N.Y. Jets: Way To Go, Guys!

From the desk: WALT MICHAELS REVENGE

"TRAP GAME ALERT!!  The Jets this season have lost by at least seventeen points on seven different occasions.  They've similarly been held to ten points or less seven times.  Adam Gase said he has failed Christopher Johnson.  Perhaps, there is still more he can do - like screwing up the Jets chances at the number one overall pick with an upset victory against the Rams!  Only then will his failure be complete" - My Pigskin Picks: Week Fifteen 

Jets       23

Rams     20

FINAL

First off, the Rams suck!  If you follow my Pigskin Picks, you know that I've been calling them a paper tiger all season.  The Jets didn't win this game; the Rams lost it - buncha scrubs.

But leave it up to the Jets to essentially ruin their shot at the number one overall pick in next year's draft.  After all their futility and hard work, now they wanna win!?  They will need an awful lot of help over the next two weeks from the Jacksonville Jaguars to regain their standing as the worst team in the NFL.  

However, this colossal screw up is not on Adam Gase - not this time.  He gets paid to coach football games and was just doing his job.  It's the general manager's job to furnish the coach with players, or not (just ask John Idzik).  That said, full blame should be placed on Joe Douglas for not telling Adam Gase to "cleverly and descretely" bench some of his starters.  Yeah, that's right.  Douglas is the phantom menace.  Don't let Frank Gore rush the ball 23 times; don't target Jamison Crowder six times.  As a general manager, all you have to say to the league and media is you're evaluating talent.  

What else is there after losing thirteen straight games ...

The one time when the Jets absolutely, positively, need a loss, they go and beat the Rams.

They were 17 1/2 point underdogs.

Ponderous!

Just like last season, this victory is too little and comes way too late.  Gang Gase started last season losing seven of their first eight games before rallying to win six of their last eight.  The Jets now improve to 8-22 under Adam Gase and may very well have jeopardized another decade of Jets football.

His failure is indeed complete.

N.Y. Jets: Ten Shades of Gase

From the desk: WALT MICHAELS REVENGE

WEEK TEN

Jets           28

Chargers  34

FINAL

Ten is the magic number.  

The Jets are now 0-10, which assures them of a tenth straight season without a playoff appearance.  That's not all Adam Gase's fault, but this season is certainly the punctuation mark denoting the end of a decade of futility.

However, things are looking up.  They've only lost their last two games by a total of nine points.  In fact, coming off their performance against the Patriots, I picked the Jets to cover the spread against the Chargers ... and they did!

So, there's that.

The Chargers fumbled on their second possession of the game, recovered by the Jets on their own four-yard line.  On the Jets first play from scrimmage, Joe Flacco ponderously throws a pass to the right flat that gets intercepted for a pick-six.  Add in two missed extra-points by Sam Ficken, and therein lies your margin of defeat and your tenth loss of the season.

On the prospect of finishing the season and his career for that matter with an 0-16 record, Frank Gore says, "I can't go out like that."

By the way, Frank Gore is the third leading rusher in NFL history.  

Just saying ...

GOOD NEWS: After battling injury earlier this season, second-round selection Denzel Mims is starting to demonstrate his worth.  Mekhi Becton, the eleventh overall selection of the draft, is also proving himself to be a major player of impact on the line.  There's no doubt at this point that Joe Douglas has his sights fixed on next year's number one draft pick.

N.Y. Jets: Throwing It All Away

From the desk of: WALT MICHAELS REVENGE

WEEK NINE

Patriots  30

Jets        27

FINAL

WHO CALLED THAT PLAY?

Add this to Adam Gase's resume: the New York Jets are off to the worst start in their nearly sixty-year history.  With Monday night's loss against the Patriots, the Jets this season are now winless through nine games.  Although, this was their closest margin of defeat.  Gang Gase led this game for 58:03 minutes.  So, there's that.

Leading 27-20 with six minutes left in the game, the Jets have the ball at their own 18-yard line.  Joe Flacco playing for Sam Darnold, has three touchdown passes on the day.  On first and ten, Flacco throws deep intended for rookie Denzel Mims but is picked off at the Patriots 28-yard line.  New England drives and ties the game on Cam Newton's one-yard rush.  The Jets go three-and-out on their ensuing possession.  The Patriots then kick the game-winning field goal.  Game over.  Gang Gase allows ten points in the final six minutes and 13 points in the fourth quarter.  It's yet another example of Gase getting out-adjusted after halftime.  The Jets generate no sacks and touch Newton just four times all game.  

