Skip to main content
Jets Country

Jets Fail to Hang With Lions in Week 3 (Here's What Mattered Most, Including Special Teams Struggles)

Another week, another loss for Gang Green.
Devon Platana|
Although the Jets did some things right on Sunday afternoon, head coach Aaron Glenn & Co. also left a lot to be desired.
Although the Jets did some things right on Sunday afternoon, head coach Aaron Glenn & Co. also left a lot to be desired. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In this story:

New York Jets

After last week's 10-point collapse to the Green Bay Packers, Jets fans were hoping to have more to celebrate on Sunday afternoon. There seemed to be the perfect storm for that to happen, too. Head coach Aaron Glenn had something to prove to his former employer; New York was motivated to show that the loss to Green Bay was a fluke, and Detroit even looked vulnerable after Buffalo outgunned the Lions in Week 2.

Instead, Gang Green fell short for the second consecutive week, falling 31-24 at Ford Field. Try as they might, the Jets struggled to gain and maintain a lead throughout the contest, leading for about four minutes in the first quarter and never again. Momentum seemed to be on their side when they tied the game 24-24 with 4:06 remaining, only for the Lions to regain the lead off running back Jahmyr Gibbs's third touchdown of the day just before the two-minute warning (h/t NFL).

Not only is another loss demoralizing, but the Jets now have to deal with a potential absence of RB Breece Hall, who left the game with a thigh injury in the fourth quarter and didn't return.

Losses like Sunday's come with lessons, both good and bad, and the Jets must learn from them if they want to salvage their season before it's too late. That being said, here are the three things that mattered most from Sunday's loss to the Lions.

1. TEs deserve to be a bigger focus of Jets' offense

After their Week 1 win over the Titans, Sports Illustrated's Nick Faria wrote about how the Jets could benefit from leaning heavily on their tight end room. Their willingness to run schemes with 0-5 personnel (no wideouts or running backs—just tight ends) was unique and something that could give them an edge over ill-prepared opponents.

Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, and having a talented TE room paid off again for New York (even without Mason Taylor in the lineup). The active bodies at the position each made an impact, with Kenyon Sadiq leading the bunch. The first-year tight end finished with seven catches for 105 receiving yards while playing 38 offensive snaps, and his biggest play of the day was a 24-yard score in the second quarter for his first career receiving touchdown (h/t NFL).

It wasn't just a big day for Sadiq; fifth-year TE Jeremy Ruckert also had a solid day. The former Ohio State Buckeye finished with a career-high five receptions and a TD, while his 39 receiving yards also set a new personal-best performance. His impact was also felt in pass protection, where Ruckert earned a grade of 70.2, according to Pro Football Focus.

Jelani Woods, who had been quiet through the first two games, finally woke up with a massive 20-yard catch on the drive that finished with Sadiq's touchdown. Woods's roster spot and outlook have been in question since the preseason, so it's encouraging to finally see him doing something to prove his worth.

It's safe to say the TEs should be highlighted again when the Jets face the Bears in Week 4, regardless of their wide receiver health. It might not be as juicy a matchup as this weekend was, but Chicago had allowed the 11th-most receiving yards on the 14th-most catches to tight ends before Sunday's action. There should be more than enough opportunities to keep building momentum.

2. Andre Cisco has turned a page

It isn't a secret that Andre Cisco's first season with the Jets wasn't anything special. The former Syracuse Orange safety's performance was up and down early in 2025 until a season-ending shoulder injury derailed his run after eight games. Throw in the fact that New York bolstered its secondary throughout the offseason, and it was easy to wonder how and where Cisco would fit into head coach Aaron Glenn's defensive plans.

That said, a door opened when offseason addition Minkah Fitzpatrick was sidelined for up to three weeks with a groin injury.

Cisco saw an immediate boost in playing time, increasing from 44 to 59 snaps between Weeks 1 and 2 before ultimately playing all 65 possible snaps against the Lions. He also made the most of his increased opportunities in Week 3, tallying four tackles (including two run stops) and even getting involved in the pass rush by sacking Detroit quarterback Jared Goff midway through the opening quarter (h/t Jets).

Cisco now has QB pressures in back-to-back games, matching the two he had in five previous seasons. He's clearly capitalizing on the available snaps stemming from Fitzpatrick's injury, and continuing to do so could have a significant impact on his future.

After all, Cisco will be a free agent in March after playing on a $1.49 million base salary, according to Spotrac, so maintaining a reputation of being a capable starter will help him get paid—either by the Jets or another team.

3. Special teams is a huge concern

The Jets' special teams raised plenty of flags in Week 2's collapse against the Packers, as ST coordinator Chris Banjo's unit allowed veteran returner Skyy Moore to average 29.0 yards on four kick returns and 23.0 yards on four punt returns. The poor return coverage constantly set Green Bay up for prime field position, eventually leading to New York's demise.

Unfortunately, those concerns remain prevalent after Week 3. The Lions had their way with the Jets on kick returns, with Jacob Saylors averaging 40.5 yards on two attempts (including a game-high 44-yarder) while Tom Kennedy had a 23-yard return of his own. Speaking of which, Kennedy also had an 11-yard punt return, whereas New York didn't even return one of Detroit punter Jack Fox's punts.

Struggling to stop returns will make it harder for the Jets to win on any given day. Turning things around will be even harder, though, as injuries pile up across special teams.

Star tackle Marcelino McCrary-Ball and Arian Smith landed on injured reserve earlier this week, while Kiko Mauigoa missed Sunday's contest due to a quad injury. The group was dealt another blow when cornerback Qwan'Tez Stiggers left Sunday with a hand injury, which left him questionable to return, according to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt.

Being without the quartet of Smith, McCrary-Ball, Mauigoa, and Stiggers would be a major obstacle for the Jets to overcome in Week 4. Chicago hasn't been perfect by any stretch of the imagination this season, but the Bears still entered this weekend's slate with the seventh-best special teams grade (78.8) on PFF, so they must be doing something right. For comparison, the Jets were 22nd with a mark of 63.4.

New York relied on practice squad players to fill the void on Banjo's unit in Week 3, but a more drastic move (trade or free-agent signing) might be made if special teams remain a major concern.

Get Jets On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published | Modified
Devon Platana
DEVON PLATANA

With a master's degree in journalism from Carleton University, Devon has spent the last six years in digital sports media, writing for Forbes Advisor, Betting News, Athlon Sports, The Hockey Writers and FanSided. Devon's work at OnSI includes covering the New York Yankees, New York Knicks and New York Jets.