The Jets (1-1) and the Lions (1-1) will battle Sunday in Detroit. In a city known as a boxing mecca, Jets HC Aaron Glenn is set to return to his former stomping grounds with a roster intent on dictating terms of engagement.

Glenn, in his second season at Jets' head coach, served as defensive coordinator under Detroit HC Dan Campbell from 2021-24. The Lions flipped their fortunes and Glenn's unit improved every season. Campbell, whose team dropped a 41-31 contest to the Bills in Week 2, knows his old friend will enter the Lions' den intent to inflict harm.

"Well, that's the good news, our players know exactly what's coming in here because the defensive coordinator was here for five years and turn on the tape," Campbell said. "And look what just happened last Thursday night. So, this is not going to be a trap game. This is going to be a knockout, 60-minute brawl."

'Attacking in Our Way'
After a double-digit road win over the Titans in Week 1, Glenn's Jets were unable to deliver a finishing blow against the Packers in a 20-17 contest that was decided in overtime. But the Jets are a team that will bring the NFL's top-ranked defense to stand in the ring with one of the league's most prolific offensive attacks.

"I think we're a very disciplined defense right now," Glenn said. "I think we're a defense that's attacking the football. I think we're a defense that doesn't give up explosive plays, and more than anything, we're attacking in our way. When I say that, that doesn't mean that you have to blitz on every play. That doesn't mean that you're attacking. It's we're re-routing receivers. We're attacking the pocket. We're attacking the football. We're doing all those things in that attack mode that allows you to play good defense."

Glenn cautioned that the Jets aren't close to where they need to be on defense and he continues to look for improvement in each phase. The adage is styles make fights and the Lions are a team that throws plenty of haymakers and are averaging 31 points per game. But they've been vulnerable to counters — the Detroit defense is yielding 35.5 points and 457.5 yards per game. Glenn's QB, Geno Smith, who is completing 70.8% of his passes, doesn't feel more pressure to light up the scoreboard this weekend.

"Every single game is different, and we believe that whenever we touch the ball, it's our job to go out there and score points whether the opposing team is scoring or not," Smith said. " And so our job is to help our defense by giving us leads, allowing them to go out there and hunt. So, we don't really think much about the offense as much as we do think about the defense."

'Change This Program Around'
The Glenn and Campbell relationship traces back to their days as players. Both played collegiately at Texas A&M, were teammates with the Dallas Cowboys and then coached under Sean Patyon in New Orleans from 2016-20

"Well, he was roommates with a safety at A&M, and at that point Dan had the long hair, long hair," Glenn said. "Man, he was one of those true Y-tight ends that you knew were going to be in a fight every practice. That didn't change even once we played together in Dallas. He was the guy that Bill Parcells used to use to piss somebody off and there were a number of fights in practice because of him."

With Campbell holding assistant head coach and tight end duties with the Saints and Glenn serving as defensive backs coach, their relationship continued to grow. Once Campbell was hired in Detroit, his first hire was his longtime confidant.

"It was constant communication when it came to football and then once he started getting these opportunities as far as being a head coach," Glenn said. "He would come in, and I didn't even know he was doing it at that point, I'm assuming he was interviewing, but we were just talking defense. I just thought we were talking philosophy and he told me if he got one - he wanted me to be his coordinator, and I will always remember that. I felt honored for him to be able to come to me and ask me to be his coordinator. And when he got the job, I was the first guy he hired. And it took, I don't know, maybe a week before we hired anybody else, and we just sat in my office, and we talked football, and how we were going to change this program around."

'Close the Door'
Glenn is determined to get the Jets' program turned around. The early progress in Year 2 has been significant and a win in Detroit would be a huge step for a team that is eager to change its narrative. He has experience lining up against QB Jared Goff, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and TE Sam LaPorta in practice, but there will be unknowns on both sides.

"It's like that kind of back -and -forth, cat -and -mouse," Goff said. "And, is he going to change? Are we going to change? Or what are we going to do different? What is he going to do different? I don't know. I know he teaches a very competitive style of play on defense and those guys are playing with a lot of will right now and playing well. You can tell that [Jets LB] Demario's [Davis] had a huge influence on them defensively in the way they're playing and a lot of other great players. So yeah, they're playing well right now and it'll be a good challenge."

Just like Detroit iconic boxers Joe Louis, Tommy Hearns and James Toney, Glenn wants his team to unleash fury for 60 minutes. The Jets turned the page after a close loss and are set to walk into the center of the ring and throw down with a Lions club that will be ready for the exchange.

"We have to make sure we can close the door and finish those types of games, and that's something I have to make sure that I get our team into a position to be able to do that," Glenn said. "And I understand that. I take that, and it's something I will never run from."