Jets hoping break through against Jaguars, avoid interception ignominy

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jets coach Aaron Glenn opened his Friday news conference with a joke. 

“At 53 years old, I will be making a comeback,” Glenn said in a nod to Philip Rivers, who is making his return at 44 years old for the Colts on Sunday. 

All jokes aside, maybe the Jets could use Glenn, who had 41 interceptions in his career. 

The defense has yet to record an interception this season, a staggering drought that has everyone in and around the team shaking their heads.

Could Sunday be the day the streak is broken? 

Maybe. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has thrown 11 interceptions this season, but last week the Jets faced Tua Tagovailoa, who leads the league with 14 picks.

They came close a few times but still could not secure that elusive interception. 

They have gone 13 games without a pick, the longest drought to ever start a season.

The NFL record at any point in the season is 14 games, set by the 49ers in 2024.

The Jets could match that mark Sunday.

The mark for fewest interceptions in a season is three, set by the 2017 49ers. 

Could the lack of interceptions cause players to force things trying to make a play? 

“That’s a good question, because that can happen because you hear it so much from the outside,” Glenn said. “From the inside, it’s always preached about man, listen, we’re trying to attack the football, but we just try to get our guys, man, play ball and let those things come. And this has been very unfortunate they haven’t come, you know, in bunches like we would want them to. But listen, we have four games, and we’re still going to attack and we’re still going to coach and we’re still going to emphasize, and at some point we’ll get it, we’ll get it, and hopefully at that point they will come in bunches for us.” 

The Jets (3-10) are playing out the string, but the Jaguars (9-4) have won four games in a row and are in first place in the AFC South.

While the Jets have struggled to create interceptions, the Jaguars have 15 this season.

Glenn said he did not know what Jacksonville’s secret has been. 

“I wish I had the answer to that,” Glenn said. “But they’re doing a hell of a job. … They have an attacking style that really puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback, which obviously allows for those picks to happen.”