2014 Jets: Report -- Rex & Idzik both to be let go

[tims4wins]

What I don't get is that the Jets D isn't even all that good any more, and yet STILL Rex has remained safe in his job.
 
When Rex arrived, the Jets had the #14 DVOA defense (2008). He immediately took them to #1 (2009), and followed that with the #5 (2010) and #2 (2011) rankings. Since then the Jets have finished 9th (2012), 12th (2013), and are ranked 13th this year. So they are essentially back to where they started, a little better than middle of the pack.
 
If the D is only slightly above average, where does he get this reputation as a defensive mastermind? Slightly above average D + horrible O = losing seasons and a losing coach, which is what Rex is.
 
And yet, he remains employed as HC of the NYJ.

 

[Super Nomario]

The issue isn't Rex delegating the offensive responsibilities to an assistant, I'm sure that is pretty common in the NFL.  The issue is lack of accountability when it doesn't work.  Actually this is a huge issue up and down the entire Jets organization, which is not surprising given that the head coach has not been held accountable for the shit show on offense the last couple of years.  Rex can delegate but he's the head coach so ultimately he has to be accountable if the person he's delegating to can't do the job.  He's never been forced to roll up his sleeves and fix the offense, in fact the front office has let him get away with publicly blaming others for the failures of the offense. 

I agree with all of this - the lack of accountability is a Rex Ryan problem, but on a larger level it's an organizational problem. He inherited Brian Schottenheimer from the previous regime: was that his call, or the GM / ownership? Was he empowered to fire Schottenheimer? How much authority did he really have over his OC?
 
 

What I don't get is that the Jets D isn't even all that good any more, and yet STILL Rex has remained safe in his job.
 
When Rex arrived, the Jets had the #14 DVOA defense (2008). He immediately took them to #1 (2009), and followed that with the #5 (2010) and #2 (2011) rankings. Since then the Jets have finished 9th (2012), 12th (2013), and are ranked 13th this year. So they are essentially back to where they started, a little better than middle of the pack.
 
If the D is only slightly above average, where does he get this reputation as a defensive mastermind? Slightly above average D + horrible O = losing seasons and a losing coach, which is what Rex is.
 
And yet, he remains employed as HC of the NYJ.

13th in DVOA is pretty impressive considering what they've been running out there in the secondary week-after-week. 

 

[Tony C]

It's not about rankings. It's about what you do with the talent. I think 13th overall is pretty decent given the secondary. I might blame Rex to the degree he had input on personnel decisions, but I think he clearly coaches up his defensive talent. And he clearly coaches down his offensive talent.
 

The issue isn't Rex delegating the offensive responsibilities to an assistant, I'm sure that is pretty common in the NFL.  The issue is lack of accountability when it doesn't work.  Actually this is a huge issue up and down the entire Jets organization, which is not surprising given that the head coach has not been held accountable for the shit show on offense the last couple of years.  Rex can delegate but he's the head coach so ultimately he has to be accountable if the person he's delegating to can't do the job.  He's never been forced to roll up his sleeves and fix the offense, in fact the front office has let him get away with publicly blaming others for the failures of the offense. 
 
Rex in turn does not hold his players accountable which leads to situations like Vick not being ready to play, Geno missing meetings, etc.  Rex may be able to draw up some innovative defensive game plans, but he has no clue how to lead an organization and hold people (himself first and foremost) accountable.

 
I've never understood the delegating argument. Of course all HCs delegate, but it's not like that's their whole job to assign responsibilities and then go watch Law & Order re-runs. And I have no problem with the HC emphasizing one side of the ball over the other, either. We all have our strengths and it's smart to recognize those. But you're HC for a reason -- you have ultimate responsibility for both sides' of the ball and you have to have something to offer. Even if it's just delegating correctly -- i.e., Schotty's not so hot in this area, so I'm going to either override him or help him or whatever (or, to give another example, don't choose Tony Sparano as the guy you're going to delegate to with the mantra "he'll return us to ground and pound") -- that's on the HC. And I do think most successful HCs do a hell of a lot more than just delegate: does anyone think BB is not intimately involved in game-planning and personnel decisions on both sides of the ball? That's how it should be. And, yes, there needs to be accountability.
 

 

[tims4wins]

13th in DVOA is pretty impressive considering what they've been running out there in the secondary week-after-week. 

 
I don't disagree but he does have some input on the groceries after all - they have drafted two CBs in the first round under his watch plus a safety.

