Oct 25, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis (2) runs for a touchdown against the New York Jets during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
The fact that a 28-25 home loss to the winless Miami Dolphins might not be the low point of Aaron Glenn’s New York Jets tenure says all you need to know about how much of a mess the last two years have been in the Meadowlands. This time, it wasn’t even the usual devastating parade of penalties that doomed the Jets; it was their inability to execute on both sides of the ball.
New York (2-4) still has not won an AFC East game in the Glenn era; the last time they won a division game was against these Dolphins on Jan. 5, 2025.
New York’s defense was carved up by Malik Willis on the air and the ground in the first half; they missed an opportunity to end Miami’s eight-and-a-half-minute second-quarter touchdown drive on fourth down, potentially a 14-point swing heading into halftime. Under Glenn, the Jets have been outscored 107-6 in the final two minutes of the first half.
They also allowed the Dolphins to convert on five third downs and two fourth downs. The vaunted Jets pass rush contributed two sacks, but that same unit allowed the Dolphins to run all over them to the tune of 156 rushing yards.
The defense shaped up massively in the second half, only allowing 35 yards on the first three Miami drives, but a 63-yard Caleb Douglas touchdown with 4:44 to go put the Jets on life support, and after Mason Taylor’s touchdown to keep the game alive, the Jets D couldn’t get the ball back from Miami.
The offense moved the ball; Geno Smith had his best game since his return to the Jets, slinging the ball for 287 yards and three touchdowns, delivering some incredible balls both under pressure and into tight coverage. Including a third-quarter 60-yard bomb to Omar Cooper Jr. to set New York up in the red zone.
Braelon Allen finally made an impact again as well, rushing for 104 yards, including carrying much of the load on New York’s fourth-quarter field goal drive which brought the game to 21-17.
That field goal drive was one of the game’s most haunting moments though. The Jets found themselves on the one-yard line and couldn’t punch the ball in. That, on top of a missed 40-yard field goal from Jason Sanders in the third quarter, took seven points off the board.
The song remains the same for the 2026 New York Jets; they didn’t play poorly, but they once again couldn’t find a game-winning play late in the game.
