Darnold and Jets Roll Over Raiders for Third Straight 'W'

JETS 34 - RAIDERS 3 

Raiders head coach Jon Gruden spent the entire afternoon screaming and yelling at the refs and his football team, while the suddenly surging Jets became the first time in NFL history to score 34 points in three-straight games, as Gang Green slammed the Oakland Raiders 34-3 at a near empty MetLife Stadium, Sunday.

In a season that was lost long ago, the Jets clicked in every facet of the game for the third consecutive week with quarterback Sam Darnold leading the way. Darnold was near perfect, completing 20-of-29 passes for 315 yards, two touchdowns and a rushing score in the victory.

For a team that has no discernible offensive line, and a bad running game, Darnold's resurgence has been something to watch. Four weeks ago when the Jets lost to Miami Dolphins 26-18, it appeared that Darnold was regressing, as heat was ratcheted up on head coach Adam Gase.

Since that time, Darnold has completed 65 percent of his passes while throwing for seven touchdowns and one interception.

A lot of that credit goes to Darnold himself, who reportedly spoke with Gase a few weeks ago about pairing down the playbook to plays that he likes, which pleased Gase. Clearly, the 22-year old is realizing this team is his.

On Sunday it was all Darnold, all the time. He guided the Jets to scores on each of their first three possessions of the game.

He opened the game with two big passes of 23-yards to Le'Veon Bell and 24-yards to Robby Anderson, respectively to move the Jets deep into Raiders territory. Were it not for a questionable offensive pass interference call on Demaryius Thomas, Darnold would have had an 18-yard touchdown pass on the Jets opening drive. New York settled for the field goal instead, tying the game at three.

On the Jets next possession, Darnold guided Gang Green on a 12-play, 96-yard scoring drive, with the biggest play of the drive coming on a horrible roughing the passer penalty on Oakland that changed the complexion of the drive.  A play later, Darnold plowed into the end zone for the score to give the Jets a 10-3 advantage.

The Jets kept the peddle to the meddle in the second half, scoring three touchdowns in the third quarter to blow the game wide open. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Darnold found slot receiver Braxton Berrios on a beautiful slant that went 69-yards to the Raiders' one-yard line. Darnold   connected with tight end Ryan Griffin for the score to put the Jets up 20-3.

After another Raiders three-and-out, Darnold rolled out of the pocket and appeared to have 20-yards in front of him to run, but instead threaded the needle to Robby Anderson for a 30-yard gain to the Raiders' nine-yard line. Two plays later, Darnold connected with Anderson again in the back-corner of the end zone for the score to make it 27-3.

On the other side of the ball, the Jets defense was ferocious. The Jets completely shutdown rookie sensation Josh Jacobs, holding him to 34-yards on 10 carries, while Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, struggled all afternoon. Carr completed only 15 passes on 27 attempts for 127 yards and an interception.

The interception of course was a lolly pop that was picked off in the air by safety Brian Poole, who brought it back for a touchdown to give the Jets a 34-3 advantage.

At 4-7, the Jets are now riding a three-game winning streak, and are quickly turning around a once disappointing season. While playoffs are out of the question, the Jets are starting to find an identity. The Jets visit the winless Cincinnati Bengals (0-11) on Sunday, in a game the Jets shouldn't lose. They have already lost to a winless team already this year, and the worst thing the Jets can do to erase all this good feeling is lose to a horrible Bengals team.

If the Jets take care of business against Cincinnati, and against the Miami Dolphins in two weeks, they would be ... believe it or not ... only a game under .500.

Pressure Mounts on Shurmur as Giants Lose Again

BEARS 19 - GIANTS 14

It isn't so much about how the Giants lost to the Chicago Bears, Sunday, because the script has been the same. Daniel Jones fumbles the ball away; the Giants offense is anemic; the opposing quarterback (today it was Mitchell Trubisky) figures out how to throw a football again, and the Giants waste all of their time outs with more than three minutes to go in the game - costing themselves any shot of winning.

Yep, same old, same old for the Giants in a 19-14 loss, Big Blue's seventh straight in fact as they now stand at 2-9, tied for last place in the NFC East. Congratulations. Congratulations to David Gettleman who put this mess together. Congratulations to Pat Shurmur who has coached this team in the ground week-in and week-out.

With games against the Packers and Eagles starring them in the face the next two weeks, it is reasonable to think the Giants will be 2-11 before Chanukah. At least they have the Dolphins and Redskins still on the schedule. One would figure a win has to come out of one of those two games, right?!

Now the rumors are really starting to heat up on Shurmur, with the latest speculation that if he is indeed fired at the end of the year the Giants could pursue .... wait for it ... Jason Garrett. Wait, what? Yes, Jason Garrett.

