Biggest Decision Aaron Glenn Got Wrong vs. Dolphins (And What Needs to Change in Week 8)

Just when it looked like things could not get much worse for the Jets this season, a humiliating 28-25 loss to the previously winless Dolphins took place on Sunday and dropped them to 2-5 in what is shaping up to be another season to forget in Gotham.

While injuries to key players like running back Breece Hall (groin) continue to plague this roster, the Jets finally had their top-three receivers on the field with Adonai Mitchell returning from a finger injury and appeared poised to take care of business on Sunday.

Even though rookie Omar Cooper Jr. shined once again (five catches, 115 yards, one touchdown) and running back Braelon Allen impressed (17 carries, 104 yards), the Jets immediately fell behind and never recovered after allowing the Dolphins to score on each of their first two possessions.

Coming into Week 7, the Dolphins were the only team that had not led at any point this season and lost RB1 De'Von Achane (torn ACL) for the season. On Sunday, they never trailed and Ollie Gordon II went for 103 yards and a TD on 23 carries, which proved vital in one of the key matchups going into the game.

That said, this was still a game the Jets were in position to win if they executed better in key moments. Look no further than the end-of-half TD from the Dolphins prior to the break, and how Glenn once again paid the price for his baffling clock management.

Bizarre timeout usage by Aaron Glenn proved costly in another crushing loss

Following a punt, the Jets had the Dolphins backed up at their own nine-yard line, only trailing by seven points with 8:44 remaining in the first half. Not only did the defense allow quarterback Malik Willis to convert a fourth-and-two to keep the drive going, but they also let the Dolphins take the clock all the way down to six seconds and stretch their lead to 21-7.

Despite having all three timeouts in his pocket, Glenn refused to use either of them. It was one thing to allow Miami to go all the way down the field in methodical fashion, but why not start using the timeouts following the two-minute warning to at least give your offense enough time to try to score some points?

Instead, Willis ran in for the two-yard score (h/t NFL) and extended the Dolphins' lead to 14 just before the break.

Glenn is now 0-8 against divisional opponents and has been outscored 107-6 in the final two minutes of the first half in his 24 games as HC of the Jets. Chalk this up to the latest instance of him fumbling a game away on the sidelines and the clock management woes that have plagued his tenure in Gang Green.

To make matters worse, Glenn called a timeout within the first five minutes of the second half to prevent his offense from getting a delay of game. A back-breaking 63-yard TD pass from Willis to rookie WR Caleb Douglas put the finishing touches on the game late in the fourth quarter, but the bizarre timeout usage—or lack thereof at the end of the first half—helped put the Jets in that predicament and made Glenn's seat even hotter than it was entering the day.

The frustration did not reside solely on Glenn's shoulders as offensive coordinator Frank Reich once again failed to get WR1 Garrett Wilson involved in the game plan. Worst of all, the Jets had a first-and-goal at the one-yard line, but had to settle for a 33-yard field goal instead of tying the game. Gang Green was an improved 3-of-4 in the red zone, but not without some more issues that simply cannot happen in a close game at home.

That said, this was a game in which the Dolphins were in control throughout, which only made Glenn's decision to hang onto the timeouts that much more puzzling when he had the opportunity to at least give the offense the ball back on a day that a lot of positive things were happening compared to recent weeks.

What Aaron Glenn needs to do in Week 8 and beyond

As the Jets remain home to face the 3-4 Raiders on Sunday, the pressure remains firmly on Glenn after reaching a new low against the Dolphins. Although Las Vegas has been competitive so far, its defense is 29th in the league in points allowed per game (28.1 PPG), so perhaps the Jets can find something and take advantage of that weakness.

However, as ESPN's Rich Cimini noted after the Week 7 loss, Glenn is the ninth coach since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger "to begin his career with eight straight division losses" and "the fifth coach to do it in the last 30 seasons (Jim Schwartz, Matt Eberflus, Pat Shurmur, Leslie Frazier)."

While that only applies to divisional opponents, that is not the type of list you want to be on, and it's another reason why Glenn's seat continues to reach a boiling point. Going forward, his focus must be on getting off to better starts, executing key plays and being more aggressive with his game and clock management.

After all, the offense was not bad on Sunday, especially when you consider the bad spot it was put in, with the defense surrendering the TD drives to begin the game. Glenn simply needs to be more aggressive with his play-calling and come out of the gates swinging with something to prove.

If not, it could be more of the same with a tougher schedule on the horizon as another season slips away for the Jets.

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