A Little More Creativity In The Jets Offensive Game Plan Could Go A Long Way In Helping Flacco Avoid Another Debacle In Cleveland
Everyone knows that Joe Flacco, 37, isn’t the Jets quarterback of the future.
Other than a select few Jets fans still mesmerized by a single performance last season against Super Bowl-bound Cincinnati, the rest will concede that Mike White, 27, isn’t either.
As for Zach Wilson, the Jets’ No. 2 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, I think it’s fair to still say we just don’t know.
Unfortunately, for the next two weeks, including Sunday’s affair in Cleveland, the process to see who Wilson really is will remain on hold until he fully recuperates from arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a meniscus and a bone bruise resulting from an unnecessary scramble for extra yardage in New York’s preseason opener at Philadelphia. Given his appearances at Jets practices this week, including his participation in 7-on-7 drills, he should at least be on schedule for a Week 4 return at Pittsburgh.
For now, it is still Flacco’s ball despite a rough outing in the season opening 24-9 loss to the visiting Ravens on Sunday. Clearly, he underperformed expectations, looking indecisive while holding the ball extra beats, which isn’t ideal when you’re that immobile.
The Jets offensive line did Flacco no favors, losing too many one-on-one battles, especially up the middle where Baltimore tackles Michael Pierce and Justin Madubuike got in Flacco’s face a combined nine times, according to ProFootballFocus.com. Flacco was also hurt by his targets’ drops and fumbles in big spots.
Some statistics tell false tales, however, and what has been overblown is the raw number of Flacco’s dropbacks (37-for-59 passing plus 3 sacks). You’ve heard the refrain all week, including this one from Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (as if he hasn’t done enough harm to this franchise when he advocated on behalf of despised former Head Coach Adam Gase in 2019) on his ESPN Monday Night “Manning-cast”: “Well, the Jets threw it 59 times and that worked out well for them. They looked good.”
Peyton, you moron, that wasn’t the game plan. More than half (35) of those dropbacks occurred after the Jets fell behind, 24-3, with a little over two minutes remaining in the third quarter. That time and score doesn’t exactly scream, “Ground-and-pound!”
Thereafter, Baltimore was more than willing to concede yardage so long as the clock kept ticking. The Jets went on drives of 9, 16, and 11 plays, which concluded with, respectively, a fumble, a turnover on downs, and a meaningless touchdown. The only handoff called in that stretch was negated by a holding penalty.
If anything, the play-calling when the game was competitive was too CONSERVATIVE. Offensive Coordinator Mike LaFleur came out with a heavy usage of 13 personnel (one running back, one wide receiver, and three tight ends) looking to establish the run. What it did was put Flacco in way too many obvious passing situations, which didn’t end well.
Prior to Baltimore going up by three scores, I had the Jets calling 13 runs versus 14 designed pass plays on first-and-10s or downs where you could arguably call for either (i.e., second-and-6, third-and-3, etc.). Unfortunately, the Jets had inconsistent success on those snaps, including 7-of-13 runs that put them “behind the chains”, so to speak.
In 15 opportunities by my count, New York recovered from poor efforts on early downs, caused by either unsuccessful runs or pass plays, just twice, both times when Baltimore was called for getting too grabby in their defensive backfield.
Ergo, the game plan for this week should be to avoid those situations, and the way to do that is to disguise what you’re doing on early downs. If you’re set up for smashmouth football, you might spring a few solid runs, but you’re bound to get stuffed.
Flacco was 8-for-9 with a 10.8 yards per attempt (not including the yards lost on two sacks) using play-action—maybe do that some more. First, how about sending out your best playmakers (Hello, Garrett Wilson, he of the six first-half snaps) on early downs and spreading the field? Maybe even attempt a deep ball every so often—Flacco threw only one pass that travelled over 20 yards on Sunday. Hey, you never know these days when a flag will be thrown.
In Week 1, LaFleur offered little creativity. Where were the Jet sweeps? Or the screen passes to slow the pass rush? It was all line up and beat the man in front of you.
That’s not going to work against Cleveland either, not with their elite defensive front that includes Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney.
The Jets didn’t lose big to the Ravens because they forced Flacco to throw the ball 59 times. Flacco was forced to throw the ball 59 times because they were losing big with a more balanced offense.
Prediction: Browns 23 Jets 12