Gailey Quckly Becoming key to 2015 for Jets

[AFJF]

Shortly after New York Jets Owner Woody Johnson selected Todd Bowles  to take over his team's head coaching position at the painful conclusion of a miserable 4-12 season, word of the rookie head coach's top choice to run his offense was learned almost immediately.

 

Former Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey was the target, and following a week of media speculation regarding his intentions, Gailey was officially brought on board to help turn around an offense that has struggled to put points on the board for the better part of three decades.

 

While Gailey has fielded just three top-10 offenses in his last ten seasons as a head coach and coordinator, his most impressive attribute is his ability to  consistently  get the most out of what he has to work with.  Looking for the last three Jets teams to finish with a top-ten scoring offense?  That search will send you back 27 years.  The Jets ranked 6th, 5th and 9th in 1988, 1998 and 2008 respectively.  Should that trend continue, 2018 should give Jets fans something to really look forward to.

 

Gailey joins a Jets team that is primed to field its most well-rounded offense in over a decade with the NFL draft still on the horizon.  What type of offense he chooses to implement remains to be seen, but many believe it will be a wide open spread attack.  This of course is based on Gailey having run it in the past, and the fact that Geno Smith was a second-round pick as a result of the success he had in a spread offense at West Virginia.  Gailey's reputation is one of a coordinator who builds his scheme around the talent he has to work with, not the other way around.  One of his past pupils, former Miami Dolphins and Jets quarterback Jay Fiedler echoed that sentiment in an interview with JetNation.com not long after Gailey's hiring.

 

“Chan was a great teacher of the game and he did a great job of simplifying things for everyone” said Fiedler.  “He allowed guys to just go out and play and molded his offense around what they did well.  Chan was always very receptive and showed a lot of creativity.  He didn’t try to get everyone to play to  his system, it was the opposite.  He wanted to know what guys were good at and felt comfortable with and he’d mold the offense around that and listened to their suggestions”.

 

While any conversations that took place between Gailey and the Jets are unknown, they managed to convince him to join a team with several issues on offense. A young struggling quarterback, an offensive line that struggled with consistency, lack of an established number one wide receiver and no veteran quarterback to fall back on should Geno Smith falter.

 

With those being some of the biggest obstacles facing gang green as they headed toward 2015, first-year general manager Mike Maccagnan has done an outstanding job of addressing the problems that plagued the Jets with multiple moves that are sure to make Gailey's life easier.

 

A blockbuster trade with the Chicago Bears in exchange for five time pro-bowl receiver Brandon Marshall was the first piece of the puzzle.  New York hasn't had a 1,000 yard receiver since Jerricho Cotchery posted 1,130 yards in 2007.  Marshall on the other hand, has had just one season in which he didn't put up 1,000 yards since becoming a starter in 2007.  That was last season when the 6' 4'' Central Florida product battled ankle injures for much of the year and suffered broken ribs in week fourteen.  Even still, he managed to post an impressive 721 yards to go along with 8 touchdowns.

 

Even if Marshall has lost a step as some suggest, he still remains a vital asset in the red zone for Gailey.  Of his 65 career touchdowns, 48 have come from inside the 20 (73%), with five of his eight TD's in 2014 falling under that category.  His presence should play a big role in elevating an offense that ranked dead last in the NFL last season, scoring a touchdown just 36% of the time when inside the opponent's 20.

 

In terms of a quarterback, nobody expected the Jets to enter 2015 without adding at least one veteran to the roster, but who was that going to be?  As it turns out, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gailey's former starter in Buffalo became available via trade when the Houston Texans signed free agent Brian Hoyer so the Jets sent a conditional 2016 pick to the Texans to obtain his services.

 

While Fitzpatrick is far from an elite quarterback who can carry a team on his own, his track record, especially under Gailey suggests he'll be a significant upgrade over what the Jets have had under center over the past ten years.  Well, 2008 notwithstanding when the Brett Favre had a layover at the meadowlands en route to his chosen destination of Minnesota.