Not Mike McCarthy. Not Lincoln Reilly, or Mike Tomlin. But Jason Garrett? And you thought the Jets hiring Adam Gase was a bad joke.

Garrett, the Dallas Cowboys head coach is - as per usual - on the proverbial hot seat as the Boys are mired in mediocrity. At 6-5, there is no guarantee the Cowboys will even make the playoffs this year. And even if they do, getting past the second round of the playoffs is a must for Garrett to keep his job.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported this morning that if the Cowboys were to fire Garrett at the end of the season, the Giants would be keenly interested.

"My understanding is the Giants have emerged as a real, legitimate potential landing spot for Garrett," Rapport said on NFL GameDay morning.

Of course, the Giants have to fire Shurmur first, and the Cowboys have to fire Garrett for this to even be considered.

Just the idea the Giants would rather have a mediocre head coach like Jason Garrett lead this team does not speak well about the people in charge of the organization right now. In fact it makes one wonder how this team won two Super Bowls with Tom Coughlin as its head coach with such instability in the front office.

Since Coughlin was fired at the end of the 2015 season, the Giants have gone from Ben McAdoo to Pat Shurmur. Can you imagine Garrett joining that list of futility?  Suddenly the Mara's are making the Johnson brothers look like competent owners.

Just think Giants fans, it could only get worse from here...

NFL Makes the Right Call Suspending Browns' Garrett

Nothing was more disturbing and stunning to watch late Thursday night than Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett using the helmet of back-up quarterback Mason Rudolph as his own personal gavel.

Late in the fourth quarter, with just seconds to go, and Cleveland already on its way to a 21-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Garrett drove Randolph to the ground; the two of them tussled a little bit, with Rudolph grabbing a hold of Garrett's helmet.  Garrett rose, seemingly enraged by Rudolph's actions, and grabbed a hold of Rudolph's facemark and pulled the quarterback off the ground before finally yanking the helmet off.

As guard David DeCastro tried to protect his quarterback, Rudolph tried to grab his helmet back when Garrett slammed the equipment over Rudolph's exposed head. That led to another altercation as center Maurkice Pouncey got into the mix to protect Rudolph, while Browns linebacker Larry Ogunjobi pushed Rudolph to the ground.

The images have been engrained in all our memories forever. We can see it over and over and over again, and each time it is most disturbing to watch. Slow the video down and it is amazing that Rudolph didn't suffer a concussion or brain damage by sheer power that Garrett dropped on the young quarterback's head.

Had Garrett aimed that helmet any differently, we could be talking about a totally different story -- perhaps a coma, or maybe worse, death and possible homicide charges.

While Rudolph will reportedly not pursue legal charges against Garrett, the NFL was well within its means to suspend him indefinitely. And to be honest, they should suspend him for a very, very long time to come.

At the very least Garrett will not play again for the Browns this season. A true loss for a Cleveland team that at 4-6 is on the outskirts of a playoff spot. Garrett would have been important to any potential run the Browns would have mustered in December. Now they can forget about it.

As quarterback Baker Mayfield said Thursday, Garrett's actions were inexcusable and hurt the team. They did.

Worse, however, Garrett has stained his career forever.  However, let's not act like this was a first time  offense for Garrett. He has long built a reputation as a quarterback bully and one of the NFL's dirtiest players. Earlier this year against the New York Jets, Garrett was flagged a number of times for ruffing the passer and even broke the leg of Jets quarterback Trevor Seimian.

Siemian hasn't played again since.

Garrett was not kicked out of the game against the Jets, even though he should have been.

Therefore should we really be at all surprised by Garrett's actions? This guy has taken the extreme to the extreme way too many times in the past. He got what he deserved Friday afternoon from the NFL.

The League will continue its investigation. Garrett will offer many apologies, maybe he will agree to counseling, but the NFL should think first before it allows him back on a field again. If anyone is deserving of a multi-year suspension, this might be it.

Quincy Enunwa Latest Jets Player Angry at Jets Hierarchy

Add wide receiver Qunicy Enunwa to the long list of Jets players who have had it up to here with upper management of the New York Jets.

The injured wide out, roasted the Jets on Twitter for fining him $27,900 for missing two treatment dates due to what he termed was a family emergency and lunch with his wife who is a veteran. Enunwa admitted that he didn't tell the team before hand, but felt the fine was still excessive.

The complaints are a bit surprising from Enunwa, who was always considered the more mild-mannered type.

“Given everything that’s going on around the team I thought this could’ve been handled so many different ways,” Enunwa wrote from his verified account. “I’ve spent my time with the team trying to build myself up to be dependable and hardworking so this [stuff] hurts.”

He continued, “I missed those two days because I took my VETERAN wife out for Veteran’s Day lunch and because I had to handle an emergency in my house. I let the team know this after the fact, and, yes, I should have told them beforehand, but I feel like this was excessive.”

