No extra mulligans.
No extra excuses.
Zach Wilson was a bust?
No extra Zach Wilson.
It’s, as a minimum, Playoffs-or-Bust for Robert Saleh.
Right here’s how Saleh retains his job:
Win the division — which the Jets haven’t received since 2002 — and win a playoff recreation after 13 seasons lacking the postseason.
Coaching camp opened with an offshore betting web site itemizing Saleh as the primary head coach more likely to be fired, forward of Mike McCarthy.
“We at all times really feel stress to win … now, later, it doesn’t matter,” Saleh was saying on Friday.
Besides it does matter. It issues now. Not later.
“So far as outdoors noise and creating the expectations or ultimatums and all that stuff, it doesn’t matter, that’s an finish consequence that we’ve got no management over, however what we’ve got management over and the best expectation is to be at our greatest each day,” Saleh added.
The largest Saleh’s eggs had been positioned in Wilson’s basket for the primary three years of his teaching profession, and in order that unpleasant 18-33 file is the albatross round his neck now.
Woody Johnson couldn’t in good conscience fireplace Saleh after final season partly as a result of Rodgers was all in favor of enjoying for him, partly as a result of who else moreover solely Andy Reid or Kyle Shanahan may have found out a option to win with Wilson?
However you solely get just one mulligan, if you’re fortunate to get one in any respect.
There are worse quarterbacks than Aaron Rodgers for a head coach to financial institution his future on than a future first-ballot Corridor of Famer, however he has no alternative however to maintain his fingers crossed that his future first-ballot Corridor of Fame quarterback’s 40-year-old Achilles can stand up to the trials of a season when the long run first-ballot Corridor of Fame’s 39-year-old Achilles lasted simply 4 performs.
Saleh referenced his first two seasons as defensive coordinator when the 49ers had been 6-10 and 4-12 earlier than a 13-3 season and NFC Championship.
“I believe all of us felt like final 12 months was going to sort of be that for us,” Saleh stated. “Final 12 months actually felt like we had been on the brink of take that third-year leap, just like what Detroit skilled this 12 months. And clearly it didn’t work out the best way we wished to, however … this 12 months’s going to be enjoyable.”
For his sake, hopefully he is aware of one thing we don’t.
“I’ll at all times look inside first to see the areas the place I can get higher — my messaging, my wording, the scheduling, our instructing strategies, all the pieces,” Saleh stated. “Like this offseason, and I do it each offseason, however creating extra situations for recreation administration stuff. Taking a deep dive with scheduling, wanting on the means we work out guys, simply persevering with to have a look at ourselves as people to assist our staff be one of the best it may be.”
Third-year security Tony Adams revealed that Saleh has, on the proprietor’s urging, certainly concerned himself within the offense, though nobody will ever confuse him with Reid or Shanahan.
It’s previous time for Saleh to indicate on recreation day that he’s the pinnacle coach and never merely a glorified defensive coordinator.
“Coach Saleh’s any individual you wish to play for,” Adams stated.
“He’s a gamers coach … the fellows love carry round him. You might inform he actually cares about his gamers, so that you go on the market and play laborious for him. One thing I actually respect about Coach Saleh, you by no means see him trash anyone. For him to go up there and take bullets for his guys? All of us gotta go to conflict for him. I lay all of it on the road for him every Sunday.”
The offensive line has been bolstered.
Breece Corridor and Garrett Wilson, particularly if receiver Mike Williams can keep on the sphere, needs to be difference-makers.
The protection — as soon as defensive finish Haason Reddick ends his contract deadlock — could possibly be No. 1.
The kicking recreation is in good ft.
Invoice Belichick is gone from the division, and the Payments and Dolphins shouldn’t scare the Jets.
“The small issues are going to take you to the final recreation of the season — the Tremendous Bowl,” Solomon Thomas stated. “He’s been there earlier than, he is aware of what it takes.”
Extra importantly, Rodgers is aware of what it takes to win the Tremendous Bowl. “I discuss to my buddies again residence on a regular basis, it’s like enjoying with like an MJ or Kobe,” Thomas stated.
If Aaron Rodgers can’t save him, Robert Saleh will probably be driving camels in Egypt subsequent 12 months right now.
