The Jets left Week 8 with a 38-33 loss to the Raiders, and the result said plenty about where this team stands at 2-6. New York battled, put up points and made things interesting, but the bigger picture was hard to ignore: Aaron Glenn’s team is still coming up short, and the gap between the Jets and the league’s better-coached teams looked obvious again.
That frustration is only growing because this roster has more talent than last year’s version, yet the season is drifting toward the same familiar place for fans - checking the standings and wondering what the NFL Draft will bring. The offense gave the crowd reasons to believe. The defense, even with some key pieces missing, gave them plenty to worry about.
Braelon Allen made the strongest case of the day for a bigger role. He carried the ball 21 times for 147 yards and scored a touchdown, and his performance has pushed the conversation well beyond a simple timeshare with Breece Hall.
Allen has brought more juice as the lead back, and that has made Hall’s old starting job look less secure. Hall’s name has already come up in trade rumors, and Allen’s rise only adds another layer to that discussion.
The passing game had its own bright spots, and Adonai Mitchell was right at the center of it. In his second game back from injury, he caught seven passes for 142 yards and a touchdown.
His speed downfield changes what this offense can do, and it also opened things up underneath for Garrett Wilson, who found more room for some bigger plays. Omar Cooper Jr. barely factored in, but the targets that went his way last week shifted to Mitchell, and he made them count.
There was plenty to like about the way the Jets moved the ball, but the red zone kept getting in the way of something bigger. Frank Reich’s offense scored on seven of 10 possessions, and Geno Smith had a strong day operating from the pocket.
Still, the Jets settled for Jason Sanders field goals on drives that reached the red zone, while the Raiders finished theirs with touchdowns. New York scored 33 points, but it felt like a game where 40 was there for the taking.
The defense, meanwhile, unraveled at the worst possible time. Even with Brock Bowers on the other side and without David Bailey and T'Vondre Sweat, Glenn didn’t get enough out of his play-calling.
The Raiders scored on three straight possessions to open the second half, and the blitzes never really landed. The offense woke up right as the defense started slipping, which is exactly how bad teams get punished.
Special teams added to the mess. Chris Banjo, once viewed as one of the bright spots from Glenn’s staff last season, is now under real scrutiny after another rough outing.
Dylan Laube’s kick return for a touchdown was the latest blow. Austin McNamara hasn’t been punting as well, Isaiah Williams’ returns have dropped off, and the kick coverage has been a problem.
Banjo’s stock has fallen fast.
Jarvis Brownlee also had a rough return to the lineup after being scratched for missing meetings. He was back in, but he didn’t help himself, drawing two costly defensive penalties that extended drives and adding more coverage issues on top of that. D'Angelo Ponds hasn’t exactly been steady either, but Brownlee’s performance gave the Jets little reason to keep leaning on him.
In Other News...
Jets Fans Had One Immediate Question Watching Ashton Jeanty
Watching the Raiders-Jets game in Week 8, the immediate wrinkle for New York fans was Ashton Jeantys role, or lack of one. He was on the field for third downs, but he did not get a touch in the first quarter while backup Mike Washington handled six carries in that stretch, a usage pattern that stood out in a game where the Jets were already trying to sort through plenty of moving parts.
Jeanty eventually got his first touch early in the second quarter, but the opening frame still raised the obvious question about why the Raiders were leaning elsewhere. His recent struggles and his comments about the Jets defense were part of the conversation, yet there was no clear explanation for the early-game deployment, leaving the situation a little murky for anyone trying to read into it. [Read more 🡒]
Braelon Allen Is Forcing A Jets Debate They Didnt Expect
The Jets are getting close to having their offense back in one piece, with Breece Hall and left guard Dylan Parham both nearing returns. But Braelon Allens run as the lead back has complicated what once looked like a simple handoff back to the starter. Allen has handled the job well enough to turn a temporary absence into a real conversation about roles, workload and how much the Jets want to lean on the rookie once the backfield is whole again.
For a team trying to stabilize its offense, the timing makes this more than a routine depth-chart question. Hall remains the more established name, and the front office now has to weigh whether a crowded backfield is a strength or a chance to turn a valuable asset into help elsewhere before the trade deadline. For now, the safer play is to keep both backs in the building and sort out the carries later, but Allens emergence has made that decision far less tidy than the Jets probably expected. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Need Their Offense To Wake Up Before Skid Gets Worse
The Jets are trying to stop the slide before it turns into something bigger, and the timing of Sundays meeting with the Raiders gives them a chance to do it at home. New York is 2-5 after back-to-back losses, while Las Vegas arrives at 3-4 and also trying to snap a four-game skid, so this one has the feel of a team that badly needs a clean offensive showing to steady itself.
For the Jets, the path is pretty clear: get Garrett Wilson more involved, protect the football and hope Omar Cooper Jr. can keep giving the passing game a lift. The offense has been uneven enough that every possession matters, and with both teams searching for answers, New York cannot afford another sluggish start if it wants to keep the season from drifting further off course. [Read more 🡒]