Biggest Decision Aaron Glenn Got Wrong vs. Patriots (And What Needs to Change in Week 7)

The Week 5 win over the Browns was short-lived on Sunday as the Jets came crashing back down in a 26-19 loss to the Patriots that served as another reminder that Gang Green's season is still in deep trouble unless something changes in a hurry.

Even though the Jets were without RB1 Breece Hall (right quad) once again and still faced some injury concerns going into the Week 6 AFC East matchup, they could not have asked for a better start, with points on their opening drive and a quick three-and-out defensively. It was also clear that running back Braelon Allen was going to be utilized again in place of Hall.

While Allen did his part with 17 carries for 78 yards and two receptions for 26 yards, a lot of the blame for Sunday's loss falls on the shoulders of Aaron Glenn and the rest of the coaching staff. Sure, offensive coordinator Frank Reich's continued struggles getting WR1 Garrett Wilson more involved in the offense are highly concerning, and his egregious play-calling in short-yardage situations was costly, but a familiar tactic continues to overshadow Glenn on the sidelines.

Game management and end-of-half execution have plagued Glenn since his Jets tenure began last season, and those issues do not seem to be going away soon.

Look no further than a challenge he made late in the opening quarter, when the Jets held a 3-0 lead, which came back to bite him later in the half and set the tone for a lack of execution the rest of the way.

Game management is a major issue for Jets HC Aaron Glenn

After what was initially called a nine-yard completion from quarterback Drake Maye to wide receiver A.J. Brown, Glenn decided to challenge the play and ended up successfully winning the challenge to wipe away the nine-yard gain. However, Maye responded on the next play with a 42-yard touchdown strike to WR Romeo Doubs (h/t NFL), and the Patriots took a 7-3 lead.

Up to that point, the Patriots had gone three-and-out and had a nine-yard catch overturned in their first four plays of the game. To be fair, this specific challenge decision did not cause the Jets to lose this game by itself, but it certainly changed how Glenn coached the remainder of the first half.

Later in the second quarter, when the Patriots still held a 7-3 lead, QB Geno Smith was ruled short on a fourth-and-one sneak with the ball on the Patriots' 39-yard line. Given the spot on the field and how close Smith was on the play, this would have been a more challenge-worthy moment for Glenn to throw the flag, but the team would have been down a timeout and a challenge if he were unsuccessful.

That challenge earlier in the game completely impacted his decision-making the rest of the half, and this was a reminder of how bad that decision was on a play that had little impact on the game to begin with.

The Patriots would go on to add a field goal and another TD before the half, while New York went three-and-out and once again struggled in end-of-half situations. To be fair, the Jets came out of the locker room with a TD or field goal on four of their five second-half possessions and even forced a pair of Patriots fumbles defensively. The biggest hiccup was a costly interception from Smith—his first of the season—with the ball across midfield, trailing by 10 in the fourth quarter.

While he later clarified that he was conceptually speaking about the offense's mindset, assuming the defense forced a stop out of the half, Glenn even went viral during his halftime interview with CBS Sports sideline reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala when he said (h/t Ari Meirov), "The good thing is we get the ball," although the Patriots had already deferred to the second half.

While you can also point to Glenn's lack of defensive alignment adjustments and the decision to keep the offense on the field twice in the first half instead of attempting a pair of field goals, the early challenge definitely stood out as Glenn's biggest miscue in Sunday's game, and it certainly impacted how he coached the game from there on out.

What Aaron Glenn needs to do in Week 7 and beyond

As the Jets return home to MetLife Stadium for back-to-back games against the Dolphins and Raiders, their season and Glenn's future in Gotham could be hanging in the balance with a 2-4 record. It is no secret that New York has struggled against AFC East competition dating back to the 2011 season, but the game against an 0-5 Dolphins team tied for the lowest-scoring offense (14 ppg) is a clear must-win.

The Jets were just 3-of-10 on third down against the Patriots, as well as a combined 0-of-5 on fourth-down and red-zone opportunities. They cut back on the costly penalties with just five for 35 yards, but the lack of execution throughout the game and inability to finish drives on both sides of the ball continue to prove costly for Gang Green.

Granted, the Dolphins only lost by one score to the undefeated Vikings and the Bengals in their last two games, but this offense has only scored 20 points once in five games and shouldn't scare the Jets by any means. That said, Glenn must learn from his mistakes and improve his game management going forward if he wants to keep his job and show that he is willing to adapt under the highest pressure.

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