Good help is hard to find: New York Jets 2019 season review

The 2019 New York Jets season is almost over, and there are plenty of unfortunate storylines that dominated the disappointing year.

The New York Jets were in the middle of one of their brief flashes of mediocrity to throw fans off their scent,  then punched themselves in the groin against the “Red Rifle” and his band of winless Bengals. Their coach is two weeks removed from alienating his best player, and eight weeks from leaking stories to the media about how he didn’t want all these free agents they signed anyway. They did beat the Giants, Redskins, and Raiders, though, so maybe it’s all turning around?

Sam Darnold‘s up and down the second season is pretty similar to his up, and down the first season, Le’Veon Bell has underwhelmed. Quincy Enunwa is about to go Colin Kaepernick and sue the team when they try to cut him after misdiagnosing his injury. Lucky for Gase and company that Mono will be the excuse for their poor season. I wonder if a teenage kissing disease ever saved an NFL coach’s job before? If this works, Dan Quinn is going to spray Legionella in the Falcons locker room before seasons end.

I feel like I’ve spent more time contemplating the meaning of this franchise in the overall scheme of the universe than I have anything else over the last year. Ambassador Johnson should move the team to Derry, Maine, and let Pennywise become his offensive coordinator. Ken O’Brien, Neil O’Donnell,  Vinny Testaverde, and Christian Hackenberg have all floated down there in the Meadowlands deadlights.

There is a solid defense buried under the wreckage of the team, and with a competent coach and front office, Darnold may be salvageable. I’m not sure Adam Gase fits that description. Other than one great year from Peyton Manning and an ok one from Jay Cutler,  his reputation as a QB whisperer is pretty overblown. Watching Ryan Tannehill lead the Titans on a playoff charge while he got nothing from him in Miami also does not inspire confidence.

The Jets have stated they are bringing everyone back for next year, so unless they can also bring in Doc Brown and his Delorean, there is no hope for the immediate future of the team. Just enjoy watching Jamal Adams waste away his prime and hope that new GM Joe Douglas sees the light and cans Gase.

Douglas may genuinely provide some hope after learning team-building under one of the best Ozzie Newsome. The Ravens have always been a reliable team, and their front office was the reason why. Good drafting, player development, and knowing who to keep and who to let go are all things the Ravens have done well in. The Jets….have opportunities in those areas.

Is Joe Douglas the answer? Maybe not, but hiring him and taking roster control away from Gase shows that someone there isn’t least asking the right questions finally. For Gang Green, that in and of itself is a significant victory.