3 Jets Overreactions After Collapsing to Packers in OT (And Why They Aren't Justified)

While some concerns are valid, others are being blown out of proportion.

Sports Illustrated's Nick Faria assesses whether Jets fans should be concerned about David Bailey and other areas after the Week 2 loss to the Packers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — It doesn't matter how bad it looks; a loss will always get football fans to think of the worst outcome.

For Jets fans, though, every worst-case scenario always seems to be child's play compared to what eventually happens to the franchise. Perhaps that is why so many remain irate over the team's 20-17 overtime loss to the Packers on Sunday.

New York squandered a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and a chance to start 2-0 to begin a season for the first time since 2015. Instead, the organization fell to 1-1 with two games against NFC North opponents due up.

That said, here are some of the biggest overreactions we have seen so far in Week 2, and why some people are blowing things out of proportion.

1. Aaron Glenn is solely at fault for Jets loss

Head coach Aaron Glenn deserves criticism for his part in the Jets' loss. He used up all three timeouts in the first quarter, then didn't use his final timeout in regulation when he could have bought the offense around 45 seconds of game time.

His inability to stay aggressive through the totality of a game remains a hindrance to the team. If anything, his inability to properly use his timeouts is a concerning problem that dates back to last season.

But he wasn't the sole reason the Jets lost.

Aaron Glenn was far from perfect in Week 2; however, the Jets' head coach wasn't the only one responsible for the collapse. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

New York's offensive line crashed and burned for most of Sunday. The team ran for just 2.5 yards per carry and failed to convert on third- and fourth-and-one attempts with just two minutes remaining in the game. That series alone was a major hindrance to the team winning.

Glenn is also not at fault for the punt coverage team giving up a 63-yard return that set up the Packers to tie the score. Add in multiple muffed punts that set the team back offensively, and the Jets were let down by two areas of the roster that were supposed to be strengths.

Glenn deserves blame for his role in the loss. But to make this game out as him being the only reason, or him holding the team back, is flat-out wrong. That's not how it works in the NFL. And in the case of the Jets, they weren't good in key areas to even think about putting all the blame on the coach.

2. David Bailey isn't impactful enough

I've seen this insane take make the rounds on social media over the first few weeks. The criticism of Bailey has been that, while he has recorded a sack in each of his first two NFL games, he hasn't been impactful enough to alter the game like a high pick should.

First off, that reaction is absurd. Myles Garrett and even Aidan Hutchinson failed to record 10 sacks in their first seasons in the league. They were high defensive picks with mountains of expectations.

Second, Bailey has been impactful in more ways than one. On Sunday, he not only recorded a sack, but he also forced a fumble and recorded four pressures. Bailey was the highest-graded rookie defensive lineman in the league (82.8, per Pro Football Focus) and has been everything the Jets have needed so far.

Even better, Bailey has greatly improved in the run game. If he continues to develop like this, New York will be very happy.

3. The Jets' 2026 season is over

So many Jets fans have essentially used Sunday's loss as the example to call the season over, or say the organization won't be able to recover from a difficult loss to the Packers.

If you told those same fans the Jets would be 1-1 after two games, with a dominant win over Tennessee and an overtime loss to the playoff-contending Packers, they would sign up for that in droves.

Yes, the Jets squandered a lead and a chance to really make headway as an organization.

But the season is not over. The Jets will need to prove they have moved past the times they couldn't pick themselves up after a down year. It will be the main focus for Glenn and the coaching staff as the team prepares for the Lions in Week 3.

This (Week 2) loss is not going to define who we are and what we’re about. It’s not okay. And our guys are going to take it like that. It is not okay. But we have to get ready to move on to next week.

Aaron Glenn, Jets HC

The Jets are relatively healthy and playing better than they did last season. One overtime loss in Week 2 isn't—nor should it—break their spirits.

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