 

Minus Favre's 2008 campaign, Jets quarterbacks have collectively thrown 143 touchdowns and 157 interceptions over the past decade.  Making matters (much) worse, is that during that same period, Jets QB's also lost a staggering 74 fumbles, bringing their total number of turnovers to 231, an average of 26 per season. In addition to a lack of ball security, Jets signal callers have completed 58% of their pass or greater just twice when Chad Pennington posted a 64.5% in 2006, and his 68.8% percentage in 2007 over the span of 8 starts helped offset Kellen Clemens' mark of 52% for a collective total of 60.5%.

 

Meanwhile, when paired with Gailey for three seasons in Buffalo, Fitzpatrick registered 71 touchdowns and 55 interceptions with a 60% completion percentage.  In his two seasons without Gailey in Tennessee and Houston, he tossed 31 touchdowns and 20 interceptions while connecting on 63% of his pass attempts in 23 games.

 

The additions of Marshall and Fitzpatrick offer much-needed stability and competition, but it's the guys up front doing the dirty work who have garnered the most attention from Maccagnan as of late.  Gailey and offensive line coach Steve Marshall will have plenty of options after the re-signing Willie Colon and importing free agents James Carpenter from Seattle and G/T James Brewer from the Giants.  The Jets are currently carrying 13 offensive linemen but who stays and who goes remains to be seen.

 

Jets fans should know better than to take anything for granted, but expectations are high on defense as Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers will have plenty of ammunition to run what's expected to be a blitz-heavy scheme.

 

So  it looks as if Chan Gailey, a man who started coaching offense in the NFL just under thirty seasons ago with the Denver Broncos, is next in line to do what so many others have failed to do in the past.  To take the New York Jets offense and turn them in to a unit that other teams don't look forward to playing.  Should the defense become the dominant unit that so many are expecting, it will be Gailey's work on offense that will determine whether or not 2015  is a story of a great Jets turnaround, or the same old story of unsightly Jets turnovers.

[JETSfaninNE]

Hey AirForce, you got a link to the source?  I like to give hits if I'm going to read the whole article.

 

Thanks!

 

Edit: nvm!  Didn't realize it was a Jets Nation write up.

 

Link for anyone else:

[flgreen]

Great article

[Beerfish]

Gailey will be popular until the o falters in the least and then will be blamed for everything, just like all of our oc's

[#27TheDominator]

Gailey will be popular until the o falters in the least and then will be blamed for everything, just like all of our oc's

Yeah. I was surprised to learn that Mornhinweg was suddenly incompetent and the cause of every offensive players failure to develop. I was okay with Schottenheimer, but thought he was a little too cute. A better match for Pennington than Favre. Sometimes you have to line up and punch people in the face or run by them. Sparano is the one that deserves our eternal and constant hatred and disgust.

[JohnnyLV]

He cannot possibly do worse than OCS under the blowhard. Simply not possible.

[prime21]

Yeah. I was surprised to learn that Mornhinweg was suddenly incompetent and the cause of every offensive players failure to develop. I was okay with Schottenheimer, but thought he was a little too cute. A better match for Pennington than Favre. Sometimes you have to line up and punch people in the face or run by them. Sparano is the one that deserves our eternal and constant hatred and disgust.

 

Mornhinweg ran a west coast style system which by all accounts is not any easy system to learn.  If you take a rookie QB that probably should have sat for a year and throw him in that system, there is going to be problems.  Add to the fact that there was no play-makers on offense just meant it was a disaster from the start.  Gailey seems like he is a better fit for Geno and Fitz.  Not sure if Bowles had him picked so quickly because his spread offense was something Geno ran in college but he was a good choice for OC. He seems like a good fit for Mariota too.

[Beerfish]

He cannot possibly do worse than OCS under the blowhard. Simply not possible.

