Jets' late comeback signals progress under Aaron Glenn, Bowles says

TAMPA, Fla. — Todd Bowles emerged from the Buccaneers' locker room with a big smile after Tampa Bay beat the Jets 29-27 on a last-second field goal at Raymond James Stadium. Bowles credited Aaron Glenn, the Jets' defensive coordinator, with guiding a unit that rallied from a 17-point deficit to briefly seize the lead in the fourth quarter. Bowles said Glenn is going to get the Jets to play the way he wants and that he believes the team is going to be all right, noting Glenn's talent. Bowles knows Glenn well; he coached him twice — once with the Jets when Bowles was a defensive backs coach under Al Groh, and toward the end of Glenn's playing career with the Cowboys.

Glenn, three games into his tenure guiding the Jets' defense, addressed the lingering chatter about the franchise's reputation. He suggested that the Jets are not the same as the long-described 'Same Old Jets.' The Jets had clawed back from a 17-point hole to grab a lead with under two minutes to play, only to concede the game-winning kick as Tampa Bay drove down the field at the end.

The loss, while painful, was described by Bowles as a tangible sign of progress for Glenn and the defense. The Jets' late surge showed their potential to close gaps against a veteran Buccaneers squad, and Bowles' assessment emphasized the growing respect Glenn has earned within the coaching ranks for his method and ability to communicate his plan to players.

The game offered a glimpse of the evolving dynamic between Bowles and Glenn, who have shared the profession but not always the same sideline. Bowles' presence in the opposite locker room and his admiration for Glenn's work highlighted a cross-team acknowledgment of Glenn's potential. As the Jets move forward this season, Glenn will be measured by how his defense translates this early progress into consistent results.