The Chicago Bears look to improve their record to 3-1 this week as they welcome the New York Jets to Soldier Field. The Jets are sitting at 1-2 but have been close in every game and appear like they might be close to turning the corner.
Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn roamed the Detroit Lions’ sidelines together for four years. They know each other well. How will that impact the game? We spoke with MacGregor Wells from Gang Green Nation (SB Nation’s NY Jets site) to get a better idea of where the Jets are
three games into the season. Here’s that Q&A.
1. The Jets may be sitting at 1-2, but they seem like a far more difficult out than they’ve been the last couple of years. What’s been driving the positive change?
I’m not sure the current Jets are a lot better than the 2024 Jets, but they are clearly better than the 2025 Jets. Mostly the difference is talent. The Jets roster was severely lacking in NFL talent last year, particularly after the team traded away former All-Pro players Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline. Once those trades were completed, the Jets had a brighter future with a bunch of first-round draft picks going forward, but the 2025 team was stripped bare in the process. The Jets WR1 Garrett Wilson was also injured for most of the 2025 season, leaving the team with no credible weapons in the passing game. Wilson is healthy so far in 2026, and he has been joined by first-round pick Kenyon Sadiq at tight end. That’s a big increase in talent in the passing game. Geno Smith may not be a top quarterback, but he is a pretty big upgrade over the motley collection of Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook at QB in 2025.
On defense, the Jets brought in a slew of new talent via trades, free agency, and the draft. The Jets now have 2nd overall pick David Bailey starting on the edge and free-agent pickup Kingsley Enagbare starting on the other side at edge. They brought in several new additions on the defensive line, including David Onyemata and T’Vondre Sweat. They also brought in Demario Davis at linebacker to stabilize the whole defense, and they brought in starting safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Dane Belton to shore up the back end. Basically, the Jets completely overhauled the defense, and it is simply a much deeper, more talented unit than it was last year.
2. Aaron Glenn was one of the most criticized coaches in the league last year; this year, he’s already had a couple of questionable in-game decisions that probably cost them a win against the Green Bay Packers (and disappointed many Bears fans). Is Glenn getting better at this or are these decisions eventually going to force the Jets to make a change?
It’s not clear Glenn is getting better at this particular aspect of the game. He still makes questionable decisions. He doesn’t seem to have a handle on clock management. His new offensive coordinator, Frank Reich, and the Jets offense look particularly clueless in two-minute drill-type situations at the end of halves. Of course, much of the offensive chaos is the direct responsibility of Reich, not Glenn. However, in the end, the OC was the direct hire of Glenn. If the OC isn’t getting the job done, that ultimately is Glenn’s fault. Will it cost Glenn his job? I’m not sure. If the Jets improve their record to say 7 or more wins this year, I doubt Glenn’s job will be in peril, at least for another year. If the Jets win 5 or fewer games, Glenn will probably be fired, in my opinion. These things probably hold true regardless of these particular coaching issues with Glenn. However, if these issues continue to cost the Jets games, eventually they will probably cost Glenn his job, if not this year, then some time in the future.
3. Geno Smith looked fully cooked last year but has bounced back and looked pretty darn good to start. What is Geno doing well so far this year that has him playing like the Geno from a few years ago?
Geno has always had a strong and accurate arm. If he is protected by the offensive line and given good weapons on offense, he will usually produce good play at quarterback. If he is constantly under pressure and has few good weapons to throw to, his play will suffer. These things are true for many NFL quarterbacks. Last year the situation in Las Vegas was pretty bad for Smith. His offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL, as were his weapons on offense once Brock Bowers was hobbled for much of the year. Now he is playing behind a Jets offensive line that may not be at the top of the league, but it is a big step up from his Raiders offensive line last year. In addition, his weapons of Garrett Wilson, Kenyon Sadiq, and Adonai Mitchell may not be at the top of the NFL, but they are a big step up from the Raiders’ weapons last year once Bowers was hobbled. Predictably, the better surrounding talent has resulted in better play by Smith. He isn’t a great quarterback, but if he has time to throw and weapons to throw to, he is perfectly competent.
4. It certainly looks like Breece Hall is going to miss this one. He’s an excellent back but hasn’t had the best numbers this year. How well can Braelon Allen fill that void, and how will the offense change without Hall?
Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis may actually be an upgrade over the version of Breece Hall we have seen so far this season. The Breece of years past was, of course, better than those two. However, Hall has looked like a shell of his former self this season. Perhaps he is suffering from an undisclosed injury; I don’t know. What I do know is he has been largely ineffective. Allen and Davis are pretty good backs. They won’t provide the big-play potential of Breece Hall in prior years, but they are solid and can move the chains. They are also both effective as receivers. The Jets probably won’t change a whole lot on offense with Hall absent, though they may run fewer outside runs due to neither Allen nor Davis having the speed to turn the corner that Hall has.
5. The Bears currently sit as a 3.5-point favorite on FanDuel. How do you think this one plays out on Sunday? What’s your final score prediction?
If Tyson Bagent starts at quarterback for the Bears, I like the Jets’ chances. If Case Keenum starts, I think the Bears will win.
As for the score, this always seems like a random function. Even if I get who wins correct, the score is usually wildly off. Nonetheless, I’ll give this a go.
If Bagent starts, Jets 20, Bears 17.
If Keenum starts, Bears 24, Jets 20.
