2 winners (and 4 losers) from Jets' Week 8 collapse against Raiders

The New York Jets lost another game on Sunday, dropping their record to 2-6 on the season. At minimum, it was a fun game to watch, as both the Jets and Las Vegas Raiders combined for 68 points, the most between the two AFC foes since the infamous Heidi game in 1968.

Offensively, it was an impressive showing from the Jets. Geno Smith surely had a chip on his shoulder against his former team, and it showed. He took a lot of shots downfield, and his playmakers capitalized.

On the other side of the ball, it was a day to forget. The Jets' defense couldn't get a stop, and Brock Bowers absolutely torched them on third downs. Let's not even get started on special teams... yet.

Who stood out in the Jets' sixth loss of the season? Did anyone gain some ground despite the disappointing defeat?

Winners and losers from the New York Jets' Week 8 loss to the Raiders

Winner: WR Adonai Mitchell

Being without Adonai Mitchell for the last month was tough for the Jets' offense. They were lacking a consistent vertical threat, and it allowed defenses to really key in on Garrett Wilson. He's also obviously one of Smith's favorite targets in the passing game.

Despite a quiet outing in his first game back against the Dolphins last week, Mitchell exploded for a team-leading seven catches and 142 receiving yards against the Raiders' secondary. It's clear that the Jets have finally found their ideal running mate across from Wilson at wide receiver.

Loser: HC Aaron Glenn

Aaron Glenn's defense, at least throughout the first few weeks of the season, was one of the areas you could actually point to and say he was making legitimate progress with this Jets team. After the last two games, it's safe to say play-calling may not be his "superpower."

Kirk Cousins looked like he was in his prime, throwing for 247 yards and three touchdowns, including one on the ground. Brock Bowers made the Jets look silly on third downs. Somehow, a Raiders team that was in the midst of a four-game losing streak was able to find the first-down marker 7-of-11 times.

Just back-to-back embarrassing outings against two offenses that the Jets should have been able to handle.

Winner: RB Braelon Allen

For what feels like the 20th week in a row, Braelon is, of course, a winner. In his fifth straight start as the Jets' lead back, Allen galloped all over the Raiders to the tune of 147 yards on 21 carries, including a touchdown. He crossed the 100-yard mark before the two-minute warning in the first half.

Frustratingly enough, the Jets went away from Allen in the second half. After 121 rushing yards in the first two quarters, Allen was only given three carries, and it felt like a major reason why things got stagnant after a 23-point first half.

Regardless, Allen deserves to be the Jets' starting running back, even when Breece Hall returns.

Loser: STC Chris Banjo

The Jets' special teams have been a major problem all year long, and it's incredibly frustrating after how good they were in 2025. The buck starts and stops with special teams coordinator Chris Banjo, who, not so long ago, was a prospective head-coaching candidate.

Las Vegas had the first kick return touchdown of the year on Sunday, on a 95-yard rumble from Dylan Laube. Considering how rare those seem to be, especially with the new format, that's just absolutely embarrassing.

Loser: S Minkah Fitzpatrick

Minkah Fitzpatrick has been one of the Jets' best defenders this season, and he didn't even play particularly bad against the Raiders, but he finds himself in the losers pile here thanks to his post-game comments.

The Jets can try to spin it all they want, but Fitzpatrick very clearly said "Jets being Jets" in the locker room after the game. That's the exact kind of mopey mentality the team has desperately been trying to get rid of over the last few years, and it's just another sign that Glenn needs to go.

Loser: LT Olu Fashanu

Olu Fashanu didn't play particularly poorly today. He did get tagged with two penalties, but that's not why he's a "loser." In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Jets passed on Georgia tight end Brock Bowers to select their hopeful left tackle of the future.

Fashanu is still on track to be the Jets' blindside anchor for the next decade-plus, but it was hard not to think about an alternate universe where New York had Bowers on their offense when he was torching them today with 92 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

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