Jets make much needed change on their coaching staff that fans have been pushing for months
When the New York Jets fired Robert Saleh this week, the question on most people’s mind, both in and outside the building, was how will this fix the offense? Saleh, a defensive minded head coach had little to do with the offense and that is where the Jets are struggling the most. Today, new head […]
When the New York Jets fired Robert Saleh this week, the question on most people’s mind, both in and outside the building, was how will this fix the offense? Saleh, a defensive minded head coach had little to do with the offense and that is where the Jets are struggling the most.
Today, new head coach Jeff Ulbrich gave a potential solution to the offense’s issues. Ulbrich is taking play calling duties away from Nathaniel Hackett and handing them over to quarterbacks coach Todd Downing.
The move isn’t necessarily a surprise. Something had to change on the Jets offense, and it wasn’t going to be with the personnel. The Jets offense seems so inept at times this season that any change would be welcome in the locker room likely on both sides of the ball.
While I’m not sure this move will fix the Jets issues on offense, Ulbrich had to try something different. The Jets reportedly had multiple team meetings this week, starting with the leadership council, then a player’s only meeting before including the coaching staff and the word that was reportedly used a lot in those meetings was “accountability”. Ulbrich is trying to change the philosophy on the fly trying to include more accountability.
As for Hackett, while I believe he should have been out the door alongside Robert Saleh earlier this week, Ulbrich says Nathaniel Hackett will continue to be a "big part of the success we're going to have going forward".
This move does hurt the conspiracy theory floating out there that Aaron Rodgers got Saleh fired because he was looking to demote Hackett. It doesn’t make sense for Rodgers to demand Saleh be fired for demoting his guy, only to let his replacement do it.
This will be Downing’s third chance at calling plays for a team, as he did so as the OC for the Las Vegas Raiders and the Tennessee Titans. Downing, in his second season with the Jets as passing game coordinator, had the Titans ranked No. 4 in red zone efficiency (64.1%) while QB Ryan Tannehill's 7.32 yards per attempt were No. 8 in the league. In his first year as OC, the Titans finished No. 5 in rushing (141.4 yds/g) despite missing Derrick Henry for nine games. That 2021 offense ranked No. 8 on third down (43.6%) and No. 5 in red zone (63.9%).
For a look at how a change at offensive play caller can affect a team, the Jets only need to look at their opponent this week. The Jets take on the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night football, a team that was struggling last year and made a change at offensive coordinator only to get hot at the end of the season and make the playoffs.
The Bills are one of the worst rush defenses in the league so far this year. The Jets will need to come out strong against their division rivals and hopefully Downing and Ulbrich are the spark to get it done.