Enunwa is the latest Jets player to go off the rails on Jets coach Adam Gase and GM Joe Douglas. Last month it was Jamal Adams, who was upset the Jets fielded calls for his services before the trade deadline. Adams went out of his way to call Gase and Douglas liars, and admitted he wanted to go to Dallas.

Before that offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele and quarterback Luke Falk filed injury grievances against the Jets. So clearly there is something going on here between the Jets players, the head coach and the front office.

On one hand one could understand the anger from players. They want respect, and clearly the do not feel they are getting it from Gase or Douglas. Gase has been notorious with rubbing people the wrong way, just look at what happened in Miami.

At the same time,  Gase and Douglas are just doing their jobs. Both are trying to establish a new culture with the franchise, and slowing but surely they are weeding out players who do not fit their brand of football. As was pointed out by the New York Post's Brian Costello, the Jets had a lax culture under Todd Bowles and Rex Ryan the past decade. Gase is more of a disciplinarian, even if he lacks the credentials to throw his weight around.

We'll see how this locker room war continues to play out over the final seven weeks. Keep in mind, Gase has already received an endorsement from CEO Christopher Johnson.

Jets CEO Christopher Johnson Making Huge Gamble Keeping Gase

So this is my first real opportunity to react to what has been yet another bizarre week for the New York Jets.

On Wednesday, Jets CEO Christopher Johnson came out and endorsed embattled Jets head coach Adam Gase, claiming Gase has "the trust of the team. The trust of Sam Darnold. The Trust of Joe Douglas" and his trust. Therefore instead of tinkering with another head coach, Gase will remain Jets head coach not only for the rest of this season, but for 2020 as well.

So many thoughts are prevailing through the heads of Jets fans over the last 50-plus hours since Johnson's declaration, including this by WFAN host Joe Benigno. I guess the Benigno scream probably best describes where Jets fans are right now.

The fans are not happy and understandably so. The Jets under Gase have been a total mess this season. A 2-7 record aside, Darnold has regressed under his watch; players are unhappy including Quincy Enunwa, who is upset at the team fined him $27,900 for missing treatment, and the team overall looks unprepared, and unmotivated week-in-and-week-out.

Yet, Johnson doesn't want to rock the boat for the sake of continuity.

 Johnson's decision is not surprising; we got our first inkling this was coming when Johnson decried the consistent criticism Gase has received this year as "unfair." There was no way that Johnson was going to fire Gase, the guy he picked over Mike McCarthy to be the head coach of this team last January. Doing so would be an admission of making a mistake -- something Johnson doesn't want to do.

A big part of Johnson's reasoning, I believe, has to do with the pending return date of his brother Woody. The older Johnson brother is reportedly making preparations to leave his position as Ambassador to the United Kingdom and return to the United States next November, regardless of the 2020 Presidential election.

If Christopher Johnson fired Gase now and selected another head coach, Woody could always cast away that choice when he got back, creating even more instability. Instead Gase's future could now rest in the hands of Woody Johnson, not Christopher. Gase was not Woody's choice -- as far as we know -- and if the Jets are just as bad next year, Woody's return would make a good excuse to make a change.

Another major factor in Johnson's decision is the development of Darnold. Here is where Johnson has a great point. It would be detrimental to the development of the quarterback to have him learn a third offense in three seasons. If that were to happen, Darnold could become a lost cause, and worse for him, the next coach may not fully believe in him the way Gase does now.

That is why Darnold's endorsement of Gase rings very close to Johnson's thinking. This is a quarterback driven league, and one of the most important dynamics to the success of a football team is the head coach-quarterback dynamic.

Front office power: The final factor in Johnson's decision has to be the power he granted Gase during the summer. In May he took Gase's advice to heart and fired then General Manager Mike Maccagnan and brought in Gase's recommended choice of Joe Douglas to be the GM.  Gase and Douglas are close, and unless that relationship has fractured in the last six months, having a coach and GM on the same page is so important to the stability of the franchise.

And, as we know the Jets have been the anthesis of stability for years.

As flawed as his reasoning is, in Johnson's mind, keeping Gase - no matter the record -- is about fostering a stable culture.

Unfortunately for the Jets and Jets' fans that culture is nothing more than more and more failure.

Will Johnson change his mind? We shall see. He's already flipped once -- just this year -- when extolled the praises of Maccagnan, only to fire him weeks later.  Such is life of the New York Jets.

Carlos Beltran Could Be in Big Trouble in Astros Sign Stealing Scandal

Mets manager Carlos Beltran might be facing some trouble amid reports the Houston Astros used technology to steal signs during their 2017 championship run. 

Beltran, now, the newest manager of the New York Mets has been named by The Athletic as having played a key role in the scheme in 2017 alongside then-Astros bench coach Alex Cora. Cora, of course is the current manager of the Boston Red Sox.

