Conspiracy Theory

[WhartonJet]

With a lost season after week 5, I’ve been thinking about the seemingly baffling play calling from Gase this year.

I’m certainly no Gase apologist.  Like most, I want him gone at the end of the year.  But, does anyone remember us scoring TDs on our opening drive in 6-7 straight games last year?   Did Gase suddenly forget how to gameplan?  Are the injuries that much of a factor this year vs. last year?

This got me to think that maybe the tank really is on at 1 Jets Drive.  What if Joe Douglas and Gase have decided that Trevor Lawrence is the chosen one and they are willing to flush a year (where we weren’t going to win the super bowl anyway) in order to secure the first pick and Trevor Lawrence.  Maybe they decided in the offseason that Sam just wasn’t the guy after evaluating him all of last year.

If you look at it through that lense, the bizarre play calling makes more sense.  Holding players back from returning from injuries also makes sense (Sam with the shoulder, no Mims, no Zuniga, no Hall, nursing Becton, Ashtyn Davis, Vyncint Smith, etc).  It would also explain how Joe Douglas approached the offseason with all the 1 year deals and getting no weapons for Sam.  Assume Gregg Williams is on board and maybe that explains some of the regression on defense.

The troubling part of this would be if Adam Gase is “in” on the tank, that would mean he is the coach next year.  Unless Douglas only guaranteed Gase’s job to get the tank accomplished and then knifes him after the season anyway - much like Gase did to Big Mac.

 

Thoughts?

[MichaelScott]

30 minutes ago, WhartonJet said:

With a lost season after week 5, I’ve been thinking about the seemingly baffling play calling from Gase this year.

I’m certainly no Gase apologist.  Like most, I want him gone at the end of the year.  But, does anyone remember us scoring TDs on our opening drive in 6-7 straight games last year?   Did Gase suddenly forget how to gameplan?  Are the injuries that much of a factor this year vs. last year?

This got me to think that maybe the tank really is on at 1 Jets Drive.  What if Joe Douglas and Gase have decided that Trevor Lawrence is the chosen one and they are willing to flush a year (where we weren’t going to win the super bowl anyway) in order to secure the first pick and Trevor Lawrence.  Maybe they decided in the offseason that Sam just wasn’t the guy after evaluating him all of last year.

 

It's really hard for me to seriously entertain an NFL team conciously and intentionally tanking a whole season, ESPECIALLY in the first quarter of the schedule. Personally, I feel like the NFL is just too competitive and the amount of patience granted to FO and coaches of losing teams is just way too short for anyone to afford to intentionally throw in an entire season. 

I have nothing to base this on but I also tend to believe that fans are much more willing to forfeit a season for a better draft pick than actual teams would be. I tend to feel like fans are comforted more by the "certainty" of a "can't miss" pick than front offices are simply because teams have a better understanding than fans that "can't miss" doesn't exist. 

So generally speaking, no, I dont think the Jets are making decisions to intentionally tank. I think its absolutely possible, given his past, the Gase has given up and checked out. If the season continues this way I wouldnt be surprised if he pulls some "difference in opinion" to shoot his way out of town and attempt to save face. 

While I cant imagine wtf goes on in Gase mind, even if JD isn't pushing for the team to continue to lose, I do feel there is a point where he would likely have to believe that the best thing for the team long term would be to get the young guys on the field in the Hope's to develop them. That's probably one of the only helpful things to come out of a year like this, if when it ends you can at least point to a handful a young players and draft picks as having shown potential. 

Your guess is as good as mine as to at what point, if any, does JD pressure Gase to start different players. It's really things like this that make me wish I could have a clue what's going on at Jets Drive after these losses. 

[Nixhead]

1 hour ago, WhartonJet said:

With a lost season after week 5, I’ve been thinking about the seemingly baffling play calling from Gase this year.

I’m certainly no Gase apologist.  Like most, I want him gone at the end of the year.  But, does anyone remember us scoring TDs on our opening drive in 6-7 straight games last year?   Did Gase suddenly forget how to gameplan?  Are the injuries that much of a factor this year vs. last year?

