The Jets came into this week’s game against the Patriots in one of the worst situations in football. The Giants are 2-13 and playing for the #1 pick this week, but at least they have a franchise quarterback. The Titans only have three wins, but at least Cam Ward has shown flashes of a first overall pick. The Browns only had three wins coming into this week, but they beat the Steelers. They’ve also gotten great returns from their 2025 rookie class. The Jets are now 3-13 with really nothing to show for it. That thirteenth loss came by means of a truly embarrassing performance, which is saying something considering how they’ve played over the last month.
The Rundown
There’s really not much to say here. Drake Maye and the Patriots offense dictated this game from the get-go. The Patriots first six (!) drives of this contest resulted in touchdowns, with the last one in that sequence coming in the third quarter. By halftime, it was 35-3 Patriots, with zero hope for a Jets comeback. Drake Maye was 17/19 for 229 yards and 4 touchdowns at halftime. Meanwhile, Brady Cook was 5/8 for 39 yards and an interception at that point. After his fifth touchdown pass, Maye exited the contest with 5:31 left in the third quarter. The Jets were able to get on the scoreboard on the first play of the fourth quarter after a huge run by Breece Hall.
Breece Hall breaks one for 59 yards
NEvsNYJ on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/Ulfo45saRH
— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2025
Unfortunately, though, Hall suffered a knee injury later that quarter. John Simpson and Qwan’tez Stiggers also suffered injuries in this game. Outside of that touchdown, the 4th quarter featured nothing of note, and the game ended 42-10 in favor of New England.
The Roster is a Complete Disaster
It was known during the 2025 offseason that this roster was nowhere near the best in the NFL. The wide receiver, defensive line, and safety rooms were seen as below average. However, it has gotten even worse now. The Jets thought they had a star linebacking duo in the making with Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams, but both have regressed mightily. The two top pass rushers of the team, Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald, have not shown signs of being every-down players. Finally, the quarterback experiment failed miserably after much excitement, as Justin Fields played way below expectations. The front office will have to do a hefty evaluation of the roster and make impact moves this offseason. Thankfully, they have the assets to do so. They have four picks in the first two rounds of the draft as well as approximately $100 million in cap space. Their own draft pick is currently at #3 overall, with the potential to be #2 by the end of the season. The opportunity to improve this brutal roster is there.
What About Aaron Glenn?
If there was a time to start having conversations about Aaron Glenn, this is probably the time to do so. In their last four games, the Jets have been outscored 153-46. That is a point differential of -107. To put it simply, that is disgraceful. In fact, it’s all-time disgraceful:
All-time bad.
Worst December point differentials in NFL history
2025 Jets -107
1960 Bears -106⁰1990 Patriots -104⁰2019 Panthers -98
1990 Browns -98— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) December 28, 2025
He’s also been starting Brady Cook for the last three weeks, preaching that he gives the team the best chance to win. That couldn’t be further from the truth, as the product on the field has proven throughout the four games he’s appeared in. Glenn can’t be solely blamed for this horrific stretch, though, as injuries have taken a tough toll on the roster. The Jets have multiple key players on injured reserve. The players of note are Garrett Wilson, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Azareye’h Thomas, Isaiah Oliver, and, most recently, Will McDonald. This has caused sub-par players like Michael Clemons, Dean Clark, and Jordan Clark to get starting looks on defense. Next year, the Jets should have a quarterback, whether it’s a veteran upgrade via trade or a rookie. They should also have an improved roster using the aforementioned assets. This season, the job was to evaluate the roster. Next season, the job is to put something together.
The Finale
The final game for the 2025 season couldn’t have been a worse draw for the Jets, as they have to travel to Buffalo to play Josh Allen and the Bills. The elements combined with the state of this Jets team could make for yet another rout, but this football season has had plenty of surprises. Why not one more?
Main Photo: [Yannick Peterhans] – Imagn Images