According to The Athletic, Major League Baseball is expected to interview Beltran, Cora and Astros manager A.J. Hinch over accusations the Astros used cameras in center field to steal signs from the catcher, and relaying them to hitters by banging a garbage can.

Beltran spoke to the New York Post, saying he is “not concerned” about any repercussions that may come from Major League Baseball.

“There’s nothing illegal about studying your opposite team. We all have the same opportunity to look out for information and tendencies. I love and respect the game. I will be a student of it and apply all the lessons,” Beltran is quoted in the Post.

Earlier this week, Beltran told Joel Sherman of the Post that the Astros stole signs legally without the use of cameras. 

The Mets hired Beltran as a first-time manager who could work “collaboratively” with General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen and his front office staff.  Beltran has been credited as having a high baseball IQ, and was credited as being a “player-coach-type” with the Astros during that club’s run to the 2017 World Championship.

So far Van Wagenen is taking a no comment approach.

“At this point I have been at the GM Meetings, I honestly haven’t read the articles that are out there,” Van Wagenen is quoted in the New York Post. “I have heard some of the discussion about the Astros, but I will let Major League Baseball dictate the next step to try to gather more information in the coming days.”

If Commissioner Rob Manfred finds the Astros guilty of using technology to steal signs, how he levies discipline could define the 2020 season. Could Hinch, Cora, Beltran, or various Astros players face significant suspensions?

That is a huge question, and it will be very fascinating to see how the Mets react to this situation as it develops.

If Beltran is found guilty and suspended, what will the Mets do? That is why hiring a veteran bench coach with managerial experience is critical. Not only would Beltran benefit from having a guy who has been their before to guide him through the rigors of managing, but if MLB comes down hard on Beltran, the Mets would have a solid replacement to keep the organization moving on the field.

Jets Top Giants in Blunder Bowl

JETS 34 - GIANTS 27 

For at least one night the Jets own New York ... kind of ... after holding on to beat their MetLife Stadium co-tenants the New York Giants 34-27 in a slopfest that was every bit as sloppy, poorly coached and, at times, as poorly played as everyone had anticipated.

The Jets won this game because they stunk less than the Giants. Big Blue's inability to run the football at all in this game combined with Daniel Jones' persistent struggles to hold onto the football as well as a number of bone-headed decisions by head coach Pat Shurmur doomed the Giants in this football game.

This is not to take anything away from the Jets. They played well,  even if it was in spurts. Against a team like the Giants that was more than enough.

The Jets simplified the playbook right from the get-go, allowing quarterback Sam Darnold to get settled in with short, precise throws as he delivered his first non-turnover game since the season opener.

On the opening drive of the game Darnold was seven-for-seven on pass plays as he guided the Jets on a 13-play, 75-yard opening drive that ate up half the quarter. On second and goal at the Giants two, the Jets totally faked out Big Blue on a quarterback sneak that everyone thought was a draw play to Le'Veon Bell. Darnold kept the ball himself and skipped into the end zone for the score to give the Jets a 7-0 lead.

After the Giants were turned aside on a three and out on their opening series, Darnold had the Jets on the move again, this time extending plays with his legs like on the 23-yeard touchdown pass to Jamison Crowder where Darnold had to roll out to his right to find the open receiver.

Still the Giants hung around. Big plays and even bigger penalties by the Jets defense allowed the Giants to crawl back into the game.

With the Jets leading 14-7, Jones hit Darius Slayton in stride for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-13. That was the good, until Shurmur decided to shoot his football team in the foot with the first of many bizarre coaching decisions. The Giants elected to go for two points, which they failed to convert. They would spend the rest of the afternoon chasing that point.

Things didn't get any better for the Giants coming out of the locker rooms to open the third quarter when Jamal Adams bull rushed Jones, ripped the ball out of his hands and dashed into the end zone for the score to make it 21-13 Jets.

Adams was all over the field Sunday for the Jets. In addition to pressuring Jones, he was key in stopping the Giants on a crucial fourth and one at their own 39 that led to a turnover on downs.  He was also key in the Jets defense holding superstar running back Saquon Barkley to just one yard rushing on 13 carries.

Overall Adams led the Jets with nine tackles, two sacks, a pass defensed and two more quarterback hits. It was the best game of the year by the Jets most active player.

Adams touchdown proved to be the turning point in the game. Even though the Giants would come back to take a lead, there was never a sense that Big Blue would win the game. This felt like a Jets afternoon and Adams was a big reason why.

Trailing the Giants 27-24 in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter, Darnold hit Crowder on a short pass in space and let the veteran do the rest on a 25-yard gain to the Giants' 34-yard line. On the next play the Giants were called for a huge pass interference penalty in the end zone, giving Gang Green a chance to get back in front, which they did on the next play when Bell plowed into the end zone to make it 31-27.

