Through 10 games of the 2025 regular season, the New York Jets are closing in on an unwanted milestone in NFL history. The Jets have recorded just one takeaway all season, a lone forced fumble during their international game against the Broncos, and remain without an interception.
That drought ties them with the 2017 Raiders for the longest to start a season. If they fail to snag one next week against the Baltimore Ravens, the Jets will stand alone at the top of that dubious list.
Aaron Glenn Faces Uncharted Challenges
For head coach Aaron Glenn, a former Pro Bowl corner known for generating turnovers during his playing days, this situation is uncharted territory. After Thursday’s 27–14 loss to the New England Patriots, Glenn admitted the numbers are baffling.
At some point, Glenn’s confusion can’t be the only answer. As much as the Jets’ turnover drought is a statistical oddity, it also reflects a deeper issue with how the defense is being positioned and prepared.
“To have one takeaway at this point in the season, it’s tough to even imagine that, because you have tipped balls, you have things like that, that you usually get interceptions on,” Glenn said. “I don’t know if it’s bad luck, I don’t know. I can’t finger-point that, or put my hands on that, but that’s something that we’ve got to do a better job, because we do a good amount of zone, we do a good amount of man coverage.”
A unit this talented shouldn’t go ten games without an interception, and Glenn, known for his sharp instincts as a player, now faces the responsibility of recalibrating game plans, emphasizing ball disruption, and creating more calculated opportunities for takeaways.
Luck can explain part of the problem, but not all of it. At this stage, accountability and strategic adjustment must take center stage if the Jets want to break out of this historic slump.
Defensive Performance vs. Turnover Struggles
Despite being a defensive-minded coach, Glenn’s unit has struggled to convert solid coverage into turnovers, a key reason the Jets sit at 2-8. Takeaways give an offense extra opportunities to score, and for a team that has already struggled to put points on the board, this shortfall has been costly.
In fact, the Jets needed two special teams touchdowns against the Browns just to secure that win.
Yet, the defense itself hasn’t been bad. New York ranks 19th in yards allowed per game (329.7). The Jets are also 15th in yards per play allowed (5.3) and have a 58.3% rate for Red Zone TDs allowed, ranking 13th, according to PFSN’s Defense Impact.
But in the modern NFL, defenses need takeaways to tilt games in their favor, and the Jets’ singular turnover is glaring. The following closest teams have six takeaways, leaving the Jets five behind, entering territory that is not just embarrassing but potentially demoralizing.
Time To Adjust and Take Control
There is still time to course-correct. If the Jets can reshape their approach and become more aggressive in attacking the ball, there’s a chance to salvage their defensive identity. Linebacker Quincy Williams emphasized that the unit’s mindset regarding turnovers needs to change before anything else can improve.
Glenn may not have all the answers, but the players can take action themselves. Forcing turnovers could turn some of the Jets’ close losses into wins, providing the momentum the team desperately needs as the season winds down.
Draft position may matter, but for a team struggling to build energy, fighting until the final whistle is far more valuable than a lottery slot.