Belichick ordered a heavy run game.  The Patriots gained 159 gross yards.  Cam accounted for sixteen yards.  In place of inactive Sony Michel, Damien Harris and Rex Burkhead joined for 26 rushes for 127 yards.

• Breshad Perriman catches five passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns.  Jamison Crowder also catches a touchdown.

Meanwhile, the Jets running game is nonexistent.  Frank Gore and La'Mical Perine join together for 65 yards on 18 rush attempts.  Joe Flacco otherwise handles the load until his ill-fated interception.  The play selection itself, the actual pass 55-yards downfield, and the failure to check down are the reasons for this loss.  Instead of concentrating on first downs and killing the clock, they elect to go as high risk as they can imagine.

... just stupid.

N.Y. Jets: Sam Darnold Sacked in Return

From the desk of: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

WEEK SIX

Bills   18

Jets    10

FINAL

Gang Gase Showing No Improvement

There is nothing overtly embarrassing about an 18-10 loss against Buffalo.  That is, unless you're coming off six straight losses and have yet this season to win a game, and your head coach is Adam Gase, whom Christopher Johnson thinks is brilliant.   

I digress ..

Buffalo takes the season series, two games to none.  The Jets get outscored in Week One by ten points.  This time they only get outscored by eight points.  So, congratulations on avoiding another double digit loss.  

Here's another positive: LáMical Perine and Frank Gore join on 22 rushes for 100 yards, the latter accounts for 60 yards. 

However, Sam Darnold is sacked six times and hit another ten times.  In his first game back since Adam Gase let him play against the Broncos while hurt, Sam Darnold completes just 12 of 23 passes for 120 yards, with two interceptions.  In case the team is anticipating earning the first overall pick in next year's draft, QB prospect Trevor Lawrence just tested positive for COVID.

Get well!

Meanwhile, last week's score is hardly representative of the defensive effort.  Buffalo amasses 422 total yards.  Josh Allen 30 of 43 for 307 yards, and the ground game gains 123 yards (backfield accounts for 15 rushes/76 yards, Allen accounts for the rest).

If this coming Sunday Le'Veon Bell, as a member of the Chiefs, should rush for 100 yards and receive for another 70 yards, now that will be embarrassing.

N.Y. Jets: All Systems Maybe

From the desk of: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

THE LOSER BOWL

DENVER BRONCOS

vs.

NEW YORK JETS

FROM

WINLESS STADIUM

Jets Looking To Avoid Second Straight 0-4 Start

Can the broken Jets defeat the busted up Broncos?

Great thing about the Loser Bowl is that someone must win.  Then again, maybe not.  There is always the chance of a tie.  Just ask the Eagles.  With the way the Jets and Broncos are going nothing is out of the question.

Jamison Crowder might be back, but will he be effective?  Practice means little.  You just can not simulate real game muscle action and reaction unless someone is getting paid to oppose, stop and hit you.

If the Jets have done anything well - and that's a relative term - they've run the ball somewhat effectively.  Why not reverse roles and instead of making Darnold - still playing without a full compliment of weapons - throw 35 times and limiting the backfield to just 21 rushes, stick with the run  35 times and limit Darnold's throws.  Put the ball in Frank Gore's hands and let him run to daylight and kill the clock.  After the Bills game, the Jets improved time of possession by a full ten minutes.  Why?  Because they only rushed 14 times against Buffalo.  Correlation?  You tell me.

It's wrong to blame Sam Darnold for this team's woes.  How about you let him call a damn audible, will ya?!  This is about quarterback development, not holding him back when faced with - I don't know - eleven people getting paid to make him play badly.  Are you not teaching him how to read and react, or are you (Adam Gase) giving Darnold the old Nancy Reagan and just saying no?  

By the way, I wonder how practice went this week?

Practice?

The Broncos decimated by injuries are starting third string quarterback Brett Rypien.  This will be his first NFL start.  If defensive coordinator Gregg Williams doesn't devise something appropriate for the situation, well, what is there to say ...

All still falls on Adam Gase.  Should the Jets lose, how does a de facto owner suddenly gifted with incredible football executive insight and ability not reconsider his stance?  

T-minus four hours to take-off.

N.Y. Jets: Coach Gase Rewards Owner's Confidence With Another Loss

From the desk of: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

WEEK TWO

Niners    31

Jets        13

FINAL

Adam Gase : Christopher Johnson :: Rich Kotite : Leon Hess

Back to the hangar ...

