The Jets fire Robert Saleh… scapegoat. New Look Jets host Buffalo for AFC East on MNF
Jets former head coach, Robert Saleh and Jets Owner, Woody Johnson via Bill Kostroun for the NY Post
On Tuesday morning, the stunning decision to fire Head Coach Robert Saleh was made after Sunday's disappointing loss to the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will take over as the interim head coach. It is confirmed that Owner Woody Johnson made the decision, and the Jets will move on to prepare for Monday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. Sources say that this decision won't affect the Jets' intention to trade for Raiders WR Davante Adams; in my opinion, it should intensify those intentions.
The firing of Coach Saleh was the classic tactic of picking a scapegoat. Monday, they held a prelim preparation meeting for the Bills game and a review of the Vikings game. There was a feeling that Jets offensive coordinator Nate Hackett's job could be on the line, according to Connor Hughes. No one expected Robert Saleh's firing as he came into work this morning and was informed of his firing. To fire the defensive backgrounded head coach because the offense hasn't met expectations is the definition of a Jet decision. Terrible. "The Jets defense had a 68.4% success rate on passing downs this season, the fourth-best mark for a defense in weeks 1-5 this millennium." (Austin Gayle on X). To fire the head coach after a 2-3 start feels very premature, considering four years ago, former Jets Head Coach Adam Gase wasn't fired midseason, and the team won their first game in late December. This decision couldn't have been made off of the "this was the best move for the team to win now" excuse.
It was reported that Coach Saleh was escorted out of the building after he was informed of his firing, and there were no meetings with the players to inform them. Then, a conflicting report came out saying that wasn't true. That isn't usually the case when a coach gets fired, which raises the question, did something else happen? This is the New York media, so if something happens, the news will come out soon enough, but something feels very off. This is the same coach they forced to develop Zach Wilson, fire his offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, and hire Nate Hackett. I wouldn't be surprised if emotions overtook the former Jets head coach when he was informed of his firing.
However, the team heads onto Monday Night Football at MetLife Stadium against the Buffalo Bills. Not only is it a divisional game, but the #1 seed in the AFC East is also on the line. New Jets head coach Jeff Ulbrich announced that passing game coordinator Todd Downing will take play-calling responsibilities for Monday Night's contest. It will be exciting to see a new approach to the offense. Downing is known for his creativity and his offenses' efficiency in the red zone. However, he can make the wrong calls at the wrong time. Yet, we have Aaron Rodgers at the line of scrimmage, and he's known to make audibles. Downing isn't a flashy replacement, but it's better than Hackett, and he deserves a chance. Another guy who deserves a chance is Jeff Ulbrich. He's well-respected and keeps guys accountable. I think there's a serious chance he will become the long-term coach, depending on this season's results. If the slot opens, I'd love to see Marquand Manuel get a shot at the defensive coordinator role. He's been great as the DB coach and has a fiery attitude that a defensive coach needs. The Jets turn this season around with a dominant win against Buffalo; if they get shut down, you can forget it. It's a must-win; if they lose, I pray for Woody Johnson and those who decided to fire Saleh because the media will pounce on that immediately. I included. Buffalo is not what they once were, now is the time.
Jets, Bills, and Monday Night Football for the division.
