Jets Lose 29-27; Protection Woes Exposed

The New York Jets fell to 0-3 after a 29-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Chase McLaughlin’s last-second field goal capped a Baker Mayfield-led drive. Veteran Tyrod Taylor, making his first start since 2023 after Justin Fields was ruled out with a concussion, engineered a furious late comeback that included a touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson. The defeat exposed serious protection problems: Taylor was pressured on 44% of his dropbacks, was sacked four times, and a cornerback-blitz produced a game-changing pick-six. Aaron Glenn was credited with rallying the locker room at halftime, but the coaching staff faces urgent work shoring up pass protection and adjusting schematically. Despite second-half positives, the Jets’ inability to protect the quarterback and finish defensively left them searching for answers early in the season.