New York Jets coach Adam Gase says he has let ownership down
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- It's the kind of comment coaches make when they know the end is near.
New York Jets coach Adam Gase, on his way to a possible 0-16 season, acknowledged Wednesday that he has failed his boss, CEO Christopher Johnson.
"He knows how I [feel]," Gase told reporters. "I've told him multiple times. He deserves better, especially with how he is with our players, our staff, coaches ... anybody involved in this organization. I mean, I couldn't ask for to work for a better guy."
Johnson has not spoken publicly since mid-September, when the Jets were 0-1, but he is expected to fire Gase as soon as the season is over. Gase's record is 7-22, including a franchise-record 13-game losing streak.
In a reflective mood, Gase didn't hesitate when asked if he has let down Johnson.
"Yes," he said. "You try to figure out where things went wrong and what we can change. It's like you're trying to evaluate things as you go and adjust ...
"But at the end of the day, it's about winning. We haven't done that. For him not to feel a playoff feel, of being competitive in December, it's disappointing to me that we haven't been able to do that for him."
The Jets have had only one winning season since 2010, which also is the last time they made the playoffs.
Gase and Johnson have a close relationship, and they talk in person after every game. Gase said Johnson never is angry, but "he's like the rest of us. He wants to win as much as we do."
The Jets aren't just losing, they're losing badly. Their point differential is minus-210, only four points shy of the worst margin in team history (1976).
They're scoring 14.1 points per game and allowing 30.2, which means they're on pace to be the first team in the 16-game schedule era (since 1978) to score fewer than 15 per game and allow more than 30 per game in a single season.
It doesn't figure to get better on Sunday, as the Jets will be on the road to face the Los Angeles Rams, who have the NFL's top-ranked defense.
Sam Darnold's regression has been one of the main storylines. Two weeks ago, Gase took the blame for the quarterback's lack of development.
"I came here to help him, help him develop his career, and we haven't been able to do that," Gase said.
In injury news, linebacker Jordan Jenkins (shoulder) was placed on injured reserve, ending his season. He played hurt in recent weeks, finally sitting out the last game. Jenkins, a 2016 draft pick and the longest-tenured player on the team, will be a free agent. He finished with a career-low two sacks in 12 games.
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