Who would have thought that, entering the 15th game of the season, Jets fans would be yearning for the halcyon days of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer?
Who could have imagined Tony Sparano, Schottenheimer’s replacement, would turn out to be a better head coach than an offensive coordinator (which is saying a lot considering he was 18-27 in his last two-plus years in Miami before being fired)?
Usually in the NFL, it’s the other way around. The jury is still out, in fact, about whether Jets coach Rex Ryan, a proven brilliant defensive mind, is a better defensive coordinator than a head coach.
Ryan’s body of work, which has been inconsistent, with shortcomings on the offensive side of the ball as well as in personnel decisions, leaves much debate about that considering he took his first two Jets teams to the AFC Championship Game.
What is not up for debate, however, is that Sparano, as an offensive coordinator, has been an abject failure and cannot continue in that post for another year here. Jets owner Woody Johnson cannot sell the fan base 16 more games of Sparano’s unimaginative offense in 2013.
Considering the bill of goods Ryan and the Jets sold the fans — Sparano’s prowess with the Wildcat offense based on the success he had with it in Miami — Sparano’s most egregious sin has been his stunning inability to come up with anything creative for Tim Tebow.
Sparano’s lack of creativity as a coordinator is one of the biggest reasons for the failed Tebow experiment, which will end as a one-and-done-year waste while costing the Jets about $4 million and fourth- and sixth-round draft picks.
“I wouldn’t use the words ‘Didn’t work’ at all,’’ Sparano said yesterday of the Tebow debacle in front of a room of reporters who struggled to hide incredulous looks. “We had a plan going into this thing.’’
Here’s how that plan worked:
The Jets enter Sunday’s meaningless game against the Chargers ranked 28th in the NFL in points per game with 18.2, which is worse than the 23.6 points per game and No. 13 ranking of a year ago, when Schottenheimer became the scapegoat for an 8-8 season and was asked to leave.
The Jets also ranked 13th in the NFL in scoring in 2010, averaging 22.9 points per game. Even in 2009, quarterback Mark Sanchez’s rookie year, they ranked 17th, averaging 21.8 points per game.
The Jets’ offense this season is ranked 30th in total yards, 31st in yards per play and 30th in net passing yards.
How bad does the Schottenheimer era look now?
When I asked Ryan what Sparano has brought to the Jets’ offense this year, he fumbled and groped for an answer like Sanchez did that low snap on the last calamitous offensive play Monday night in Nashville.
Ryan rambled, several times repeating something about Sparano’s “work ethic’’ and how the running game has improved (it’s ranked 10th) and how pass protection recently has gotten better. He even went so far off the reservation as to say the offense has “improved’’ under Sparano.
No, it has not. Sparano has not worked for the Jets, whose offense has gotten worse on his watch. Part of the problem is general manager Mike Tannenbaum and Ryan failing to replenish offensive talent.
“It has deteriorated,’’ one Jets offensive player said yesterday.
But bringing Sparano in with his supposed Wildcat expertise and his “ground-and-pound’’ mentality has not helped. To the contrary, Sparano’s lack of creativity has grounded and pounded the Jets’ offense into a unit so pitiful no defensive coordinator fears it.
“[The Wildcat] hasn’t worked out,’’ Ryan said. “We’ve tried, but haven’t been quite as successful as what I expected. For whatever reason it hasn’t had quite the success I thought it would. But we’ll see; we’ve got two games left.’’
Too late.
When Sparano was asked to assess his overall performance this season, he said: “That’s not for me to assess. Somebody else will do that.’’
Indeed they will. And if recent Jets history holds true, Sparano should brace for his place as the next scapegoat.
Asked if he’s wondering how his performance will be assessed, Sparano said, “No. I’m spending time worrying about how to beat the San Diego Chargers right now.’’
Never mind that, Tony. Your offense can stamp 50 on the Chargers’ defense and it’s still too late. Just as the Tebow experiment is over, the Sparano experiment must be over.