New York Jets fans have spent a long time waiting for reasons to feel good, so even preseason numbers are worth a close look. Two exhibition games in, and there are a few encouraging signs that point to a more buttoned-up operation under head coach Aaron Glenn.
Start with the defense, which has been remarkably clean. Through the first two preseason games, the Jets have been flagged just twice as a unit.
One was a holding call on defensive tackle Ben Barton, who was later waived. The other came for 12 men on the field.
In practical terms, that means no current Jets defensive player has been charged with an individual defensive penalty yet.
That kind of discipline matters. Penalties are the sort of thing that can drive a fan base nuts in a hurry, especially on defense, where sloppy football usually shows up fast. For now, though, Glenn’s group has avoided that mess entirely.
The same kind of steady work has shown up along the offensive line. The Jets’ first-team unit has opened both preseason games, and while the sample is tiny - just one series in each contest - the results have been spotless enough to notice.
Over 21 snaps together, the starting five have posted zero penalties and allowed just one pressure, a hit on left tackle Olu Fashanu. No sacks.
No hurries. Both drives with the first offense produced points and moved the ball 134 yards combined.
Nobody is handing out awards for two preseason possessions, and nobody should. But so far, the front five has simply handled its business.
The other encouraging number sits on the defensive side again: eight missed tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, that’s all the Jets have been credited with across the first two preseason games.
New York is tied with the Green Bay Packers for the second-fewest missed tackles in the league this preseason, trailing only the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have seven. The league average is 16.1, which puts the Jets at exactly half of that mark.
The encouraging part gets even better when you zoom in. The projected starters have been charged with only one missed tackle, by Brandon Stephens, and no Jets linebacker has been credited with one yet.
That kind of detail fits with what Glenn said in July about how he’s managing camp. He explained that the team was using analytics and sports science to shape practice volume and recovery, with the goal of getting players ready for the regular season.
“I showed (the players) a graph to where the first week, the highest amount of reps we get is 24 reps and then we’re going to recover, then we’ll bring it down,” Glenn said. “So, we had two practices on (the field) and then we bring it down for recovery, and then it jumps back up.
So, the next week, the highest amount of reps we’ll have is 32, and then we’ll recover again. Then the next week, the highest amount of reps will be 40.
“So what I’m trying to do is get our guys to be ready to play 65 to 75 plays a game and that’s my job as a coach to be able to do that.”
It’s still August, and preseason numbers can vanish once the games count. But when a team shows this kind of discipline in the basics, it’s fair to give the coaching staff some credit.
In Other News...
Mason Taylor Just Gave Jets Fans A Reason To Dream Bigger
Training camp has offered the Jets a useful early look at one of the rosters most interesting matchups, with Minkah Fitzpatrick spending plenty of time lining up against rookie tight end Mason Taylor. Fitzpatrick arrived in New York after a March trade from Miami, and the veteran safety has already been part of the daily resistance Taylor has had to work through as he adjusts to NFL speed and coverage.
Taylor, who came into camp with a reputation for making tough catches in traffic, turned in a standout moment when he hauled in a contested grab over Fitzpatrick in a recent practice session. It was just one play in August, but it was the kind that gets attention because it came against one of the leagues better safeties in man coverage, and it gave the Jets a reminder of why they are so intrigued by what Taylor could become. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Secondary Buzz Could Force A Real Defensive Change
A few weeks into camp and the preseason, the Jets have started to show where some of their defensive experimentation could lead. Andre Cisco and Dane Belton have both flashed enough to put themselves in line for bigger roles, and Cisco helped his case further with an interception in a recent win. For a secondary built around versatility, that kind of depth can give Aaron Glenn more ways to mix and match personnel without losing speed on the field.
The next question is how far Glenn wants to push it once the games count. The Jets are expected to feature Cisco and Belton more prominently, potentially in three-safety looks alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick, which would be a notable tweak to the defensive packages. If those camp and preseason impressions carry over, the scheme could shift in a way that makes this secondary even harder to read, and thats the sort of adjustment opponents will have to account for quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Still Have Two Roster Holes Cutdown Day Could Finally Fix
As cutdown day approaches, the Jets are still scanning for help in two places that matter most when the season starts to get real: along the offensive line and behind center. One name to watch is Lucas Patrick, a veteran lineman with the Giants who is not expected to crack their final roster, but whose experience would give New York a more reliable option in the trenches if he hits the waiver wire.
The other possibility is Aidan OConnell, the Raiders quarterback who could become available and might fit as a veteran backup for the Jets. For a team trying to tighten up its depth before opening week, those are the kinds of pragmatic additions that can quietly matter, even if they do not change the headlines - at least not right away. [Read more 🡒]