Jets Drop Game After Six Straight Scores

The New York Jets scored on their first six possessions on Sunday but still lost 38-33 to the Las Vegas Raiders at MetLife Stadium. This result makes them the second team since 2000 to lose after scoring on six straight drives. The last team to do so was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019.

The Jets held a 30-21 lead with 8:26 remaining in the third quarter. They surrendered points on three of the next four possessions. The defense gave up 24 points in the second half. The loss drops the Jets to a 2-6 record. They have now lost three straight games.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, an eight-game veteran of the squad, offered a blunt assessment of the defensive breakdown. He cited bad penalties and bad mistakes in his explanation. Fitzpatrick summed up the performance by saying, "Jets being Jets." The comment gained immediate traction on social media. A Jets spokesperson said two hours after the game that Fitzpatrick meant to say, "Jets beating the Jets."

The offense produced its best statistical output in years. Braelon Allen rushed for 147 yards. Adonai Mitchell caught passes for 142 yards. Geno Smith passed for 290 yards. Garrett Wilson, who has been quiet recently, finished with six receptions for 83 yards. The team amassed a season-high 439 yards. However, the Jets only scored touchdowns on two of their six trips to the red zone.

Coach Aaron Glenn took over the defense this season. He previously described running that unit as his superpower. The group has allowed 92 points over the past three games. The Jets recorded only one sack on the day. Kirk Cousins threw for three touchdowns for Las Vegas. Two of those passes went to tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers finished with seven catches for 92 yards.

A 45-yard reception by Ashton Jeanty set up the Raiders' go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter. Jeanty had challenged the Jets' defense in the previous week's game. The crowd noise became so intense that left tackle Olu Fashanu committed a false start on a Jets offensive play. Demario Davis, who called the recent home win over Cleveland historic, described the current situation as a darkness the team must claw out of.

The Jets are now facing their 11th consecutive losing season. They are in their 16th straight year out of the playoffs. This streak represents the longest active drought in North American sports. Rookie pass rusher David Bailey missed Sunday's game due to a groin injury. Geno Smith deadpanned a question about the time in the interview room when reminded that the season is getting late.

Aaron Glenn stated that the defense started hot early in the year but slowed down. He said he must figure out how to improve the unit. The Raiders, who improved to 4-4, had lost four games in a row before Sunday. The Miami Dolphins were 0-5 before upsetting the Jets in the previous week.