Geno Smith had a below-par performance against the Chicago Bears, completing only 53.3% of his passes for 119 yards and one touchdown, contributing to the Jets' loss. Despite this setback, coach Aaron Glenn remains optimistic about Smith's ability to bounce back in Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, noting that Smith has historically improved as games progress. The article highlights a concerning trend where the Jets struggle early in games, with poor first-quarter performance being a recurring issue over their current three-game losing streak.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The New York Jets face the Chicago Bears in Week 4 with several key players out due to injuries. Running back Breece Hall is sidelined with a quad injury, leaving backups Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis to carry the load. The team also lacks Dylan Parham, who will likely be replaced by Jordan Meredith at left guard. This comes after two straight losses, making Sunday's game crucial for the Jets' season outlook.
Head coach Aaron Glenn must devise a strategy that capitalizes on his familiarity with Bears head coach Ben Johnson, both having worked together in Detroit previously. Meanwhile, quarterback Geno Smith emphasizes the importance of a solid offensive line to protect him and secure victory against an opponent expected to be without their starting QB.
Written for “Jets Versus Bears Week 4 NFL Matchup” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 27 other(s) covering the same event.
Geno Smith followed up one of the best statistical games of his career with a shaky one.
asserted
Smith → follow → one
Now he’ll try to bounce back.
asserted
he → try → ?
In one of the stranger games you’ll ever see, Smith was 8-for-15 passing for 119 yards and one touchdown.
asserted
Smith → see → yards
Fifty-eight of those yards came on the fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Isaiah Williams.
asserted
eight → come → Williams
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asserted
he → take → field
It was a surprise to see how inaccurate Smith was because his accuracy had been his strength in the first three games of the season.
asserted
accuracy → see → season
There were so many things that went wrong in Chicago, it’s unfair to pin the 23-12 loss on Smith but he was one of the culprits.
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he → be → culprits
The Jets need him to rebound against the Browns at MetLife Stadium this Sunday to end the three-game losing streak and keep the Jets season alive.
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him → need → season
Jets coach Aaron Glenn chalked Smith’s performance up to life in the NFL.
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Glenn → chalk → NFL
“I wish this was fairy land and every week is going to be [perfect],” Glenn said.
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Glenn → wish → ?
“You have to fight through some things and that’s one thing, and I’ve told you guys this before, that’s one thing that attracts me to him because he’s been through so much and he’s able to overcome.
asserted
he → have → much
But I think what he did was somebody’s best, you know, if you look at it that way.
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you → think → it
But I know that he’s going to get right back to who he is, and that’s completing a high percentage of throws, but I have no concern with that with this player because of who he is and his career and how he’s operated.
asserted
he → know → player
While it is fair to view the Bears game overall as an outlier, there is one troubling trend that Smith and the Jets offense has shown in the three-game losing streak.
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Smith → view → streak
They have gotten off to slow starts.
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They → get → starts
In Chicago, the Jets only had four plays in the first quarter and they came in the shadow of their own goal post.
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they → have → post
But it was not just against the Bears where they struggled early.
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they → struggle → Bears
The Jets scored on their first possession of the season in Tennessee, with rookie Kenyon Sadiq rushing for a touchdown.
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Sadiq → score → touchdown
Those seven points are the only ones the Jets have scored in the first quarter this year.
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Jets → score → quarter
The Jets have punted seven times in the first quarter and they gained 43, 45 and 15 yards, respectively, in the last three games.
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they → punt → games
Smith’s statistics have gotten better as games have gone along.
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games → get → ?
He is completing 63 percent of his passes in the first quarter.
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He → complete → quarter
That percentage goes up to 68 percent in the second quarter, 75 percent in the third quarter and 85 percent in the fourth.
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percentage → go → fourth
Three of Smith’s five touchdown passes have come in the fourth quarter.
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Three → come → quarter
He has one in the first half, none in the first quarter.
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He → have → quarter
Jets players said there has been an emphasis placed on getting off to better starts this week.
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players → say → starts
Smith was asked what the key is to having early success.
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key → ask → success
“Executing better,” Smith said.
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Smith → execute → ?
“That’s really it; we’ve got to execute down in, down out, and whether that’s the first or the fourth quarter, you’ve got to do your assignment.
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you → ’ → assignment
That’s the key; us playing 11 as one and going out there and doing our assignments and just having that mindset to go score every single time.
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us → ’ → mindset
The Browns have allowed 27 points in the first quarter, tied for the fourth most in the NFL.
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Browns → allow → NFL
So, it seems like this is an opportunity for Smith and the Jets to do something early in the game.
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Smith → seem → game
Smith said he has moved past Sunday’s performance in Chicago.
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he → say → Chicago
“I just stay in the moment,” Smith said.
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Smith → stay → moment
“Not think ahead, not think behind and just focus at what’s at hand, which today we got to go out there and have a great practice.
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we → think → practice
I think you want to develop good camaraderie throughout the week and just have a great feeling about the game plan, so when you go out there on Sunday, you’re not thinking about it, you’re executing, you’re reacting and just going and playing your game.
asserted
you → think → game
For me, it’s all about the process and that’s something I continue to focus on.”
asserted
I → ’ → process
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