FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New York Jets were unable to record a single sack in their 26-19 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, marking a stark contrast to the previous week when they sacked Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson eight times. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn expressed frustration over the team’s inability to disrupt Patriots quarterback Drake Maye despite his confidence in the defense’s pass-rush capabilities.

The Patriots faced significant adversity on their offensive line, losing three starters—Morgan Moses, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Ben Brown—to injuries during the game. Yet, even with these setbacks, New England’s protection held firm, frustrating the Jets’ efforts to pressure Maye. Defensive end David Bailey, who had three sacks against Cleveland, forced a fumble but was unable to bring down Maye, a challenge shared by the entire Jets defense.

Both Bailey and Glenn credited New England’s effective use of chip blocking, especially after the injuries thinned their offensive line. Linebacker Demario Davis highlighted Maye’s savvy play, noting the quarterback’s skill made it difficult to secure sacks despite having opportunities.

“At times, we had him,” Glenn said. “We’ve got to do a better job,” he added, pointing to the need for improved execution in the pass rush.

On offense, the Jets leaned heavily on running back Braelon Allen in the first half, where he carried 12 times for 65 yards and added 26 yards on two receptions. However, Allen’s presence diminished in the second half with just five carries for 13 yards and no catches, as New York shifted focus to the passing game while attempting to close a 10-point deficit. Glenn noted Allen had been “popping runs” early but stressed that trailing in the fourth quarter required moving the ball downfield.

Special teams also proved a concern for the Jets, aside from kicker Jason Sanders, who converted all four field-goal attempts with a long of 42 yards. New York’s return game failed to produce significant yardage, and they allowed two substantial returns by Patriots returner Corey Kiner, including one following a Sanders field goal that narrowed the score to 23-16 with just over seven minutes remaining.

Injury issues continued on defense as linebacker Kiko Mauigoa exited the game with a thigh injury and did not return, further hampering the Jets’ efforts in the closing stages.