The funniest thing was listening to people wail that rex could not be blamed for the D last year due to lack of talent provided by the GM.  The oc's have been blamed for everything for years and have had to put up with total garbage QBs all the time, lack of weapons and generally poor talent.  The last time the team actually provided a good Qb ala Favre the offense did well.

[#27TheDominator]

Mornhinweg ran a west coast style system which by all accounts is not any easy system to learn.  If you take a rookie QB that probably should have sat for a year and throw him in that system, there is going to be problems.  Add to the fact that there was no play-makers on offense just meant it was a disaster from the start.  Gailey seems like he is a better fit for Geno and Fitz.  Not sure if Bowles had him picked so quickly because his spread offense was something Geno ran in college but he was a good choice for OC. He seems like a good fit for Mariota too.

Yet nobody had a problem with him in 2013? Everything you said should have been worse in 2013, but nobody started complaining until 2014.

[Long Island Leprechaun]

Well, at least this thread started out on a positive note. Somehow it became a mope about MM, Rex, Schotty, Sparano and SOJF's. Lot of depressed posters here.

[Ex-Rex]

Meanwhile, when paired with Gailey for three seasons in Buffalo, Fitzpatrick registered 71 touchdowns and 55 interceptions with a 60% completion percentage.  In his two seasons without Gailey in Tennessee and Houston, he tossed 31 touchdowns and 20 interceptions while connecting on 63% of his pass attempts in 23 games.  

If Fitzy can duplicate those numbers and the Jets are able to run the ball, they should make a run at the playoffs. Won't win a SB with Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith, but can get back to respectability. Drafting a QB is a MUST for Maccagnan. Petty in round two would be very nice. Doubtful of Mariota being available. 

[Ex-Rex]

The funniest thing was listening to people wail that rex could not be blamed for the D last year due to lack of talent provided by the GM.  The oc's have been blamed for everything for years and have had to put up with total garbage QBs all the time, lack of weapons and generally poor talent.  The last time the team actually provided a good Qb ala Favre the offense did well.

Schottenheimer was run out of town AFTER Rex demolished his offense by dropping Thomas Jones, Cotchery, Fanaca, Braylon Edwards and lost Damien Woody to retirement. Then they told Sanchez to continue his upward development with guys like Plax Burress and Derrick Mason. Not happening.

[prime21]

Yet nobody had a problem with him in 2013? Everything you said should have been worse in 2013, but nobody started complaining until 2014.

I've been complaining since 1969. I was born 8 days after our Super Bowl win so I'm within my rights. Lol

[AFJF]

If Fitzy can duplicate those numbers and the Jets are able to run the ball, they should make a run at the playoffs. Won't win a SB with Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith, but can get back to respectability. Drafting a QB is a MUST for Maccagnan. Petty in round two would be very nice. Doubtful of Mariota being available. 

It's going to be interesting to see where expectations are when the season kicks off.  For all intents and purposes, this roster should be considerably better at almost every key position than they were during the two AFCCG appearances.  Better D-line, MUCH better depth in the secondary, better WR's, better RB, better QB.  O-line won't be as dominant as it was, but if carpenter pans out and they find somebody to play RG out of the remaining ten lineman on the roster then they won't be much worse.  Faneca had a great career, but by the end he was a pedestrian pass blocker who gave up more sacks than any OG in the NFL.

[Savage69]

The funniest thing was listening to people wail that rex could not be blamed for the D last year due to lack of talent provided by the GM.  The oc's have been blamed for everything for years and have had to put up with total garbage QBs all the time, lack of weapons and generally poor talent.  The last time the team actually provided a good Qb ala Favre the offense did well.

I liked Favre one thing he did well was complete 65% of his passes the bad thing once his arm went he finished 22 tds and 22 picks.

