FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets’ offense appeared on their way toward the efficient, high-scoring and productive force they fully expected they’d be this season.
A lot has certainly changed in the last three weeks.
After an offensive outburst in a dominant 24-3 victory over New England on Sept. 19, the Jets have been stymied in losses to Denver and Minnesota. The 40-year-old Rodgers has been banged up, the offensive line has been leaky and the running game has disappeared.
Robert Saleh was fired as coach on Tuesday after a 2-3 start and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was demoted from play calling duties by interim coach Jeff Ulbrich. Now it’s Todd Downing’s turn to try to jumpstart the struggling offense.
“It’s definitely a unique week,” Downing said Friday. “I’ve been in this profession for a long time and you think you’ve gone through a lot of different experiences — and this one was certainly a new one.”
The 44-year-old Downing is the Jets’ passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, titles he retains in the shakeup on offense. While Hackett also keeps his coordinator title, Downing’s vision and style will mark New York’s offense, starting Monday night against Buffalo.
“Getting an opportunity like this, which is an incredible opportunity, definitely came with a bittersweet taste because I love that man, I love his family,” Downing said of Hackett. “I think the world of him as a coach, I think even more of him as a person and a friend.
“And so, a lot of different emotions go through your brain. But obviously, it’s an unbelievable opportunity and I’m excited to do my best to help.”
Downing is a longtime NFL assistant who had stops with several teams before joining Saleh’s staff in New York last season. He had stints as an offensive coordinator with the Raiders in 2017 and Titans from 2021 to 2022.
“For every Tennessee offense that I ever went against when Todd was the play caller there,” Ulbrich said, “they were tough, they were ruthless, they finished, they ran the ball, they played on their terms.”
That’s what Ulbrich wants to see from the Jets’ offense with Downing running things.
New York ranks 27th overall in the league in offense and last in rushing. That’s despite having Breece Hall, who entered the season considered one of the NFL’s all-round running backs. He’s averaging just 3 yards per carry, a far cry from his 4.5-yard average.
“First of all, this team does have a strong run game,” Downing said. “We just haven’t seen it come to fruition consistently enough. Secondly, I think there have become times where you can find people pressing a little bit because there’s an expectation for production and when it’s not met, you can feel a sense of urgency.
“But I believe our guys are ready to answer the bell and make the quarter-turn adjustments we need to make to get this thing on track.”
While completely overhauling the system in the middle of the season isn’t ideal, Downing said there are ways to adjust.
“I think each week as you prepare for the defense you’re going against, you look for ways to create advantages,” he said. “You look for ways to put stress on the defense. Sometimes that will involve motion and sometimes that could involve unique formations, things like that. I think it’s going to be a week by week basis.”
Rodgers is also coming off his worst start with the Jets after throwing three interceptions against Minnesota in London, including one returned for a touchdown and another that sealed the loss in the closing moments.
“In a two-decade career, he has very few blips on the radar,” Downing said. “And I know that Aaron himself has said that the last couple of weeks aren’t up to standard. But that does not necessarily sound an alarm. He knows how to prepare. He knows how to diagnose defenses. He knows how to run the show on offense. And that’s what we’re anticipating this week.”
Rodgers and Hackett are close from their days together in Green Bay, but Rodgers publicly supported Ulbrich’s decision to change things on offense, saying he has “a great relationship” with Downing.
“I want to be an open book to how I can best serve him,” Downing said, “and every one of our players.”
Downing’s Titans offenses were middle of the pack in his first season, when running back Derrick Henry was injured, and then were 30th overall in his second, when quarterback Ryan Tannehill was hurt.
He was fired after that season — which was also marked by a midseason arrest for speeding and driving under the influence — and the Titans had many of the same issues the Jets’ offense is facing now: poor play calling, bad line play and lack of production.
“I think we’re all a product of our life experiences,” Downing said. “So I’ve always tried to be reflective first as I’ve gone through different opportunities as they’ve come and gone in my career. So I hope I’m wiser, I hope I’m sharper. And I hope I have the opportunity to showcase the experiences that I’ve accumulated over the years.”
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