3 biggest losers from Jets’ shocking 21-27 Week 4 loss to Dolphins

Pete Martuneac

3 biggest losers from Jets’ shocking 21-27 Week 4 loss to Dolphins image

It’s difficult to find the words to describe a loss as dysfunctional as the one the Miami Dolphins handed to the New York Jets on Monday night. The score shows a close game, but anyone who watched could see that the Jets were committed to self-destruction in their loss to the Dolphins. Never mind the questionable officiating, no team that fumbles on each of its first two drives, including a fumble at Miami’s 1-yard line, deserves to win.

Winning the turnover battle was going to be one of the Jets’ keys to victory over the Dolphins; the Jets remain without a takeaway in the 2025 season, just the fifth team in nearly a century to be 0-4 without a takeaway. Justin Fields being the best version of himself was another key; he was held largely in check until garbage time.

So much went wrong for the Jets that its hard to pinpoint who deserves the most blame, but I’m going to try all the same.

Braelon Allen

Whether you’re a second-year player or a seasoned veteran, you can never turn the ball over in the redzone. It’s just inexcusable. That lost fumble at the one set the tone for the entire game, and the Jets simply aren’t good enough to overcome a mistake like that.

Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner

After the game, Gardner was frustrated with how he's officiated, suggesting that he’s being called for more penalties than other cornerbacks because the Jets are losing. This is utter nonsense. Being overly handsy has always been a knock on Gardner’s game, even going back to the 2022 NFL draft. When Gardner gets beat, which is happening more and more often, he grabs and holds more than anyone else and he’s getting called for it.

If Gardner wants the flags to stop flying, he better spend more time figuring out how to stop losing his reps and less time coming up with pathetic excuses.

Aaron Glenn

The buck stops with the head coach. For a guy who talked a big game about discipline, accountability, and cleaning up the mental errors of previous Jets regimes, things have not improved at all. In fact, it could be argued that the Jets are worse than ever.

Glenn was heard screaming at the Jets in the locker room before the postgame press conference, and his players deserved it. However, a head coach is what his record says he is. With that in mind, I hope Glenn has plenty of choice words for himself and his coaching staff, too.

Pete Martuneac

Pete Martuneac is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.