The rest of the day turned into a punt fest, however another bizarre moment came when Shurmur used all three Giants timeouts before the four minute mark of the fourth quarter. The Giants had no ability to stop the click again down only seven points as the Jets slowly ran the clock out on Big Blue.

So for at least one night, Adam Gase's hot seat has cooled down -- a little bit, while Pat Shurmur's is scalding hot. And the Giants are on a bye week this week. It's going to be very interesting in the coming days.

Next: The Giants are off this week and will visit the Bears in two weeks. The Jets visit the 1-8 Washington Redskins next week. Could this team be on the precipice of ... dare I say .. I  win streak?

PREVIEW: GIANTS and JETS FINALLY MEET IN STINK BOWL

The wait is almost over. In less than 20 hours the New York Giants and New York Jets will meet at MetLife Stadium in the battle of New York Gagging Rights.

Call it whatever you want: the Blunder Bowl, Stink Bowl,  The Toilet Bowl Bowl, the New York Sewage Bowl.

It doesn't matter.

Both the 2-7 Giants and 1-7 Jets have been equally awful, and fans of both teams are equally fed up. 

Whether it be Adam Gase or Pat Shurmur, both coaches, at least in the eyes of the fans, belong on the hot seat.

The loser of this game will be on the hottest of hot seats.

Gase has drawn the ire of Jets fans since the day he was hired, unpopular because 1) his name is not Mike McCarthey, and 2) because he came to the Jets with a very checkered past in Miami. 

Gase's Jets have gone from having high expectations in August to being a total disaster in November. His teams look unprepared, and in recent weeks, unmotivated.  Case in point: in six of the Jets seven losses they have lost by 12 points or more. 

The Jets brought Gase in to be the quarterback guru, and instead, quarterback Sam Darnold has dramatically regressed. The Jets offense is ranked dead last in most offensive categories, and if it weren't for a couple of special teams plays and a pick-six by Jamal Adams, the Jets could have easily been shutout three times this year. 

Gase, a coach known for his public battles with players while with the Dolphins, has already had spats with  Adams and running back Le'Veon Bell -- both of whom were put on the market before the trade deadline. Former Jets offensive lineman Kelichi Osemele and back-up quarterback Luke Falk are filing grievances against the team. The Jets are a total and utter disaster.

Across the building, Shurmur has at least kept the Giants competitive, but that doesn't substitute for the fact that the Giants are a mistake-ridden football team under his watch. 

After an impressive first two games of his NFL career, Daniel Jones has hit the rookie wall hard. He has turned the ball over 16 times this season, and has been under intense pressure all season.  

Shurmur has done very little to help Jones adjust, and disappearance of superstar Saquon Barkley is alarming, albeit, Barkley has been bothered an ankle injury. 

That leads us to an offensive line that has been re-tooled and tinkered with by both Shurmur and General Manager David Gettleman. However, despite those improvements, the offensive line  still can't protect the quarterback from the edge rush, and are not providing enough running room for Barkely. 

And don't get me started on a Giants defense that is a bottom five unit that gives up 28 points per game. 

The Giants stink.

But so do the Jets. 

The question is, who (if it is at all possible) will stink less? 

Logically the edge would go to the Giants because of the simple fact they have been competitive in defeat. Two of their last three losses were by six points or less, and they even held a nine-point lead on Dallas last week before a black cat scurried across the field. 

The Giants should also be able to make plays offensively against a Jets secondary that is one of the NFL's worst.

However a lot of those hopes took a huge hit when Evan Engram and Sterling Shepherd were ruled out for Sunday, a huge break for the Jets. 

Meanwhile the Jets are getting back tight end Chris Herndon for the first time this year, and offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum, which will help their beleaguered unit. 

It will be fascinating to see if the Giants can generate any kind of pass rush against the Jets offense, especially Leonard Williams. The Jets traded Williams over to Big Blue two weeks ago, and this would be the prefect revenge game for him. 

The Key: Running the football. When used properly, the Jets and Giants each have dynamic running backs in Barkley and Bell. If either player gets a head of steam going it would take a lot of pressure of these young quarterbacks. But that is asking both Gase and Shurmur to use their heads, which is asking a lot. 

What to expect: Expect both Darnold and Jones to make a lot of bone-headed mistakes in the game as both quarterbacks continue to struggle.

 I don't like either team in this game, and would like to pick a tie, but someone is going to stumble into a victory here. The Giants are on a five game losing streak, and they are overdue for a win. Hell, both these teams are overdue for a win.

I think Barkley will have a couple of big moments and will score a long touchdown in this, but the Jets will hang around long enough. Both quarterbacks turn it over at least twice. Call me crazy, but I just got a feeling the Jets find a way in OT. 

