Things have mostly calmed down after a hectic 48 hours for the New York Jets. It’s been quite a week.
On Tuesday morning, fans were surprised by the firing of former head coach Robert Saleh. Amid all the opinions and stories, many wondered if the Jets had let go of the wrong person.
After all, Saleh’s defense is ranked highly in the NFL, allowing the second-fewest yards per game over the first five weeks. Was he a scapegoat? Was he the wrong one?
At this point, it doesn’t matter since the decision is made. Most fans wanted offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to either make big changes, be replaced, or even be fired.
Saleh hadn’t decided on his offensive coordinator, and now it’s too late. However, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, who was given his new role right after Saleh’s firing, has already made a choice about Hackett.
Nathaniel Hackett is no longer calling plays for the Jets. Todd Downing will take over instead. He is starting his 20th season in the NFL and has 15 years of offensive coaching experience, including being the Titans’ offensive coordinator for a couple of seasons in 2021-2022.
Had Saleh been given a week or two more, he might have made this change. But hindsight is always clearer, and now Ulbrich is in charge. He did what needed to be done, and Downing will take over an offense that has been struggling.
As of Week 5, the Jets’ offense ranks as the fifth-worst in the league, averaging 286.6 yards per game. They are ranked 19th in passing but are last in rushing.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was right to say that he and his teammates need to accept some responsibility for the issues and possibly for Saleh’s firing.
It was a sobering statement from the veteran. But fans have noticed that the playcalling has been poor, and Rodgers has expressed his frustration. He wanted changes, and now he’s gotten a significant one.
For fans seeking change, it has happened, and there’s only one way to go from here, right? It can’t get much worse than what Hackett has done so far, so Downing has that in his favor.
The Downing era will kick off on Monday night against the division rival Buffalo Bills. Let’s hope the Jets can improve against a defense that has allowed nearly 30 points per game over their last two games.
