The New York Jets faced another disappointing defeat, falling 27-21 to the Miami Dolphins in a game characterized by self-inflicted errors and mounting frustration. This loss, which dropped the team to 0-4, intensified concerns about the team's discipline and ability to secure a win, even against fellow struggling opponents.

Frustration within the team is palpably high among players who have endured a cycle of losing. Cornerback Sauce Gardner expressed his belief that the Jets receive unfavorable calls due to their losing record, stating, “I think I get called for more stuff just based on us not winning. I watch these winning programs and there can be some egregious things and it don’t get called, letting the players play … We don’t win, we don’t get the calls we should get and we get calls we probably shouldn’t get called for.” Wide receiver Garrett Wilson echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need to finally address recurring mistakes: “We don't fix it next week, that’s ridiculous. But let's fix it next week.” He underscored the urgency, calling it a “got to have it” game, with the next match against Dallas becoming an “absolutely we gotta have it” situation.

A pervasive theme of the Jets' struggles is a severe lack of discipline, directly contradicting head coach Aaron Glenn's emphasis on this aspect. Glenn, who was adamant about fostering a more disciplined team during training camp, acknowledged the regression: “We got to figure that out. And that's the part that's disappointing, because we go through certain times where we do a hell of a job, especially with the pre-snap penalties. And then we just revert back.” The team committed a staggering 13 penalties for 101 yards and turned the ball over three times against the Dolphins, factors Glenn explicitly stated make it impossible to win games.

Special teams proved to be a significant liability. Isaiah Williams had a particularly rough outing, fumbling a crucial third-quarter kickoff while the Jets were down only 10-3, which the Dolphins converted into a touchdown. Later, he inexplicably fair-caught a punt at the 3-yard line that would have otherwise resulted in a touchback, costing the offense valuable field position. Adding to these blunders, Braelon Allen nearly fumbled a kickoff return earlier in the game, sustaining a knee injury in the process and leaving the game. These moments were cited by Williams himself as the “type of play that loses games,” a sentiment echoed by Glenn who stressed the need for smarter play in such situations.

The offense started with promising long drives—a combined 106 yards over 20 plays in their first two possessions—but both ended in fumbles and zero points, setting a tone of squandered opportunities. While Justin Fields, returning from a concussion, showed flashes of brilliance with a dynamic 43-yard touchdown run and Garrett Wilson made a dazzling 23-yard touchdown catch late in the game, these moments were too few. Wilson was largely a non-factor for much of the contest, reflecting a broader struggle for the offense to convert potential into points.

The defense also struggled, failing to record a single takeaway or quarterback hit. They allowed two touchdown catches to Darren Waller, who had reportedly come out of retirement, highlighting defensive lapses. Missed tackles, notably by Tony Adams, Jamien Sherwood, and Isaiah Oliver on De’Von Achane's 9-yard touchdown run, further underscored the defensive unit's difficulties in containing the Dolphins' offense. Despite tackling drills in training camp, the defense let opponents