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A few different thoughts today . . .
Here is a challenge:
It’s time for Peyton Manning to break his silence.
Why did he so highly endorse Adam Gase to Christopher Johnson?
And I’m not saying he was right or wrong. I’m trying to stay neutral here, but it’s time for him to speak.
You see him all over the place doing media stuff.
Somebody needs to ask him about this.
If I had access to him, I would.
But whatever you think of Gase, one thing Christopher Johnson and other owners need to to, is when some celebrity calls you to endorse a candidate, you need to take it with a grain of salt, because they are usually pushing a friend or colleague.
You need to say, “Thanks for the call,” and then keep these kind of endorsement in its rightful place, which is a very small part of the evaluation puzzle.
Remember when Charley Casserly pushed two people on the Jets who he was friendly with from his Washington Football team days?
The bottom line is it would be good to hear from Peyton Manning.
If he’s truly friends with Gase, why wouldn’t he say something now with his friend under siege?
Another lesson in the vetting process – don’t listen to any media noise on candidates. Ignore them telling you about hot candidates.
Why? First of all, most reporters aren’t equipped to analyze coaching candidates. It’s not in their wheelhouse. Commenting on writer and broadcasting candidates for a media job. Maybe. Not football coaching candidates.
Secondly, so often they’re just doing the bidding for coaching candidates and/or agents for coaching candidates who are sources. It’s not organic. It’s a game. I will scratch your back, if you scratch mine.
Remember NFL Network’s Peter Schrager called former Jets executive Brian Heimerdinger “a genius” on Good Morning Football? Why do you think that is? Well, a few weeks after that, I saw them talking on the sidelines before a Jets game Schrager was working. Got it.
And remember, the Daily News reported that Schrager was going to be a consultant in the Jets’ coaching search. That was weird. Supposedly Schrager and Christopher Johnson are friends. That is fine, but with all due respect to Mr. Schrager, Christopher shouldn’t take a scintilla of advice from him.
Before Gase got the Miami job, he was one of those really hot candidates with the NFL insiders. In fact, he was so hot, that he got full control over personnel in Miami. That is how hot he was – he could demand carte blanche from Miami.
So whatever the Jets do moving forward, they need to ignore NFL media insiders at all costs.
These cats know almost nothing about how to evaluate coaching candidates and have myriad hidden agendas . . .
The Jet personnel decisions on game day continue to be odd.
Like the decision to rush Sam Darnold back in the middle of a series, on third down, coming off a shoulder injury, when Joe Flacco, who is more than capable, was replacing him?
Or Mekhi Becton being active for emergency situations yesterday, which ended up happening. If you have a prized prospect like that, why would you even make him available for emergency situations if he has a bad shoulder? Of course not, unless, perhaps, it was a playoff game, or a must-win game.
Braxton Berrios eight snaps?
In the middle of the game yesterday, Gregg Williams took out Avery Williamson and replaced him with Alec Ogletree, and even after Ogletree committed a foolish foul for 15 yards, he kept Ogletree in the game?
Was this payback for Williamson questioning the practice habits of the defense on WFAN?
Maybe.
One former NFL defender told me today that he’s baffled by the amount of rotating that goes on with defensive lineman these days, and the Jets are a perfect example of this.
It’s hard to get in a groove the way. How do you get a feel for the blockers when you are constantly on and off the field like a fire drill?
The way the Jets are handling their defensive line is like a T-Ball league where everybody needs to play . . .
It might be good for Sam Darnold (shoulder) to get a timeout for a couple of games, to let his shoulder and psycheÂ
heal. It might be also help Gase not lose the locker room. Players aren’t stupid. While they like Darnold, they also hate being 0-4, and know the QB isn’t seeing the field well. A timeout now might not be a bad idea, like during his rookie year with the foot injury.
October 2, 2020
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