In a season where seven of the Jets’ eight losses have been by six points or less (four by 3 or less) or at least 20, Joe Benigno calling Sunday’s loss to the Colts ‘the worst of the season’ is saying something.
“They’re a disaster, there's no other way to say it. Yesterday was, in a season of one brutal loss after another, the worst of all of them,” Joe told Evan and Tiki Monday. “Here’s where the game was lost: they’re up 24-22, fourth and two, and we are screaming to go for it because you’re 3-7, don’t play not to lose by kicking the field goal. Even if you don’t get it, you’re gonna lose the game anyway, because why would we be confident in that defense? They should’ve gone for two when they were up 23-16 anyway, so to me, that’s where the game was lost.”
Sadly, Joe was right about the Jets’ defense in the end, and Evan agreed that you couldn’t so they should’ve gone for it – but there were ‘so many things’ that drove Joe crazy besides that, too.
“They had two penalties in the game and didn't get one until the fourth quarter, they didn’t turn it over, and they still found a way to lose!” Joe exhorted. “They still have six games, and I wanna win some games here, but considering the expectations, this season is on its way to being as bad a season as we've ever had. They were a better team last year!”
Next year they’ll have a different head coach, if not a different QB if Aaron Rodgers decides to walk away – and there was quite a discussion in the middle of Joe’s visit about everything going on with Rodgers this year – but when it comes to the nominal leader, well, the current guy ain’t cutting it.
“Ulbrich is not a head coach, we know that. He’s way over his head,” Joe said. “Woody shouldn’t have fired Saleh, that was a major mistake, but what he should have done is something similar to what they've done in New Orleans: don't make your defensive coordinator the head coach, make a lower-level assistant the head coach and don't mess with your defense.”
Maybe Saleh was just that involved in the defense and that’s why it’s been so bad, but Tiki recalled the Raiders doing exactly what Joe advocated for twice, so it could’ve maybe worked.
But when it comes to next year?
“I want Rodgers back, but I want to draft a young quarterback – and the more I've thought about this as far as the head coach going forward, I’ve said I want to see Rex, but the guy I want to see is Brian Flores,” Joe said. “He did a great job in Miami but they hosed him, and this guy to me is a mini-Mike Tomlin. He’s got a chip on his shoulder for the whole league.”
“I think he would be great, because the strength of this team is still the defense. They’re not playing well right now, but it's still the strength of the team,” Tiki replied. “I can only imagine how much greater the football IQ of guys like Sauce and some of these young players will be with him as your defensive coordinator. The things they do in Minnesota are so complex, but they execute it like perfectly most of the time, and so much of that is on teaching. He might have been an ass, but he’s a good teacher.”
Evan agrees as long as Flores finds ‘the right offensive mind who won’t screw up a young quarterback,’ but maybe that’s the way?
“The more I thought about it, I think he's the perfect guy – but who’s the GM?” Joe said. “You can’t bring Douglas back, so that’s kind of a big problem.”