The New York Jets’ struggles persist despite changes in coaching responsibilities. Aaron Rodgers and Breece Hall shine, but costly penalties and defensive lapses lead to a 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
NFL News, Bollywood Fever: If Robert Saleh had remained the head coach of the New York Jets during their 23-20 defeat to the Buffalo Bills on Monday, there would likely be calls for his job. Instead, the team is left questioning their future after yet another nationally-televised disappointment.
New York’s struggles weren’t magically solved by replacing Saleh with the widely respected defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. While there were some bright spots, especially on the offensive side, it was clear that deeper issues remain. Ulbrich handed over play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Todd Downing, sidelining offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. The early returns showed promise.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers delivered one of his strongest performances of the season, throwing for 294 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Breece Hall also had an exceptional game, rushing for 113 yards and adding another 56 yards in the air. Yet, both players’ impressive contributions were overshadowed by a slew of errors, many stemming from an alarming lack of discipline.
There were 22 accepted penalties during the game—11 on each team—but for the Jets, every flag felt like a devastating blow. Key defensive stops were wiped out by pass interference calls. A Braelon Allen touchdown? Called back for holding. Even when luck was on their side, like the phantom roughing-the-passer call in Rodgers’ favor, New York failed to capitalize.
The sloppy play wasn’t limited to penalties. Ulbrich, juggling both defensive play-calling and his new head coach responsibilities, witnessed several breakdowns on defense. The Jets were shockingly weak against the run, allowing 149 rushing yards despite Buffalo missing their starting running back James Cook. New York’s defense showed little physicality, and their pass rush managed just two sacks.
One of the game’s most pivotal moments came on the final non-kneel play, when the defense failed to contain an obvious quarterback draw by Josh Allen, further emphasizing their inability to make critical stops. Allen’s ability to escape pressure and make big plays hurt the Jets once again, adding to the chaotic history between these two teams.
To make matters worse, the Jets also missed a couple of key field goals. All signs point to the fact that New York’s problems go beyond who is coaching—their underlying issues run much deeper.
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