FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich threw himself below the bus, telling reporters the most recent loss “falls on my shoulders 100%.” After that, he labored the locker room at State Farm Stadium, crisscrossing it to shake fingers and embrace gamers after their 31-6 defeat Sunday to the Arizona Cardinals.
Ulbrich, a former NFL linebacker, coaches the way in which he as soon as performed — with emotion and fervour. If dapping up gamers have been a statistical class, the Jets would lead the league. He does it day-after-day, even earlier than practices. Sadly for them, the feel-good vibes have not translated to profitable.
The epitaph for the 2024 Jets: Hugs & misses.
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Their 2-3 begin prompted impatient proprietor Woody Johnson to fireplace fourth-year coach Robert Saleh, and all the pieces — offense, protection, you title it — has regressed since. The Jets are 1-4 below Ulbrich, falling out of rivalry regardless of being favored in 4 of these video games — an illustration of how the group continues to underperform.
“Everyone seems to be pissed,” Ulbrich mentioned Monday. “There’s collective anger, frustration, all these issues.”
An opposing participant, who confronted the Jets this season, questioned the group’s chemistry.
“[It’s a] good roster,” the participant mentioned. “They’re simply not taking part in collectively or for one another.”
The Jets, careening towards their 14th straight season with no playoff look, possible can have a full organizational reset after the season. Johnson had big expectations, calling this his greatest group in 25 years of possession.
Maybe essentially the most alarming factor is how the Jets have misplaced their identification.
For 2-plus seasons, they have been one of many higher defensive groups within the league. Not anymore. Below Ulbrich, who doubles because the defensive coordinator, they’re permitting 26 factors and 349 yards per recreation, in comparison with 17 factors and 256 yards within the first 5 video games.
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Regardless of his elevated accountability as the pinnacle coach, Ulbrich stays fingers on with the protection. He is as concerned in conferences as he was earlier than his promotion, in response to gamers, and he continues to name the performs. He seems stretched too skinny, but he refuses to yield authority as a result of he believes it is vital to take care of continuity.
“He would not sleep very a lot, in all probability,” defensive again Isaiah Oliver mentioned.
Ulbrich overhauled the offense, stripping coordinator Nathaniel Hackett of the playcalling and handing the job to passing-game coordinator Todd Downing. There was a slight bump within the dashing and passing manufacturing, however the scoring has dipped (from 19 to 17 factors per recreation) and their situational effectivity (third down and crimson zone) has plummeted.
Below Downing, their crimson zone price is barely 44%, down from 62% below Hackett. “We have been simply actually unhealthy,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers mentioned of the offense’s situational efficiency Sunday.
Rodgers defended the playcalling though there was a questionable sequence on the objective line. On a second-and-goal from the Arizona 3-yard line, the Jets eschewed the run and known as three straight move performs — two incompletions and a sack.
Regardless of Rodgers’ struggles, the Jets proceed to be overly reliant on the move. Rodgers has 351 makes an attempt, second most within the league. What’s not clear is how a lot of that’s him altering performs on the line of scrimmage. He has the liberty to try this, so it is attainable he is flipping run calls to move performs.
What is obvious is that Rodgers is forcing the ball to Davante Adams, who has 20 receptions in 39 targets within the 4 video games since his arrival — simply the worst catch price (51.3%) among the many 19 broad receivers with not less than 25 targets in that span.
The Jets traded for Adams on Oct. 15, anticipating he and Rodgers would recreate the magical chemistry they shared of their Inexperienced Bay Packers days. As a substitute of long-lost mates, they’re performing like full strangers.
“That is not my commonplace of soccer, so it is irritating,” Adams mentioned of the general malaise.
There was a play Sunday that epitomized the state of Adams, Rodgers and the offense. It occurred on a 3rd down from the Arizona 27. Adams lower inside, Rodgers threw exterior. Outcome: An unsightly incompletion. Adams mentioned they hadn’t practiced that play towards that specific defensive look — a Cowl 0 blitz.
In the meantime, Mike Williams, criticized by Rodgers final month and ultimately traded away, scored a landing in his Pittsburgh Steelers debut Sunday.
Rodgers was speculated to rescue the Jets from the abyss, however his Canton-worthy résumé and management abilities have been no match for the dropping tradition that envelops the franchise.
The chilly, exhausting actuality is the Jets have been much less aggressive than they have been final season below Zach Wilson. Rodgers, who turns 41 on Dec. 2, seems to be a diminished participant, now not able to utilizing his arm, toes and thoughts to thrash a protection. He has gone 32 straight video games with no 300-yard passing day, by far the longest lively drought within the league.
5 video games of Robert Saleh vs. Jeff Ulbrich
CoachesSalehUlbrichRecord2-31-4Pts/game18.616.8Yds/game286.6310.4Third-down success42.3percent38.6percentRed-zone rate61.5percent44.4percentPts allowed/game17.025.8Yds allowed/game255.8348.8
By means of clenched jaw, Rodgers declined after the sport to share his true emotions. This should be consuming him up. Adams acknowledged as a lot, saying all-time greats hate to lose.
“If Michael Jordan was on this group,” Adams mentioned, “he would not be blissful.”
Ulbrich inherited this after Johnson blindsided everybody by firing Saleh. Johnson figured the fiery Ulbrich would supply a spark, galvanizing a roster stuffed with large names however little chemistry.
The other has occurred, with gamers (most notably Adams) questioning the group’s vitality degree. That may clarify why the Jets missed 20 tackles Sunday, letting the Cardinals run wild.
Gamers swear by Ulbrich’s teaching fashion, saying he brings a participant’s mentality to the job. He has a lot vitality that it looks as if he has a battery inserted in his again, deal with Morgan Moses mused.
“He goes round and tells everyone, ‘You are a fortunate motherf—er,'” Moses mentioned. “What he is actually saying is, ‘If I may have yet one more snap to be on the market, I’d give something to try this.'”
Behind closed doorways, Ulbrich is not afraid to carry them accountable, in response to gamers. If somebody makes a mistake, he’ll level it out in a gathering, however it’s by no means in a mean-spirited approach. He is so much like his teaching mentor, Pete Carroll, all the time taking the half-full method.
“There’s a excessive degree of accountability, I promise you that,” mentioned Ulbrich, including that he by no means will air “household enterprise” in public.
However he is not afraid to indicate affection in public. At some point final week, Ulbrich embraced Rodgers with such power that he lifted him off the bottom. The scene conjured up that viral second from Sept. 20, when the quarterback resisted an in-game embrace from Saleh.
It is in all probability a stretch to say the Ulbrich-Rodgers hug was symbolic of an improved coach-quarterback relationship — Rodgers by no means mentioned something destructive about Saleh — however it illustrates a extra touchy-feely vibe across the group.
Backside line: They’re 3-7 and seem like nearer to the No. 1 choose (with the Eleventh-best odds within the NFL, in response to ESPN Analytics) within the 2025 draft than to a playoff berth.
Hugs & misses.