JETS 26, GIANTS 20.  

REPORT: Christopher Johnson to Remain Patient with Adam Gase

As if it should be any real surprise at all, Adam Gase is not on the hot seat - yet - in the eyes of Jets CEO and owner Christopher Johnson.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Johnson is expected to "remain patient" with Gase despite the consistent, and at times, brutal calls from the fanbase for Gase's ouster.

The Jets want to judge Gase over a larger body of work instead of relying on just eight games.

Logically, the Jets are well within their rights to wait. Making a coaching change in-season improves nothing, and would only create a bigger cloud of uncertainty about the organization.

Keep in mind there are a lot of factors that side with Gase when it comes to the embattled coach keeping his job.

1) General Manager Joe Douglas is a confidant of Gase.

Gase wanted Douglas to come to New York, and Christopher Johnson acquiesced to that demand. The two men have known each other since their days in Chicago and are long time friends. Unless Douglas is secretly going behind his friend's back, these two guys are going to be tied at the hip, which when you consider the recent history of the Jets, would be the first time in a long time by a head coach and general manager. And that leads to point number two...

2) Firing Gase would mean Johnson is creating an cloud on instability about the organization, which would make the Jets look incredibly unattractive to top flight coaching candidates. You want Mike McCarthy or Lincoln Reilly, Jets fans?  Shake things up now and botch it up in the process, and you can forget about it.

Since the Jets fired Eric Mangini in 2008, they have tried to shoe-horn a general manager and head coach together and it hasn't worked out.

Yes, Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan got along well, but the fun lasted only two years before the fiascos of 2011 and 2012. When the Jets fired Tannenbaum, they decided to keep Ryan, which was a horrible mistake.

Woody Johnson tried to put a square peg into a round hole by fitting Ryan with John Idzik, who really wanted his own head coach. The result was a colossal failure, and both guys were fired two years later.

Then the Jets brought in Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles at the same time. Neither guy knew each other well before being hired by the Jets. To their credit, Bowles and Maccagnan tired to work together, even if they disagreed on some personnel moves. Ultimately it was a failure as Bowles was fired last January.

After the Bowles firing, the Jets made the mistake of keeping Maccagnan, letting him handle free agency and the draft before kicking him out the door six months ago. Now we have Gase and Douglas.

The Jets are unstable. They need stability.

3) Firing Gase could negatively impact Sam Darnold. If you are in the camp like I am that Gase is having a negative impact on Darnold, then you probably don't care if they have to get another coach in here to work with the young quarterback. But the fact is asking a 23-year old kid to adjust to three different head coaches and three different offensive schemes in three years is a heady task. If Darnold is the quarterback of the future he needs stability.

4) Woody Johnson is coming home in 12 months. According to Pro Football Talk, the Jets principal owner is coming back from his four-year stay in England next November, regardless of the 2020 Presidential election. Johnson has been overseas as the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom since Donald Trump took office.

When Woody's brother, Christopher made the hire of Gase, and later Douglas, he told reporters that this was his decision and his alone without Woody.

How much influence Woody still has on day to day operations is anyone's guess. I am sure he still has a pulse on the franchise, but if the Jets were to fire Gase now and hire someone else, would that coach be someone Woody would want when he gets back? What if Woody wants to fire that "new" coach when he returns? We don't know where the Jets will be a year from now, but the instability in the owner's box doesn't help matters either.

So if Jets fans really want Adam Gase fired, it's going to take a lot more then losing games for that to happen, otherwise the domino's are slowly lining up favorably for his return in 2020.

Fire Adam Gase Sign Takes Flight in New York

Just 48 hours before the Jets and Giants do battle in the battle of New York gagging rights, Jets fans vented their continued frustration with Jets upper management and head coach Adam Gase, when The New York Sports Fan blog took to the skies with a gigantic banner that read: "Fire Adam Gase Now!"

According to multiple reports the group raised over $2600 for the banner with 159 signatures. It is very similar to the protest Jets fans pulled five years ago when someone flew a banner that read "Fire John Idzik." That worked, as Idzik was fired at the end of the 2014 season.

Fans are hoping that the magic works twice and Gase gets fired at the end of the year. Many fans want him gone ASAP.

While the Jets play the Giants tomorrow afternoon, the fanbase wants to send a clear and stern message to Jets owner Christopher Johnson, and his wayward brother Woody, that they have had enough of the instability, mediocrity, and total and consistent lack of accountability when it comes to managing the franchise.

Even Big Action Productions, the YouTube channel synonymous for its hilarious impersonations of Mike Francesa has put out a new video mocking Gase and his press conferences.

Let's be honest the fans deserve better. They have watched this woebegone franchise be horribly managed for over eight years, and it is not going to get better any time soon unless the Johnson's are willing to hire accountable and experienced people to run the team.

