Jets Defense: Second-Half Collapse Costs Team in 38-33 Loss to Raiders

The New York Jets lost their sixth game of the season on Sunday, falling 38-33 to the Las Vegas Raiders in a contest defined by defensive failures in the second half.

The Jets entered the break with a nine-point lead but could not sustain their advantage once the second half began. Las Vegas scored touchdowns on its first three offensive possessions after intermission. The final blow came from a two-yard pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins to tight end Jalen Nailor, which put the Raiders ahead 35-30 for the last time.

The defeat extended a frustrating trend for New York, which has lost by a single score in five of its six defeats this season. The team is now 2-6.

The loss was particularly sharp for head coach Aaron Glenn, who calls the defensive plays. He noted that his unit allowed too many points to win. “There’s no team that can give up that many points and expect to win. That’s tough,” Glenn said.

The Raiders’ offense found rhythm in the second half despite minimal production from starting running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty, who had publicly criticized the Jets' tackling earlier in the week, carried the ball only twice for nine yards. Rookie Mike Washington Jr. handled the majority of the rushing load.

Jeanty did impact the game on a key play. On the drive that put Las Vegas ahead for good, he caught a short screen pass from Cousins and turned it into a 45-yard gain. That play moved the Raiders to the Jets’ 13-yard line.

Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick attributed the loss to self-inflicted errors. “Bad penalties, bad mistakes,” Fitzpatrick said. He added that the defense failed to stop known plays, specifically citing the success of tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers finished with seven catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

Penalties also played a decisive role in shifting momentum. In the third quarter, Brandon Stephens was called for defensive holding on an incompletion from the Jets’ 5-yard line. Three plays later, Cousins connected with Bowers for a two-yard touchdown that cut New York’s lead to 23-21.

Later in that quarter, Jarvis Brownlee Jr. was penalized for pass interference on a third-and-10 situation. The penalty set up a drive that ended with Cousins running for a one-yard touchdown, bringing Las Vegas within two points at 30-28.

Glenn took responsibility for the defensive performance, stating he needs to get the team into the right plays. He acknowledged the challenge of balancing his role as head coach with his duties as the defensive play caller. “I’ve got to do a better job of getting us in the right plays,” Glenn said. “And we’ve got to do a better job of executing and winning our one-on-ones, too.”