The New York Jets walked into their 23-12 loss to the Chicago Bears looking nothing like the group that had just lit up the Detroit Lions on the road a week earlier. Instead of a passing game with juice, they got an offense that disappeared. Geno Smith completed only nine passes, and New York managed just 32 offensive plays while Chicago ran 89.
That kind of gap tells the whole story. The Jets have enough talent on both sides of the ball to look like a much better team, but right now they are stuck in the middle of an identity crisis that is wrecking their 2026 season.
The roster can support a more aggressive, pass-first approach. The problem is that Frank Reich and the Jets don’t seem willing to fully live in that world.
There was at least one late reminder of what this offense could be. Smith hit Isaiah Williams for a long touchdown when the game was already out of reach. But that only underscored the bigger issue: the Jets have pieces built for a high-flying attack, yet the coaching staff keeps leaning into a plan that doesn’t match the personnel.
There are, of course, real reasons the offense is short-handed. Mason Taylor, Adonai Mitchell, and Omar Cooper Jr. were all out. Breece Hall missed the Chicago game with a thigh injury, and left guard Dylan Parham is still working his way back.
Reich has also clearly brought more to the table than Nathaniel Hackett and Tanner Engstrand. Even so, he has been far too conservative. Against the Packers, Lions, and Bears, the early-down run game and the short passing emphasis have left Jets fans wondering what this offense is supposed to be.
It doesn’t really fit as a ground-and-pound team, especially with Hall in the lineup. It doesn’t quite look like a West Coast system built around yards after the catch, either, since Garrett Wilson is the only receiver from the Chicago game who really fits that mold. And while an Air Coryell version could make sense, Reich has not often leaned into it.
What the Jets may need most is a more vertical approach. That sounds simple, but it may be the cleanest answer.
When healthy, Wilson and Adonai Mitchell have the speed and ball skills to threaten defenses down the field, and Sadiq was at his best working the seam in his Week 3 breakout. The offensive line is also better at pass protection than run blocking.
Smith still has not thrown an interception this season, and he remains accurate when pushing the ball deep. Even with Parham out, the line should be able to survive longer-developing pass concepts. Reich has now seen explosive plays flash in three straight games, but he has waited too long each time to lean into them.
So the floor is there. Reich and Smith can give this passing game something solid, unless they run into a disaster like the Chicago loss where nothing clicks.
The Jets have enough talent around the quarterback to do more than they’re doing now. They just need to stop holding back and let it breathe earlier.
In Other News...
Jets Fans May Be Blaming The Wrong Person For This Start
Aaron Glenns first season has already put the Jets back in familiar territory, with the rookie head coach sitting at 1-3 in 2026 and 4-17 overall in his early run on the sideline. The frustration in New York has naturally centered on the man trying to steer the team week to week, but the front office has largely avoided the same level of heat, even as the losses keep piling up.
Darren Mougey has spent much of his time collecting draft capital through trades, yet the bigger question is what happens when those picks are supposed to turn into a roster that can actually win. The recent draft classes have not produced much impact, the quarterback approach has leaned on stopgaps, and the results look a lot like another front office era the Jets would rather not revisit, which is why the blame conversation may need to widen beyond the coach. [Read more 🡒]
Bizarre Soldier Field Incident Involving Bears Legend Raises Big Questions
After the Jets loss at Soldier Field, the postgame scene took an ugly turn near the suite-level elevators, where former Bears linebacker Otis Wilson was involved in a scuffle with a female security worker. Witnesses said Wilson got onto an elevator reserved for media even after being told not to, and the confrontation spilled into a physical altercation that left a wall damaged.
Wilson was later seen conscious and alert as staff helped him away from the area, and the Chicago Police Department said it had no calls or case reports tied to the incident. For a stadium already emptied out after the Bears win over the Jets, the bizarre episode added an unexpected and messy footnote to the afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Glenn Already Faces A Jets Debate Nobody Wanted
The Jets entered Sunday hoping to build on a competitive first three weeks, but instead left Chicago with a 23-12 loss that exposed how far the team still has to go. The Bears controlled the game in yardage, time of possession and plays run, and Aaron Glenn made clear after the final whistle that the performance did not meet the standard he wants, pointing to penalties and an offense that never found enough rhythm.
After a 1-2 start, the bigger concern in Florham Park is no longer just the record, but what happens if the same uneven play keeps showing up. Glenn is still early in his tenure, yet losses like this tend to sharpen the conversation around any young coach, especially when the margins are being beaten as thoroughly as they were Sunday. [Read more 🡒]