It's hard to put into words how bad the New York Jets have been. Playing the 3-3 Carolina Panthers at home on Sunday, it seemed as though they had every opportunity to finally put that first win on the board. But it quickly became apparent that it wasn't going to happen.
Justin Fields looked lost. He continues to have no understanding of when to get rid of the football, and his accuracy has been poor at best. The run game has shown great flashes all year, but Fields continues to stifle any progress with his inability to move the ball through the air. Even when they made the switch to Tyrod Taylor, nothing changed.
The players looked defeated. Everyone in green on the sideline looked frustrated. It's hard to comment on effort without a look at the All-22, but it certainly didn't feel like it was at its highest level.
Despite all this, head coach Aaron Glenn claims that the players are still fighting. He points to practice as his proof.
"Here’s what gives me hope: How they come out on Wednesday in practice. And Thursday. And Friday. We’re not getting the results we want, but these players aren’t giving up at all."
Aaron Glenn
Aaron Glenn is using the Jets' practice effort to defend his coaching
There were glimmers of hope that shone through the dark clouds engulfing the Jets on Sunday. Breece Hall looked good, per usual. If the Jets do plan to move him, performing well increases the return value. The secondary looked good. They got creative, showing some single high safety, and gave the Panthers all sorts of trouble in the air.
Just about everything else was bad, though. The offense put up 220 total yards, 81 of which came on the ground. In the air, they only tallied 139 yards. Fields was 6-of-12 for just 46 total passing yards.
Tyrod Taylor wasn't much better, finishing 10-of-22 with two interceptions and zero touchdowns. No Jets finished with more than three receptions, and only one, Tyler Johnson, reached 60 yards receiving.
The Jets averaged 3.7 yards per play, an abysmal line. The defense did a solid enough job holding Carolina to 13 points. But slumped shoulders and hanging heads made their frustration abundantly clear. Every time they got off the field, it wasn't long before they were brought right back on.
I don’t see the practices firsthand, and even the media that does can’t fully capture the effort players put in. Aaron Glenn seems like a strong motivator and a good person, so it’s reasonable to trust that the team is giving their all for him.
The locker room is largely made up of professional, diplomatic players, so I don’t discount the idea that the Jets haven’t completely given up.
But you can't keep using practice as a shield. At a certain point, when it looks as ugly as it has, you have to wonder if the players are still bought in. I mean, how could they be?
Sure, most guys will play hard. This is their career. They can't afford to put out bad tape. But will they collectively fight for the greater cause? I can't see how. I'm not sure what the greater cause is anymore.
If I'm Aaron Glenn, I'm sticking to coach speak and saying close to nothing at these press conferences. It may be the case that he hasn't lost the locker room, but fans don't want to hear practices as evidence of a bought-in team. Eventually, it must be reflected on the field... at least a little.