[Savage69]

It's going to be interesting to see where expectations are when the season kicks off.  For all intents and purposes, this roster should be considerably better at almost every key position than they were during the two AFCCG appearances.  Better D-line, MUCH better depth in the secondary, better WR's, better RB, better QB.  O-line won't be as dominant as it was, but if carpenter pans out and they find somebody to play RG out of the remaining ten lineman on the roster then they won't be much worse.  Faneca had a great career, but by the end he was a pedestrian pass blocker who gave up more sacks than any OG in the NFL.

Jones had a good 2009 14 tds 1400+ yds 4.2 ypc he just crapped out in the playoffs..Greene did well in the first 2 playoff games(135 and 128 yds) but in the Colt game he had just 10 carries..

[AFJF]

Jones had a good 2009 14 tds 1400+ yds 4.2 ypc he just crapped out in the playoffs..Greene did well in the first 2 playoff games(135 and 128 yds) but in the Colt game he had just 10 carries..

 

With that offensive line Ivory would be even better IMO.

[jack48]

Yet nobody had a problem with him in 2013? Everything you said should have been worse in 2013, but nobody started complaining until 2014.

I actually think that MMs problem was not the design pf his offense but his play calling. He got staler and staler as the games wore on.

[Tinstar]

Morningwig's problem was 2 fold. He was saddled with Rex Ryan as his HC and Geno Smith as his QB.

Ryan is well Ryan.

Geno Smith was a QB who played in a spread offense asked to run one of Pro Football's most complicated offenses on the fly.

Like with Rex and Idzik, it was all doomed to fail.

[JetBlue]

Morningwig's problem was 2 fold. He was saddled with Rex Ryan as his HC and Geno Smith as his QB.

Ryan is well Ryan.

Geno Smith was a QB who played in a spread offense asked to run one of Pro Football's most complicated offenses on the fly.

Like with Rex and Idzik, it was all doomed to fail.

 

Tin, you are one of the more astute posters on this board...  Keep it up. 

[Tinstar]

I happen to think that this kid is the most important person in the Jets coaching staff presently and might be the most important member of the franchise whose not a QB. When it was 1st announced that Gailey was going to be the Jets OC, I was waiting to see who was going to be on his staff. You see, at his age they needed to be someone schooled in his offensive ways to carry on in case he decided after a yr or 2 that he didn't want to coach anymore. What New HC would name an Offensive Coordinator with the possibility that in year 2 the offense and QB might be going in a different direction ?

The QBs coach of the Jets have been with Gailley teaching his WRs and now his QBs . Continuity is important in an NFL successful Franchise. It's about time the Jets learn this and just maybe they're on this track.

KEVIN

PATULLO Quarterbacks

This is the guy I think is being groomed as Gailey's replacement.

[Jetdawgg]

Jones had a good 2009 14 tds 1400+ yds 4.2 ypc he just crapped out in the playoffs..Greene did well in the first 2 playoff games(135 and 128 yds) but in the Colt game he had just 10 carries..

Greene got hurt.

[Tinstar]

Schottenheimer was run out of town AFTER Rex demolished his offense by dropping Thomas Jones, Cotchery, Fanaca, Braylon Edwards and lost Damien Woody to retirement. Then they told Sanchez to continue his upward development with guys like Plax Burress and Derrick Mason. Not happening.

Rex should have been fire instead of Schotty. I wonder how much it cost Woody to get those pictures Rex Ryan Had.

[JetsRay]

Well, at least this thread started out on a positive note. Somehow it became a mope about MM, Rex, Schotty, Sparano and SOJF's. Lot of depressed posters here.

