Jets Suffer Humiliating Loss to Bears, Revealing Deep Flaws
Chicago dominates New York in a one-sided affair, exposing the Jets' offensive struggles and their 1-3 record.
CHICAGO – The New York Jets' early season optimism has been met with a stark reality check, as they suffered a dominant 23-12 defeat to the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field. At the quarter mark of the 2026 season, the Jets now sit at a disappointing 1-3.
The Bears (3-1) asserted complete control over the game, outgaining the Jets an overwhelming 492 yards to 157. Chicago's offensive dominance was evident in their 34 first downs compared to the Jets' meager seven, and a staggering 232 rushing yards to the Jets' 59.
Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent, making a start in place of the injured Caleb Williams, significantly outplayed Jets signal-caller Geno Smith. Smith, who had started the season with three efficient games, appeared disoriented, completing just 8 of 15 passes for 119 yards. His only touchdown pass accounted for 58 of those yards.
Bagent, a backup making his first start since 2023, finished the game completing 25 of 34 passes for 268 yards. The lopsided statistics were apparent even at halftime, with the Bears leading 13-3 despite running 46 plays to the Jets' 12. Chicago amassed 274 total yards in the first half alone, compared to just 34 for New York.
The Jets' offensive struggles were highlighted by having more penalties than first downs in the opening half. Chicago controlled the clock, rushing the ball 29 times for 112 yards in the first two quarters.
A rare positive for the Jets was safety Minkah Fitzpatrick's interception of Bagent in the second quarter, ending the team's 21-game, 535-pass attempt drought without an interception. The last Jets interception came from Ashtyn Davis in the 2024 season finale. This turnover led to the Jets' only points of the first half, a 36-yard field goal.
The Bears initially took a 7-0 lead on a Kyle Monangai touchdown run in the first quarter. A subsequent fourth-down run by D’Andre Swift was overturned upon review, showing his knee was down before crossing the goal line.
Cairo Santos extended the Bears' lead with two 30-yard field goals before halftime, making the score 13-3. The Jets' offense stalled on their opening drive of the second half, and a potential scoring opportunity after a forced fumble by Jamien Sherwood was only converted into another field goal, narrowing the gap to 13-6.
Chicago widened their lead with a touchdown run from Monangai and two field goals, pushing the score to 23-6 by the end of the third quarter. At this point, the Bears had accumulated 71 plays for 432 yards, while the Jets had managed only 30 plays for 59 yards.
In the game's final minutes, the Jets added a late touchdown via a 58-yard pass from Smith to Isaiah Williams. However, a missed extra point kept the score at 23-12, sealing the Bears' decisive victory.
