It has been a week filled with changes for the Jets and passing game coordinator Todd Downing is in the middle of one of the biggest of those changes.
Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich has given Downing play-calling duties beginning Monday night against the Bills.
Downing replaces Nathaniel Hackett as the play-caller with the Jets offense seemingly stuck in neutral.
“It’s definitely been a unique week,” Downing said. “You know, I’ve been in this profession for a long time and you think you’ve gone through a lot of different experiences and this one was certainly a new one.
“I’ve been blown away, humbled and impressed by how everyone’s rallied together and focus the support that I’ve received. And, you know, you take it one meeting one day at a time and until you kind of find your groove. So it’s been a process, a bit of a whirlwind, but, you know, impressed and humbled by everybody around me.”
Jets owner Woody Johnson fired coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday partly due to how the team’s offense has looked this season.
There were high expectations for this group with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, Breece Hall at running back, Garrett Wilson at wide receiver and a revamped offensive line.
But the unit has struggled and are currently 27th in yards per game (286.6) and 32nd in rushing yards per game (80.4).
They averaged 12.5 points per game over the last two games.
Along the way, the Jets offense has looked stagnant and uncreative.
While most teams around the league are using pre-snap motion to put stress on the opposing defense, the Jets have gotten away from it as this season has gone on.
Downing would not say the Jets will use more motion now, saying that is a week-to-week decision.
“I think each week as you prepare for the defense you’re going against, you look for ways to create advantages,” Downing said. “You look for ways to put stress on the defense. Sometimes that will involve motion and sometimes that could involve unique formations, things like that. I think it’s going to be a week-by-week basis.”
One of the strangest aspects of the Jets season so far has been how poor their running game has been.
The Jets felt it would be the strength of their team this summer.
In their last two games they ran for 64 and 36 yards, respectively.
“First of all, this team does have a strong run game. We just haven’t seen it come to fruition consistently enough,” Downing said. “Secondly, you know, I think there become times where you can find people pressing a little bit because there’s an expectation for production and when it’s not met, you can feel a sense of urgency. But I believe our guys are ready to answer the bell and make the quarter-turn adjustments we need go make to get this thing on track.”
Ulbrich said he expects Downing to bring a “tough, ruthless” style of play to the Jets offense.
Downing said on Friday that he thinks Ulbrich’s energy will help bring that to the entire Jets team.
“I think the energy he walks around this building with is infectious to those guys,” Downing said. “I expect those guys to gravitate towards to the physicality he likes out of the game of football and the opportunity to create one on one battles where you know at the end of the play who got the best of who, and it is going to be fun to watch that personality emulate through the locker room.”
Downing said he is not sure if he will call the game from the sideline or the coach’s booth yet.
He has been in the booth but said when he was the offensive coordinator with the Raiders and Titans he was on the sideline.
He said he enjoys being able to look players in the eye during the game.
Downing believes he has grown since he last was a play-caller with the Titans in 2022.
“I think we’re all a product of our life experiences,” Downing said. “And so I’ve always tried to be reflective first as I’ve gone through, you know, different opportunities as they’ve come and gone in my career. So I hope I’m wiser. I hope I’m sharper and I hope I have, you know, the opportunity to showcase, you know, the experiences that I’ve accumulated over the years.”