Can Aaron Glenn Win New York #Jets Fans Back? (BADLANDS)

Can Aaron Glenn Win New York #Jets Fans Back? (BADLANDS)

What’s up everybody? Welcome back to your favorite New York Jets subscription podcast, Badlands. I’m your host, Joe Caparoso, joined as always by Connor Rogers CR. It feels like just yesterday, which it basically was, that we were recording talking about the Jets going 0 and6. We are back with a range of things to discuss tonight, if it’s quite as bad as everyone thinks it is, to talk about the film and what we saw in rewatching it, and to uh discuss some of the discourse going on amongst the fan base uh right now, including uh a tweet that caught our eye that we want to speak to. How you doing? How you feeling? I’m good, man. I mean, it’s one of those games that it didn’t really get easier to digest because you felt exactly you feel exactly the same days later that you did after the game where you you know, you give the defense the credit that they deserved, you give the special teams the credit they deserved. And you just feel like you really let one get away and when you let one get away when you’re 0 and5 compared to you haven’t played a game yet. We got on here after the Steelers game. We’re like, “Wow.” It sounded like a postgame party in retrospect, right? They did so many things well. They completely outplayed the Steelers, but they they gave the game away. But you felt like you saw signs of life from the team in multiple areas. They go, “If this is what they are, and week one lies a lot as we know, but if this is what they are, then they’re going to be fine this year and have something to build on going forward.” And it didn’t work out that way. And that’s why the sixth loss felt so much different compared to the first loss. So, like you said, we can go a little deeper today because you get a look at the tape. Uh you get definitely the pulse of the fan base, which is it’s dark right now. It’s as dark as I honestly remember it. I agree. I think it’s I’ll say the second gay year was a little darker, but that’s because I felt more apathy. That that nails it. I was going to say that was apathy. This year it’s different. This is Yeah, you’re right. Yeah, you’re right. This is You got to the the point with that gays team in year two that it never felt like they cared that much, so why should you? And a lot of people I remember at the time were saying to us, and I even internally felt this way. It’s like, I’ll return just once this is over, like once he’s gone and they’re starting over new. And this is when we’re like, we don’t know if they’re going to be starting new. And we we don’t know if they should be to be fair. We we truly can’t figure it out. That’s why this one this was supposed to be the start of a new regime that we really wanted to do well. Yeah. And I think that’s why this one is a little bit more difficult to digest and kind of figure out. So let’s let’s do this pod in three different sections. I think for the first third, let’s talk about what we saw on the field. There’s a lot of debate going on right now about uh how much blame goes to the quarterback and the offensive structure, some of which I find quite silly, but we’ll get into that. The second third, let’s press ourselves a little bit on a counterfactual of this maybe not being as bad as we all think it is, spurred by a good discord question and then we’re going to close going through some of this discourse from the fan base right now. So, I rewatched the game. I didn’t take away any shocking new conclusions. I saw a team that was ready to play that was playing with a terrific amount of energy particularly on the defensive and special teams uh sides of the football and I saw a guy out there a quarterback who just didn’t have it and was not ready to play and I was just holding the football to a degree that I just haven’t seen. I used I’m used to Zack Wilson running backwards. I’m used to Gino even used to do some of the running backwards. I’m used to other different types of bad Jets quarterback play, but the sort of like I have the yips, I am frozen. I refuse to release the football and the few times I do, it’s just so off the mark. It was sort of a new thing to consume. But I Angstran did not call a good game. I certainly he was not part of the solution and part of the problem. I just saw a quarterback who let his team down and I saw a coach who did a bad job with game management and everyone else for the most part outside of Sherwood in coverage played played well and like brought their agame and was there to win that game. It was a very different team than the one I saw against Dallas and Miami. Uh it outside of Justin Fields looked a lot like the team we saw in spurts against Pittsburgh. I that’s what made me extra bummed about it because I feel like whatever they did internally, the message had gotten through just with how that defense was moving around. And again, some of the stuff on special teams as well because there have been a couple ugly flare-ups in recent weeks. It’s just you can’t win in the NFL if your quarterback can’t throw the football. I know that’s not like incredible analysis, but you need to be able to do the bare minimum. And all Justin Fields really had to do in this game was complete three speed outs, which is probably the most basic throw you could make. And if he does that, the Jets win. And that I didn’t see anything more complicated than that, man. Like, yeah, I’d love to see more screens from Tanner Angstrand. I still despise that they dropped Justin Fields back on that first down. I’ll never get over that play call. It’s like the Sal Thomas pass from a couple of years back on fourth down. like it’s just one of those ones