Was Mike LaFleur really responsible for the Jets’ offensive struggles in 2022?

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Mike LaFleur mutually agreed to part ways with the Jets

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The New York Jets started the most important offseason of the Robert Saleh era with a bang. The team mutually agreed to part ways with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur Wednesday night on the shoulders of another season below .500.

Efforts to score points offensively eventually led to the young coach’s sacking after two seasons.

But was Mike LaFleur really to blame for the Jets’ offensive woes down the stretch?

New York didn’t record a touchdown in the final three games of the season, which was compounded by six losses to end the season. An inability to develop their young signalman was also a big part of the team’s offensive funk.

As with many things in the NFL, teams that struggle don’t just struggle for a reason. Saleh talked a lot about it during his press conference with reporters on Thursday morning. New York’s offensive line has been decimated by injuries. Alijah Vera-Tucker was lost for the year at the start of the season while rookie phenom Breece Hall was also lost for the year after a torn ACL.

Key injuries play a role in a team’s struggles. But the lack of production from the Jets’ second pick in 2021 played an even bigger role in Gang Green’s demise. Wilson completed less than 60% of his passes, threw more interceptions than touchdowns and struggled to learn from the mistakes he made throughout the season.

Success on the field wasn’t the only problem among the Jets’ offense, either. The team had Elijah Moore requesting a trade due to a lack of goals, Zach Wilson had to deflect blame after he failed to take responsibility for a loss, and even rookie phenom Garrett Wilson frustrations with the offensive system.

Safe to say, it’s been a roller coaster ride for the New York Jets in 2022. It’s easy to say that Mike LaFleur is a scapegoat for the team’s offensive struggles and Zach Wilson’s lack of development. Yet when it comes to young quarterbacks, coaching matters. Even LaFleur mentioned it in his year-end conference saying that for two years we didn’t do our job with him. Any player who is not producing at the level he is capable of, as a coach, you have let him down.

The Jets’ previous offensive personnel clearly weren’t doing enough to mitigate injury losses or poor play. And the fact Wilson showed little to no improvement in Year 2 shows new minds might be needed. to help New York reach the playoffs.

Mike LaFleur wasn’t the only reason for the Jets’ offensive struggles. But he was certainly not part of the solution either.

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