Adam Gase is Toying With Turning Over Play-Calling Duties for His Brilliant Offense
Praised as a “brilliant offensive mind” just a month ago, New York Jets head coach Adam Gase is now toying with the idea of not even be calling plays.
The Jets endured another sluggish offensive output on Sunday, with just 285 yards of total offensive in Sunday’s 30-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. And now Gase, who was coined a “brilliant offensive mind” early in the season by Jets CEO Christopher Johnson, is now contemplating handing over play-calling duties to an assistant.
On Monday’s conference call, Gase was asked about possibly giving up the duty of calling plays given that his 0-5 team has struggled to move the ball let alone score points.
“For the last four years I’ve toyed with the idea every once in a while,” Gase said. “I mean, I don’t think I’m ever opposed to trying something to change things up. I’d say everything on the table at this point.”
To say the Jets have struggled this year is an understatement.
They are the worst team in the NFL or second-from-the-bottom in total offense, passing yards and points scored. Brilliant, this is not.
There were signs of life, albeit limited, in Sunday’s blowout loss. With quarterback Sam Darnold sidelined with a shoulder injury, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco was under center for the Jets.
He had a solid if not necessarily outstanding afternoon. There were no turnovers for the Jets and a season-high 21 first downs, a sign that the Jets at least were able to move the ball somewhat effectively.
Even if they couldn’t put up points.
Gase said later in the conference call, that, up to this point, he’s only conceded play-calling duties during preseason games.
In the third quarter, Flacco led the Jets on a touchdown drive, cutting into the Cardinals lead 17-10. But they couldn’t build on that momentum, punting and then turning over on downs their next two possessions.
“We had some opportunities to close that game, make that game tighter and close up the margin,” Gase said.
“We get down by seven and then we give up the fourth-and-one and they finish their drive in the end zone and you know, after that we couldn’t figure out a way to put the ball back in the end zone. We got to clean a lot of things up and we got to keep fighting up to play a complimentary football game.”
It was Flacco’s first start since Week 8 last season with the Denver Broncos. He was 18-of-33 for 195 yards with a passing touchdown.
Flacco was sacked four times in the loss.
