The New York Jets scored on each of their first six possessions Sunday but could not hold off the Las Vegas Raiders, losing 38-33 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Their third consecutive defeat dropped them to 2-6 and brought renewed scrutiny of coach Aaron Glenn and the team's repeated difficulties in close games.
New York held a 30-21 advantage with 8:26 remaining in the third quarter before allowing Las Vegas to score on three of its next four possessions. The Raiders improved to 4-4, ending a four-game losing streak. A week earlier, the Jets had lost to a Miami Dolphins team that entered their matchup at 0-5.
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, eight games into his Jets career, pointed to penalties and mistakes before describing the loss as "Jets being Jets." His remark quickly spread on social media. Two hours after the game, a team spokesperson said Fitzpatrick had intended to say, "Jets beating the Jets." Glenn, who has sought to move the franchise beyond its longstanding reputation for disappointing losses, has now lost 20 of his 25 games as coach. New York is 1-5 in games decided by one score this season.
The defeat came despite substantial offensive production. Braelon Allen rushed for 147 yards, Adonai Mitchell had 142 receiving yards and Geno Smith threw for 290 yards. Garrett Wilson added six catches for 83 yards after several quiet weeks. New York finished with a season-high 439 yards but managed touchdowns on just two of six red zone visits. The Jets became only the second team since 2000 to lose after scoring on its opening six possessions, joining the 2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The defense surrendered 24 points after halftime, bringing its total allowed over the past three games to 92. Glenn took charge of the unit this season, but Sunday's performance left him searching for answers. Rookie David Bailey, the team's leading pass rusher, missed the game with a groin injury, and New York recorded only one sack.
Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes, two of them to tight end Brock Bowers, who finished with seven receptions for 92 yards. Running back Ashton Jeanty, who had criticized the Jets' defense the previous week, broke free for a 45-yard reception that helped set up Las Vegas' go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter.
The crowd became loud enough while New York had the ball that left tackle Olu Fashanu committed a false start. Linebacker Demario Davis, who had described the win over Cleveland three weeks earlier as a turning point, offered a different assessment after another defeat: "We have to claw our way out of the darkness." The Jets have not won since beating the Browns.
At 2-6, New York faces the prospect of an 11th consecutive losing season and a 16th straight year without a playoff appearance. Its postseason drought is the longest active stretch in North American sports, even as Glenn and his players continue to maintain that a turnaround is close.
