over the Browns that nudged them to 2-3 and kept their season from drifting any further. It was their first victory in a true must-win spot this year, and the defense did plenty of the heavy lifting with a disruptive day that kept Cleveland from comfortably settling in.
Aaron Glenn still comes out of it with more questions than answers, though. The rookie head coachs overall mark is now 5-17, and even with the season hanging around for another week, the bigger conversation in Florham Park is whether this kind of win changes anything about the long view on his future. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Snapped Their Skid Behind A Finish Fans Will Be Talking About
Braelon Allen gave the Jets exactly the kind of running-game spark they had been searching for, piling up 116 yards while helping New York grind out a 17-12 win over the Browns. The offense did enough to stay in front when it mattered, with Geno Smith throwing for 182 yards and a touchdown as the Jets finally found a way to turn a close game into a needed victory.
New York still had to survive a tense finish, and the defense made sure the skid ended there. After a late fumble recovery put the Jets in position to close it out, the pass rush came through again in the final minute, leaving Cleveland to sort through another frustrating afternoon after dropped passes and its first loss since Week 1. [Read more 🡒]