Jets defense falters in second half to drop 38-33 decision to Raiders

The New York Jets defense could not hold a lead on Sunday, falling 38-33 to the Las Vegas Raiders at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The team entered the break with a nine-point advantage, but Las Vegas scored touchdowns on its first three possessions after intermission. The final blow was a two-yard pass from Kirk Cousins to Jalen Nailor, which put the Raiders ahead 35-30 for good.

Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty had drawn fire earlier in the week for claiming the Jets had players who did not want to tackle. Jeanty finished the game with nine yards on two carries, as Las Vegas relied more on rookie Mike Washington Jr. out of the backfield. Despite the criticism, the Jets' inability to make stops in the second half proved decisive. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said the team beat itself, citing bad penalties and mistakes.

Coach Aaron Glenn, who calls the defensive plays, said the performance was a disappointment. He noted that no team can win while giving up that many points. Glenn pointed to specific penalties that helped Las Vegas sustain drives. Brandon Stephens was called for defensive holding on a third-and-five situation in the third quarter. Three plays later, Cousins threw a two-yard touchdown to Brock Bowers, cutting the Jets' lead to 23-21.

Jarvis Brownlee Jr. was also called for pass interference on a third-and-10 play from the Raiders 35-yard line. That penalty helped set up a one-yard rushing touchdown for Cousins later on the drive, bringing Las Vegas within two points at 30-28. Fitzpatrick said the defense failed to stop known offensive threats, including tight end Bowers, who caught seven passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

The loss drops the Jets to 2-6 on the season. Glenn said the team has lost by one score in five of those defeats. He acknowledged the challenge of balancing his role as head coach and defensive play caller. "I've got to do a better job of getting us in the right plays," Glenn said. "And we've got to do a better job of executing and winning our one-on-ones, too."

Linebacker Demario Davis described the defensive performance as too up and down. He said the group did some good things but was not good overall. The Jets will look to improve their execution as they continue their season, aiming to avoid another close defeat.