The Jets fell to 2-7 after a 35-12 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. Here are three takeaways from Week 9.

'We're Playing with Fight and Spirit'
The Jets scored points on their first three drives and they scored on four of their six possessions in the first half. K Jason Sanders, who has made 21-of-24 of his field goal attempts this season, accounted for all of 12 points while becoming the fourth Jets kicker this century with 4 FGs in a half.

But after gaining 171 yards in the first two quarters, the Jets were held to 58 yards in the second half and weren't able to convert a third down.

"We were playing with a lot of fight and spirit," QB Geno Smith said postgame. "I thought the same thing in the second half, but I think it just got away from us. That is something that we've said for a few weeks now. It's one thing to say it and another thing to go out there and fix it."

The Jets rushed for 99 yards in the first half on 21 attempts, averaging 4.7 yards a carry. But the unit couldn't find a rhythm in the second half. They had two possessions in the third quarter and just six plays – two which resulted in Chiefs' sacks and a 19-yard third-down conversion from Smith to Adonai Mitchell was negated by an illegal shift penalty.

"Once the opposing team gets the lead, they just start to dial up pressures and kept the guys over the top on the back end and force you to nickel and dime them down the field," Smith said. "We just weren't able to do it today."

The Chiefs defense generated a season-high 50% pressure rate, converting a season-high five of their 18 pressures into sacks (26.3%), according to Next Gen Stats.

With WR Garrett Wilson out (concussion protocol), Smith targeted rookie WR Omar Cooper Jr. 11 times and he made a team-leading 8 receptions for 58 yards. Mitchell was targeted 7 times, but he did not have a reception.

The Jets had five trips into plus-territory in the first half and one red zone trip. After Hall's 7-yard run, the Jets had 1^st-and-goal at the 4 on their opening march. But the Chiefs turned them away and Sanders converted a 23-yard chip shot to give the Jets their first lead.

"If I had a perfect answer, we would have probably solved it by now," Smith said about getting over the hump inside the 20. "I'm pretty frustrated with myself personally and looking how I can be better with the guys and be a better quarterback so we can get it done."

Smith was 18-of-32 passing for 165 yards. Through nine weeks, his 100.5 passer rating is the highest by a Jets quarterback at this point in the season since the merger (min. 100 pass attempts).

Bailey's Back
Rookie David Bailey played 79% of the Jets' defensive snaps in a smashing return to the field after missing Week 8 with a groin injury.  Bailey totaled 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 TFL and 3 QB hits.

"We expect him to be on the field as much as he can [and make plays]," HC Aaron Glenn said. "The more he is on the field, the more that gives us an opportunity to make plays."

Bailey generated 6 pressures on 24 pass rushes and according to Next Gen Stats, 5 of them, including his two sacks, came against Chiefs right tackle Jaylon Moore.

"He did that at Texas Tech a lot, that's why he got drafted second overall," said Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. "So, I saw a lot of it on TV. I don't like being the guy that's getting hit. So, I was trying to stay away from that."

This season, Bailey has 7.5 sacks which is tied with Steelers' TJ Watt, Saints' Carl Granderson and Patriots' Elijah Ponder for the third most in the league. Only Chase Young (8) and Will Anderson Jr. (9.5) have more.

"It's always a blessing being out there and playing the game I love," Bailey said. "That's a positive in that sense but obviously there's a ton of things we have to work on."

Sanders Strike
K Jason Sanders has made 21 field goals this season, the second most in the league, and has made four in back-to-back games for the Jets.

Against the Chiefs, Sanders was good from 23, 48, 49 and 54 yards. His only misfire came from 53 yards out with :37 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Overall, Sanders has four field goals from 50-plus this season, tying Greg Zuerlein's 2022 mark for the second most by a Jet nine weeks into the season.

S Minkah Fitzpatrick led the special teams unit with 2 tackles and FB Andrew Beck, who handled kickoff duties, had 1. RB Isaiah Davis also had 1, marking his seventh game this season with a tackle, the most by a Jet running back nine weeks into the season.