Like clockwork, the New York Jets’ season appears over before the weather cools and the leaves even start to turn.
Five weeks in, the same problems remain for the Jets: penalties, turnovers, missed tackles, and no passing game to speak of.
Coming into Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys ranked dead last in total defense, surrendering 432.5 yards and 33.0 points per game, a mark that suggested the Jets would have an opportunity to exploit them. Instead, New York struggled to find consistency in a 37-22 loss on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium, and over half of those points came when the game was well out of reach.
Much like their previous games, the first half was a disaster, and the home crowd let the team have it with a chorus of boos as they headed to the locker room. The lack of intensity and focus was on full display as New York missed 13 tackles, gifting Dallas 179 yards. The Jets also committed seven first-half penalties, six of which were accepted.
Despite a costly first-half fumble, Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson were the lone bright spots for the Jets. Hall averaged 8.1 yards per carry and totaled 155 yards of scrimmage, while Wilson turned in a six-catch, 71-yard day that included a touchdown.
Justin Fields finished 32-of-46 for 283 yards and two touchdowns, most of it coming in garbage time.
Even though the Jets controlled the clock (17:51 to 12:09), they found themselves down 23–3 at halftime.
New York opened the second half with back-to-back defensive stops, but Dak Prescott quickly silenced any momentum building, hitting George Pickens for a 45-yard touchdown. The Jets answered with a Nick Folk field goal, trimming the deficit to 24 heading into the fourth quarter.
After converting on 4th-and-5, Justin Fields found Andrew Beck in the end zone for a one-yard touchdown, trimming the deficit to 30–14 with 7:56 to play.
The potential comeback was short-lived, as Prescott hit Javonte Williams for his second touchdown of the day, stretching Dallas’s lead to 37–14 with 4:30 to play.
Garrett Wilson managed to haul in a 9-yard touchdown with 1:42 remaining, giving the Jets a late spark, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome. The Cowboys controlled the final moments, running out the clock to secure a 37–22 victory, leaving New York still searching for answers on both sides of the ball.
In a game in which the Cowboys were missing 80% of their starting offensive line, the Jets managed to sack Prescott only once, with five minutes remaining. New York has yet to force a turnover after five games.
Aaron Glenn is the first first-time head coach in Jets franchise history to start his career 0-5.
