The Jets hired a head coach with a defensive background, but the offensive mind he carries with him could be the key to solving the team’s quarterback problem.
New head coach Robert Saleh is expected to take Mike LaFleur with him from San Francisco to be his offensive coordinator. LaFleur, the younger brother of Packers coach Matt LaFleur, has been the coordinator of the 49ers ’passing game.
LaFleur could be the person the Jets accuse of trying to get Sam Darnold back. The team has the decision to decide whether to try to change the 23-year-old quarterback who finished third in 2018 and continue or try to save him.
Josh McCown, who played with Darnold in 2018 and stays close to him, believes Darnold could thrive on LaFleur’s offense. LaFleur is expected to make a version of Kyle Shanahan’s offense that is used in San Francisco and has become popular throughout the league.
“I think where Sam is in his development and to restore and take stock of what he’s done in the last three years, but growing and moving forward, I think it’s the perfect system to do that,” McCown said Friday. “It takes a little bit of pressure off the quarterback to be a big deciding factor in the relegation game. It’s a heavy career game and you play football and you play action, it’s an easy and simple football for you to fake and you usually get this is a 1-2-3 type of thing.There are no full field readings necessarily in the action game.You can keep your eyes on the quarterback in one place and limit your options and help him play better football “.
Shanahan’s crime goes back to Kyle’s father, Mike, who popularized him with the Broncos from 1995 to 2008. He relies heavily on zone races and the action-game leaves him out of the running game. Shanahan’s offense also includes more throws and plays to get the quarterback out of his pocket. The Jets made a version of it in Darnold’s rookie season, when Jeremy Bates was their offensive coordinator.
“[Darnold] he makes some fantastic plays, but he also makes poor decisions, ”McCown said. “I think when it comes to an out-of-pocket game, when it comes to motion play, what they do so well, I think that will put you in control of some of the decisions that are made. It will give you better options. I think it will be better for him.
McCown, who finished the season in the jeans, said he saw a lot of Jets games this year and saw Darnold fight.
“I think he was pushing and trying to win every game with a single pitch,” McCown said. “It simply came to our notice then. You hate that for him. I think the circumstances with the pressure there was on the technical situation and all that I think forced him to play bad football. The best thing about Sam is that he owns them and will work to improve them. “
McCown said the Jets should not give up on Darnold.
“I think considering his level of talent and the kind of kid he is,” McCown said, “letting him try a new offense would be wise only from the point of view of how much you believe in the guys you’ve hired. “.