Jets Struggling with Turnovers and Penalties
Discussing the Jets’ performance this season often brings up their difficulties with turnovers. It’s almost instinctive to point out the multiple occasions they’ve lost control of the ball.
If it weren’t for several fumbles, including a crucial one by Brean Allen near the end of the game, the Jets (0-4) might have snagged their first win against the previously winless Dolphins.
Similarly, a late fumble by Xavier Gipson against the Steelers cost Aaron Glenn his first win as a head coach in his debut.
And, in Tampa, if there hadn’t been a pick-six thrown by Tyrod Taylor just before halftime, the Jets could have pulled off an upset instead of falling in the closing moments of the game.
With the league’s worst turnover margin at -7, the Jets have endured three narrow losses. This misfortune has also contributed to them being one of three winless teams heading into their upcoming game against the Cowboys (1-2-1) on Sunday.
“We know we need to address certain issues, and turnovers are at the top of the list,” Glenn mentioned Tuesday. “We can’t just turn the ball over and expect to win. If we fix this, I believe we’ll start seeing better results.”
Despite a string of unfortunate setbacks, there’s still hope for the Jets. However, they won’t get any more chances without stepping up.
The Jets are now the first team in two decades to open their season with four losses, and they’ve gone 90 years without a win while failing to force a takeaway.
During Glenn’s last three seasons as the Lions’ defensive coordinator, Detroit averaged 1.3 takeaways per game, ranking 18th in the league. Last year, the Jets averaged 1.6, which was an improvement from this season.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, have had their share of turnover issues, committing six through four games.
“We have to make a point to take the ball away on defense,” Glenn stressed. “Every time the ball is in the air, we need to attack it. When a runner has it, we need to go for strips and try to create turnovers.”
The former standout cornerback for the Jets is yet to leave his mark with a unit that has been among the league’s best in total defense in recent years.
Currently, the Jets sit at 20th in total yards allowed (330.3), 28th in third-down defense (30.0 percent), and they’re also struggling with points allowed, ranking 28th in scoring defense with an average of 30 points per game.
“We put the defense in some tough spots last week. And when it comes to turnovers, we can’t afford to do that,” Glenn explained. “The key is limiting points. If we give up the ball in our territory, we have to push teams to kick field goals instead of allowing touchdowns. It’s tough, but we have to step up in those moments.”
Looking ahead to October, there’s a glimmer of potential as the Jets face opponents with lower win percentages, like Dallas and the Bengals without Joe Burrow.
But discipline remains an ongoing challenge.
After a game that saw 13 penalties, the Jets have been averaging eight penalties per game, placing them 28th in the league for penalty yardage.
Star cornerback Sauce Gardner noted he thinks the team gets flagged more often simply because they aren’t winning.
“We just need to win,” he said.
“To earn favorable calls, you have to establish some credibility in this league,” Glenn acknowledged. “There were several calls that didn’t go our way, yet we had penalties that we need to clean up. We’ve struggled with this for a while now, and while I don’t want to use that as an excuse, it’s clear we need to address these issues internally.”
