Fields 'not losing faith' after Jets fall to 0-4

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Justin Fields is not giving up hope with the New York Jets at 0-4.

“It’s very frustrating but I’m not losing faith,” Fields said after Monday night's 27-21 loss at Miami. “Nobody in the locker room is losing faith. All we’re going to do keep is keep our heads down and work.”

The hard work hasn't produced any results yet for Fields and first-year coach Aaron Glenn, who was brought in to change the Jets' culture after Robert Saleh was fired last year in the middle of what became a 5-12 season.

So far, it's been more of the same for the struggling franchise. The Jets have lost their first four games for the first time since 2020, when they finished 2-14 and coach Adam Gase was fired at the end of the season.

Three turnovers — two resulting in Miami touchdown drives — and 13 penalties doomed the Jets against the Dolphins.

“To me it was more or less the things that we know that you can’t do to win games. We allowed that to happen,” Glenn said. “I thought our guys understood the ramifications of this game. But to go out there and have that many penalties, and pre-snap penalties, and turn the ball over, that’s what is so disappointing about this game.”

Running back Braelon Allen fumbled near the goal line to ruin the Jets' promising first drive. New York should have had the ball to start the second half, but Isaiah Williams fumbled as he returned the second half kickoff.

Both of those giveaways led to touchdowns for Miami.

“We’re all human, mistakes happen but we want to limit those as much as possible,” Fields said. “First drive of the game you just brush it off. There’s a lot of game left. You don’t get discouraged over that.”

Fields, signed in the offseason as the replacement for Aaron Rodgers, scored the Jets’ first touchdown on a 43-yard run early in the third quarter. It was Fields’ fourth career TD run of 40 or more yards. He missed the Jets’ Week 3 loss to Tampa Bay with a concussion.

Fields also threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson with 1:44 remaining. He completed 20 of 27 passes for 226 yards and had seven rushes for 81 yards.

“It’s kind of how this league works, close games at the end, and tonight we shot ourselves in the foot,” he said.

The Jets’ next attempt at snapping their winless drought will be at home against Dallas on Sunday.

“Collectively, as a group, we have to make sure we block all the outside noise and do the things we’ve got to do win games,” Glenn said.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl