In the New York Jets’ 2025 season opener, on a cool late summer afternoon in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Jets lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 34 – 32.
The first half saw the Jets and the Steelers driving up and down the field, with neither defense having much success stopping the opposing offense. There was just one punt in the entire first half and the Jets scored on each of their first four drives as they took a 19 – 17 lead into the locker room.
The Jets opened the third quarter on defense.
They immediately forced a three and out and a Steelers punt.
The Steelers defense returned the favor, forcing a Jets three and out, as the second half started out very differently from the first.
The Jets took over and Breece Hall and the Jets offensive line began to dominate. Several strong runs by Hall and a long throw to Garrett Wilson got the Jets to the two yard line. Justin Fields took it in from there as the Jets took a 26 – 17 lead late in the third quarter. To this point the game was unfolding exactly the way the Jets hoped.
The third quarter ended with the score still 26 – 17 in favor of the Jets, but the Steelers were knocking on the door with the ball inside the Jets 10 yard line. Aaron Rodgers found Jaylen Warren for an eight yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter and the Jets lead was cut to two points at 26 – 24.
Xavier Gipson fumbled the ball away on the kickoff and the Steelers immediately had the ball inside the Jets 25 yard line. Two plays later Aaron Rodgers connected with Calvin Austin in the end zone and the Steelers took the lead at 31 -26. It was the first time the Jets trailed since early in the second quarter.
The Jets then embarked on a long, clock-chewing drive that ended with Justin Fields waltzing into the end zone. A two point conversion attempt failed and the Jets had a 32 – 31 lead with seven minutes left in the game.
The Jets defense drove the Steelers backwards and the Jets took over on offense with less than five and a half minutes left, clinging to a one point lead. the Jets offense went three and out, putting the Jets defense in a precarious position, needing to keep the Steelers off the scoreboard with a little more than three minutes to go. They weren’t up to the task. The Jets managed to shut down the Steelers offense and force a 60 yard field goal attempt. Unfortunately, Chris Boswell nailed it with room to spare and the Steelers took a 34 – 32 lead with a minute remaining in the game. The Jets offense went nowhere in their last ditch drive and a fourth down pass to Garrett Wilson fell incomplete to seal the game. In the end the Jets fell just short of pulling off an upset to open the Aaron Glenn era.
The loss brings the Jets’ record to 0-1 to start the 2025 season. Now the Jets move on to preparing for an extremely tough game next week. The Jets host Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in MetLife Stadium next Sunday.
