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Mike Tomlin hasn't been on an NFL sideline this season, but he didn't hesitate when asked about the New York Jets' latest first-half meltdown.
The Jets fell 28-25 to a Miami Dolphins squad that came into Sunday winless at 0-5 and hadn't led in a game all year, with the closing moments of the first half catching Tomlin's eye. Miami took possession with 8:44 remaining in the second quarter and marched 15 plays for 91 yards, capped by a two-yard Malik Willis touchdown run, extending their lead to 21-7 at the break.
The Dolphins reached the two-minute warning at New York's 32-yard line, with the Jets still holding all three timeouts. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn allowed the clock to expire without using any of them, sending New York to halftime with all three timeouts intact. The drama came as Tom Brady failed to hide his anger toward the referee on FOX NFL Sunday.
Glenn addressed the decision postgame, saying the coaching staff believed the defense would make a stop. "We felt like we were going to stop them. And maybe we should have called our timeouts to get it back," Glenn said. "That's something that we should have done, is use our timeouts."
Under Glenn's leadership, the Jets have been outscored 107-6 in the final two minutes of the first half, including 20-0 this season, with a 100-6 deficit before Sunday's possession. When asked about the situation, Tomlin offered a blunt assessment. "If I were them, I would do two-minute every day of my life until further notice," Tomlin said.
Glenn has accepted accountability for the team's performance. He previously stated that managing that critical period falls to the head coach, and following Sunday's contest, he remarked: "I'm highly disappointed. Disappointed in myself first and foremost defensively. Our fans deserve better than that, and that starts with me."
He also described the defense's opening as "really puzzling," considering Miami had been averaging 14 points per game heading into Sunday and managed to score 14 in the opening quarter alone.
The Jets managed to narrow the gap to 21-17 in the fourth quarter, but a 63-yard catch-and-run touchdown by rookie Caleb Douglas on the following drive sealed their fate. The team now sits at 2-5, and Glenn holds a 5-19 record across 24 games as head coach, including a winless 0-8 mark against AFC East rivals.
The offense encountered its own struggles. Geno Smith passed for 287 yards and three touchdowns, and rookie Omar Cooper posted his second consecutive 100-yard performance, but Garrett Wilson was limited to just three targets with none by halftime, and was observed yelling at passing game coordinator Seth Ryan.
New York also faltered at Miami's 1-yard line in the fourth quarter, losing ground on two rushing attempts and absorbing a 12-yard sack before settling for a field goal. The Jets currently rank 31st in red zone efficiency.