The Jets made the right move in firing Saleh, but it was not the only move they should have made
Robert Saleh is gone as head coach of the New York Jets, and rightfully so. But he shouldn’t be the only coach hitting the unemployment line. I’m not usually a fan of in-season firings, especially this early in the year. If your coach is bad enough to be fired by week five, he was probably […]
Robert Saleh is gone as head coach of the New York Jets, and rightfully so. But he shouldn’t be the only coach hitting the unemployment line.
I’m not usually a fan of in-season firings, especially this early in the year. If your coach is bad enough to be fired by week five, he was probably bad enough to be fired last season and you talked yourself into keeping him around one more year. But if you are going to make this move, don’t go halfway. Clean house.
The New York Jets got rid of their head coach, who was a defensive minded guy, while keeping their entire offensive coaching staff for a team that ranks in the bottom quarter in almost every offensive category. The Jets have scored a 24th ranked 18 points per game and are 27th in yards per game. Yet somehow, Saleh is the only one to lose his job.
Nathaniel Hackett was brought in to fix a broken offense and he was given a future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback, a young star at running back and wide receiver, and rebuilt offensive line to do it. Yet this team is as inept on the offensive side of the ball as they have been.
Through five games this season, the New York Jets have scored 93 points. You know how many they scored last year with a terrible offensive line and Zach Wilson at the helm? 93. Nothing has changed despite all the improvements made on the offensive side of the ball. It’s almost as if the offense itself is born to be mediocre at best.
The New York Jets brought in three new high caliber starting offensive linemen, they drafted a bruising running back in Braelon Allen and added Mike Williams to their receiving core. And for all of that, there has been no improvement to the offense.
Hackett has zero creativity in an offense that is predicated on timing and Rodgers being better than everyone else. There is nothing to the offense that opposing defensive coaches are worried about other than simply losing a one-on-one matchup. The offense the Jets run has been studied and figured out and there are no new wrinkles to prepare for and dissect.
Robert Saleh deserved to have his job taken away from him with the way the team has played in his tenure, but Hackett should never have even been given the opportunity, let alone remain with the team after Saleh was let go.
Nathaniel Hackett is holding on to his position because he has the protection of Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers wants Hackett, so Hackett stays. But after what the two have shown so far this year, I’m not sure a change wouldn’t actually benefit Rodgers. Hackett is nothing more than a figurehead for the offense that is run by Rodgers. Maybe Rodgers needs someone to push back on him or to challenge him.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will take over as interim head coach after Saleh’s departure and considering Nathaniel Hackett already has head coaching experience but wasn’t given the interim title, its safe to say that he isn’t viewed as a leader of that team on either side of the ball.
Hackett remaining along with the rest of the offensive coaching staff makes it seem as if Saleh was the sole problem with the Jets coaching staff and their struggles this season. While Saleh was a big part of the problem in how this team prepared and played on Sunday, he was far from the only problem. In fact, I would say the majority of the Jets coaching issues will be on the sideline Monday Night when they host the Buffalo Bills.
