Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett still believes the offense will turn things around
Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett during second half of the Philadelphia Eagles at the New York Jets on October 15, 2023. Credit: Lee S. Weissman/Lee S. Weissman
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Nathaniel Hackett has gone through some rough times in his 10 seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator and head coach, but nothing like this year with the Jets.
Even last year when Hackett spent 15 games as the Broncos head coach and they finished with the worst scoring offense in the league, that team produced more offensive touchdowns than the Jets. Denver had 12 through its first nine games. The Jets have eight.
“I haven’t had it like this before when it’s been this low amount,” Hackett said Thursday.
Remaining positive and optimistic when your offense continually fails to score is not easy, but the Jets offensive coordinator is doing just that. Hackett believes things will turn around.
He has a unique perspective. Hackett grew up around football. His father Paul was an NFL offensive coordinator, including four years with the Jets. Nathaniel Hackett is motivated by finding a way to fix this broken offense.
“This is a very humbling league, very humbling league,” Hackett said. “Being in it as long as I have throughout my entire life you understand that. There are low lows and there are very high highs. That’s why we love it. That’s why we love the game.
“We just got to get on a roll again. We just need to get over that hump. We need to get that first touchdown in a long time. That’s really going to help us.”
The Jets (4-5) haven’t scored a touchdown during their current two-game losing streak. They hope to end both droughts on Sunday in Buffalo.
Penalties killed the Jets in Sunday’s 16-12 loss in Las Vegas. One penalty nullified a touchdown and two more pushed them out of the red zone. They settled for field goals all three times.
“It’s frustrating,” Hackett said. “Those penalties are those ones that are during combat. So everybody’s going to the right spot, everybody’s doing all the things that we want and then in the heat of the battle that happens.”
Robert Saleh has remained committed to Hackett and Zach Wilson. Saleh feels there’s blame to go around so he doesn’t think it’s right to make a change for change’s sake.
The play-caller and the quarterback weren’t THE problem in Vegas. Wilson had a decent game with his arms and legs and the Jets moved the ball. But he threw a killer interception with under 1:20 remaining at Las Vegas’ 15.
The Jets can’t continue down this path, though. If they win Sunday, they’ll be in second place in the AFC East and will hold the tiebreaker over Buffalo. If the offense continues to flop, Saleh may have no choice.
Tim Boyle or Trevor Siemian would be next in line at quarterback. Saleh could turn to passing game coordinator Todd Downing to call the plays. He has been an offensive coordinator with the Raiders and Titans. Downing has input in the play-calling now.
“We just need to be better more, all the way around the board,” Wilson said. “We need to stop with the self-inflicted wounds. Obviously, we said that a million times. We just need to be better.”
The Jets will look a little different on offense.
They cut running back Michael Carter. Rookie Izzy Abanikanda will make his NFL debut Sunday. Tight end Jeremy Ruckert could see more snaps for C.J. Uzomah, who had two crushing penalties in Las Vegas and dropped a touchdown pass in the previous game.
The Jets’ offensive players held a players’ only meeting on Tuesday. They talked about their issues, held each other accountable and hope the results will be different and better in Buffalo.
“I love it. The whole idea is for those guys to come together,” Hackett said. “We work the entire week to try and get them as prepared as we possibly can. We can talk and talk and talk and detail up and detail up. If they don’t absorb it and they don’t feel it together as one group then it doesn’t matter what you call, it doesn’t matter what you do.
“For them to bond, to come together and to understand that if we get these things fixed then we’ll have the opportunity to move the ball and to score points.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