That Darn Cat: Giants Collapse against Dallas after Black Cat Shows Up

COWBOYS 37 - GIANTS 18 

I guess Jets quarterback Sam Darnold was on to something when he said he saw ghosts during the Jets 33-0 Monday night meltdown against the New England Patriots three weeks ago?

This time with the Giants featured on Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys, a precocious feline, darted across the field, and eventually found the end zone before dodging security guards on the way up the tunnel. The cute little black cat became a social media icon, and in so many ways resembled the Giants season. A season that has seemed jinxed from the word go.

Funny thing too, the G-Men were up 9-3 on the Cowboys, and were in the midst of tacking on another score following a Dallas fumble when the black cat stole the spotlight. Ironically, the Giants offense never reached the end zone on that drive, getting as close as the one-yard line before settling for a field goal to make it 12-3 Giants with 2:50 to go in the half.

It was all Dallas the rest of the way.

The Cowboys took the next possession and scored a touchdown when quarterback Dak Prescott broke free of containment, rolled to his right and found Blake Jarwin uncovered at the Giants 42. Upon catching the ball, Jawrin turned up field and darted past Giants defenders on his way to the end zone to cut the deficit to 12-10.

The Giants bad luck continued when Daniel Jones was picked off by Xavier Woods, who brought the ball back to New York's 39-yard line for what would eventually be a field goal and a 13-12 Dallas lead.

The black cat, people. The black cat.

The Giants misfortune would only continue into the third quarter as Saquon Barkley had little to no room to run, and Jones was completely under siege on the edge by the Dallas pass rush. The pressure eventually got to Jones, who was stripped of the football on a critical third and six, while trying to scramble out of pressure. Xavier Jones fell on it for Dallas at the Giants 49 yard line.  The Cowboys converted that turnover into three-more points to make it 16-12.

Even when the Giants managed to stay in the contest, stupid mistakes haunted them throughout the second half. A mammoth illegal use of the hands penalty against Alec Olgetree moved the football from the Dallas 25 to 40.

Later a neutral zone infraction on the Giants gave Dallas a short third down, which they converted when Prescott hit Randall Cobb for a four yard gain to the Giants' 38-yard line. Four plays later Prescott found Michael Gallup in tight coverage on the sideline. Gallup somehow hauled in the ball, stayed in bounds and leapt over a Giants defender, and falling perfectly into the end zone for the score to give Dallas a 23-15 advantage.

The Giants had one last real gasp early in the fourth quarter when Saquon Barkley took a screen pass from Jones and dashed 65-yards to the Dallas 11, but Big Blue stalled right there. On second down it appeared that Evan Engram was held by Dallas corner Chidobe Awuize, but a flag was never called. Pat Shurmur challenged the non-call, but the refs never changed the call to what was an obvious pass interference.

The Giants were forced to settle for three more, to cut the Dallas lead to five, 23-18.

The Cowboys put the game completely out of reach with 7:56 to go when Prescott hit Amari Cooper for a 45-yard strike to make it 30-18. The cherry on top came in the waning seconds when Jones fumbled again, and Jourdan Lewis picked up the loose ball and brought it back for a 63-yard Cowboys touchdown to blow the game totally wide open.

It was a night of bad luck for Big Blue, if you believe in superstitions. Or, you could just realize the fact that the Giants are a mistake prone football team. They have a young, developing quarterback who makes a ton of mistakes; a running back who isn't getting the carries he is used to; an offensive line that is a mess; a head coach who is a terrible play caller, and a defense that can't stop a nose bleed. Yeah, bad luck alright, bad luck indeed.

Adam Gase and Jets are Embarrassed by Once Winless Dolphins

DOLPHINS 26 - JETS 18 

The Miami Dolphins were winless, 0 and 7, perceived by many to be intentionally tanking the season in order to help their draft position for next year. And the New York Jets waltzed into Hard Rock Stadium (or whatever they call Joe Robbie Stadium nowadays) and gave Miami its first win of the season.

The Jets were so putrid, pathetic and abysmal Sunday afternoon it left Jets fans with only one conclusion: it is time to fire Adam Gase. It only took half a season for Jets fans to throw in the towel on Gase, who was not the people's choice when Christopher Johnson hired him last January.

The Jets hired Gase on the thought that he would be a "quarterback guru," based on two brief years with Peyton Manning in Denver, and in case you didn't know already, Manning runs his own offense. The evidence to NOT hire Gase was right in front of the Jets. Three years of mediocrity in Miami, and Gase was the one who jump-started Miami's current free-fall they are trying to dig themselves out of now.

And now the Jets, like the Dolphins, know what the Gase experience is like.