that will always stick with me. But this was a this remind me of the Zach Wilson game I went to in New England where they lost 103 and I left and I was like the only reason they lost today was because of Zack Wilson. I left this game re-watching it saying really the only reason they lost this game today is because of Justin Fields. There’s plenty of stuff I’m mad about Aaron Glenn about and I do think Aaron Glenn has left two losses or two wins on the field so far this season. This was a Justin Fields game. I don’t know if it’s more complicated than that. I think if Tyrod Taylor starts this game, the Jets probably win like 20 to 10 or something like that. Did you see anything else that I’m missing and what do you make of some of this back and forth banter that Fields wasn’t quite as bad as it seemed and there’s offensive line issues and there’s wide receiver separation issues. Does it go deeper than that or is this a more straightforward diagnosis? I think that the play calling didn’t do him any favors, but you also have to realize the crux of why the play calling is what it is is because I think the lack of faith in Fields doing a lot of different things. And you know, like what I can’t wrap my head around in that regard is how do you have four dropbacks of play action? I I just that doesn’t make any sense to me for a team that wants to be the most runheavy team in the league. And when they when the game is close, the Jets run the ball over and over again. How do you not and they’re pretty good at it. How do you not utilize play action more? Like get fields under center and utilize play action more. If you watch the Falcons game Monday night against the Bills, the Falcons ran play action with PennX. Not and Pennix is Penn is a much better thrower of the football than Fields. I get that. But he is a young quarterback that sometimes like needs a little extra time to see things and then he throws howitzers. But he’s not a he’s not this like quick release quick game kind of quarterback. He is a deep drop load up and fire kind of quarterback. I mean yeah on those nine dropbacks he completed five of his six attempts. I think he was sacked twice. He ran for a good scramble on another. but he averaged 14 and a half yards per attempt because of all the space it creates and the Falcons can run the hell out of the football because they have Bjon Robinson, right? So, it’s weird to me that the Jets just don’t utilize that aspect to their advantage the way they should. So, that was something schematically I thought they failed at, but you nailed it. The bottom line is if you can’t hit a couple outs, then you can’t do the baseline of the position at the NFL level. And that last one to Garrett Wilson’s the perfect example. It it really really like you just have to make that throw. It’s I mean how many guy how many backups in the league do we sit here and say can make that throw right now? You know almost all of them. So that’s where it’s been really really tough. Fields is not playing confidently. If it doesn’t help, what is difficult is that the Jets went into this year with a guy that plays slow and after Garrett Wilson, their receivers aren’t good at improvisation, like improvisation. Yeah. So, when the play fields did quarterbacks can’t run against Denver and once again, the Jets should have knew all of this. They came into this game offensively just totally overmatched and unprepared and they should have known they’d be very limited because the one thing Fields does really well Denver takes away from you. I’m very fascinated to watch Jackson Dart against this Denver defense because look at every quarterback that’s played Denver this year. They haven’t been able to get anything going with their legs. So Glenn should have known going into this game like there’s a world where we’re in really big trouble but if my defense plays the way I think it will and we get some kind of shot in the arm by special teams and they did. They got a couple big special teams plays. I I might have to go to Tyrod just for a half. And you can go back to Fields. I I don’t His line of thinking of that was very concerning. But anyway, they came in, they couldn’t do anything as expected because the way Denver’s defense plays and they just never kind of made a move and they weren’t able to scheme to adjust it. So, is there a screen game to be had with this team anywhere? Does that not make can Fields not throw a screen pass? Like I just I Well, the the one lack of a tab search. Yeah. Not to not to cut you off, the one I watched on Monday night is that that throwback screen like you run play action, you turn your back to the you kind of roll one way and then you throw back to where the running back fake was going. I like that for the Jets a lot because number one, their threat of the run game will sell well and it’ll get the defense flowing that way. fields as fast and a good threat on the boot where if he starts to roll the other way, the defense is going to go, “Oh shit,” and try to overcorrect themselves and start running back that way and then Bree could be standing there and if you have a little room, you just get up field and I didn’t they call that for the against the ste against the Steelers week one. They called some kind of screen like that that worked week one against the 30 yard gain or so week one and they don’t go back to it. So yeah, the Jets screen game is terrible. It’s every like it’s a little bit of everything. Fields is the common denominator. The co play calling has now started to get rocky. But then the third thing is that they have nobody to really go to after Garrett. And that that’s on Muji because it is just it’s insane how bad that is. Where it’s so funny