Conventional wisdom would lead anybody to believe that Andy Reid went all “mad scientist” in the second half of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 35-12 win over the New York Jets. After all, Kansas City put up 21 second-half points to New York’s 0, after a seemingly tight 14-12 ballgame at halftime.
For Jets fans, such second-half woes are hardly unfamiliar.
Not only has Frank Reich’s offense been unstoppable between the 20s and uninspiring in the red zone, but it’s also consistently been good to start, only to fall apart as the game progresses. The same can be said for Aaron Glenn’s defense, yet what’s interesting is just how simple a time Reid had adjusting in this one.
What was Reid’s genius second-half adjustment? Well, it’s simple…
Run the ball.
Andy Reid reverted to his Philly days
This game felt eerily similar to the Jets’ Week 4 loss to the Chicago Bears. Glenn’s squad hung in the scoreboard game for the first half, while the opposing head coach felt like he was toying around a little too much.
Incredibly, Kenneth Walker had just five carries in the first half against the Jets. Patrick Mahomes, meanwhile, went 11 of 15 over the first two quarters.
Granted, Mahomes mostly found success in the passing game, as he relentlessly attacked the right side of the field in the quick-passing game, but to give the NFL’s second-leading rusher just five carries brings us back a couple of decades.
Remember just how loud the Reid criticism was back in the day. With Brian Westbrook leading his Philadelphia Eagles backfield, Reid often fell in love with passing on third-and-short situations, a tendency that was often cited and criticized by many.
Funny enough, that tendency now fits the modern realities of today’s NFL. Whether Reid could see the future or the league’s rule changes worked seamlessly in his natural favor, his pass-happy ways now fit this league like a glove.
However, the 2026 Chiefs are a bit different. With the addition of Walker, this Mahomes offense is clearly a rush-first and live-off-play-action group, yet Reid sort of fooled around too much in the first half.
Reid just ran the ball in the second half
There’s no secret formula here: Reid simply remembered who the 2026 Chiefs are.
After receiving just five carries for 21 yards in the first half, Walker went on to rush for 81 yards on 13 attempts (6.23 yards per carry) in the second half. That’s all it was.
The beat goes on for this woeful Jets defense.
Other than David Bailey’s two-play stretch at the end of the first half, Glenn’s defense had no shot. Interestingly, why Bailey found himself energetic in that spot should be obvious: The Chiefs were operating from within their two-minute offense, and that’s precisely where and when Bailey shines — pass-only situations in which he can pin his ears back and get after the quarterback.
Once the opposition remembers just how horrific the Jets’ run defense actually is, it’s all over.
From defensive tackles getting pushed around, to edge players getting knocked back while continuously failing to squeeze the tackle box, to the linebackers overpursuing and/or constantly having to avoid live grenades (that are quick-releasing offensive linemen who climb to the second level), this Jets’ front seven is as poorly constructed as any example in recent memory.
How many times will this have to happen?
The Jets’ awful run defense trend continues
It unofficially began in the second half of Week 3 against the Detroit Lions, but officially began with Ben Johnson’s dismantling of the Jets’ run defense in Week 4. Then, having the New England Patriots’ backup offensive line steamroll them in crunch time poured salt on the wound.
The fact that the then-winless Miami Dolphins ran the ball with ease at MetLife Stadium was both absurd and predictable. It was absurd given the Dolphins’ level of play entering the game, and predictable given the Jets’ personnel decisions this past offseason.
Worse yet, this run defense was porous with T’Vondre Sweat healthy and on the field. If Kingsley Enagbare ever misses a play, things become untenable.
The Jets’ defense has faced an NFL-high 282 rush attempts this season, 6 more than the second-ranked Philadelphia Eagles and 10 more than the Las Vegas Raiders. Only the Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, and Cleveland Browns have yielded more rushing yards this season than the Jets’ 1,152.
Yeah, it’s all bad stuff.
It would be nice to provide a potential solution for the New York Jets’ run defense, but folks, I’m no miracle worker. There is no fix — not with this personnel configuration and coaching staff.
Perhaps the only surprise from this one is that nobody from the opposing offensive line left the game with an injury.
