FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:
1. Have flags, will travel: Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has enjoyed a long coaching career, with more success than failure, but there's a disturbing trend he can't seem to beat.
When he spends more than one year with a team, the penalty total for his defensive unit always soars in the second and third seasons. It happened in his three previous stops, like clockwork, and it's happening with the Jets, whose embarrassing performance last week moved them up to No. 2 in most defensive penalties (19 accepted) through four weeks. They were tied for eighth in 2019.
It's discipline with an expiration date. One former player theorized that players start to tune Williams out after a year.
This could haunt the Jets. Let's face it, they have a built a reputation as late-hit/head-hunting artists, and it could lead to an officiating bias. Jets coach Adam Gase didn't disagree.
"When you have as many as we did last week, I'm pretty sure the officials are going to notice that," he said. "They scout us just like we scout them."
Williams is a push-the-envelope coach whose involvement in the 2012 Bountygate scandal with the New Orleans Saints will forever be part of his legacy. That was a long time ago, and he has done some terrific work since then, but there's no excuse for the number of personal fouls witnessed last week against the Denver Broncos. The Jets now have seven roughing-the-passer penalties, four more than any other team. That's not a talent issue; it's a discipline issue.
"What's going to happen is, all those opposing coaches are going to meet with the officials before the game and they're going to say, 'Hey, protect our quarterback, protect our players. Those guys are known to come in and take late shots,'" former Jets defensive lineman Marty Lyons said on ESPN's Flight Deck podcast. "Now you're going to get labeled, because you can't tell me the sack on Sam Darnold shouldn't have been a flag" -- a reference to the Broncos body slam that injured Darnold's throwing shoulder.
Williams was dealt a bad hand this season. His best player, safety Jamal Adams, was traded before training camp. His second-best player, linebacker C.J. Mosley, opted out. He has no impact players on defense, making it hard to formulate game plans. But the penalty problem? That's on him. He needs to wear that.
2. QB clock is ticking: Darnold, who will be inactive Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals (1 p.m. ET, Fox), could miss more than one game with a sprained AC joint -- and that could have long-term implications. The Big QB Decision is looming, and the front office wants to see as much Darnold as possible for its evaluation. The Jets could be in position to draft a top quarterback, and they must decide by May whether to exercise Darnold's fifth-year option for 2022 (an estimated $25 million guaranteed).
Two concerning trends have emerged, regarding Darnold:
Durability: This will be seven missed games out of 37 because of injury and illness. He had no injuries in college, but he missed his junior year in high school because of a broken foot.
Hesitancy in the pocket: Darnold failed to see a few open receivers last week, including Lawrence Cager on the play that resulted in the sack/injury. At times, Darnold seems a tick slow in his reads. Is it him or coaching? It's hard to say, but it's something that has been discussed.
Darnold needs a strong second half to squelch the doubt.
1:43
Field Yates and Mike Clay break down the options for fantasy managers who are dealing with the uncertainty surrounding Le'Veon Bell's availability for the Jets in Week 5.
3. Elite money: Joe Flacco, who replaces Darnold, has made $167 million in his career, per Spotrac. This will be his first start as a QB2.
4. Brick wall: Rookie left tackle Mekhi Becton (shoulder) already has missed parts of two games and likely won't play Sunday against the Cardinals. Take this moment to give a hat tip to former left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who started every game during his 10-year career and never missed a snap due to injury. (He was pulled for one snap on a trick play.) I hope everyone can appreciate how rare that is.
5. Trend buster: Remember that line from CEO Christopher Johnson at Gase's introductory news conference? He's coaching to where football is going.
Offensive football is going to an increased reliance on motion, either before or at the snap. Teams have used motion on 44% of the plays, up from 38% in 2019, 35% in 2018 and 33% in 2017, per ESPN Stats & Information.
Gase is going in the opposite direction.
The Jets have used motion on 20% of their plays (a league-low 50 times), down from 27% in 2019. The best way to overcome a talent deficiency is to scheme up ways to confuse the defense. Gase is running his offense as if he still had Peyton Manning at the controls. Manning preferred a static offense -- no motion -- but he was a Mensa candidate at the line of scrimmage and could figure out everything. He's long gone, and Gase needs to adjust.
6. Did you know? Steve McLendon's roughing-the-passer penalty at the end of the Week 4 game was his first personal foul since 2014. It was out of character. It reminded me of the time defensive end Shaun Ellis, in the waning seconds of a 2008 loss to the New England Patriots, got so frustrated, he flung his helmet across the field. Different era, same premise: Constant losing drives even good men to madness.
7. AWOL: Has anyone seen tight end Chris Herndon (11 catches for 74 yards and no TDs)?
8. Jets got Robby'd: If you want to criticize Jets general manager Joe Douglas for his offseason moves, it has to start with the decision to let wide receiver Robby Anderson walk away in free agency. Anderson is flourishing with the Carolina Panthers (28 catches, 377 yards). His discounted replacement, Breshad Perriman, has been stuck in neutral because of an ankle injury.
In an interview with "Undefined," an Internet show by former ESPN reporter Josina Anderson, Anderson indicated the Panthers are using him the way the Jets always said they would, but never did.
"I love being in this system because for so long it was, 'Oh, he's only a deep threat,'" he said. "It used to eat me up because I'm like, 'I know what I can do.' I love that I'm in this offense, where I really get to catch and run and play football."
The facts support his statement. In Carolina, he's averaging 9.6 air yards per target, per NFL Next Gen Stats. In 2019, it was 15.3 yards, proof he was used primarily as a deep threat.
Anderson claimed he harbors no bitterness toward the Jets, saying, "It wasn't an easy goodbye. I think people think that I up and left. There were rumors they offered me more money and X, Y, X. In this business, I don't think anybody is going to turn down more money, so I want to put that out there."
His two-year, $20 million contract includes a $12 million guarantee -- a very manageable deal. Douglas thought he'd get similar production for less money with Perriman ($6.5 million). He thought wrong.
9. Dismal times: If the Jets lose to the Cardinals, it will be the third 0-5 start in team history. Previous years: 1980 and 1996.
10. The last word: "He definitely has a Jersey edge and a Jersey toughness to him that can be an intimidating factor sometimes" -- offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains on Flacco, who grew up in Audubon, New Jersey, a suburb of Philadelphia.
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Jets can't shake this Gregg Williams trend that follows him everywhere - New York Jets Blog- ESPN - ESPN
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