As the Jets try to move past a frustrating 26-19 loss to the Patriots last Sunday, the focus shifts to another divisional clash against the Dolphins in the first of back-to-back home games at MetLife Stadium.
While a matchup against a winless Dolphins team seems like a game the Jets should win on paper, it is not that simple for a team that continues to struggle with situational football and beat itself. Look no further than the Week 6 loss to New England when the Jets went from trailing, 7-3, to falling behind, 17-3, after allowing a field goal and a touchdown and going three-and-out offensively to end the first half.
From an early challenge on a nine-yard catch from Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown and the decision to pass up multiple field-goal attempts in the first half to his defensive alignment and stubbornness offensively with an overreliance on the run game, Glenn was wrong in several areas of the Week 6 loss to the Patriots.
With an 0-7 record against AFC East opponents—the worst divisional start by a full-time Jets coach in franchise history—Glenn has put himself in a vulnerable position to where a loss to Miami could change his job status. He simply cannot afford to drop a lose-lose matchup where a win gives him zero credit and a loss only adds another blemish to an unproven record.
Aaron Glenn could be in deep trouble with another loss on Sunday
The disappointing loss to the Patriots is one thing, especially when you consider the Jets allowed them to convert eight of their 15 third downs and the offense's continued struggles in two-minute situations, but Glenn has clearly positioned himself on the hot seat despite improving the defense from where it was last season.
The Jets are 20th in average scoring margin this season (-1.7). While that is not ideal, it is well ahead of the last-place Dolphins (-12.4) and speaks to how competitive they have been through six games. If anything, that is another reminder of Glenn's poor game management and the team's inability to finish out drives when momentum is shifting their way.
Collapses late in each half has been a recurring issue, but the Jets were also a combined 0-of-5 on fourth-down and red-zone opportunities. In fact, they have been outscored, 20-0, in the final two minutes of the first half this season and an astounding 100-6 in Glenn's 23 games as the team's HC, all while giving up 11 TDs and eight field goals in that area since the start of last season.
As poor as the end-of-half situations have been, the glaring red-zone struggles are becoming too hard to ignore. The Jets are last in red-zone scoring through six games (37.5%), which is just behind the Dolphins and Browns (46.2%). New York only has six TDs in 14 red-zone trips this season (h/t Sharp Football), primarily due to costly penalties, a lack of usage with WR1 Garrett Wilson and not putting the ball in quarterback Geno Smith's hands enough when the end zone is in sight.
The Jets have a favorable schedule with the Dolphins and Raiders up next before back-to-back games against the 5-0 Chiefs and 5-1 Bills afterward. If the Jets cannot beat a winless Dolphins team on their home field, how can they be expected to be anywhere close to competitive against more formidable competition down the road?
Injuries to key players have certainly played a role this season, but that is no excuse for the lack of situational awareness and poor game management week in and week out from Glenn and this coaching staff. While some teams wait until their bye week to fire their coach, which would be Week 13 for the Jets, a loss to the Dolphins might be the last straw for Glenn to salvage his job in Gang Green.
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