Ulbrich vs. Saleh: How the Jets have looked with each coach

Ulbrich, a former NFL linebacker, trains like he used to play: with emotion and passion. If improving players were a statistical category, the Jets would lead the league. He does it every day, even before practice. Unfortunately for them, the good vibes haven’t translated into a victory.

The epitaph of the Jets 2024: hugs and misses.

Their 2-3 start led impatient owner Woody Johnson to fire fourth-year coach Robert Saleh, and everything (offense, defense, you name it) has regressed since. The Jets are 1-4 under Ulbrich, falling out of contention despite being favorites in four of those games, an illustration of how the team continues to underperform.

“Everyone is angry,” Ulbrich said Monday. “There’s collective anger, frustration, all those things.”

One opposing player, who faced the Jets this season, questioned the team’s chemistry.

“[It’s a] good squad,” the player said. “They just don’t play together or for each other.”

The Jets, who are approaching their 14th consecutive season without a playoff appearance, will likely have a complete organizational reset after the season. Johnson had high expectations and called this his best team in 25 years as owner.

Perhaps most alarming is how the Jets have lost their identity.

For more than two seasons, they were one of the best defensive teams in the league. Not anymore. Under Ulbrich, who also serves as defensive coordinator, they are allowing 26 points and 349 yards per game, compared to 17 points and 256 yards in the first five games.

Despite his increasing responsibility as head coach, Ulbrich continues to lead the defense. He is as involved in meetings as he was before his promotion, according to players, and continues to call plays. He seems overly uptight, but he refuses to cede authority because he believes it’s important to maintain continuity.

“He probably doesn’t sleep much,” defensive back Isaiah Oliver said.

Ulbrich overhauled the offense, stripping coordinator Nathaniel Hackett of the snaps and handing the job to passing game coordinator Todd Downing. There has been a slight increase in run and pass production, but his scoring has dropped (from 19 to 17 points per game) and his situational efficiency (third down and red zone) has plummeted.

Under Downing, his red zone rate is just 44%, compared to 62% under Hackett. “We were just really bad,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said of the offense’s situational performance Sunday.

Rodgers defended the play even though there was a questionable sequence at the goal line. On a second-and-goal from the Arizona 3-yard line, the Jets avoided the run and called three straight pass plays: two incomplete passes and a sack.

Despite Rodgers’ struggles, the Jets are still overly reliant on the pass. Rodgers has 351 attempts, second most in the league. What’s unclear is how much of that is due to him changing plays at the line of scrimmage. He has the freedom to do that, so it’s possible he’s changing run calls to passing plays.

What is clear is that Rodgers is forcing the ball to Davante Adams, who has 20 receptions on 39 targets in the four games since his arrival, easily the worst sack rate (51.3%) among the 19 wide receivers with at least 25 objectives in that period.

The Jets acquired Adams on October 15, anticipating that he and Rodgers would recreate the magical chemistry they shared in their days with the Green Bay Packers. Instead of long-lost friends, they act like complete strangers.

“That’s not my standard in football, so it’s frustrating,” Adams said of the general malaise.

There was one play on Sunday that epitomized the state of Adams, Rodgers and the offense. It happened on third down from the Arizona 27-yard line. Adams cut inside, Rodgers threw outside. Result: an ugly unfinished work. Adams said they hadn’t practiced that play against that particular defensive style: a Cover 0 blitz.

Meanwhile, Mike Williams, criticized by Rodgers last month and ultimately traded, scored a touchdown in his debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Rodgers was supposed to rescue the Jets from the abyss, but his Canton-worthy resume and leadership skills have been no match for the losing culture enveloping the franchise.

The cold, hard reality is that the Jets have been less competitive than last season under Zach Wilson. Rodgers, who will turn 41 on Dec. 2, appears to be a diminished player, unable to use his arm, his feet and his mind to beat a defense. He has gone 32 consecutive games without a 300-yard passing day, by far the longest active drought in the league.

Jaw clenched, Rodgers refused after the game to share his true feelings. This must be eating him up. Adams acknowledged it and said that all-time greats hate to lose.

“If Michael Jordan was on this team,” Adams said, “I wouldn’t be happy.”

Ulbrich inherited this after Johnson surprised everyone by firing Saleh. Johnson thought the fiery Ulbrich would provide a spark, galvanizing a roster full of big names but little chemistry.

The opposite has happened, with players (most notably Adams) questioning the team’s energy level. That might explain why the Jets missed 20 tackles on Sunday, letting the Cardinals run wild.

Players swear by Ulbrich’s coaching style, saying he brings a player’s mentality to the job. He has so much energy it looks like he has a battery inserted in his back, tackle Morgan Moses reflected.

“He goes around and tells everyone, ‘You’re one lucky son of a bitch,'” Moses said. “What he’s really saying is, ‘If I could have one more play, I’d give anything to get it.'”

Behind closed doors, Ulbrich isn’t afraid to hold them accountable, according to players. If someone makes a mistake, they will point it out in a meeting, but never in a mean way. He’s a lot like his coaching mentor, Pete Carroll, and always takes the half-full approach.

“There is a high level of responsibility, I promise you,” Ulbrich said, adding that he would never bring up the “family business” in public.

But he’s not afraid to show affection in public. One day last week, Ulbrich hugged Rodgers so tightly that he lifted him off the ground. The scene evoked that viral moment on Sept. 20, when the quarterback resisted a hug from Saleh during the game.

It’s probably a stretch to say the Ulbrich-Rodgers hug was symbolic of a better relationship between coach and quarterback (Rodgers never said anything negative about Saleh), but it illustrates a more sensible vibe around the team.

Bottom line: They’re 3-7 and appear to be closer to the No. 1 pick (with the 11th best odds in the NFL, according to ESPN Analytics) in the 2025 draft than a playoff berth.

Hugs and misses.