This got me to think that maybe the tank really is on at 1 Jets Drive.  What if Joe Douglas and Gase have decided that Trevor Lawrence is the chosen one and they are willing to flush a year (where we weren’t going to win the super bowl anyway) in order to secure the first pick and Trevor Lawrence.  Maybe they decided in the offseason that Sam just wasn’t the guy after evaluating him all of last year.

If you look at it through that lense, the bizarre play calling makes more sense.  Holding players back from returning from injuries also makes sense (Sam with the shoulder, no Mims, no Zuniga, no Hall, nursing Becton, Ashtyn Davis, Vyncint Smith, etc).  It would also explain how Joe Douglas approached the offseason with all the 1 year deals and getting no weapons for Sam.  Assume Gregg Williams is on board and maybe that explains some of the regression on defense.

The troubling part of this would be if Adam Gase is “in” on the tank, that would mean he is the coach next year.  Unless Douglas only guaranteed Gase’s job to get the tank accomplished and then knifes him after the season anyway - much like Gase did to Big Mac.

 

Thoughts?

There is no way Gase can be brought back if the Jets are bad enough to get the 1st pick in the draft even if he IS IN ON IT! The fans won't let that happen. The media won't let that happen. Thats why Gase can't be in on it. He can't. He would be ruining his own career - which he is anyway but if he knew how to win games he would win games. He really is that bad a head coach. Example: didn't Sam sneak for a few 1st downs against Denver? Yes it worked. So this week we have 3 plays where a sneak would of worked - they almost always work - but he doesn't call 1 sneak - that worked the week before. That is complete stupidity. He's lost it. Well he never had it but he's toast. The game has passed him by. So how long does Douglas or Chris Johnson keep him around? Not much longer. They can't. Its a sh*t show! Jets will promote somebody for the rest of the season to maybe try and turn Sam around and then hire maybe Matt Campbell if he will come but he's making 22 mil over 6 seasons there so is Chris Johnson prepared to up this guys pay substantially to get him here? Don't know but I think Gase is gone shortly - 1 more game maybe 2 or 3 more but its coming.

[bitonti]

The simple explanation is that he's just not good at his job

Sent from my Pixel 2 using JetNation.com mobile app

[Irish Jet]

No he's just terrible.

Gase was already despised by the fans. He's in no position to start intentionally losing. He's 100% gone next season and Douglas may be too if we actually go winless. There would be a revolt otherwise. 

[Mike135]

The only way this makes sense is if they believed the season would be a waste because of Covid.

In which case, they're geniuses.  Because a bunch of teams have already used their BYE weeks and the second wave is just getting started.

I mean if I was GM, would I tank a season of only 10 or so games to have a great draft pick and extra cap space the following season?..  yup.

This would make sense even if they thought Sam was their guy.

[jgb]

NFL teams don't tank. And even if this was a tank and Gase was going along with it, he would've demanded a fat extension before embarking on this little adventure.

Remember when everyone was sure the Colts were purposefully tanking to get Andrew Luck? Well, they got Andrew Luck alright right after the GM and HC were both canned for sucking.

[Bruce Harper]

With a lost season after week 5, I’ve been thinking about the seemingly baffling play calling from Gase this year.
I’m certainly no Gase apologist.  Like most, I want him gone at the end of the year.  But, does anyone remember us scoring TDs on our opening drive in 6-7 straight games last year?   Did Gase suddenly forget how to gameplan?  Are the injuries that much of a factor this year vs. last year?
This got me to think that maybe the tank really is on at 1 Jets Drive.  What if Joe Douglas and Gase have decided that Trevor Lawrence is the chosen one and they are willing to flush a year (where we weren’t going to win the super bowl anyway) in order to secure the first pick and Trevor Lawrence.  Maybe they decided in the offseason that Sam just wasn’t the guy after evaluating him all of last year.
If you look at it through that lense, the bizarre play calling makes more sense.  Holding players back from returning from injuries also makes sense (Sam with the shoulder, no Mims, no Zuniga, no Hall, nursing Becton, Ashtyn Davis, Vyncint Smith, etc).  It would also explain how Joe Douglas approached the offseason with all the 1 year deals and getting no weapons for Sam.  Assume Gregg Williams is on board and maybe that explains some of the regression on defense.
The troubling part of this would be if Adam Gase is “in” on the tank, that would mean he is the coach next year.  Unless Douglas only guaranteed Gase’s job to get the tank accomplished and then knifes him after the season anyway - much like Gase did to Big Mac.
 
