Content available exclusively for subscribers
On Thursday, Jets coach Robert Saleh was asked by New York Post reporter Brian Costello on – “How would you define a successful season this year?”
“Honestly, I get the wins and all that, but for me, if we can operate where our feet are this year and be our best, I’ll be proud,” Saleh said.
Not sure Jets fans share that worldview.
They want to make the playoffs (end a 13-year drought) and perhaps make a Super Bowl run.
Of course Saleh wants to also, but that quote sounds like if they miss the playoffs, but they did their “best” and he feels they were where their “feet” are, he will be “proud.”
Ian O’Connor, who has a new new book out about Aaron Rodgers, said recently on FS1 – “They all know they are getting fired if they don’t make the playoffs this year.”
I think a lot people agree with that take, but I’m not sure.
If they go 9-8 and miss the playoffs, they could survive.
It also depends on how much contract money Woody Johnson is willing to eat.
With inflation, there has definitely been some belt-tightening this year, just like with most companies. The assistant GM position as eliminated and three conditioning/sports science staffers were let go.
Not sure of the exact contract terms of Joe Douglas and Saleh’s contracts, but I’m pretty sure that they are under contract in 2025.
People will say Woody is pissed off about the last few seasons and wants results now. Surely he wants better results, but I don’t see George Steinbrenner-like anger, and that isn’t a judgment. Not a lot of owners have ever been like that.
Let’s say they go 9-8, have a lot of impressive wins, but miss the playoffs, I think Saleh and Douglas survive.
Woody isn’t happy missing the playoffs 13 years in a row, but he’s not a fire-breathing madman who throws things in the owner’s box during bad games.
I guess all I’m saying is I don’t think everyone gets fired if they miss the playoffs.
When it comes to the kind of season that will get people fired, the famous Justice Potter Stewart quote is perfect – “I know it when I see it.”
I think we all know what a fireable season looks like. That will be pretty obvious.
A season where the team blows winnable games (and there are plenty of their soft schedule) and if the team isn’t disciplined enough and plays too much sloppy football.
We all know what it looks like.
And aside from obviously better QB play, which they should get with a healthy Rodgers, they need better play in the trenches.
“Our o-line is a lot more stable,” Saleh said Thursday when asked for an area the he thinks is improved.
On paper, no doubt, but we didn’t see them play any real football in the summer, so it remains to be seen how they come together as a unit.
As for the defensive line, with no Haason Reddick right now, Douglas was asked about the depth of the unit on Thursday in a question about the trade of John Franklin-Myers.
“Obviously, a difficult decision to make but I don’t regret that decision,” Douglas said. “I can’t look back, but at the same time in terms of replacing that production I think when you have a guy like Micheal Clemons, and we have a really deep room with a lot of good players, so there have been a lot of great reps and opportunities for Jermaine (Johnson) and Will (McDonald IV). Takk (McKinley) has been unbelievable. We’ve got big Mike (Micheal Clemons). He’s such a great teammate and he plays with great strain, effort, and violence.”
But does he set a good hard edge against the run?
The bottom line is the Jets need to play a lot better against the run than last year, and DT Leki Fotu going on short-term IR doesn’t help.
They signed Fotu and Javon Kinlaw to plug up the middle, and now one of them is going on IR for a bit, so when Kinlaw isn’t on the field, they will be going with undersided DTs who sometimes get engulfed by larger centers and guards. That was an issue last year. The Fotu injury is bigger than people realize.
And this season is bigger than people realize.
They must take advantage of having a future Hall of Fame QB while he’s still with them.
They must take advantage of his feet being in Florham Park.
August 30, 2024
Premium will return by 9:30 pm (or sooner) on Monday.
