Adam Gase’s incapability has never been clearer following the Jets’ 31-13 loss to the 49ers in Week 2.
To say Gase’s offensive gameplan against San Francisco was disastrous would be an understatement. Despite the 49ers missing Richard Sherman and losing Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas in the first quarter, New York’s offense appeared timid going up against a defense with plenty of All-Pro talent left over. Yes, the Jets were without Le’Veon Bell and Jamison Crowder and lost Breshad Perriman and Chris Hogan mid-game, but a depleted depth chart was not the only reason New York struggled so mightily on Sunday.
Once again, Gase was as big a culprit as any.
Let’s start with the fact that Sam Darnold was not allowed to audible out of a 4th & 1 run play that never had a chance of working against a loaded box of defenders. How is it that a third-year starting quarterback, one who is supposedly the face of the franchise, is not allowed to make a simple read and put his offense in the best position to succeed? Gase said it’s “his call” and Darnold attributed the play’s failure to poor execution. But let’s face it: Gase is not adept at making the right calls.
There is also Gase’s constant misuse of his tight ends, which could be a fireable offense in itself. Chris Herndon and Ryan Griffin both have good chemistry with each other and Darnold, yet they have been seldom used in the passing game despite New York’s barrage of wide receiver injuries. Through two games, Herndon has seven receptions for 42 yards, while Griffin has yet to see a single pass thrown his way in 2020.
It would take a novel to accurately address all of Gase’s shortcomings in only two weeks of action, but that is a book Jets CEO and chairman Christopher Johnson would likely have little to no interest in reading based on his comments last week. Following the Buffalo game, another ugly loss for the Jets, Johnson backed Gase and called him a “brilliant offensive mind.”
With another defeat now in the books for reference, those comments beg the question: Is Johnson the only one who can’t see how incapable Gase is as a coach?
Gase has received plenty of well-deserved heat from the media and fans since the beginning of the season, as well as last year. His seat should resemble an inferno right now, but Johnson has given no indication that Gase’s job is on the line, at least not immediately. Meanwhile, New York’s offense is among the worst in the league for the second straight season.
There is no way Gase lasts past 2020 if the Jets continue to embarrass themselves on a weekly basis, but Johnson’s inability to understand how Gase is failing his players is a major cause for concern. What if Johnson attributes New York’s struggles to injuries and a roster that Joe Douglas still needs time to rebuild? What if he, for some reason, decides Gase deserves one more chance at redemption in 2021? This was Johnson’s first hire, after all.
Gase’s days as a head coach in the NFL should be numbered, but with Johnson running the show, you just never know. It’s time for Johnson to hold his head coach accountable, but he doesn’t seem to realize what is right in front of him, at least not publicly.
Gase is the reason the Jets are a laughingstock right now, and all signs point to Johnson being the last to find out.