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The coach owes nobody on the outside an explanation on this.
Cornerback Trumaine Johnson was benched against Cleveland and replaced by Nate Hairston (who wasn’t bad).
Honestly, with all the stuff going on around the Jets at the quarterback position, perhaps this story isn’t getting the attention it deserves. It’s getting attention, but perhaps not as much as it should considering the significance of this move.
Think about this for a second. One season and one game into a five-year, $72.5 million deal with $45 million guaranteed, the Jets benched Johnson. This is an huge story!
Adam Gase was asked why he did it.
“We just decided not to play him,” Gase said after the game.
The New York Post headline writer was outraged by this answer.
Headline – “Jets’ response to sudden Trumaine Johnson benching is shameful.”
Not, it wasn’t shameful at all.
Has Bill Belichick ever explained why he benched Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl? No.
So why do the Jets owe the media an explanation on why they benched Johnson.
Benching Johnson made a powerful statement to the players, regardless of the media not getting an explanation.
It proved anybody, no matter how much they make, is replaceable.
Gase and Joe Douglas are trying to change the Jets damaged football culture they inherited. This move helps.
If you don’t think this got the other players attention, you are kidding yourself.
And then, late in the game, Jamal Adams, was benched for five plays due to penalty issues.
“Yeah, I was benched. They benched me. I tried to anticipate a play and I anticipated wrong,” Adams told WFAN.
Think about this – the Jets benched their highest paid player and their star safety in the same game.
It’s going to take some time for Gase/Douglas to change the Jets culture, but this is a good start.
You would have needed to call in the National Guard for the previous two coaches to bench anybody.
And Gase doesn’t owe the media explanation, just like Belichick didn’t in the Super Bowl . . .
The Jets have two of their own double-agents this week in wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Braxton Berrios. Thomas was with the Patriots all spring and summer, and Berrios all of 2018, and then the spring and summer this year. They can provide some intel to the Jets’ coaches. Just like Davis Webb was able to help the Buffalo Bills in their opener, Thomas/Berrios can do the same for the Jets this week . . .
With Sam Darnold out with mono, and Trevor Siemian suffering a serious leg injury, Luke Falk will start at QB for the Jets in New England.
Having a game plan designed just for him this, and getting all the starting reps in practice, Falk should be able to do a serviceable job this week in New England. Watching the player in the spring and summer, I’m telling you he’s not bad. He’s also a good leader and extremely bright. The biggest concern regarding his game is arm strength. He doesn’t have a rocket arm.
Aside from having a game plan designed just for him (unlike against Cleveland), what will also help Falk this week is the Patriots, while they have a very good defense, they don’t have any pass rushers near the level of Myles Garrett, who is an All-World talent who was a one-man wrecking crew against the Jets.
September 17, 2019
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