When Todd Downing took over play-calling duties before the Jets’ Week 6 game against the Bills, he was tasked with finding a solution to an offensive problem that offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett couldn’t solve.
They had Aaron Rodgers. There were other stars in Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson.
They even put together a revamped offensive line.
But as Gang Gang’s attack played its eighth game under Downing on Sunday, the disappointing result remained disappointing, with Downing, who previously called play against the Titans, describing it as “very disappointing”. Because I know interim head coach Jeff Ubrich. We promoted him to get better.
The Jets are averaging the second-fewest yards per game in the NFL this season (291.3). That’s ahead of the Patriots.
They averaged 18.6 points per game under Hackett, and that number rose by a tenth to 18.9 under Downing.
“It’s hard to know in what situations you feel called upon to help or to be able to influence change when it happens, and so far we haven’t had any better results,” Downing said.
There have been moments when the Jets’ offense has performed as expected with Rodgers and Downing at the helm, such as his 21-point performance in the second half of the Jets’ win over the Texans on Oct. 31. They added Davante Adams to the unit in October as well.
But in other cases, crime has disappeared again.
Gang Green scored just six points during an embarrassing loss to the Cardinals on Nov. 10 and failed to score another score the rest of the game after two touchdown drives in the opening frame against the Seahawks on Sunday.
“We showed who can attack on a small scale, but unfortunately that fizzled out like a bottle rocket, so we have to find a way to sustain and be consistent,” Downing said.
Hackett echoed similar sentiments throughout last season following Rodgers’ season-ending torn Achilles tendon.
Rodgers is also back, continuing through the first five weeks of 2024.
And that hasn’t changed under Downing. And the struggle hasn’t gone away.
Special teams coordinator Brant Boyer said Kene Nwangwu’s 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on Sunday didn’t surprise him at all.
Nwangwu, a 26-year-old running back who spent the season on the practice squad after signing in September, earned the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week honors Tuesday.
“He never complained about his lack of playing time,” Boyer said, acknowledging that he told his players this was a “really good lesson” for anyone. “He was not upset about not being included in the active roster. He worked hard and when the opportunity came he made the most of it and he certainly did that.”
RB Hall (knee), CB Soth Gardner (hamstring), OL Aaliyah Vera-Tucker (ankle), OL John Simpson (illness), LB CJ Mosley (neck) did not practice Thursday, and OL Morgan Moses (knee/shoulder) ) did not practice. , OL Olu Fashanu (toe) and CB Qwan’tez Stiggers (illness) were limited participants.
OL Wes Schweitzer (finger) and WR Allen Lazard (chest) were full participants for the second straight day.
Boyer said he’s never seen a catcher get triple-teamed while the Seahawks were still making tackles while attempting to stop wideout Irv Charles at one point Sunday. “If we can find better special teams in this league, I’d like to see it,” Boyer said.
