In the days following the Detroit Lions' comeback victory over the Houston Texans in November of 2024, one performance lingered in Aaron Glenn's mind. It wasn't that of one of his defensive stars or promising young players. It was Jared Goff's.
Glenn told reporters, "He didn’t blink and that’s the one thing that showed up more than anything is the leadership — the toughness, the ability to take a team on his back and go win a game was outstanding to see.”
Nearly two years later, Goff hasn't changed. He's still the dialed-in leader that left Glenn in awe when he was the Lions' defensive coordinator. If anything, he's better — more accurate, more experienced, more of a leader.
Glenn, on the other hand, has changed quite a bit. Now the head coach of the New York Jets, he's swapped out his man coverage scheme for one of the league's more diverse systems. Still, he doesn't have the tools to stop Goff and the Lions' offense in Week 3.
Aaron Glenn's new-look Jets defense can't stop Jared Goff's Lions
Glenn's Lions defense was known for playing aggressive man coverage, forcing opposing quarterbacks to make perfectly accurate throws. In 2024, Glenn's final year in Detroit, the Lions played more man coverage than any other team in the NFL, reaching a 44.2% clip.
Since joining the Jets, Glenn has changed his tune a bit. His man coverage rate dropped to 33% in 2025, and is down to just 23.9% in 2026, ranking near the middle of the league. He took over defensive play-calling duties for New York this season, and he's implemented a much more diverse scheme than Lions fans will remember.
He's mixing up his coverages, diversifying between man and zone, and disguising his looks before the snap.
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So far, it's working. Whether measured by EPA per play, offensive success rate, yards allowed, or points allowed, the Jets have been a top-ten defense through the first two weeks of the season.
But the leadership, toughness, and poise that Glenn saw in Goff years ago is the perfect recipe for cutting through the Jets' defense.
Most quarterbacks perform better against either man or zone coverages, allowing defensive coordinators to target their weaknesses with their schemes. Not Goff. His combination of pre-snap awareness, anticipation, and accuracy makes him dangerous against any defensive look.
Goff is the only quarterback this season with at least six passing touchdowns and no interceptions. He hunts for big plays without making critical mistakes. Against Glenn's Jets, his ability to diagnose coverages and anticipate which of his receivers will be open will make him unstoppable.
Lions fans won't mind seeing Glenn thrive in New York, but his bounce-back season will have to take a brief pause for Goff and the Lions.
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