The optimism in East Rutherford lasted exactly one week. After showing flashes of life in their season opener, the New York Jets were utterly dismantled by the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. The Jets fell 30-10 at MetLife Stadium. It was a collapse that left fans frustrated, players shaken, and coaches scrambling for answers. The Jets just looked completely unprepared for the physicality and execution of divisional football.
Jets fall flat in embarrassing fashion
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) loses control of the ball after running and being tackled by Buffalo Bills defensive end Joey Bosa.
© Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Jets were thrashed by the Bills in Week 2, falling to 0-2 on the season. Buffalo’s victory was fueled by a dominant rushing attack, led by James Cook’s 132 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Jets’ offense was abysmal. They produced only 154 total yards and failed to convert a single third down on 11 attempts.
What unfolded was one of the most embarrassing showings in recent memory. After a competitive Week 1 performance offered a glimmer of hope, the Jets quickly fell back into familiar misery. Justin Fields looked overwhelmed, the defense was repeatedly gashed, and the coaching staff seemed completely out of its depth. Yes, a handful of players turned in respectable efforts. That said, the overwhelming majority of performances were disappointing at best.
Here we'll try to look at and discuss the New York Jets most to blame after crashing down to Earth in Week 2 loss to Bills.
Fields delivers a career-worst performance
Fields deserves much of the blame for Sunday’s disaster. One week removed from arguably the best game of his NFL career, Fields followed it up with what may have been the worst. He completed just three of 11 passes for 27 yards before leaving the game with a concussion early in the fourth quarter. By nearly every metric, it was a catastrophic outing. In fact, he finished with -0.58 EPA per attempt, the lowest mark of his career.
Fields looked uncomfortable from the opening drive. He held onto the ball too long and failed to generate anything resembling rhythm. The Jets’ offense never found traction. They didn’t even cross the 100-yard mark until late in the fourth quarter. With Fields now in concussion protocol, the Jets are staring at both immediate uncertainty and long-term concerns.
Glenn admits failure, but words ring hollow
Head coach Aaron Glenn didn’t sugarcoat the loss.
“Apparently, I didn’t have the guys ready to play… It’s not OK to lose like that,” he told reporters postgame.
It was an honest admission, but it felt like déjà vu for Jets fans who have heard variations of the same speech over the last decade.
The reality is Glenn and his staff were thoroughly outclassed. Steve Wilks’ defensive scheme has looked confused through two weeks. On offense, the Jets failed to adjust even as it became clear nothing was working. The Bills dictated every phase of the game, while the Jets looked like a team still searching for its identity. Glenn may have owned the loss, but ownership won’t mean much if this trend continues.
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Defensive line gets manhandled
The Jets’ defensive line suffered its most damning indictment when Buffalo’s offensive line thoroughly dominated them. Buffalo’s front bullied the Jets at the point of attack and opened lanes that allowed James Cook to pile up big numbers. Cook inflicted nearly all of his damage between the tackles, where the Jets’ interior defense failed repeatedly.
Will McDonald delivered a poor tackling grade and provided no impact as a pass rusher. Jermaine Johnson exited with an ankle injury, while the rest of the depth pieces failed to contribute. The unit that should have anchored the Jets’ defense instead exposed itself as the glaring weakness.
Offensive line takes a big step back
The offensive line wasn’t any better. After looking solid in Week 1, the group regressed badly against Buffalo. They failed to protect Fields, but perhaps more alarming, they couldn’t generate any push in the run game. Breece Hall managed just 29 yards on 10 carries.
Yes, Fields’ poor play made matters worse. That said, the line shares plenty of the blame. Football is often won and lost at the line of scrimmage. This past Sunday, the Jets were thoroughly dominated on both sides.
A dangerous early spiral
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn looks on before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Jets’ 0-2 start is a warning sign. They weren’t just beaten by the Bills; they were exposed. The quarterback play is erratic, the coaching staff is unconvincing, and the trenches are faltering. That’s a disastrous combination for any team, let alone one that entered the season with cautious playoff hopes.
There’s still time to recover, but only if significant changes happen fast. Glenn must adjust schemes and motivate his players, and both lines to establish some semblance of control. Otherwise, this season could quickly spiral into yet another lost year for a franchise all too familiar with heartbreak.