Just days after Christopher Johnson reiterates his full endorsement of Adam Gase, the Jets come apart on the tarmac.  But according to Christopher Johnson, Gase is the right man to pick up the pieces and assemble them back together again.  In any other organization an owner's reassurance so early in the season is usually a kiss of death.  But with regards to the Jets, Christopher Johnson actually believes this and thus remains the poster child for novice superintendence at the highest order.  The situation is fast approaching the Rich Kotite and Leon Hess levels of incompetence - if Gase and CJ haven't surpassed it already.

If nothing else, the Jets offense is proving consistently inept.  The Jets had eleven drive opportunities against the Bills in which they generate 254 total yards on 53 total plays.  Le'Veon Bell and Jamison Crowder were both out of Sunday's game.  Therefore, Sam Darnold's top weapons were Frank Gore and Chris Hogan.  The Jets again have eleven drive opportunities against the Niners and similarly generate 277 total yards on 62 total plays.  Through two games Jets opponents have gained 763 total yards and scored 58 points.  The Jets have managed just 531 yards and 30 points. 

What do you suppose awaits the Jets when they touch down in Indianapolis on Sunday?

As Adam Gase's play calling goes, so goes Sam Darnold.  We learned after Sunday's game that Sam was not allowed to audible out of a particular fourth down play.  That's what I call development!  Why not just duct tape the third year quarterback to a chair ...

Sam Darnold through Week Two

• vs. BUFF - 21/35 for 215 yards, one TD, one INT.
• vs. S.F. - 21/32 for 179 yards, one TD, no INT.  

At least Joe Douglas' reconstructed offensive line had a better game.  Against Buffalo the Jets rush 14 times for just 46 yards and allow three sacks.  On Sunday they rush 27 times for 97 yards and allow one sack.  Good back up effort from Frank Gore who rushed 21 times for 63 yards.  Through two games he has rushed 27 times for 87 yards.

The Jets can claim some progress.

Or not ...

New York Jets Get Buffaloed in Season Opener

From the desk of: WALT MICHAELS' REVENGE

WEEK ONE

Jets    17

Bills    27

FINAL

All Systems Fail ...

Note to Joe Douglas: once is an event; twice is a coincidence; three times is a trend.

Adam Gase and Le'Veon Bell previously miscommunicate during camp regarding the issue of his strained hamstring.  First game of the season and they again fail to communicate.  Bell re-aggravates his hamstring in the second quarter.  A little stubbornness on his part and a lack of conviction on the coach's part wrongly keeps Le'Veon in the game and gives the Jets their first controversy of the regular season, not to mention a questionable back field heading into game two.

That's not to say Bell's presence would have made a difference.  Before exiting the game Bell rushes six times for fourteen yards and makes two receptions for 32-yards, for a grand total of eight touches and forty-six yards.  Subbing for Le'veon Bell, Frank Gore rushes six times for 24-yards.  The Jets close out the first quarter with a ten play, 75-yard drive in which they settle for three.  However, they go into halftime down nineteen points.  In the third quarter Sam Darnold connects on a short pass with Jamison Crowder who breaks away from the field for a 68-yard touchdown.  The Jets second and last sustained scoring drive comes too late, eleven plays for 86-yards, punched in from the two by Josh Adams.

Last year the Jets finish the regular season with a 7-9 record.  They get off to a 1-7 start then finish well with a 6-2 record.  However, they finished dead last in offense.  One game into 2020 and the Jets appear nowhere near improved.

Both Buffalo and the Jets have the ball for eleven drives, but the Jets only hold the ball for 18:44 minutes and 53 plays.  They generate half as many first downs as Buffalo and gain just 254 total yards versus 404 net yards for the Bills who hold the ball for 41:16 minutes and 81 plays.

Sam Darnold is 21/35 for 215-yards, with one interception and one touchdown.  Take away Crowder's catch and Darnold is 20/34 (58%) for 147-yards with an INT.

The secondary yields its first 300-yard game of the season.  On the ground the Jets hold Devin Singletary and Zack Moss to 41-yards on 18 attempts.  But they have no answer for Josh Allen who scrambles 14 times for 57-yards and a touchdown.

Last season's second half surge proved too little too late.  Just like Sunday's fourteen second-half points against Buffalo again proved too little too late.  Sam Darnold is now in year three.  He indeed has a lot to learn.  But if Sam does not demonstrate marked improvement this season what's the sense in keeping Adam Gase around?

If I'm Joe Douglas I'm already searching for his replacement.  It's the proactive thing to do.  And it would get the Jets away from this vicious cycle of hiring alternating general managers and head coaches.  Best thing Joe Douglas can do is make this team his.  No coaching changes this season, but make sure it's Adam Gase's last with the Jets before he gets him fired too.