Jets fire defensive coordinator Steve Wilks after 14 games

The New York Jets made a mid-December alteration that says plentifulness astir however this play has gone. With the squad stuck adjacent the bottommost of the standings and the defence collapsing successful ways the franchise hasn’t seen successful years, the Jets fired antiaircraft coordinator Steve Wilks connected Monday aft conscionable 14 games.

Head manager Aaron Glenn moved rapidly to reset his staff, naming antiaircraft backs manager and passing crippled coordinator Chris Harris arsenic interim coordinator. Harris volition telephone plays for the last 3 games, with Glenn helping during the week connected game-planning.

“Listen, I conscionable thought that from past week going to this week, the betterment wasn't determination and I thought it was clip to marque a change,” Glenn said. He added, “I'm going to marque the determination that's champion for this enactment astatine each times, and it's my occupation to marque definite I proceed to measure everything that's going on.”

A illness that forced the issue

The determination came a time aft a 48-20 nonaccomplishment to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who scored connected 8 of their archetypal 9 possessions. The Jets person allowed 82 points implicit the past 2 games, their worst two-game agelong since 2021. They are giving up 28.3 points per crippled and are connected gait to let 482 points, which would beryllium the second-most successful squad history.

The stats are disfigured crossed the board, nevertheless the takeaway numbers are the astir shocking: 2 takeaways, nary interceptions. On Sunday, the Jets tied the 2024 San Francisco 49ers for the longest streak successful NFL past without an interception astatine 14 games.

Glenn said helium wanted a defence that plays the aforesaid mode from week to week. “I privation to spot accordant improvement. I privation to spot operation that's consistent,” helium said. “I privation to spot play that's accordant and I privation to spot the quality -- the civilization of this shot squad travel together.”

Players sounded drained aft Sunday. Linebacker Quincy Williams, 1 of the leaders, said, “I person thing affirmative to say.” Glenn acknowledged the mood: “They were beauteous pissed disconnected astir the mode the defence played,” helium said.

Harris, 43, has ne'er called plays astatine the NFL level. The Jets sojourn the New Orleans Saints adjacent Sunday arsenic Glenn tries to stabilize a play that has already slipped away.