Sunday gave the Jets plenty to like from Geno Smith, but not nearly enough in the one area that matters most.
Smith turned in one of the best performances of his NFL career, carving up the Lions for 321 yards and three touchdowns while completing 31 of 37 passes. It was the kind of outing that makes you believe the Jets offense can still be a real problem if he keeps this level going.
That’s the encouraging part. The frustrating part is that it still didn’t add up to a win.
New York came out with an offense that looked sharp and in rhythm, and Smith’s play suggested there’s plenty left in the tank. But the Jets couldn’t finish the job, and that left the day feeling incomplete no matter how strong the stat line looked.
After the loss, Smith was complimentary of Aaron Glenn’s work while making clear that preparation alone is not enough.
"He's [Glenn] done a great job preparing us," Smith said, per the team. "There's always a lot of things that we can do better, and most importantly, we need to win these games.
"We have a lot of resilient guys and we have a lot of really good players, but again, we need to finish games."
Glenn echoed that same message, saying his team is right there.
The issue is that being close only buys so much time. The Jets have won just once in three weeks, and at some point the progress has to show up on the scoreboard.
In Other News...
Rex Ryan Just Gave Jets Fans A New Reason To Fume
The Jets already had enough to sort through after the loss to the Lions, but Rex Ryan added another layer of noise when he went on ESPN Radio and took aim at left tackle Olu Fashanu. Ryan said he was disappointed in Fashanus performance, a pointed critique after a game in which the young tackle allowed multiple sacks and pressures while New Yorks offense struggled to keep things together.
What makes the reaction even more awkward is the family tie inside the building, with Rexs son, Seth Ryan, serving as the Jets passing game coordinator. Neither Fashanu nor Seth Ryan had responded to the comments as of publication, leaving the criticism hanging over a team that could have done without another public distraction so soon after the defeat. [Read more 🡒]
Jets May Have A Jamien Sherwood Problem They Can't Easily Fix
Jamien Sherwood has become one of the more complicated names on the Jets defense, because his role and his results no longer line up cleanly. A team captain who received a significant contract extension, Sherwood was supposed to be part of the solution in the middle of the defense, but coverage has been a problem through the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
The concern sharpened in the recent game against the Lions, when Sherwood allowed 9 catches on 10 targets for 127 yards. The issue for the Jets is not just that he has been exposed in space, it is that the roster does not offer many obvious defensive alternatives if they decide they need to look elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Finally Have Their Kicker After An Unsettled Start
After a shaky opening stretch at kicker, the Jets have settled on Jason Sanders, moving him from the practice squad to the active roster and cutting Blake Grupe. Sanders had already been elevated three times and handled the job well through the first three games, giving the team a steadier answer at a spot that has been unsettled since the season began.
Grupe never got into a game for New York before being waived, leaving Sanders as the latest attempt to bring some stability to special teams. For a Jets team looking to avoid self-inflicted problems, simply finding a reliable kicker is a small but meaningful step, and this move suggests the club is ready to stop auditioning and start sticking with one option. [Read more 🡒]