As the Jets’ offense continues to sputter at historically poor levels, head coach Robert Saleh is asked weekly about making significant changes — specifically regarding quarterback Zach Wilson or offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
But following the flight back to New Jersey after the Jets failed to score an offensive touchdown again in a 16-12 loss Sunday night to the Raiders, Saleh reiterated that those still are not the adjustments he has in mind entering the team’s next game Sunday against the Bills.
“We’re talking nothing with the quarterback, nothing with the play-caller,” Saleh said Monday afternoon on a Zoom call. “We’re just looking at things in regards to schematically the things that we can do differently, trying to continue to find ways to feature more of the things that our guys are comfortable with.
“But as far as personnel changes, we’re looking at some things, some different personnel changes, which I’m going to keep here with me. We’re looking across the board to see if we can find a way to generate some offense.”
Wilson, who has been playing since starter Aaron Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles in the first quarter of the season opener, has thrown only one touchdown pass in his past five games.
He has five TD passes and six interceptions overall during the Jets’ 4-5 start.
“You can always argue [for] some type of change, and you’re always going to look at the quarterback first along with the play-caller,” Saleh said. “When speaking about Zack, I get it. There’s a yearning for more or whatever it is, but I feel like he played a good game [Sunday].”
NBC sideline reporter Melissa Stark said Rodgers told her Sunday that he is targeting a mid-December return, but the Jets have resisted turning to backups Tim Boyle or Trevor Siemian to replace Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft.
Wilson matched his season high with 263 passing yards in Sunday’s loss, but he threw a costly interception with the Jets driving in the closing minutes.
The offense also committed several penalties in the game to negate positive plays, and they had to settle for four field goals.
“Obviously, he’ll admit that he’d want that interception back. But it is hard to make changes just to make changes, just to pacify something,” Saleh said. “Especially when someone’s not deserving. If he was deserving of it. I got you. Like, let’s change something. But that’s really for every position. That’s a coach, that’s a player, that’s defensive players, doesn’t matter.
“You’re always trying to look at ways to make sure that everyone is operating at a full go, but to say that one person is the reason for everyone failing I don’t think that’s fair. I don’t think that’s right.”
Jets tight end Tyler Conklin also stressed that any improvement must be a collective endeavor.
“I think the main thing for us is just gonna be unity, we gotta come together as a team and say ‘what the hell do we want this offense to be? What do we need to do to fix this offense? What do we need to do to go on a run here?” Conklin said. “People are acting like it’s the end of the world that we’re 4-and-5. Every team has to go on a run to make the playoffs at some point.
“As a unit and a team we gotta really come together and make a decision. Are we going to throw in the towel and act like it’s the end of the world? Or are we gonna come together as a team and stop making excuses…and get it fixed? Knowing the guys we have in this building, I got a good feeling that’s something we can do.”