Why this Jets season-opening loss didn’t feel like so many others

It looked so very different. It looked so very much in sync with so many of the past 55 seasons.

The Aaron Glenn era kicked off with reason for hope, and a sterling debut from new quarterback Justin Fields, but the franchise with the longest playoff drought in North American sports suffered its latest gut-punch in a 34-32 home loss to Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers, surrendering a nine-point fourth quarter lead, as Chris Boswell hit a game-winning 60-yard field goal with 1:03 remaining.

After entering the past two seasons with Rodgers and misguided Super Bowl hype, the Jets exceeded many expectations under Fields, who completed 16-of-22 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown, while adding 48 yards and another two scores on the ground against one of the league’s top defenses. Breece Hall offered strong support for an offense that didn’t register a first-half punt for the first time since at least 1991, rushing for 107 yards on 19 carries, while Garrett Wilson had 95 yards receiving and a touchdown.

But the game swung early in the fourth quarter, when the Jets — holding a 26-17 lead — allowed a pair of touchdown passes from Rodgers in a 50-second span, enabled by Xavier Gipson’s fumble on the kickoff return, sandwiched between the scores.