Through two weeks of the Preseason, it is fair to compare the Jets Offense to some of the worst in NFL History. In 1976, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers averaged under nine points per game en route to a 0-14 season. The 1974 Atlanta Falcons offense eclipsed 14 points only once the entire season, and the 1970 Boston Patriots had a span midseason, where they scored zero or three points in four of six contests. Heading into the 2017 season and there are many people who speculate that the Jets offense could be one of the teams on this list very soon. For Head Coach Todd Bowles and the QB’s on the roster, the struggles on offense stem more from a lack of experience together.
Todd Bowles now has the unenviable task of trying to create a winning culture with an offense that does not have many consistent and healthy playmakers to chose from. Speaking to the media after Monday’s practice
“They (the offense) need more continuity. We need to play certain people together. We’ve been substituting a lot of people in and out. Obviously, the name of the game is to score points, but it’s also the first two weeks of preseason where we’re subbing people in and out. We’re just looking for more continuity and we’ll try to have that on Saturday.”
As a group, the Jets offense has combined for one touchdown and two field goals in the first two games of the preseason. Many point to the poor quarterback play, but one has to look at the lack of production coming from the offensive line. A group that was destroyed in last Saturday’s game at Detroit, the offensive line has looked lost at times in games and practices. If you doubt it- just ask Cristian Hackenberg.
On that particular play, there was a miscommunication on the blocking scheme to cover the blitz pickup. Noone picked up the blitzer and the second-year pro was crushed. This has been the formula throughout practices week after week as the offensive line continues to miscommunicate when it comes to pass protecting the blitz. Hackenberg however, blamed himself for the bone-crushing hit.
“We could have checked to something else – probably maxed it out and got some protection. It was a good learning experience. I thought they were bringing something and they adjusted. They did a good job of bringing what I thought that they weren’t going to bring. We could have mixed it up and done some things, so it was a good learning experience.”
As the Jets head into the all-important third preseason game, Todd Bowles has yet to officially name a starter even though Josh McCown is the clear favorite. In McCown’s mind, the makeup of the QB’s and the offense, in general, is still a “wait and see” project.
“As we get into these next few weeks and even the season, as different guys emerge, and we see some guys here and there – obviously Robby (Anderson’s) speed will be an asset to us, but we know one thing, the things that we’re going to do when we go out there is to play smart football and protect the football. Those are the things that we have to do, and then who we become from an X and O’s standpoint, I think that will materialize as the season goes. I think we have an idea – obviously, we don’t give that away right now – but I think, too, a lot of that will emerge as guys emerge and become playmakers.”
McCown also spoke on the idea that he has proved himself to be the starting QB for the Jets.
“Well, you hope so as a player. You want to just put the best you can on tape so that you know you put your best foot forward, and so I feel good about what we’ve done so far and how we’ve grown as an offense. So like I said, hopefully as a competitor you want to be the guy and hopefully, it leads to that happening.”
The New York Giants await in the dress rehearsal game of the preseason. And while the Jets offense has looked awful at times, these are the games to sit and see if there is any true potential for the future of this franchise.
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