Sam Darnold continues to regress. He threw another costly interception, this time after Ryan Griffin's touchdown was whipped out by replay, when the Jets called a pass play on second and goal from the Dolphins' two-yard line. Darnold rolled to his left, and was nearly sacked when he threw up a lollypop that was picked off in the air Jomal Wiltz. Had the Jets scored they would have cut Miami's lead to 21-14, instead, they failed to score at all.

Darnold wound up completing 27 of 39 passes for 260 yards, but never looked comfortable in the pocket. He held the ball for too long on many instances, getting sacked three times, and throwing a number of balls up for grabs. He looks completely and totally lost -- and that is on Gase for failing this once prized piece to the Jets future.

Le'Veon Bell is still M.I.A. The Jets promised to run the ball more in Miami, but Bell was only handed the ball 17 times for 66-yards as he continues to be a none-factor in Gase's game plan.

The defense. Do we even need to go there? The Jets gave up three touchdown passes to their old quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick who carved them up for 288 yards. The Jets never got a pass rush going in this game, and struggled horribly in coverage, especially in covering tight end Mike Gesicki.

Jamal Adams? Oh, the Jets outspoken safety had some choice words after the game.  When asked about Adam Gase, Adams would only say, "Right now, Adam is our coach. I'm pretty sure he is going to continue to be our coach, so we have faith in him. That's not going to change. Whoever is in the building, thats who we are riding with. So I got his back." That is a stark contrast from the comments used to make about Todd Bowles --- whom Adams defended consistently the past two seasons.

Adams is on non-speaking terms with Gase and GM Joe Douglas -- so there is that in play as well.

In short it's a total disaster. When asked by the press his impressions of the defeat, and whether he was embarassed, Gase cryptically said, "It's the NFL man, you can't be embarassed by this shit man."

Well coach, the fans are embarrassed and they want you out.

As much as the fans want Gase fired right now, it's not likely to happen. Christopher Johnson is not going to give up on his first coaching hire that easily, even if its obvious he has to. He and his brother Woody are still paying Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan through next year. Gase has a three-years left on his deal after this season. You think the Jets are going to pay a third coach next year? Not likely.

The Jets and Gase are stuck with each other for the foreseeable future.

This is the nightmare that Jets fans have to live with, and if you think this is rock bottom ... it really could only get worse from here.

The Jets host the Giants next week in what will be drummed up as the "Toilet Bowl" or "Suck Bowl" or "Stinkfest Bowl." Nothing would be more embarrassing for the Jets, and for the Giants as well, than to lose to the other horrible New York City team. Maybe the game will end in a tie -- it would only be so fitting.

Mets Hire Carlos Beltran as Manager

The New York Mets have settled on a manager. The Mets have named Carlos Beltran as the franchises’ 22^nd field manager on Friday afternoon, ending a month long search for Mickey Callaway’s replacement.

 

Beltran played seven seasons with the Mets from 2005 to 2011 where he hit .280 with 149 homers and 559 RBI, establishing himself as one of the game’s best center fielder’s of his era.

In fact Beltran held the franchise record for home runs in a season (41 in 2006) until this past season when Pete Alonso blasted 53 homers his rookie year.

Beltran comes back to the Mets, the only team he wished to manage in this year’s managerial cycle, have little to no coaching experience. He retired from playing in 2017 after serving as a bench player for the Houston Astros when the won the World Series that year. He got a lot of credit as being a defacto “player-coach” during his stay in Houston.

After retiring, the Yankees picked up on that high praise,  and seriously considered making Beltran the successor to Joe Girardi before settling on Aaron Boone. Instead, Beltran got the role as a special advisor to GM Brian Cashman, a position he held the past two seasons.

With no coaching or managerial experience under his belt, the hiring of Beltran echoes a common trend in baseball, where experience means very little. The front office runs the day-to-day operations of the team from the General Manager’s office and his analytics team. Beltran’s job, in this case, is to disseminate what Van Wagenen wants.

Unlike Joe Girardi, who would have been a confrontational presence for Van Wagenen, the Mets General Manager goes with a safe choice, picking a manager who A) will be agreeable to suggestions from the front office, and B) is remembered fondly by Mets fans, which lowers the blow of negativity had he selected Eduardo Perez, for example.

This does not mean Beltran can’t be a good manager. As someone who is recently retired, he will have the respect of many of his players who are probably familiar with his feats on the field.

That being said, Beltran has to establish a culture of winning when he walks in the door. He has to be the commanding presence in the dugout that the Mets desperately need, especially in a division where the Nationals, Braves and Phillies are all World Series contenders.

Beltran wanted this job badly. He has spoken openly about wanting to manage a baseball team, and now will be his chance on the biggest stage of them all. The first order of business for Beltran will be hiring a solid coaching staff, especially a veteran bench coach and pitching coach that can help guide him along the process.