Thoughts?

Gase is just an exceptionally bad coach. Simple as that. Hard as it is to believe, he is trying as hard as he can to win because he knows he will be axed if he doesn’t. And this will probably be his last shot as a head coach, which gives him extra incentive.


Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

[BUM-KNEE]

It's looking more and more like that's exactly what they are doing.

[Barry McCockinner]

I am starting to tin foil on this a bit too, tbh.

[BROOKLYN JET]

 

[#27TheDominator]

3 hours ago, Mike135 said:

The only way this makes sense is if they believed the season would be a waste because of Covid.

In which case, they're geniuses.  Because a bunch of teams have already used their BYE weeks and the second wave is just getting started.

I mean if I was GM, would I tank a season of only 10 or so games to have a great draft pick and extra cap space the following season?..  yup.

This would make sense even if they thought Sam was their guy.

Funny, I thought the exact opposite.  The pandemic is the kind of thing that could act like an equalizer and pull the Jets up towards the better clubs, especially if they thought Sam was their guy.  What is the great draft pick going to be worth when you have an abbreviated college season and will be looking at less seasoned players? 

[JoJoTownsell1]

5 hours ago, bitonti said:

The simple explanation is that he's just not good at his job

Sent from my Pixel 2 using JetNation.com mobile app
 

Yeah, there is no way Gase is intentionally failing when he will ultimately get fired and have to try and find a new employer after this. 

Players/coaches never tank. GMs, on the other hand, can intentionally put out an inferior product or force coaches to "rest" players that are "injured." 

[Warfish]

7 hours ago, WhartonJet said:

With a lost season after week 5

This season was lost after week 1.

7 hours ago, WhartonJet said:

I’m certainly no Gase apologist.

7 hours ago, WhartonJet said:

But, does anyone remember us scoring TDs on our opening drive in 6-7 straight games last year?   Did Gase suddenly forget how to gameplan?

Gase has never known how to gameplan, hence his horrific record of Offensive Rankings throughout his Head Coaching career to-date.

7 hours ago, WhartonJet said:

 Are the injuries that much of a factor this year vs. last year?

No.  Injuries just come along with Gase as a Head Coach. 

The "Gase Curse" is more likely a coach being exceedingly soft on his players, and their training and practices, leading to injuries in live-fire.

7 hours ago, WhartonJet said:

This got me to think that maybe the tank really is on at 1 Jets Drive. What if Joe Douglas and Gase...... 

It was not planned.  Stop looking for rainbows in a puddle of sh*te.

7 hours ago, WhartonJet said:

Thoughts?

Desperate drowning people will grab at any life-preserver.  

You're grasping at a very unlikely life-preserver.

[CTJetsFan]

3 hours ago, jgb said:

NFL teams don't tank. And even if this was a tank and Gase was going along with it, he would've demanded a fat extension before embarking on this little adventure.

Remember when everyone was sure the Colts were purposefully tanking to get Andrew Luck? Well, they got Andrew Luck alright right after the GM and HC were both canned for sucking.

This.

Players & coaches don't tank.....especially players. They may suck and appear listless and uninspired.

With playing careers as short as they are, why would you play so poorly as to have the team want to replace you?

[British Jet]

It's a fair theory to have, but the damage it is doing to Gase's professional reputation far outweighs the positives of drafting Lawrence. Gase is turning us into an organisation that nobody will want to play for. It would be professional suicide to hatch this sort of plan.

[section314]

5 hours ago, bitonti said:

The simple explanation is that he's just not good at his job

Sent from my Pixel 2 using JetNation.com mobile app
 

The bigger issue...either is our ownership.

[jgb]

13 minutes ago, CTJetsFan said:

This.

Players & coaches don't tank.....especially players. They may suck and appear listless and uninspired.

With playing careers short as they are, why would you play so poorly as to have the team want to replace you?

If I’m a HC and the owner and GM ask me to tank on purpose my response is that they would need to pony up an extension so huge that I could maintain a rich AF lifestyle for the rest of my life in case i never get hired again. Which might happen if you’re purposefully losing games and looking like an imbecile out there. Not to mention you can’t exactly ask your players to lose on purpose so you’d have to create game plans with no conceivable chance of winning even if executed perfectly. It would be obvious by week 2 or 3 what is happening and the locker room would be destroying you as an incompetent jackass to anyone with a microphone.

