Aaron Glenn and his New York Jets got their first win of a torrid season.
A sensational late comeback on the road saw them defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 39-38 on Sunday.
After a Chase Brown run gave the Bengals a 14-point lead with 10 minutes to go, the Jets looked on their way to 0-8. But 15 points in the final eight minutes delivered a miraculous win.
The victory means the Jets are no longer the last winless team in the league.
It also provide a glimmer of hope that they may be able to win more games down the stretch.
Justin Fields revenge game, sort of
I wrote during the week that it appeared as though Justin Fields’ time in New York was already over, after the mid-game benching against the Panthers and the scathing comments by owner Woody Johnson.
Everything looked set for Tyrod Taylor to start Sunday in an attempt to breath life into the offense. Then a twist of fate that would only happen to the Jets: Taylor goes down with an injury and suddenly Fields is required to steer the ship.
But all credit has to go to Fields. Outside of a poor check play on a 4th down attempt early on, he played a very clean game, reminiscent of the Steelers performance in Week 1. He threw his 50th career TD to Tyler Johnson on 4th down in the second quarter, a gorgeous pass.
The quarterback ran the ball well at times, converting a crucial two-point attempt in the second half. He also made another excellent 4th down conversion to Mason Taylor on the game-winning drive.
It was an impressive bounce-back performance from Fields, who was rightly criticised for his performances in the last few weeks. The frustrating part of the Fields experience is that if he could play with this poise and composure every Sunday, the Jets would have had at least two more wins and the atmosphere around the franchise would be very different.
So while I am not holding my breath on a repeat performance after the bye, this was a thoroughly enjoyable Fields outing.
Breece lightning
With rumours swirling around of an imminent trade for star running back Breece Hall, this could very well be his last game in Jets green. If that is the case, what a way to bow out.
Hall looked like the rookie who burst on the scene and gave the Jets so much juice under Robert Saleh. He was explosive in his cuts and when he got to the second level, he finished his runs. His touchdown run in the second half was a thing of beauty, dancing down the sideline and extending to score on a 27-yard run.
But the icing on the cake came in the final two-minutes as Hall took a pitch from Fields, waited and then looped a pass to Mason Taylor in the end zone. That gave the Jets a lead that, for once, they would not relinquish.
Hall finished with 133 rushing yards, two touchdown runs and a passing touchdown. A stellar performance.
Glenn’s best game
Like the rest of his team, Aaron Glenn has taken sharp criticism over the first seven weeks of the season. But on Sunday, we may have got the first glimpse of the ‘real’ Glenn. His in-game calls and adjustments were excellent.
The Jets stayed aggressive converting two of three 4th down attempts. This was a highlight of the Detroit system where Glenn made his name, and it was refreshing to see an attitude of playing to win, rather than playing to not lose.
After superstar receiver Ja’Marr Chase dominated the first half, I feared the worst. But the Jets secondary adjusted well and kept the explosive catches to a minimum in the second half. Credit for that has to go to Glenn and Steve Wilks. We will not mention the run defense, which was gashed at will.
There were two gutsy two-point conversions that kept the Jets in with a chance in the second half. Again, give the coach his dues, he called them at the right time and knew he had to stay aggressive as the defense was not making the required stops.
I am hoping this is a turning point game for Glenn and the staff. This is a 1-7 team and playing a conservative brand of football does not make sense. Play aggressive, lean into the playmakers and you may just pick up another win or two before the season’s end.
But if not, in the words of Kevin Malone, “It is just nice to win one.”
Nick Mangold: A true Jets great
The final word for Sunday though has to go to Nick Mangold, who tragically passed away at the age of 41 over the weekend.
He was a true Jets legend, a mainstay of the offensive line for 11 seasons. He made seven Pro Bowls and was part of the Rex Ryan years where the Jets went to AFC title games in back-to-back seasons. Hard to believe, I know!
It was truly heartbreaking to hear of Mangold’s passing, but number 74 will always be remembered as a true Jets great.