 

[TheoShmeo]

Along with having accountability, the head coach can't be so divorced from any one area such that he has no feel for what's happening with the players.  It's one thing not to run the nuts and bolts of the offense or to have anything to do with that. It's quite another to be caught totally off guard, or claim t have be totally off guard, when their are disciplinary problems with your starting WR.  

 

[dcmissle]

It's going to be epic if the Eagles go to the SB, and that is quite possible with the attrition in Sea, SF, Dal and Ari.

 

[Super Nomario]

 
I don't disagree but he does have some input on the groceries after all - they have drafted two CBs in the first round under his watch plus a safety.

The safety's a rookie, and one of the corners has missed basically the whole season with an Achilles injury.
 

Along with having accountability, the head coach can't be so divorced from any one area such that he has no feel for what's happening with the players.  It's one thing not to run the nuts and bolts of the offense or to have anything to do with that. It's quite another to be caught totally off guard, or claim t have be totally off guard, when their are disciplinary problems with your starting WR.  

I agree, but you could easily levy the same criticism at Sean Payton, and he's considered one of the best coaches in the NFL.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

The issue isn't Rex delegating the offensive responsibilities to an assistant, I'm sure that is pretty common in the NFL.  The issue is lack of accountability when it doesn't work.  Actually this is a huge issue up and down the entire Jets organization, which is not surprising given that the head coach has not been held accountable for the shit show on offense the last couple of years.  Rex can delegate but he's the head coach so ultimately he has to be accountable if the person he's delegating to can't do the job.  He's never been forced to roll up his sleeves and fix the offense, in fact the front office has let him get away with publicly blaming others for the failures of the offense.

The other issue is that under Rex they haven't invested enough draft resources in the offense and that's probably not a coincidence. After Sanchez, Rex has spent six straight 1st rounders on defensive players. He's drafted some offensive players in the 2nd and 3rd rounds over the years but that's not the same - the first is where you generally find your elite talents. Basically, Rex has used the draft to give himself the tools to run out pretty good defenses and burnish his reputation as a defensive genius, while doing very little to provide the offense with elite talent. That's a big contrast with a guy like Sean Payton, who has picked more defensive players in the first round than offensive players during his tenure and used 5 of 6 first rounders on defense between 2008-2013 as he consciously sought to strengthen the Saints on that side of the ball.

 

[soxfan121]

 Belichick might be in a class by himself as an architect of the entire organization, soup-to-nuts. Is anyone else doing what he's doing?

 
Al Davis was the last of that dying breed (Paul Brown, etc.). I run into this all the time; I call it the Ron Wolf problem. Or, the Ernie Accorsi/Jerry Reese/Tom Coughlin problem. 
 
Bill is literally not comparable to anyone else working today. It makes measuring things a problem. ;-)

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Belichick might be in a class by himself as an architect of the entire organization, soup-to-nuts. Is anyone else doing what he's doing?

Probably not. I think there are two separate issues here. The first is the extent to which HC influences the organization outside traditional coaching roles. Its pretty easy to find examples of HCs with de facto GM responsibilities or ultimate authority over the big calls in that realm but its very hard to find examples of an HC that shaped an organization so profoundly as BB has with the Pats. The second issue is whether the HC's ideas about football have truly shaped the team's strategic approach on both sides of the line, which I don't think actually happens all that often either. Basically, each of these dynamics are rare and for an HC to do both is really unique.

If I had to bet on one HC eventually approximating what BB has done, it would be Chip Kelly.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

It's going to be epic if the Eagles go to the SB, and that is quite possible with the attrition in Sea, SF, Dal and Ari.

Remember that if Arizona plays the Eagles in the NFL, it will feature not one but TWO ex-Jet QBs.

Ouch.

Edit: he requested his release (and eventually traded to Indy) after NYJ acquired, wait for it, Tim Throw.

 

[tims4wins]

Tim Throw is an awesome autocorrect of Tim Tebow

 

[Super Nomario]

The other issue is that under Rex they haven't invested enough draft resources in the offense and that's probably not a coincidence. After Sanchez, Rex has spent six straight 1st rounders on defensive players. He's drafted some offensive players in the 2nd and 3rd rounds over the years but that's not the same - the first is where you generally find your elite talents. Basically, Rex has used the draft to give himself the tools to run out pretty good defenses and burnish his reputation as a defensive genius, while doing very little to provide the offense with elite talent. That's a big contrast with a guy like Sean Payton, who has picked more defensive players in the first round than offensive players during his tenure and used 5 of 6 first rounders on defense between 2008-2013 as he consciously sought to strengthen the Saints on that side of the ball.