[Jet Nut]

4 minutes ago, British Jet said:

It's a fair theory to have, but the damage it is doing to Gase's professional reputation far outweighs the positives of drafting Lawrence. Gase is turning us into an organisation that nobody will want to play for. It would be professional suicide to hatch this sort of plan.

Plus if we finish poorly enough to get the first overall pick Gase knows he wont be around to coach Lawrence, what's the incentive for him to tank?

Players have short lifespans in the NFL, the last thing you want to do is give away 20% or more of your career.

[THE BARON]

7 hours ago, WhartonJet said:

With a lost season after week 5, I’ve been thinking about the seemingly baffling play calling from Gase this year.

I’m certainly no Gase apologist.  Like most, I want him gone at the end of the year.  But, does anyone remember us scoring TDs on our opening drive in 6-7 straight games last year?   Did Gase suddenly forget how to gameplan?  Are the injuries that much of a factor this year vs. last year?

This got me to think that maybe the tank really is on at 1 Jets Drive.  What if Joe Douglas and Gase have decided that Trevor Lawrence is the chosen one and they are willing to flush a year (where we weren’t going to win the super bowl anyway) in order to secure the first pick and Trevor Lawrence.  Maybe they decided in the offseason that Sam just wasn’t the guy after evaluating him all of last year.

If you look at it through that lense, the bizarre play calling makes more sense.  Holding players back from returning from injuries also makes sense (Sam with the shoulder, no Mims, no Zuniga, no Hall, nursing Becton, Ashtyn Davis, Vyncint Smith, etc).  It would also explain how Joe Douglas approached the offseason with all the 1 year deals and getting no weapons for Sam.  Assume Gregg Williams is on board and maybe that explains some of the regression on defense.

The troubling part of this would be if Adam Gase is “in” on the tank, that would mean he is the coach next year.  Unless Douglas only guaranteed Gase’s job to get the tank accomplished and then knifes him after the season anyway - much like Gase did to Big Mac.

 

Thoughts?

When I consider all the moving parts in place for this conspiracy theory, my conclusion is that Gase is a bad coach to begin with, and Joe Douglas was not in "win now" mode this past off season.  He is positioning the Jets with lots of cap and lots of draft picks for the very near future, but he left the roster without a lot of skill this particular season.  I dont think there is a conspiracy to tank for Trevor.

However, there are a few facts here that give the conspiracy a bit of life.  Not much, but just a bit.

1. Gase and Joe D's employment with the Jets is entwined.  

2. Darnold is not a good QB to run the system that Gase is married to.  Trevor Lawrence would be an ideal fit for it.

It is some food for thought, but not much.   It looks like Gase just sucks and sucks even worse on Joe D's "sacrifice now to load up later" plan...

Fans should not be down on Joe D.  He is doing the right things for future sustained success.  We cant blame him for Mimms and Becton getting tweaked.  We have not seen Mimms on the filed yet and Becton was looking like rookie of the year.  

Let's just hope Becton is not injured too badly to pick up where he left off.  An all world LT is next best thing to have after franchise QB.

[jamesr]

42 minutes ago, CTJetsFan said:

This.

Players & coaches don't tank.....especially players. They may suck and appear listless and uninspired.

With playing careers short as they are, why would you play so poorly as to have the team want to replace you?

Especially guys like Gore and Bell who are nearing the end of their careers ... is that how they want to go out? "Yeah I got paid, but everyone remembers how slow and unproductive I was all those years".

Not a legacy these guys will want IMHO. They're not going to care who the Jets draft as their QB of the future if they're not part of that future.

Also - tanking in a year where the college game is so disrupted makes no sense IMHO. How many guys will choose to stay at college one more year as a result, to make up for that lost time? 

[ryu79]

Don't buy it. No one would deliberately destroy their reputation and any respect the league had for him as Gase is doing right now. Its also inconsistent with some of the desperation decisions made like playing Becton hurt - just wouldn't happen if the tank were deliberate. 

Gase is this bad. And its the worst outcome for the Jets.