Adam Gase sure isn’t shying away from setting high expectations for the Jets in 2019.
Gase spoke to the media for the first time since minicamp Wednesday and immediately caught everyone’s attention. The new head coach didn’t set any specific goals, but Gase is pretty confident that his team won’t be out of the playoff discussion late in the season.
“We’re going to play meaningful games in the end of November and December,” Gase said. “That’s what we’re going to do.”
That’s a bold statement considering the Jets won just four games a year ago. It’s not on the level of Rex Ryan, who set the bar at the Super Bowl during his days in New York, but it’s a big step for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in eight years and hasn’t even been close to contention in the last three years.
There’s no question that the Jets improved during the offseason in free agency and in the draft. However, they still have some holes to fill. The offensive line, secondary and wide receivers are all still huge question marks for this team.
We’ve seen teams in the past go from worst to first — or at least a wild card — so it’s a real possibility for the Jets. But at the same time, what’s the number of wins that it’s going to take to secure a playoff berth? The Jets probably aren not good enough to dethrone the Patriots just yet, so they’re going to have to lock down one of the two wild card spots.
Whatever the end result, Gase sounds like a believer in his new team.
“There’s some good juice in our building right now,” he said. “We’re ready. We’re 0-0. It’s going to be all about how we come together. We all know we’re starting at 0-0 and it’s time to go to work and see where the chips fall.”
