Finish. Finish. Finish.
That’s the standard every NFL offense is supposed to live by once it gets inside the 20, and the Jets just haven’t met it often enough. They can move the ball.
They can get into scoring position. What they haven’t done is cash in with touchdowns, and that’s been a costly habit for a 2-5 team trying to climb out of its hole.
Through seven weeks, New York has reached the red zone 20 times and come away with only nine touchdowns. That 45.0% touchdown rate is second-worst in the league, with only the Arizona Cardinals sitting lower at 42.9%.
The problem is bigger than aesthetics. It’s points left on the field, and for a team that has lost four games by a combined 20 points, those missed chances loom large.
The math is ugly. Even converting three of those red-zone field goals into touchdowns would have added another 12 points, assuming made extra points. That kind of swing can change a record in a hurry, and the Jets have already lived through the kind of close games where one drive makes the difference.
The latest example came in Sunday’s loss to the Miami Dolphins. In the fourth quarter, the Jets got all the way to the one-yard line and then failed on three straight first-and-goal snaps before settling for a field goal in a game they lost by three. There’s no way around it: that sequence was a missed opportunity.
A week earlier, against the New England Patriots, the Jets went 0-for-3 in the red zone in a game they lost by seven. Same story, different opponent. Move the ball, get inside the 20, then stall out when the finish line is right there.
That’s where Frank Reich comes into focus. It’s hard to untangle play-calling from execution, but the offensive coordinator has to wear some of this.
Reich deserves credit for Geno Smith’s bounce-back year and for the way the Jets have moved the ball before they reach scoring territory. But finishing drives is the whole point, and the best teams in the league do it over and over again.
The Jets also have enough pieces to do better. Braelon Allen and Omar Cooper Jr. have emerged, and Mason Taylor’s contested-catch ability gives the offense another weapon. This isn’t a group that should be stuck in neutral once it gets close to the goal line.
That’s why the red-zone drop-off feels so frustrating. The Jets have shown they can move the ball effectively, then suddenly the offense tightens up when the field shrinks.
If Gang Green wants to turn things around, that has to change. They need more touchdowns and fewer field goals when the game gets tight and the end zone is right there.
In Other News...
Jets Passing Debate Now Centers On One Garrett Wilson Question
Garrett Wilsons frustration with his role in the passing game has become part of the conversation around the Jets offense, and offensive coordinator Frank Reich is not trying to smooth it over. Reich described the receivers desire for more targets as healthy tension while defending a plan that spreads the ball around instead of locking onto one option, even as Wilson has remained the teams most productive pass catcher this season with 37 receptions for 444 yards and two touchdowns.
The latest flashpoint came in the recent game against Miami, where the Jets again tried to balance getting Wilson involved with keeping the rest of the passing game active. Reich pointed to how attention on Wilson can create chances elsewhere, including for Omar Cooper Jr., but the larger issue remains the same for a team that has struggled to win games: finding an offense that keeps its top receiver engaged without making the attack too predictable. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Lose T'Vondre Sweat And Now Face A Tough Timeline
The Jets have lost another piece in the middle of their defense, placing defensive tackle TVondre Sweat on injured reserve and forcing him out for at least the next four games. Sweat had become a steady presence in the rotation, appearing in seven games and contributing 17 combined tackles along with two tackles for loss before the setback.
For a defense built around controlling the line of scrimmage, the timing is less than ideal, and it leaves the Jets with a short-term hole to patch in Aaron Glenns 3-4 front. The club still believes Sweat can be back later this season, but the immediate challenge is finding enough stability inside while he works his way toward a return. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Just Sent A Clear Message In The Will McDonald Debate
Will McDonald IV has become one of the more interesting names on the Jets roster as the season has worn on, and not just because of his play. According to Sports Illustrateds Albert Breer, there has been significant trade interest in the edge rusher, a sign that other teams still see value in a player whose production has not matched the expectation around him this year.
For the Jets, though, the message has been clear. They have not moved him, and with his fifth-year option already exercised, McDonald remains under team control through 2027. Even with the numbers not jumping off the page, New York appears intent on riding out the rest of the season with him in the mix rather than turning a draft pick into a short-term fix. [Read more 🡒]