Jets Fail To Capitalize On Breakout Performances From Braelon Allen, Adonai Mitchell In Raiders Loss

The Jets offense exploded against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, scoring 30-plus points for the first time this season in a performance largely spearheaded by career-best outings from running back Braelon Allen and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. They scored on each of their first six drives and held a nine-point lead at halftime.

"I think we had a good week of practice, and I think the preparation just met the moment," Mitchell said after the game. 

But it wasn't enough. A slew of costly defensive mistakes, inefficient movements in the red zone, and a late interception rendered their contributions null, and the Jets lost for the sixth time in eight games this season.

Allen, who earned the start as Breece Hall continued to sit out with a quad injury, accounted for 147 of New York's 166 total rushing yards — a game-leading figure, as the Raiders notched just 95 rushing yards total — as well as two receptions and six receiving yards. In his lone third-quarter rush, he ran 21 yards for the second of the team's two touchdowns. The game marked his third this season with over 100 rushing yards.

Allen limped off the field and headed to the medical tent with 10:49 left to play but returned to the sideline two minutes later and played through the end of the game.

"Braelon did a hell of a job," head coach Aaron Glenn said. "He had close to 150 yards, and I think that speaks for itself."

Mitchell led all players with 142 receiving yards on seven catches, including a 47-yarder that put the Jets just two yards shy of field goal range as they attempted to eclipse a 35-30 Raiders edge in the fourth. The 24-year-old has recorded more than 58 yards just one other time since joining the Jets via trade midway through last season, when he posted 102 in New York's 27-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 11 of last year.

"[It's] very disappointing. Obviously, no matter how many times you or don't score ... winning the game is the objective," Allen said. "You don't do that, it's disappointing, no matter how well you play."

Five of the Jets' six losses so far this campaign have come down to one score. While Glenn gave the entire offense props for sticking to the game plan they laid out in practice this week, he admitted his team has several problem areas they'll need to fix if they want to "get over that hump."

"I can sit here and talk about how close we are, but that's not going to do us any good at all," he said. "One thing I can say is our guys play with effort. They play hard. There's no quit in this group. There are some things that I'm really proud of coming out of this game ... it's just some of the things on defense and special teams that we've got to make sure we get better at."