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I continue to be a little confused about this . . .
Talking about what the objective was for the 2021-22 New York Jets.
I want to make it clear upfront, I’m not being flippant, sarcastic, and I’m not taking a shot at anybody, I would just love some clarity.
Joe Douglas told the team’s website recently – “We had a lot of young players on the field for us last year and there were some growing pains associated with that with the thinking the payoff comes this year.”
So with that being said, does that mean winning and losing, the won-loss record, was secondary to player development last season?
Once again, not being flippant, just asking a question.
You all know I have tremendous respect for Douglas as a personal guy. He’s clearly the best GM the Jets have had in quite some time. And my praise of him has nothing to do with getting stuff. I don’t do quid quo pro journalism which is so common these days. Like the NFL TV personality who called former Jets executive Brian Heimerdinger “a genius” because he was clearly getting stuff from him. I don’t roll that way. I’ve actually never met Joe Douglas. I know that sounds very strange. Yes, I’ve been part of some press conferences, but I’ve never shaken his hand, and had a man-to-man conversation with the guy.
So my praise is strictly based on critical analysis.
Douglas said after the season – “Obviously, a difficult season, not where we want to be. Four wins, a tough season.”
But he did say in that recent quote – “There were some growing pains associated with that with the thinking the payoff comes this year.”
So if they thought the payoff would come last year, maybe last year wasn’t about wins and losses, it was about a payoff in 2022-23.
Douglas also said after the season – “Four wins, it’s not good enough. Six wins in two years, it’s not good enough. We have to be better, specifically in the division. We have to win divisional games.”
Once again, I’m not looking to attack Douglas, who I think the Jets are lucky to have, and Christopher Johnson did a heck of a job getting in the building.
But I just don’t totally under the messaging.
And I’d love to get some clarity from Douglas in the future if I have a chance to meet him.
I’m sorry I just don’t understand what is going on here.
It’s not my job as a reporter to grade on a curve, at least I don’t think it’s my job to do that.
“You are what your record says it is” as Bill Parcells often said.
4-13 is a bad record. Having the NFL’s worst defense is a bad thing.
A sportsbook recently put out 2022-23 over/under win-loss totals and listed the Jets at 5.5.
So they clearly don’t think that the Jets using the 2021-22 season as a petri dish to develop players is going to benefit them much this year.
Hey, that sportsbook that listed that total, DraftKings, could be off-target. We will find out after the season.
But as Tony Dungy always said, “No excuses, no explanations.”
So it doesn’t matter who you are playing, how young you might be, you have to win games. The NFL isn’t a developmental league.
And the Jets better figure out a way to win a lot more than the four games they won last year in the upcoming season.
April 7, 2022
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