With Superman looking more like Clark Kent, Aaron Glenn is at least open — if noncommittal — to ceding what he has called his “superpower.”
In charge of a collapsing defense, Glenn — who has acknowledged the difficulty in balancing all of the head coaching responsibilities with running the defense on game days — left the door open to giving up the defensive play calling.
“I’m looking at everything, and I’m looking at ways for us to improve,” Glenn said on a video conference call Monday when asked if he had considered handing the duties to perhaps defensive coordinator Brian Duker. “And whatever that is for us to get better, you can best believe I’ll make those changes. I think I’ve done that throughout my career. … I’m not afraid to make a change.
“I’m not saying that [play calling] is going to be the change, but I’m looking at everything.”
Something has to change for a Jets defense that has allowed an NFL-worst 127 points over their past four games and was gashed for 41 plays for 257 yards, largely on the ground, in the second half Sunday in Kansas City.
After a strong first half against Patrick Mahomes & Co., the Jets defense could not get off the field and let up 21 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters.
After such a strong start — the unit essentially was responsible for wins over the Titans and Browns and excellent for three quarters against the Packers — the defense has regressed as a whole and is regressing within the games. The past two weeks, the Jets defense has performed in the first halves before allowing a combined 45 points in the second halves.
Last year, then-defensive coordinator Steve Wilks called plays then was fired in mid-December, leading to Glenn deciding to unleash his own “superpower.” Is it possible that Glenn, attempting to oversee the offense and special teams, too, while managing the clock, would be better off with less on his plate?
“I would say this: We have not played really good defense the last couple of weeks, and I am very aware of that,” Glenn said. “But again, there’s been evidence of us playing really good defense throughout this season.”
And evidence that even within poor games, the Glenn-led defense at least has the ability to be better than it has been. On Sunday, David Bailey looked unstoppable [and nearly knocked out Mahomes] during the first half, when Kenneth Walker III gained just 21 rush yards on five carries.
In the second half, the Chiefs made adjustments that allowed their running game to shine — Walker reeling off 81 yards on the ground — and made every drive count. For the game, they entered the red zone four times and came away with four touchdowns.
“We can’t keep giving up these touchdowns in the red zone. … We have to find a way to get it done,” said linebacker and captain Demario Davis, who insisted there is “evidence, from the top to the bottom, of things that are going in the right direction” while acknowledging the defensive downturn. “Not up to our standard. We’ve done some things well and proven the level at which we can play. Once we’ve done it, that has to be your standard.
“We’ve held teams, and we’ve been good in the red zone. That’s what we’re not doing right now.”
