Adam Gase may be the betting odds favorite to lose his job, but Jets CEO Christopher Johnson’s comments on Wednesday may change that.
“I have full confidence in Adam,” Johnson told reporters, per WFAN’s Brian Costello. “I’ve seen him intereact with this team. I’ve seen him lead this team. Look back to last year, he took a team that did so pporly in the first half of the season and held them together. They finished will.
“I think that he has a lot more in him as a head coach than some of our fans are giving him credit for. They want to see success. I think that they will.
Gase opened his second season as head coach of the Jets with a 27-17 loss in which the team amassed 254 yards of total offense compared to Buffalo’s 404 while turning the ball over twice.
It was the third fewest total yards of offense throughout the league in Week 1 – a year after the Jets finished with the worst-ranked offense in the NFL.
Sam Darnold, whom Gase is tasked with developing and reaching the next level, completed 21 of 35 passes for 215 yards, a touchdown and interception.
“I think [Gase] can work with and develop quarterbacks,” Johnson said. “I do continue to think that he is a brilliant offensive mind, especially. He has my every confidence.”
Johnson added he has confidence in the 23-year-old quarterback, but was not ready to put a mandate on his second-year head coach to reach the playoffs – something the Jets have not done since 2010. He did, however, acknowledge that Sunday’s loss was a “mess.”
“That [game] was not what anyone was hoping for,” Johnson said. “It was a bad game on all fronts. I do think that the Jets have more new pieces, more moving pieces than most teams, just look at our offensive line. I think that they will correct themselves. I feel that you’re going to see a different team moving ahead. It was a mess on Sunday. I was not happy about that at all.”
The offensive line, which allowed three sacks on Sunday, was general manager Joe Douglas’ big project this offseason as he completely revamped the line.
Johnson spoke glowingly of Douglas, who was hired before the start of last season after they fired Mike Maccagnan – a decision Johnson revealed he should have made sooner.
“I want to avoid embarrassment for Mike and others, but there’s no question that I feel in better hands in terms of putting together a roster with Joe,” he said. “I have so much confidence in him. Do I wish I had made that change earlier? Absolutely.”
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