 

LOL

[win4ever]

As with any system, it's the players that matter.  MM could dream up perfect plays, but wouldn't matter if the CB is standing next to the WR waiving for Geno to throw it over here.  I think they was a big system issue with the talent, a lack of foresight in roster planning that doomed the offense.  For a west coast offense, you need speed, and you need guys that can make guys miss, and guys that get off the line extremely well.  At the 3rd step of a normal 3 step drop, the WR actually has to be open for the play to go as planned.  We needed guys that can run crisp routes, but most of all, guys that come out of their breaks extremely well.  The whole system is complicated, because it's timed to the breaks of the WRs.  The WR has to break right after the QB has set his feet so, either right before the break or right after the break, the QB can throw in one motion.  To throw right before the break, essentially throwing the guy open would be to take advantage of the time it takes for the CB to react and make up ground.  To throw right after, take advantage of the spacing from the break, and lead the WR away from the CB.  Geno is good at the second aspect of this, if there is space, he can lead guys well, get them the ball.  He's bad at the first aspect of it, he's not good at throwing guys open, and the WRs aren't studs, so CBs can stay closer to the WR and make a play on the ball even if he tries to do it.  However, our roster was constructed to be a mismatch of everything, from the QB to the WRs.

 

Holmes fits into a WC offense, he could get off the line quick, run a good route and gain separation at his break.  However, he was never the same after the injury, and then mailed it in.  

 

Our other WRs?

 

Kerley fit in the best of the bunch after Holmes, hence why he was our leading WR.  He could actually run routes and create separation at his breaks.  However, he's not dynamic enough to run away from defenders, so when he makes a catch, he's not turning that into 70 yard touchdowns.  

 

Stephen Hill was horrible at getting off the line, or running a crisp route.  He fit an offense that played more vertical, down field offense like say Norv Turner.  

 

David Nelson was basically a TE in disguise, and he wasn't good at gaining separation if the other team could place their No. 2 CB (or No. 1 even in some cases) on him because he just wasn't good enough.  

 

Clyde Gates, was another vertical pass guy, that was horrible at route running, and catching the ball.  

 

Also why Harvin wasn't great here.  He's not a crisp route runner, and is actually a mediocre WR.  He also does well in a vertical offense.  

 

Decker is actually very well set up for the WC offense, because he comes out of the break really well.  He sets it up well, which is why Geno had success throwing to him, when he was healthy.  He got hurt with the hamstring, slowed down, speed wise because of it, and that hurt his ability to create separation at his breaks, because he needs to use full power on his hamstrings to accelerate out of his break.  I think the perfect example of this would be the game Decker played against Revis last year in NE.  He had like 70 yards I believe, and Revis was on him more often than not.  That's a monster game by Revis' opponent standards, and he was beating Revis in and out of breaks. He would've had a 100 yard game if Geno threw the ball better, and he actually caught a couple more passes, but he was getting separation on him.  

 

In MM's offense, once you reach the top of your drop back, your first option breaks then, if he's not open, the second option is supposed to make his break move in this time frame.  However, if our WRs can't actually gain separation because CBs can read their routes and they don't have the athletic ability to run away from them, the CBs can be much more aggressive in their approach.  It would be negated by a QB, that could actually throw people open by throwing the ball just before a break is about to happen, so by the time someone turns around, the ball is already half way there.  We neither had the WRs nor the QB to take advantage of the system.  

 

The spread offense is a bit more different IMO, because the whole point of it is to create mismatches that you can take advantage of.  The defense has to go one on one against one player (or risk having an easy running lane) and you try to see if your player can beat his man.   And because the players are more spread out, so is the area in which the defenders are defending.  So if you lead a WR on a slant route, it's harder for the LB or CB from the other side to jump the ball, because he's two steps further out to make sure the guy on the other side can be covered too.  This fits more into Geno's game.  I think the roster right now, is much better constructed, because they have guys that run much better routes but are also one on one mismatches.  

 

Decker as we mentioned before, is very good coming out of breaks, and this creates the separation needed for the QB to throw to him.  He's fast enough that not too many CBs can completely chase him down before the ball gets there like someone could do with say Nelson.  

 

Marshall is a one on one nightmare because of his size, and the ability to run good routes.  He can also out muscle CBs for the ball much better than anyone else on our roster could in traffic since Burress was here. 

 

Kerley mentioned before, good fit as a possession slot WR.  

