Jets look for answers over how once-vaunted defense has fallen apart

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.— When people tried to predict why the 2024 Jets would have success.

the formula went something like this: A healthy Aaron Rodgers added to the team’s elite defense would equal a playoff run. As we all know, that formula did not add up. The Jets travel to face the Jaguars on Sunday with both teams having 3-10 records and with plenty of questions about their futures.As the Jets search for answers about what went wrong this year, one of the biggest mysteries remains what happened to their once fierce defense. The unit collapsed last week in Miami, allowing a game-tying drive in the final minute of regulation and game-winning drive in overtime.

It was the third straight week the defense gave up a fourth-quarter lead. “There’s just moments that we have not executed like we normally do and that’s unfortunate,” said interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who is also the defensive coordinator.“And that ultimately points the finger at myself that I got to get them to coach better.

I got to get them to execute at a higher level, and in those critical moments, they got to trust the training, and you have to have unconscious competence, and when this season is over and we really reflect hard in those moments, we got to create a solution for them.We have to.” Statistically, the Jets still look pretty good on defense.

They are No.4 in the NFL in total yards allowed, but anyone who has watched closely knows this defense does not compare to the one they had last year or in 2022. The issues are widespread. The Jets have another chance Sunday to put together a strong game on defense against a struggling Jaguars team. “We’ve got to play the way we’ve been playing the last couple of years,” cornerback Sauce Gardner said, “where it’s like we’re not really expecting the offense to score that many points, like we’ve got to win the game ourselves.” ...