The Jets will look on the opposite sideline Sunday when they face the Raiders and see Tony Sparano, the team’s former offensive coordinator. Sparano was fired following last year, his one season running the Jets offense, after the team finished 30th in total offense.
It turns out it wasn’t all Sparano’s fault.
This year’s Jets are also 30th in total offense and are in the midst of a stretch of bad play that is much worse than any they endured last year. The Jets have gone 114 plays without a touchdown, are the worst passing team in the NFL and are giving up more sacks per pass play than anyone in football. The offense has scored six points in the last two weeks, 20 in the last three.
When it was pointed out the team’s numbers are ugly, wide receiver David Nelson smiled and said, “That’s putting it lightly.”
How much of the blame should fall on Marty Mornhinweg, the man who replaced Sparano as the Jets offensive coordinator? Mornhinweg is Rex Ryan’s third coordinator in three years after the head coach dumped Brian Schottenheimer following the 2011 season and Sparano last year. Through nine games, Mornhinweg was drawing praise and being hailed as one of the team’s most valuable pieces. Over the last three games, his stock has dipped — along with quarterback Geno Smith’s passer rating.
But Ryan still gave Mornhinweg a vote of confidence Thursday.
“I think Marty’s done a great job,” Ryan said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt. I think Marty’s doing a terrific job. The numbers can sometimes be a little misleading. I think the job that he’s done and this staff, really, some of the challenges we’ve faced I think guys have done a great job.”
Mornhinweg, who always seems to focus on the positive, said Thursday he feels the offense is closer to clicking than it appears. Last week against the Dolphins, the offense barely functioned. It had two first downs and 39 yards in the first half.
“I try not to get frustrated,” Mornhinweg said. “I get mad and angry sometimes and our players are the same. Sometimes really good things come out of really bad things. … I’ve been surprised quite a little bit in the past two or three weeks. I don’t like getting surprised. If we clean some things up, then some good things typically happen.”
Nelson said Mornhinweg has been showing the offense clips from the games and showing the unit how close it is to executing plays, but a missed assignment by one player — whether it’s the quarterback, a lineman or receiver — messes up the entire play.
“I know it’s been frustrating for him because he’s been doing it for so long,” Nelson said. “He knows what this offense is capable of. He’s had Top 5 offenses before and he’s been there when it’s going really well. Right now I’m sure it’s frustrating because he knows this isn’t anywhere close to where it should be. But the great thing he’s doing is being encouraging.”
It’s no secret a major part of the problem has been the play of Smith. His passer ratings the last three weeks have been 10.1, 22.3 and 8.3 last week, when he was benched at halftime for Matt Simms.
“I want [Smith] to play just a little bit more natural,” Mornhinweg said. “Lately, he’s been so focused on his read and his progression and making sure everything’s perfect. Hey, let it flow, play a little bit more natural like he has and turn it loose just a little bit — that mentality.”
Another problem for Mornhinweg, as it was for Sparano last year, has been injuries to an already thin skill group. That problem should get better this week because it appears wide receivers Santonio Holmes and Jeremy Kerley will be able to play. The Jets have not had their full complement of receivers and tight ends since Week 4.
Mornhinweg said all the injuries have hurt the continuity of the unit and the players’ ability to master his offense.
“It seems like I’m still teaching the play as well as ‘OK, how we’re going to proceed against this particular opponent,’ ” he said. “If you’ve been together several years, man, we know the play and this is exactly how we’re doing it against No. 33. That has been just a little bit different that way, especially in the past handful of weeks.”