Yeah, the Jets have spent money (most of their FA signings have been on the offensive side) and 2nd-/3rd- round picks on offense, but all the firsts have been on D. I'm not sure that's the right way to build either side of the ball, frankly.
 
I don't know how much of that is Ryan, but to the extent it is Ryan it points to a larger organizational dysfunction. They brought on Idzik but kept Ryan. Why wasn't the GM allowed to bring in his own coach? Who's making the draft day decisions? Who's making the call to have a cap cleanse year this season (hard to imagine it's Ryan)? This kind of stuff is the reason BB resigned as HC of the NYJ.

 

[deanx0]

It's going to be epic if the Eagles go to the SB, and that is quite possible with the attrition in Sea, SF, Dal and Ari.

 
I think it would be better if Sanchez "leads" the Eagles to the conference championship game, so he can have three of those...

 

[Dogman]

Just in case.  

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Tim Throw is an awesome autocorrect of Tim Tebow

 
LOL. Didn't even realize it. Autocorrect is a thousand times wittier than me.

 

[Dogman]

I posted this picture two posts above but didn't want to set off any bells and whistles for anyone:
 
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/kardashian-butt-photo-sparks-mark-sanchez-butt-fumble-meme-article-1.2010288

 

[bankshot1]

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/11875719/rex-ryan-new-york-jets-fined-100k-postgame-profanity
 
Rex fined $100k for F-bomb
 

Ryan was fined $100,000 by the league for his profane outburst last Sunday after his team snapped an eight-game losing streak with an upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, a source told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
 
This time, Ryan was caught on camera yelling "F--- you!" to someone on the field. It happened as he walked to midfield for the postgame handshake.The next day, Ryan commented on his profanity. "I think I was saying, 'Thank you,'" Ryan joked.
 

 

[OCST]

Guess he shoulda just knocked out his wife in an elevator or something

 

[Old Fart Tree]

It's his third or fourth offense. 100k still seems ridiculous but this is the No Fun League.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Sheldon Richardson's comments were quite telling in his post-game interview:
 
http://nypost.com/2014/11/25/teary-eyed-sheldon-richardson-didnt-get-drafted-to-lose-games/
 

An emotional Sheldon Richardson had tears in his eyes and a crack in his voice as he spoke to reporters about how frustrated he is with this 2-9 season.
 
 
“I’ve never lost nine games,” Richardson said. “That’s not me at all. I didn’t get drafted to lose games, period. If it don’t hurt nobody like it hurts me, then they shouldn’t be on the team with me. … I really play with everything I got.”
 
 
“It’s the best preparation we had coming into a game,” Richardson said. “That’s the best we got. It’s been a long season. I don’t know what we’re playing for, but I don’t want this organization broke up in no kind of way. I know that’s the next question you all are going to lead with. That’s what happens when you have seasons like this, they clean house. I don’t want it. I play for a lot more. All I am is a number and a name on my jersey. I play with my heart. I don’t take L’s like this, especially to the Buffalo Bills.”
 

 
Not included in the article is how Richardson spoke of Ryan -- saying he loved Ryan and he's line "one of us" and "might as well have a number on his back". He felt the entire team "let [Ryan] down". 
 
Unfortunately, we're seeing the end of the Rex-led Jets era, perhaps one of the most entertaining HC years I can remember.
 
Folks are speaking up about firing Idzik, but let's remember that Idzik was Jets' 4th or 5th choice -- no one wanted to come in with Ryan firmly entrenched. Now that Ryan is sure to be gone, perhaps so will Idzik and Woody can start afresh. 

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

Well, thats one Jet I like now.

 

[Toe Nash]

I'm not sure how people can still defend Rex and last night was a great example. They had a good win and then their bye, so they had extra prep for a division opponent. The weather meant they had normal practice while their opponent COULDN'T practice, plus they got a bonus "neutral" game instead of a road game. And they get completely trounced, including a blocked punt, seven sacks allowed, and basically a big zero on offense.
 
The defense of Rex was always that he at least had his teams ready to play and his players played hard for him. I don't know if they were playing hard last night but no one can say they looked ready.

 

[Leather]

And despite all this they'll bring their "A" game against the Pats in a few weeks, which will be annoying.