to me like the second or third thing I see people say all the time is the offensive line and they’re just not watching the game. They’re just not watching the game. Like if your defense of Justin Fields at this point is the Jets offensive line, you either are one of those people that believes Sachs isn’t a quarterback stat and welcome to 2025. It more than likely is. Yep. And then two, the Jets offensive line is more than fine. Like if Nick Bonito beats old fashion you want to play, yeah, that is going to happen in the NFL with Nick Bonito who’s probably going to lead the league in sacks this year. But when you take seven sacks and you’re holding the ball for 5 seconds on them, that’s a little bit different. So yeah, I don’t think the play calling has helped and I’m very curious to see if Angstrand kind of has some wrinkles against the Panthers defense, which is obviously not as good as the Broncos defense. Well, the challenge for Angstrand now is going to be likely no Garrett Wilson the next two weeks. I’m sure the Jets are going to be conservative with him as they should be. Rest them for the two games, get through the by-week, he comes back after that. And you know, we joked about the service academy offense all summer. Like that if you’re going to keep playing fields and your starting receivers are likely to be Arian Smith and Josh Reynolds with Tyler Johnson as the third receiver, you need to run the football to an insane amount. And you can’t like situationally use Justin Fields as a runner. You need to design runs for him. You need to keep him on boots. Keep him outside the pocket and be very selective with your targets, which really should be funneled to Mason Taylor, your running backs, and then periodic deep shots to Aaron Smith. The reality is though without Garrett. And what I would just do at this point because you’re 0 and six, play Aren Smith like a normal receiver and get him a ton of targets and get him the experience and like let him learn on the job because those are more valuable reps than just funneling targets to Tyler Johnson and Josh Reynolds. You know, Reynolds is whatever. He’s done his job the last couple weeks. He catches the ball when you throw it to him. You know what he is, but Angstra, man, you got to get in your bag and get creative with Justin Fields as a runner because you have, no matter who you’re playing, and the Jets have some opponents who in a normal world, I think they could have a chance to be competitive with the next three weeks and steal their first win of the season. You have to have a very specific game plan with Fields, especially without Garrett Wilson. And all week you got to be like, you need to run for 75 yards at least or we’re not winning this game. And for the Jets to win, they need Fields to be running back 1B with Bree Hall and to also have Isaiah Davis really involved in it. You’re not going to run anywhere near a conventional offense with how Fields is playing and really with no receivers that are remotely capable. We’ve been joking about it non-stop, but this is like the 2018 Darnold graphic. You just don’t have the horses. So, you know, it’s a shame on the It’s probably, it’s a good qu, it’s probably worse because Germaine Kur I feel like at that stage was like a little more established and he had an 800 yard season for the Jets. So, you know, Rashard Matthews was kind of an NFL veteran. They had just signed. Like that’s kind of like what Reynolds is now. We just haven’t seen it from Smith. And to be fair to Smith, like I’m sure they’ve drawn up they have drawn up some deep shots for him, but Fields isn’t seeing it and isn’t really getting the ball out. No, it’s tough. I mean, it’s going to be tough. We’ll talk about the game a little more, you know, coming up here, but it’s not an easy task for Angstrand in the seventh game he’s ever going to call to roll out the collection of skilled players that they are and really fairly evaluate him. And I’ll give credit to, you know, Laflur back in the day, he would get put in similar situations and he would come up with some creative ways to move the football with Zach Wilson and Braxton Berios and some trick plays and some laterals. And bluntly, that’s what you’re going to have to do in this one because I look, I’ll I’ll kick off this section here. We got this question and I trying to force myself to get outside of the box that we’re in right now, which I think is a fair box to be in where everything is down about this regime and it’s heading towards a very real one and done conversation. This is from John Ed and he said, “I’ve just come back from January 26 and the Jets have shown enough that most of the fan base has confidence in AG Emuji going into the off season. What has happened in the interim that gets us to this point?” So that’s basically they get through the rest of this year and they get through the rest of next year roughly where actually no January 26 is so basically you just get through the rest of this year where everyone’s like okay no it doesn’t need to be one and done. I feel like right now if you asked eight out of 10 Jet fans, seven out of 10 Jed fans, do you want this regime back next year? They’re going to be like, “No.” Like, I I I think we got to rip the band-aid off and I think we we don’t want to put this regime with a new quarterback, fair or unfair, people’s emotions are running high right now. Now, there is a lot of time left in the season. There’s 11 games left. So, I think this is a fair question. And what I’m trying to think of is like look, they’re 0 and6, but they’ve held the lead in the fourth quarter of three of their six games. If Aaron Glenn had done a couple things different and smarter, they’re probably