If a mere introductory press conference had New York Jets coach Adam Gase looking like he had just spent “A Night at the Roxbury,” imagine what he looked like when receiving the back-breaking injury-related news he got on Thursday.
Quarterback Sam Darnold is reportedly out indefinitely after being diagnosed with mononucleosis.
Star running Le’Veon Bell also underwent an MRI for an injury, and while the test revealed no major damage, there are serious red flags with an injury-prone player running behind a porous offensive line.
But fear not, Jets fans, backup quarterback Trevor Siemian is here to save the day—said no one ever.
Gase’s eyes must be the size of saucers now.
To think, the Jets were considered the one team with enough talent to at least have an iota of a shot at saving the AFC East from the New England Patriots’ near two decades of dominance. Now they can’t even save themselves. That burning smell emanating out of MetLife Stadium is coming from the Jets’ 2019 season roasting over a fire pit.
Perhaps the real victim in this disaster has to be newly-signed receiver Demaryius Thomas, who was traded to the Jets by Patriots coach Bill Belichick in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick.
What did Demaryius ever do to you, Bill? He essentially went from catching passes from Trevor Siemian, to being traded to the Houston Texans, to signing with the Patriots, to being traded to the Jets and once again catching passes from Trevor Siemian.
Honestly, I wouldn’t blame Thomas if he threw a few tantrums and asked for his release as well, since that appears to be the growing trend these days.
But he is too much of a standup player to do as such. He’ll show up and do his job to the best of his ability on a sinking ship. Fortunately for Jets fans, they’ve had plenty of time to prepare for the disaster that is about to unfold.
The Jets couldn’t even get the job done at home against the Buffalo Bills in the season opener with both Darnold and Bell on the field. They certainly aren’t going to get it done with Siemian behind center. Make no mistake, that isn’t a knock on Siemian’s abilities as a backup as much as it’s an understanding of the tough slate of games that lie ahead.
The Cleveland Browns, Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and Patriots (again) are next on the schedule. Darnold not being on the field pretty much assures the Jets will start the season with a 0-6 record. It’s a disappointing turn of events for a team most expected to improve from their 4-12 finish last season.
That’s still a possibility if Darnold returns and Bell manages to stay healthy—all while assuming the offensive line makes the necessary improvements. As of right now, however, nothing has changed but the faces under the helmets.
It’s still the same old Gang Green.
Or rather, it’s mutated into gangrene at this point with the franchise trudging through a near 10-year playoff drought. Maybe 2020 will be different, or maybe it will be the same mess that eventually forces the team to scrap everything and hit the reboot button, again.
Hope of change has turned into the same perpetuating reality, along with the disappointment that comes with watching the Jets crash and burn before they even left the runway.