Beginning a new gig with a losing record is something Aaron Glenn is familiar with.
When he was in his first season as defensive coordinator with the Lions in 2021, Glenn and head coach Dan Campbell began that year 0-10-1 before winning their first game.
The Jets have dropped their first four games of the 2025 season. But Glenn believes they are headed in the right direction.
“It was tough to go through,” Glenn said about his experience in Detroit. “You just make sure that you lean on those things, those positives that you see within the games that you play. And you still try to make sure it is a play style that you’re trying to create within your team that we saw happening at that point. And we just knew at some point it was going to break through, and once it broke through, man, we were just rolling.
“Listen, I feel the same way about here, and I understand how the fans feel, I do. I’m hurting just like they are. I understand how you guys feel, I’m hurting just like you are. I do know this, I believe in everything that we’re doing, and I know that there’s going to be a breakthrough, and when it breaks through, this thing is going to pop exactly like we all want it to. I actually had conversations with Tony Dungy, and he went 0-5, and listen, he felt the same way.”
The Jets are starting 0-4 for the third time in seven seasons. This season’s struggles have been attributed to several factors, including too many penalties, a lack of takeaways and an inconsistent offense.
Through four weeks, the Jets have the worst turnover margin in the league at minus-7. They are the only team in the NFL that has not recorded a takeaway this season. They are 10th in penalties (32) after being the most penalized team in football the previous two seasons.
Additionally, the Jets’ offense ranks 21st in yards (304.8) and 19th in points per game (22.5).
Even more disappointing is how their defense has performed after finishing in the top five in yards allowed in the previous three seasons. The Jets rank 20th in yards (330.3) and 29th in points allowed (30).
“At least this is my mindset, no matter what I go through in this game, I’m always going to keep a positive mindset just because I know how blessed I am,” Jets quarterback Justin Fields said about the team’s 0-4 start. “Like I said after the game [Monday], we’ve lost three games by one score.
“So, I think that’s a positive to look at and I think if we clean up turnovers, penalties, that’s definitely going to put us in a better position to secure those wins instead of saying we’re close and this and that. But just focusing on us, not necessarily our opponents, but fixing everything that we can to put ourselves in the best position to win.”
Gang Green had a chance to secure its first victory against the previously winless Dolphins on Monday night. However, the team committed three fumbles, including Braelon Allen‘s blunder near the goal line during the first quarter, and eventually lost 27-21.
The Jets have lost three backbreaking games this season. First, it was Xavier Gipson’s fumble — along with a 60-yard field goal by Chris Boswell — that helped the Steelers defeat the Jets in Week 1. Two weeks later, against the Buccaneers, Will McDonald blocked a field goal attempt and ran it back 50 yards to give the Jets a 27-26 lead with 1:49 remaining. But Chase McLaughlin’s 36-yard field goal as time expired gave Tampa Bay the two-point victory.
October offers reasons for optimism for the Jets after they faced three consecutive playoff teams from last season to begin 2025.
The Jets will play just two teams (Jaguars and Bills) in their remaining 13 games who are currently above .500. They will also face a Cowboys team this weekend that’s 1-2-1 this season and has a defense that’s the worst in the NFL, allowing an average of 420.5 yards and 33 points per game in four games.
“I look at their defense somewhat similar to ours,” Glenn said. “New coordinator trying to get his system in and trying to get guys to operate in that system the way he wants it to.
“I know he’s had some challenges, but man, he has some talent over there, and we have to make sure that, offensively, we understand exactly who they got because they are disruptive, and they are fast, and they can make some plays. They have guys that can make some plays.”
