Hyde: Jets suffering with the problem of Gase
Jets suffering with the Adam Gase we know (that’s a problem for the AFC East)
This is what you expected, isn’t it? Even if you don’t see the problem.
This is what you knew Adam Gase could achieve with the New York Jets because you witnessed it first with the Miami Dolphins.
Offense? Second-to-last in the NFL in points scored.
Defense? Last in points allowed.
Penalties? Third-to-last, showing that discipline remains a hallmark of Gase’s teams.
For good measure, Gase also feuded with and dumped a couple of the Jets’ few talented players— Jamal Adams last year and Le’Veon Bell this year— a scene reminiscent of his smooth handling of Dolphins safety Reshad Jones.
Sweep it all in a smelly, winless, quarter back-whispering New York pile and… do you see the problem yet?
It’s one thing for the Jets to lose to San Francisco by 18 points (the Dolphins beat the 49ers by 25 points). It’s one thing to lose to Indianapolis by 29 points. It’s one thing to lose to Arizona by 20 points. It’s one thing…
Oh, wait.
That is the thing. The Jets haven’t come within sight of winning against some very marginal teams this year. They
rank last in the league no matter if you go by point differential (minus-86) or the analytical formulas of Sagarin, Inpredictable and Massey.
Rock bottom, Adam? You should be so fortunate.
There are 11 games left and you’re through the easy part of the schedule. On Sunday, in the heat of South Florida, the Jets begin a stretch that continues with Buffalo, Kansas City and New England.
Any questions?
Yes, you in the back: Why are you, as South Florida sports writer, positioning Gase’s troubles like they’re anything but high comedy for the Dolphins fan to watch?
The problem isn’t that the Jets somehow start winning. Come on, seriously? Some Dolphins officials still simmer over how they felt Gase quit onhis team in the final month of 2018whenthe season was sinking. And so his team quit on him too.
So you see winning isn’t the problem with the Jets. Losing is. Unstoppable losing all the way to the No. 1 pick, where star Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence awaits.
Doyouthink the rest of the AFC East wants to face Lawrence twice a year? Worse, Gase won’t be around to coach him up in the manner he (cough, cough) did Ryan Tannehill and Jay Cutler with the Dolphins and Sam Darnold with the Jets.
True, the Tanking Corollary to the No. 1 Pick holds: If you’re dumb enough to have to tank for a franchise quarterback, you’re too dumb to build around him. The Jets, as constructed, aren’t smart enough to help a franchise quarterback.
But getting Lawrence would be a game-changer for the franchise. Suddenly, general managers and coaches who wanted nothing to do with them would covet the job.
Lawrence is considered such a sure thing, a scout told me this past draft’s top quarterback picks (Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert) aren’t “in the same league with Lawrence.”
The Jets, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons have 0-5 records. But the Giants and Falcons have been competitive. Just last week, the Dallas Cowboys needed a game-ending field goal to beat the Giants, and the Falcons lost their third game by seven points or less.
The Jets haven’t been closer than nine points in any loss. Thatwas to 1-3 Denver. Do you see the problem here bynow?
Gase, of course, says his Jets can win their way out of it like the 2016 Dolphins. Thatwas his one shining moment as a head coach. He changed the offense after a 1-4 start, decided to run behind Jay Ajayi and and a good offensive line and madet he playoffs.
“Guys weren’t focused two, threeweeks ahead of time,” Gase said. “They were just focused on the task at hand. Andthat’s something that applies to what we’re going through right now. It’s not easy. That’s what the NFL is.”
The following season told the better story of Gase. As tackle Ju’Wuan Jame ssaid, he changed the blocking schemes away fromtheir strengths. He feuded with Ajayi, replaced an injured Tannehill with an inept Cutler and assembled a losing portfolio that landed the Jets job
And here he comes Sunday: The coach of the Titanic. Uninspiring. Unimpressive. And unquestionably a Dolphins problem as the Jets lose their way to a bright future.