 
Crowd should be fairly heavily New England, given that a lot of Jets fans will have bailed by then.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Their "A" game may keep it within 20.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

Their "A" game may keep it within 20.

 
It's their super bowl, and Rex' last hurrah....they may well lose by 20, but it wouldn't shock me if they are closer than that, either.

 

[Stitch01]

All but the all time great coaches have shelf lives. Rex is expired in New York.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

 
It's their super bowl, and Rex' last hurrah....they may well lose by 20, but it wouldn't shock me if they are closer than that, either.

 
I wouldn't be shocked if it's close either, it always seems to be. It would be hilarious if BB went full on heel and for the post game handshake was wearing his 5 super bowl rings and gave him a solid "thanks for trying"  WWE/WWF style.
 
I thought at Week 8 that Rex would get another HC job immediately, but if this death spiral continues then I'm not sure anymore. he may have to be a DC for awhile. 
 
It seems like a decade since these days and their Captains Mark Sanchez and Kevin O'Connell:
 

 

[TheYaz67]

Yeah, they can't keep Rex on because he at least "coaches up a good defense", on which he has used most of his picks - they have given up 303 points so far, which is nearly worst in the NFL....

 

[Tony C]

It's an interesting question. He has a better than deserved rep with the media -- ESPN never fails to make excuses for him -- but his record is truly abysmal, and I have to think that's more evident. Idzik deserves some blame, for sure, but Ryan has always been mediocre and has descended to terrible. That said, would it shock anyone if he ends up with the Raiders? Beyond that, if I'm in a hopeless situation like Jacksonville and just want some juice, maybe could justify bringing in a guy like Ryan just for the entertainment value...hell, hire his brother as DC and maybe a huge circus out of it.
 
On the merits, neither he nor his brother deserve to be hired again at their current levels. Am guessing that's not news to most guys making hires.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

On the merits, neither he nor his brother deserve to be hired again at their current levels. Am guessing that's not news to most guys making hires.

 

[dcmissle]

Stich above +1.
 
Reinforcing a point made a month or more ago:  it is in Idzik's best interest to carry Rex through week 17.  If Rex is clipped early, all of the media power in NYC will turn forcefully and immediately to whether Idzik should be choosing the replacement.  That will be the only game in town with the Giants out of the race.  If the Jets wait, then it gets all muddled with Coughlin's future and so forth.

 

[richgedman'sghost]

 
I wouldn't be shocked if it's close either, it always seems to be. It would be hilarious if BB went full on heel and for the post game handshake was wearing his 5 super bowl rings and gave him a solid "thanks for trying"  WWE/WWF style.
 
I thought at Week 8 that Rex would get another HC job immediately, but if this death spiral continues then I'm not sure anymore. he may have to be a DC for awhile. 
 
It seems like a decade since these days and their Captains Mark Sanchez and Kevin O'Connell:
 

Slightly  off topic but I was flipping through some of the college games last Saturday and KOC  was the analyst for one of the games. I want to say it was the Leigh/Lafeyette game but I'm not sure.

 

[ifmanis5]

The end must be near for Rexy. Didn't get to choose Geno as QB for the next game and was barred from talking about his trip to see his sick dad. Idzik not far behind I'd guess.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Why was he barred from talking about the trip he took to see Buddy?

 

[TheoShmeo]

The last few days have been a bit of a circus.
 
After Rexy's comments yesterday wherein he said that the coaching was great, the players were talented enough and the players were giving it max effort and going hard in practice, he got skewered on talk radio by hosts and fans alike for trying to sell that everything was peachy.  The gist was that practicing hard should be a given and it's not possible for everything to be just perfect and the team to have only two wins.
 
Then today an article appeared in the NY Post in which "confidants" of Rex said that Idzik planned to fire Rex all along after the season and Rex has known about it from sources around the league. 
 
http://nypost.com/2014/11/25/rex-has-known-all-season-idzik-planned-to-fire-him-source/
 
I enjoyed this paragraph:

 

“You don’t think [Patriots head coach Bill] Belichick will be glad to see Rex out of the division?” one of the coaches said. “I guarantee you he’d be happy to see Rex out of the AFC East. I know I’d rather not face him — and I like Rex.”
 

