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I sensed it most of the season. While so many players constantly raved about how much they loved playing for the former coach, there was a prominent player I felt wasn’t buying what he was selling.
I said it over and over to other beat writers throughout the season, “I don’t think Eric Decker is a big fan of Rex’s approach.”
It’s a gut feeling I had. Coming from Denver, where they had a much more structured program, first under Josh McDaniels, and then under John Fox, I just don’t think Decker loved the loose ship approach.
I’m not saying that he disliked Rex. I think he liked him personally, but covering the NFL for 20 years, and reading the tea leaves on quotes for so long, every time I was around Decker, I never felt that he totally embraced what was going on.
And I think if you read through some of his quotes the other day, during his press junket for Courtyard Marriott, I believe my theory is supported.
He was asked about Todd Bowles by the Post and Daily News.
“It’s the little things that stopped us from winning games in the fourth quarter,” Decker told the Post. “Those great teams that go to the playoffs, they find ways to win games. I think all that is figured out by not just personnel, but the little things throughout training camp and every day throughout the season. I definitely look forward to amping it up this year and making sure we do everything right and we’re disciplined with all the little things.”
Bingo. The 2014 Jets lacked an attention to detail and were devoid of discipline. You had the starting quarterback and a rookie safety with lateness issues.
In New England, Jonas Gray ran for 200 yards and four touchdowns against the Colts in the regular season, but was late for a meeting shortly after the game, and you hardly saw him again. He was inactive for the super Bowl. Belichick doesn’t put up with that nonsense. And the way he handled Gray, sent a powerful message to the rest of the roster about tardiness and professionalism.
Here is another example of Decker questioning Rex, in my opinion.
“[Todd Bowles] is a good manager, to be a head coach you’ve got to be a good manager of a team,” Decker told the Daily News.
Rex wasn’t a great manager of the entire team. He clearly wasn’t involved enough in overseeing the offense and special teams. We all know this. Decker clearly saw an issue with this as well in 2014.
Decker gets it..
He saw myriad problems with how the Jets were being run in 2014. Some of this stuff was obviously going on before 2014, but Decker wasn’t around the scene.
Woody Johnson did the right thing making a coaching change.
I’ve watched this team day-in, day-out, in practices in games, and saw so many things that aren’t conducive to championship football.
Decker clearly saw the same thing.
I’m not looking for a pat on the back.
I’m just saying Decker clearly didn’t like how Rex’s program was being run.
February 3, 2015
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