Aaron Glenn didn’t get the win in Week 3, but he may have gotten something just as valuable: a game that showed what his Jets can look like when they refuse to fold.
New York’s 31-24 loss to the Detroit Lions started like it could turn ugly fast. The Jets fell behind 24-10, and in the past that kind of deficit might have sent the whole thing off the rails.
This group kept fighting. They battled back, tied the game, and only then gave way to another Detroit touchdown.
That made the loss sting, but it also made the performance stand out. After a rough Week 2 showing against the Green Bay Packers, when Glenn’s situational awareness and clock control came under scrutiny, the Jets looked far sharper here. Even with the defeat, this might have been the best-coached game of Glenn’s Jets tenure so far.
It was also the kind of matchup where New York would have been forgiven for getting overwhelmed. Detroit came in with Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St.
Brown, and a Penei Sewell-led offensive line that can stress a defense in a hurry. Instead, the Jets hung around and gave themselves a real chance, with Glenn helping put the team in position to compete emotionally, schematically, and logistically.
The injury list only made that harder. Glenn and Frank Reich had to navigate absences to Adonai Mitchell, Mason Taylor, and Omar Cooper Jr. before the game even began.
Then Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson were both off the field for the offense’s final play. And still, Geno Smith delivered a big afternoon, finishing 31-for-37 for 320 passing yards and three touchdowns before his fumble on the final drive.
Detroit did what good teams do: it waited out the moment. The Lions had just 3 points at the first-half two-minute warning, then Jahmyr Gibbs got rolling and the offense finally opened up. Expecting Demario Davis, David Bailey, and a patchwork group of overachievers to hold that unit under 30 points was never a fair ask.
The coaching decisions also held up. There were no clock-management mistakes to pick apart, and Glenn passed the analytics test by going for two while trailing by eight. For a roster that had little business being in that game, the Jets came within 28 yards of either a win or an overtime shot.
That’s why this one lands differently than a typical 1-2 start. New York already has a Week 1 win over the Tennessee Titans, but that result has to be viewed with some caution given how lifeless the 0-3 Titans have looked on offense in two of their last three games. Detroit was a different animal entirely - a contender with extra prep time after a primetime embarrassment, playing at home with far more talent.
The Jets simply got out-talented. Detroit had the star power, a Top 10 quarterback, and an experienced coach.
New York was missing three pass-catching starters and had lost its starting running back. On paper, these teams weren’t in the same neighborhood.
But the Jets were competitive anyway, and that matters. Glenn is showing signs that he’s learning from his early mistakes and can keep this team in games it has no right to win.
That doesn’t erase the loss. It does suggest the bigger picture in New York may be moving in the right direction.
In Other News...
Jets Suddenly Have A Bigger Breece Hall Problem
The Jets were already scrambling in Week 3 against the Lions without several key starters, and the injury list only grew from there. One of the biggest concerns came when Breece Hall went out with a thigh injury, forcing New York to adjust on the fly in a game where depth was already being tested.
Hall sounded unsure afterward about just how serious the issue might be, which is where the real concern starts for the Jets. Braelon Allen handled the lead-back role once Hall exited, but for a team trying to piece together its offense through injuries, any uncertainty around Hall carries obvious weight going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Just Gave Jets Fans A Reason To Reconsider Aaron Glenn
Aaron Glenns first season has come with plenty of scrutiny, especially when late-game decisions and clock management have left Jets fans grumbling. But after a tight loss to the Lions, Dan Campbell offered a different perspective on the coachs work, praising Glenn publicly and crediting him for how hard the Jets made the game. For a team that has spent much of the year fighting through injuries and a difficult schedule, it was another sign that the performance level has been trending in a better direction even when the results have not always followed.
Campbells endorsement carries some weight because of his history with Glenn, and it arrives at a time when the Jets are still sorting out what their present and future should look like under him. There has been visible progress from a roster that leaned on contributions from Geno Smith, Kenyon Sadiq and Garrett Wilson to stay competitive against a strong opponent, even if the final score again left room for frustration. The broader question now is whether the improvement around Glenn is enough to quiet the criticism, or whether the conversation around him will keep coming back to the same lingering issues. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Have A Bigger Olu Fashanu Question Than Fans Wanted
Olu Fashanus early-season work at left tackle has become one of the more important subplots around the Jets, and not just because the pass protection has been uneven. Through the first stretch of the 2026 season, Fashanu has already given up multiple pressures and sacks, a rough opening that echoes the slow start he had last year. For a team still trying to stabilize its offense, the left edge is not the place where uncertainty feels especially comfortable.
What makes the situation more pressing is the calendar. The Jets will have to make a fifth-year option decision on Fashanu this offseason, which gives his 2026 performance added weight beyond the usual week-to-week grading. There is still room for his play to trend upward, and the team will be betting on that kind of growth, but the margin for a prolonged struggle is thinner now than it was when the season began. [Read more 🡒]