Sam Darnold forecasts a 'little run' ahead for struggling Jets
Heading into their bye week, the New York Jets are 0-3 for the first time since 2003. But with their starting quarterback apparently nearing his return, the hope is the season can still be salvaged.
Sam Darnold (mono) addressed the media on Monday in a conference call. Darnold underwent tests on Monday and received positive results, adding fuel to the possibility he could be back for Week 5 at the Philadelphia Eagles (1-2).
Darnold sat out the last two games as the Jets were outscored by a combined 53-17 margin in losses to the Browns (1-2) and Patriots (3-0).
Jets coach Adam Gase called the offense 'atrocious' after the 30-14 loss at the Patriots. The Jets finished with only 105 yards of total offense.
Yet, Darnold expressed the utmost belief that the Jets will right the ship upon his re-insertion into the lineup.
“We’re going to go on a little run here,” Darnold said. “It’s going to be fun, but it’s going to take a lot of work. I know a lot of the guys on the team are willing to put in that work.”
In the conference call, Gase refused to guarantee a Darnold return in Week 5 but said strides were being made. Releasing quarterback David Fales on Monday could also imply an imminent comeback by Darnold.
"He's feeling better. He looks better," Gase said. "Everything looks like it is trending in the right direction. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. We still, obviously, have a week to make sure he's good to go for next Wednesday [for practice]. That's really the aiming point for us to get him healthy."
Ravished by injuries and illnesses, the Jets have used three different starting quarterbacks (Darnold, Trevor Siemian, Luke Falk) in the season's first three games.
The Jets are currently ranked last in offense and haven't scored an offensive touchdown since the third quarter of Week 1. Gase thinks Darnold getting back into the fold will provide a necessary spark to the floundering offense.
“I know he’s determined to really help kind of get things turned around," Gase said. "As long as our defense and special teams keep doing what they’re doing and we can get better on offense, it should help us swing things in the other direction.”
After facing the Eagles, the slate for the Jets doesn't get any easier, as they'll host the Cowboys (3-0) and Patriots in consecutive weeks. A Jets revival is going to require more than just Darnold's presence but the quarterback wholly intends to fulfill his duties.
“I’m just going to go in there and control what I can control,” Darnold said. “We just need to fix some details at other spots as well. We’re not blind to that. It’s just about going out there and going out in practice, in meeting rooms, in walkthroughs and being able to fix all that stuff and not being shy about it. We’re not worried about hurting anyone’s feelings. It’s about getting this stuff right. We’re going to get it right. It’s just a matter of time.”
