Jets fall to 0-3 as late-game collapses persist; analysis points to multiple culprits

The New York Jets fell to 0-3 Sunday after a last-second loss to Tampa Bay, continuing a troubling pattern of late-game collapses that has haunted the franchise for years. The latest defeat marks the ninth time in the past two seasons that the Jets faced a gut-punch when they were tied or leading in the fourth quarter, a tally that has become hard to overlook for fans and coaches alike. The setback in Tampa tightened scrutiny on head coach Aaron Glenn and the path forward for a team trying to prove it has moved beyond its recent misfortune.

The New York Post analysis of those close losses breaks them down by the unit on the field, and it shows that no single group has owned the blame across multiple games. In some cases the offense stalled in critical moments, in others the defense yielded late scores, and there were instances when special teams mistakes or misplays played a part. Over the two seasons, the same game-ending pattern has reappeared with different culprits depending on the matchup, which has made it harder to point to a single fix.

For Glenn, who is only three games into his tenure as head coach, the 0-3 start is brand new territory even as the scars of past near-misses linger for Jets followers. He has stressed that this iteration of the team is not the same as what fans have endured in the past, but his tenure is under visible pressure as the losses pile up in tight fashion. The fans want to see a team finish games the way it starts them, and the cadence of close losses has made that demand louder with each week.

As the season unfolds, the review underscores a simple reality: finishing is where close games are won or lost. Whether the ball ends up in the hands of a receiver in stride, on a contested catch, or on a punt or kick return that avoids a costly miscue, little mistakes compound in late moments and stretch the margin of error for a team still trying to establish consistency. The Jets will need to convert opportunities in the fourth quarter if they hope to change the narrative and restore confidence around the organization.

Beyond the specifics of a single game, the broader history of gut-punch losses serves as a reminder that improvement in one week does not automatically erase months of frustration. The current tally reflects a pattern built over the last two seasons, not a one-off misfortune. Team officials and players will weigh the findings of the recent review as they prepare for the next game, looking for durable fixes that can translate into reliable late-game performance rather than periodic flashes of potential.

Until the Jets reverse this trend, conversations around the program will remain intense, and the team will be judged on its ability to win when the clock is winding down.