 

What the team lacks is a speedster that can run good deep routes.  This is why I think Amari Cooper is perfect for this offense.  He runs extremely good routes to create separation on his breaks, has excellent deep speed, and he tracks the ball extremely well.  

 

The one problem with spread offenses are that they usually rely on the open space to create easier throws for the QB.  However, down the in the red zone, these spaces aren't there nearly as much, and you need short space mismatches (size) to create touchdowns.  Guys that can actually fight over a CB and win.  That's why the Marshall signing is great, because he's the first guy since Burress that can actually do that.  A team like Philly runs the best version of the spread offense we've seen, yet they have been ranked 13th and then 23rd in red zone efficiency.  

 

So I think by virtue of a healthy Decker, a matchup nightmare in Marshall that is actually proven, Kerley, and possibly a WR (like Cooper in the first, or Algolor/Smith in the second) would make our offense much better in Gailey's offense or in MM's offense.  We essentially built a roster that was suited for vertical passing, and incorporated a system that dealt more horizontally than vertical.  While I don't absolve MM from his faults, I also think there just wasn't enough players that can take advantage of his system because it didn't fit their skill set.   I think a perfect example of this is Desean Jackson.  After MM left Philly, Jackson's yards per game went up by 20, so more than 300 on the season, even though his targets were pretty much the same, if not slightly less on a per game basis (He missed 5 games in MM's last year there, hence using averages).   

[jetsrebirth]

MM was a horrible HC, and was the "OC" for Reid who is a good offensive mind. MM never has shown himself to be that highly respected as an OC. He was another bad hire by Rex. MM also went to bat for Geno on multiple occasions, so he does not get to use Geno as an excuse.

 

MM's current role is a testament to what the NFL as a whole thinks of him.

 

We have not had a good OC since Parcells was here, and we have not had very good offensive talent. We have prioritized defense far and away over the offense for a long time now.

 

I am not completely sold on Gaily, but I think he is more competent than either BS or MM, and any 12 year old who has played more than a week of Madden is more competent than Sprorano as an OC.

[#27TheDominator]

I think that HIll was specifically drafted for the vertical passing offense.  I think that Sparano's alleged plan was to come in with an old school Al Davis style run and throw deep offense.  Hill was well suited to that style.  He was big and a willing blocker in the running game and fast enough to make the defense pay when the safeties stacked the box.  Hill walked on and started and provided about what I'd have expected.  Especially considering it was basically him and Kerley.  Trouble is, he didn't develop at all and time has basically rendered that offensive philosophy moot.  When they switched to Mornhinweg, he was even less effective and didn't even fit what they were trying to do.

[sourceworx]

If Fitzy can duplicate those numbers and the Jets are able to run the ball, they should make a run at the playoffs. Won't win a SB with Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith, but can get back to respectability. Drafting a QB is a MUST for Maccagnan. Petty in round two would be very nice. Doubtful of Mariota being available.

I'd rather we draft Petty than Mariota anyway. I think he's going to be a much better pro.

[Scoop24]

Greene got fat

Fixed *

[Jetdawgg]

Fixed *

Lol

[win4ever]

I think that HIll was specifically drafted for the vertical passing offense.  I think that Sparano's alleged plan was to come in with an old school Al Davis style run and throw deep offense.  Hill was well suited to that style.  He was big and a willing blocker in the running game and fast enough to make the defense pay when the safeties stacked the box.  Hill walked on and started and provided about what I'd have expected.  Especially considering it was basically him and Kerley.  Trouble is, he didn't develop at all and time has basically rendered that offensive philosophy moot.  When they switched to Mornhinweg, he was even less effective and didn't even fit what they were trying to do.

 

I agree, the mismatch of talent to coaching strengths is obvious now.  I liked the MM signing at first because he had a pass first mentality, but our roster just didn't match it at all.  We rarely played spread (guessing because of Rex) and our guys couldn't beat the defense one on one.