The Detroit Lions are cruising along this season, sporting a strong 3-1 record going into their Week 5 matchup against the 2-2 Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, October 5. They’re in impressive company, too, with only the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles still undefeated, meaning Detroit is just a step away from that pace.
But things aren’t as smooth for former Lions coordinators. Ben Johnson is now with the Chicago Bears, who are 2-2, while Aaron Glenn is running the defense for the New York Jets, who currently sit at a rough 0-4.
That’s a tough pill for Glenn. Back when he served as defensive coordinator in Detroit, he helped the team rise into one of the NFL’s most promising franchises. But he inherited a challenge with the Jets, and reshaping them is a steep climb. Reports say that after their latest defeat to the Miami Dolphins on Monday, September 29, Glenn let his temper flare, which is understandable.
No competitor enjoys losing, and Glenn is no different. According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, the coach was so heated after the Dolphins game that his voice carried. And it wasn’t the fun “blast the speakers with heavy metal” type of loud.
“Aaron Glenn in the postgame locker room was yelling loud enough for us to hear him in the press conference room,” Rosenblatt wrote on X.
Fans jumped in quickly to react. “At some point, this is on the players,” one posted. “Coaches don’t commit false starts, fumble, call bad fair catches or over-pursue. Players do. Until they clean that up, nothing changes.” Another added, “Yet Rodgers, Saleh and Ulbrich get the blame.”
Glenn didn’t mince words afterward, pointing to mistakes. He said turnovers and penalties doomed the Jets’ chances and emphasized no NFL squad can overcome that many errors.
“Very disappointing. There’s no way you can win any game with 13 penalties and three turnovers,” Glenn told Rosenblatt. “We have to get back to work and realize before you can win, you must first stop losing.”
How the Lions and Jets Compare
The Jets landed at No. 30 in this week’s power rankings. Eric Edholm of NFL.com noted, “Aaron Glenn’s offense lost two fumbles in Miami territory, while his defense gave up a 96-yard scoring drive and piled up penalties.” He concluded, “The Jets show effort at times, but they remain winless. Glenn can’t be pleased.”
Meanwhile, Detroit is sitting at No. 3, which is outstanding. Edholm added, “Some tough matchups are on deck before the Week 8 bye, and though no panic is needed, Dan Campbell’s team has fine-tuning to do.”
It’s truly a thrilling moment to be a Lions fan, especially after years of heartbreak. Speaking personally, this Detroit girl couldn’t be more thrilled.