 

[Saints Rest]

I spent a lot of the day in the car yesterday listening to various sports radio, both NYC-local as well as national (Mike and Mike, Francessa, MadDog, Schein on Sports, etc).  They ALL were calling for the heads of both Rex and Idzik (Iznik as Dog called him until corrected).  I think it was Schein who called the Jet's performance the "single worst team performance he had ever seen in any sport ever."  Someone else called the Jets a dumpster fire.

 

[Saints Rest]

 
I wouldn't be shocked if it's close either, it always seems to be. It would be hilarious if BB went full on heel and for the post game handshake was wearing his 5 super bowl rings and gave him a solid "thanks for trying"  WWE/WWF style.
 
I thought at Week 8 that Rex would get another HC job immediately, but if this death spiral continues then I'm not sure anymore. he may have to be a DC for awhile. 
 
It seems like a decade since these days and their Captains Mark Sanchez and Kevin O'Connell:
 

 
As someone pointed out (maybe in the game thread) leading up to the first Pats/Jets game this season, over the last few years, there has typically been one close game, with either team winning, and one blowout Pats win.  Well, we've already had the close game.

 

[ifmanis5]

Why was he barred from talking about the trip he took to see Buddy?

He pissed off Idzik who then barred him from talking about it as retribution.
 
It would be funny if Geno was great last few weeks like last year and he ruins their draft position.

 

[Tony C]

Boy, that Post article sure shows that Rex hasn't lost his touch when it comes to playing the media -- he'll definitely bring down Idzik with him (and just how unlikely is it that buttoned-down Idzik was casually mentioning to buddies that he'd be firing Rex after the season? Only the idiotic NY media would run with that bit of spin).
 
Rex kind of embodies everything that is wrong with NY's sports culture -- what a buffoon.

 

[TheYaz67]

So right now on ESPN there is a "Sportsnation" poll - who should start at QB for the Jets?  Geno Smith or Mike Vick?
 
Only West Virginia has Geno's back - 65% in favor, whereas the other 49 states favor Vick 64% to 36%....

 

[Mystic Merlin]

There should be a 'what's the difference?' option.

 

[OCST]

They should have one of those promotions in the stadium where they call out a section, row, and seat number- and that person gets to play QB

 

[LogansDad]

They should have one of those promotions in the stadium where they call out a section, row, and seat number- and that person gets to coach the team for the rest of the year

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

What about Sanch... Oh...

 

[Bernie Carbohydrate]

Ryan was pressed on the decision to start Smith on Friday by reporters skeptical that he was not forced to make the move by Idzik. Ryan said it was “Jets decision,” a line he has used repeatedly since Idzik arrived last year. The awkward phrase feeds into the speculation that Idzik is forcing Ryan to do things.

 
 
http://nypost.com/2014/11/28/rex-turned-to-geno-smith-to-help-2015-knowing-he-may-be-fired/
 
The Post has it being Ryan's move, positioning him as nobly paying Geno Smith so the team can plan for 2015.
 
"Jets Decision" is an awesome new phrase:
 
I wonder if that moldy cheese is still good? Gonna eat it, Jets Decision.
 
Free ticket to Sierra Leone?  Sign me up, Jets Decision!

 

[Curtis Pride]

That headline is giving me a sense of deja vu. I've got a feeling that I've seen it before.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

As much as I like making fun of Rex, he's probably a top-5 DC and still one of the 30 best head coaches out there.   However, if I were an owner I'd be pretty concerned about his press conference performances and obvious leaking and attempts to manipulate his reputation---I don't think there's a team with multi-year success who has a personality like that as coach in the salary cap era is there?  I'm thinking about Pats, Steelers, Andy Reid Eagles, Dungy, Schottenheimer (in SD).  I guess you could argue Jim Harbaugh (though not John), and that's not as long a run, and is likely to end because of it..   Of the rest, none were anywhere near as consistently self-aggrandizing as Rex is.
 
Maybe the conclusion is that while he can be effective to a point in smaller doses, he's just not a guy you build around personality-wise...and that is putting aside that he's proven completely inept in managing/hiring an offense.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Jimmy Johnson?  Parcells?

 

[PedroKsBambino]

That's why I specified era---certainly, historically, the Rex approach can work.   It's interesting there's no examples of it in the last 15-20 years, though, isn't it?
 
Johnson certainly was terrific with the Cowboys---and this same ego issue led to his departure.  He didn't have a ton of success after Dallas.

Parcells jumped around too much post-Giants to fit the description---and he's a .500 coach without any playoff success without Belichick anyway.  That snippet understates his track record some, but many here overstate his accomplishments too.