Sep 27, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) eludes New York Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) as Gibbs runs for a touchdown against the New York Jets during the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
For a second straight week, the New York Jets lost a game late, though far more promise was shown in Sunday’s 31-24 loss to the Detroit Lions.
Overturning a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, Geno Smith began to look the part of Gang Green’s No. 1 quarterback by firing a pair of scores seven minutes apart to tie the game at 24 apiece with 4:06 left in regulation.
After hitting tight end Jeremy Ruckert for a four-yard score to cap off a nine-play, 80-yard drive, Smith found Garrett Wilson for a 23-yard score in the front-right corner of the end zone — the star receiver fighting through a pass-interference penalty to make a remarkable, bobbling grab while falling.
But the Jets’ (1-2) defense was ripped open quickly by the Lions, who marked down 65 yards on four plays in 1:41 to take the lead for good with 2:25 left to play. Detroit quarterback Jared Goff found Jahmyr Gibbs for an 11-yard touchdown.
It capped off a massive day for the Lions’ running back, as he racked up 164 total yards (99 rushing, 65 receiving) and three touchdowns.
Smith had the Jets up and running quickly with six straight completions to get down to the Lions’ 33-yard line, but he was strip-sacked by Chuck Clark, who picked up the loose ball with 51 seconds left to ice the game.
“We’re right here,” head coach Aaron Glenn said. “And it’s this gap right here that we’ve got to close. We’re fighting our asses off to close that gap, and we will.”
Despite the late fumble, Smith had his best game yet in this early second stint as Jets quarterback. The veteran completed 31 of 37 passes for 321 yards with three touchdowns. Ten of those went to Wilson, who posted 107 yards.
All that while working without one of his top receivers, Adonai Mitchell, who was ruled out with a finger injury. Then in the fourth quarter, the offense lost running back Breece Hall to a thigh issue.
“I thought Geno did an outstanding job,” Glenn said. “I really do… The one thing that really stood out is we had one of our top players that went down… and those tight ends really stepped up. He looked to actually make sure that we gave the ball to our tight ends…. That’s a really good sign for our offense.”
Rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq made a brilliant 24-yard diving catch to the Jets’ first touchdown of the afternoon, which came with 5:33 left in the second quarter to give the visitors a 7-3 lead. But the Lions reeled off 14 straight points on either side of the half to get back into the driver’s seat — a four-yard score by receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and a 17-yard scamper by Gibbs.
The Detroit back made it a 14-point game three seconds into the fourth quarter with a one-yard rush.
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