two and four right now. And if they’re two and four right now, I think everyone’s happy. And that’s like exactly where they should have been. And there’s not a single comment about him being on the hot seat. And there’s no oneanddone talk. And what I’m referring to is if they knew how to manage the halves against Denver, they win that game. Um, if they called better defense on the last drive against Tampa, they could win that game. If they listen to everyone all summer and don’t have Xavier Gibson on their roster, they probably beat Pittsburgh. So, you know, you figure of those three situations, two go their way, you’re two and four right now. So, they’re not that far off in some ways from being where we thought they would be. Um, it’s only been six games and Glenn can learn and evolve theoretically over that time frame. We’ve been down about a lot of the moves that Muji has made. However, to be fair now, we’re starting to see some signs where Phillips trade looks good. Briggs trade looks good. Brownley trade looks good. Maybe Kiko has a spot in an NFL roster, not as a starter, but as a backup, right? Um, we feel good about Mason Taylor and Meu. We feel like when Thomas starts playing, he’ll be a guy. Stevens is playing below his contract, but isn’t the worst corner in the NFL. He’s been okay the last few weeks. So maybe it’s not all bad and there’s some hope there and it hurts so much because they’re 0 and six and because they’ve lost some excruciating games and Glenn has because of how he carries himself, he’s made the situation worse worse. He’s had a couple ugly press conference moments where he’s been a bit condescending to the media and I would say fans who are following the team which makes your situation go from bad to worse. He he does usually clean it up like you said on the Monday followup doesn’t matter. It’s such a ridiculous cycle just get better after the game. Uh and he’s just had like some of these moments where the the before the first half against Denver in a national game that that sticks out. the guy fair catching a punt at the two yard line that sticks out. Not against him because we both like this the fun dance on the sideline but then you lose right after people remember that now. So he’s kind of backed himself into being a meme very quickly but that should be irrelevant in how we’re evaluating him. So this is a long- winded way of me trying to talk myself into this not being a complete lost cause because I know the reality is that he’s more than likely back next year and that may still be the right decision. What would I need to see the rest of the way? I look at the Jets next three games and you could say without Garrett Wilson, they have no business beating anybody. And I’m not saying they’re better than any of the next three teams that they’re playing. But Carolina’s one of the worst road teams, if not the worst road team in the NFL, and now they’re coming to Metife. Uh the Bengals have been destroyed each of the last four weeks and are a mess right now. Um and the Browns might be the only team in the NFL with a with a worse offense than the Jets. They’re they’re really bad. I know the Jets are really bad. these three teams. I maybe Carolina’s not really bad, but they have their flaws. You should be able to win one or two of these games. If you’re trying if you’re trying to instill confidence that you should be back next year, I look at the final seven games. Can you beat Miami for God’s sakes, right? They’re done. They’re one and five. Can you have one or two other signature wins or moments that show you’re progressing? That’s not beating the Saints, even though they’ve been feisty. That’s not beating the Bills backups in week 18. That’s which might not be now. Might not be now. That’s that’s actually a great point. Uh taking a game from Buffalo or New England that they really need when that’s the kind of win where you’re like, “Oh, well, maybe there is some progress.” Um beating the Falcons or the Jaguars when no one expects you to. Those are teams who are going to be in the mix for playoff spots competing for playoff spots. that type of win or effort and consistent games where you are throwing punches and seeing actual incremental change and improvement in game management, continued proof that Muji’s offseason might not have been all that bad and better handling of the media and the press situation. So, if all those things trend in the right direction and the Jets finished four and 13, you could be like, you know what, maybe I thought they were a six or seven win team and they lost a couple close games, but they were a four- win team. And that’s that’s all right. They should be back next year. That’s roughly what I think they need. Now, that’s a dramatic change, Bluntly, from where they are right now because I actually feel insane saying it out loud that they’re going to steal a game from the Patriots or Bills. As much as the Bills looked like crap last night, what is the path to doing that where it’s like we’re going into we’re doing this podcast going into week 18 and the Jets are whatever they are and you’re like look they’re going to be back next year and that’s okay. Here’s why. How do we get to that spot? So this is this is not counting the 2026 season. This is just this season. This is just this season. January of 2026. I’d be very impressed if they fully earn

Joe and Connor review the film from Jets vs Broncos and what went wrong with the offense, discuss how Aaron Glenn can win the people back he has lost by season’s end and close by reading a letter shared on Twitter cancelling Jets season tickets and talking through the state of the fanbase…

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