Jets Are Mapping the Blueprint for an Offensive Innovation No One Is Talking About

Innovation in the NFL comes in all shapes and sizes.

The West Coast offense brought forth a new way of passing the ball. The read-option added a new style of quarterback to the league. Now, another innovation has hit the NFL.

And it's the Jets of all teams leading the way.

Gang Green's 23-10 win over the Titans saw the team utilize multiple tight ends throughout the contest. Kenyon Sadiq, Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert and Jelani Woods all saw the field at different points in the game. On one snap, fullback Andrew Beck joined all the tight ends on the field.

No running backs or receivers. Just five tight ends—0-5 personnel.

The plan worked. It confused the Titans defense, and brought the Jets closer to more points.

“They were running guys off because we had a certain personnel package in the game with all of those tight ends,” Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said. “I thought that was pretty fun to see.”

Mason Taylor celebrates. — Mason Taylor's outlook will be fun to monitor if the Jets continue to run TE-heavy approaches. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Based on the way the team spoke on Wednesday, it looks like their 0-5 personnel will remain throughout the year. The Jets found something innovative that few teams have answers for.

Jets tight end room changes offensive plan

New York's offensive game plan with the use of their tight ends didn't just confuse the Titans; it brought a new look that even their most vested veterans haven't seen before.

Only the Jets, with their personnel, could do that.

"I don't think I've ever been on the field with five tight ends at one time," Geno Smith said on Wednesday. "They're a well-rounded group; very talented group. They work extremely hard; kind of the glue guys, they bring everything together on the offense. And so, it's great to see all five of them out there on the field at once, and we'll try and get the ball to each one of them when we can."

On Sunday, the Jets utilized 12 personnel almost 24% of the time. They used 13 personnel 17 percent of the time, 22 personnel 12.7% of the time and were one of only two teams in the league to run four tight ends out on the field at one time.

The reason? Innovation and confusion. New York's tight ends combine for five receptions for 35 yards, along with two first downs. They also added a rushing touchdown, courtesy of Sadiq, their dynamic first-round rookie.

That's something that we've talked about since we drafted Sadiq—to be able to match him up with Mason, Ruckert, and Jelani and to be able to move these guys around because they can do so much. Those guys allow you to do a number of things.
Aaron Glenn on Jets' TE room

Mismatching the opposition

The reason why their 0-5 personnel can become successful is that no one in the NFL has the personnel to match it.

"I had one of our analytics guys see if it's happened before," Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich said. "He went back 20 years and he could not find any evidence of 0-5 personnel"

Normally, tight ends are fast enough to beat linebackers but are too big and powerful for cornerbacks. Most defenses won't put five linebackers on the field at the same time or go into dime personnel to add an extra safety. That would be too advantageous for the Jets' offense.

"You gotta have those little things in this league," Reich said. "It's a hard business. There's a lot of ups and downs. if you don't have some ways to have fun and be creative and do fun things for the room, for the unit — you can do that and still not compromise your principles."

Instead, teams will match some corners with the Jets' tight ends and pray the team doesn't try to manhandle them downfield. That poses a wide variety of things that offensive coordinator Frank Reich can call during games.

It even leaves the Jets defense thrilled about what's to come.

“Man, I'm a huge fan of our offense,” linebacker Demario Davis said after the Jets' win. “How can you not be?”

When you think of innovative offenses, Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan and other elite play-callers all come to mind. No one tends to put the 64-year-old Reich in that category, but his use of tight ends may just change how teams look at different packages.

And it might give the Jets the kind of wrinkle that even the most elite defenses in football struggle to stop.

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