Unlike the previous two games, when the Jets put up a valiant effort and suffered close losses to the Packers and Lions, respectively, it was a totally different story on Sunday in a 23-12 loss to the Bears that was not nearly as close as the final score would indicate following a fourth-quarter touchdown.

The late TD connection from quarterback Geno Smith to wide receiver Isaiah Williams was a rare bright spot in an otherwise abysmal offensive performance, but aside from that, the Jets were 0-of-7 on third down and were outgained 492-157 in what turned out to be a clear mismatch on the field.

Once again, though, a lot of the blame rests on the shoulders of head coach Aaron Glenn, whose defense could not get off the field on Sunday and allowed the Bears to pick up more first downs (34) than the number of plays the Jets offense ran for the entire game (32).

One week after keeping pace with the explosive Lions offense, a number of mental mistakes and an inability to contain Chicago's league-leading rushing attack proved costly in a disappointing all-around effort.

With three straight losses to their credit, it is time for Glenn and his staff to get this team back on the right track before the season is officially lost. After another missed opportunity in the Windy City, there are some decisions that Glenn will want back and areas to improve on moving forward.

Disciplinary issues, inability to stop the run come back to bite Aaron Glenn's defense

There are a number of areas the Jets would like to correct in hindsight, but something that especially bit Glenn and his defense was situational discipline. The Jets committed 12 penalties for 76 yards and had three potential interceptions negated due to penalties, two of which occurred on Chicago's final drive of the game and allowed the Bears to run the clock out on an 18-play, 76-yard drive that took up the final 9:16 of the game.

Glenn had some familiarity with Bears HC Ben Johnson during his time as defensive coordinator with the Lions, as the latter served as the offensive coordinator on those same teams. That did not seem to matter, as the Bears ran an absurd 89 plays to New York's 32 and completely dominated the time of possession, 42:45-17:15.

It was a lousy coaching performance, to say the least, from both sides of the ball as offensive coordinator Frank Reich failed to establish any level of consistency offensively and barely involved WR1 Garrett Wilson at all, with just three catches for 27 yards. While the offensive line's continued struggles and a disastrous showing from QB Geno Smith limited that group and kept them from establishing any momentum in the game, Glenn's defense did not exactly do anything to take the pressure off of them, either.

Granted, All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick came away with the Jets' first interception in 636 pass attempts (h/t NFL) and provided a spark to a struggling unit. That said, the defense still allowed backup QB Tyson Bagent to throw for a career-high 268 yards and an average of 7.9 yards per attempt, and Glenn was not about to let the long-awaited interception overshadow the frustrating loss and hide the issues that obviously exist on this team.

The inability to get off the field on third down was frustrating on both sides of the ball, but it was clear coming into this game that Chicago was going to utilize a ground-and-pound approach with its stout ground game. It did not seem to matter, as the Bears totaled 232 rushing yards, including 146 yards and two TDs from Kyle Monangai.

Offensively, the lack of a consistent run game (14 carries for 59 yards) made the Jets more one-dimensional and prevented them from sustaining drives and keeping the clock moving. It was the complete opposite on the other side, as the defense had no answer for Chicago's rushing attack.

Simply put, an unwillingness to adjust to certain aspects of the game plagued the coaching staff, particularly Glenn's defense. Sure, Bagent was efficient, but if the Jets had tightened up their rush defense and at least put some more pressure on the Bears' backup QB to beat them by himself, that would have likely led to more opportunities for Gang Green to exploit.

What does this mean for Aaron Glenn moving forward?

As a Week 5 meeting with the Browns looms at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, time continues to tick as it relates to Glenn's future in Gang Green if he cannot start turning things around fast.

It is easy to point blame at the Jets' offense for not sustaining drives against the Bears, but the defense gave up seven drives of at least nine plays and did absolutely nothing to provide any optimism. From the costly penalties to the lack of run defense, Bagent could essentially do what he wanted and never really faced much adversity becasue New York beat itself.

In years past, a game against the Browns would have seemed like an opportunity, and it still could if the Jets can get their act together and overcome the injury bug that continues to plague them. That said, QB Deshaun Watson has looked more like himself from his days with the Texans and has this Browns team in first place in the AFC North through four games, with a pair of talented 2026 draft picks, Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion, to throw the ball to.

As someone who already entered the season on the hot seat, it is now or never for Glenn to save his career in Gotham. Going forward, Glenn needs to make discipline a huge priority for his defense to ensure the offense can get into a better rhythm, regardless of the opponent.

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