Mike Greenberg Unloads on Christopher Johnson, New York Jets Head Coach Adam Gase

Mike Greenberg, tell us how you really feel.

On Wednesday, New York Jets owner Christopher Johnson spoke with the media at practice, providing an endorsement of head coach Adam Gase. Despite the struggles of the Jets, who did not look sharp or ready in a 27-17 Week 1 loss at the Buffalo Bills, Johnson said that he considered Gase a “brilliant offensive mind.”

ESPN personality Mike Greenberg, an avowed Jets fan, took issue with this endorsement. Talking about Johnson’s use of a “brilliant offensive mind,” Greenberg unloaded.

“To that I reply, what on earth could possibly have given you that impression? There is certainly no evidence that’s it true. What there is, in fact, is overwhelming evidence that the exact opposite is true,” Greenberg said.

“Consider that in no season that Peyton Manning was not his quarterback did any of Gase’s teams ever finish in the top half of the league in scoring. The last three seasons in fact they finished 28th, 26th and 31st. That’s in a 32 team league. In 17 games under Gase, the Jets have scored 33 touchdowns and they’ve punted 93 times. They’ve scored on 24 percent of their possessions. That’s the worst in the league. They’ve gone three-and-out on 44 percent – that’s the worst in the league. Their average drive has gained 23 yards. All of those are the worst in the NFL. But wait, there’s more.”

In 17 games under Adam Gase, the Jets have scored 33 touchdowns, and they've punted 93 times.@Espngreeny breaks down the "brilliant offensive mind" of Gase: pic.twitter.com/NHn2J0CQ6x
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) September 17, 2020

Greenberg, speaking on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ program then launched into the use of the Jets All-Pro running back over the past year. Bell’s lack of production is a microcosm for the Jets struggle to move the ball under Gase.

In Sunday’s loss at the Bills, the Jets offense looked rusty. It wasn’t a surprise that the Jets lost in Buffalo, considering that their opponent is considered the favorite to win the AFC East after making the playoffs a year ago.

It also should be noted that the Jets are very much in a rebuild. Their offense wasn’t very good before Gase came on board. The expectation that a rebuilt offensive line featuring four new starters would instantly gel is unrealistic. So some of the criticism of Gase following Week 1 is over the top.

Christopher Johnson finished a 16-minute session with reporters. Main takeaways: “Full confidence” in Gase. Calls him a “brilliant” offensive mind. #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) September 16, 2020

But four punts on their first four possessions (including three three-and-outs to start the game), an interception on the fifth possession and just 254 yards of total offense are not a good look for Gase.

So too has been the lack of integration of Bell in the offense, who had just six carries for 14 yards at the Bills (as well as a healthy and impactful two catches for 32 yards). Last year, Bell averaged a career-low 3.2 yards per carry.

On Sunday in Gase’s offense, his average was even less than that at 2.33 yards per carry. He came to the Jets last offseason as a free agent having averaged 4.3 yards per carry in his previous six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“When the Jets had acquired Le’Veon Bell, he had averaged more total yards per game than any player in history, ever,” Greenberg said. “Under the brilliant offensive mind, Bell is 27th in the league in yards per game.”