Adam Gase explains decision to cede play-calling duties to Dowell Loggains

Adam Gase took a step back in Week 7.

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Adam Gase took a step back in Week 7.

For the first time since 2012, New York’s head coach decided to defer the play-calling duties to another member of the offensive coaching staff. Dowell Loggains assumed the play-calling duties in New York’s 18-10 loss on Sunday. Gase had been thinking about handing the play-calling to his offensive coordinator for “a while,” per The Athletic’s Connor Hughes. Gase wanted to see how guys would respond and what the staff would put together.

Gase added that it was entirely his decision to strip himself of play-calling duties.

With Loggains pulling the strings, the Jets enjoyed their best half of football of the season, putting up 10 points on 186 yards to start the game. They sputtered in the second half, though, tallying just four yards of total offense. After La’Mical Perine scored a touchdown to put Gang Green up 10-0, the Jets had six offensive possessions in which they totaled just 25 yards.

Despite the unit’s second-half struggles, this was a significant move for Gase to hand off the offense to Loggains. Loggains called to his players’ strengths, like having Sam Darnold outside the pocket on passing plays. The Jets successfully executed play-action plays, motions and misdirections, until the wheels inevitably fell off for the league’s worst offense.

Giving up the play-calling allowed Gase to “take a step back” and observe the entire organization, he said, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

While this change was a long time coming for Gase, he could not commit to this being the team’s new normal moving forward.