This guy is doing a heck of a job

The last three games,

Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett hasn’t done a good job, he’s done a great job.

During this stretch, they lost to Kansas City, and beat Denver and Philadelphia.

Hackett has been flat-out brilliant.

I know some people will ask how I can say an OC has been “flat-out brilliant” when a team has had to settle for nine field goals in the last two games, and just two rushing touchdowns the last two weeks (none passing).

I stand by what I’m saying, he’s been flat-out brilliant.

He’s been fantastic dialing up first-reads for a QB who is mostly a one-read and run player.

Just like against Denver and Kansas City, Hackett’s dialed up so many tremendous first reads against Philadelphia.

There were so many examples, I could list many.

Here are a few:

Late in the first quarter, Hackett ideal up a one-read quick slant off a play-action to Garrett Wilson for a 15-yard gain. Also late in the first quarter, there was an easy one read check-down to Breece Hall over the short middle, and the RB headed to the left sideline and gained 25 yards.

On a series in the second quarter, Zach Wilson hit tight end Tyler Conklin on a one-read shallow cross right in front of him, and Conklin broke a tackle for a 14-yard gain. Then Hackett dialed up a Jet sweep to Xaver Gipson to the left side for a gain of 18.

Late in the first half, after a D’Andre Swift fumble, the Jets took over on a short field, and Hackett dialed up a simple one-read quick slant to Garrett Wilson for a gain of 11 to help get the Jets in field goal range.

On a 3rd-and-7, late in the third quarter, a one-read quick slant to Allen Lazard went for nine yards.

Mid-fourth, a bootleg right one read pass to Jeremy Ruckert went for eight yards on a second-and-7.

There were more.

This young QB usually needs the first read to be open to have success, and Hackett is delivering.

And so often when the first read is not that, it’s an incompletion, a throwaway or a scramble.

Here is a perfect example:

Early second quarter, on third down, Hackett called a bootleg right, Wilson was looking to former Jets receiver Mecole Hardman, but the receiver was covered, so Wilson threw out of bounds because Hardman wasn’t open. Receivers Randall Cobb and Lazard, were also running routes to the right sideline, but he didn’t look at either one of them, just Hardman.

A lot of the passes on the drives mentioned above ended in field goals.

But getting field goals with a mostly one-read QB isn’t bad. It’s not easy dialing up a ton of great first reads in the NFL. It’s much easier in college.

Robert Saleh said after the Eagles game: “We’re that freaking close offensively.”

I understand Saleh trying to keep his offense highly motivated with his comment, but going over the last few games with a fine-tooth comb, I’m not sure how much better they are going to get offensively than the last three games, where Hackett’s done a tremendous job.

There is only so much you can do with a QB who is mainly a one-read and run QB.

And you could argue Hackett is doing a heck of a job maximizing the hand he was dealt.