Sam Darnold flops in possible final Jets straw for Adam Gase

Sam Darnold with weapon🍬s looked an awful lot li🎐ke Sam Darnold without weapons.

The Jets starting quarterback returned to the lineup after missing the previous two gam🗹es with a shoulder injury. It was the first game of the season that he played with the Jets’ top three receivers, something the team hoped would lead to better production from the third-year quarterback.

Instead, it was more of the same from Darnold, who threw two second-half interceptio🍬ns a⭕nd failed to get the ball into the end zone in a 20-3 loss to the Dolphins.

“It’s those two decisions that I made, the two picks, those 💟suck,” Darnold said. “But, other than that I missed a couple of throws but, yeah, I’ve got to be better. I didn’t play well enough to win a ballgame today.”

The loss drops the Jets to 0-11, the worst record in franchise history through 11 games. The 11-game losing streak is second in franchise history, behind only the 12-game streak than spanned the 1995 and 1996 seasons. The lꦇoss keeps the Jets on pace to get the No. 1 pick in the draft and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Jets coach Adam Gase appeared to take back play-calling after letting offensive coordinator D💦owell Loggains call the past four games. Gase denied that he did so after the game, though. Whoever was calling the plays struggled. The Jets managed just 10 first downs in the game and 70 yards in the second half.

You have to wonder if this now enough for team CEO and chairman Christopher J🌱ohnson to fire Ga🐓se. It has been clear for weeks that the Jets need to make a coaching change after the season, but why wait at this point?

“All our guys are battling,” said Gase, sounding an awful lot like Rich Kotite. “They try to get better every day. It’s frustrating because I feel like we’re right there. We have to make one or two plays, especially t✅his last ꦕgame. It’s right there for us. There have been multiple games like that. It’s frustrating for myself, all the players, I know the fans, everybody’s frustrated. We’re trying to find ways to get it right. We’ve played tough teams and we have to find a way to beat them.”

Darnold started off strong, but faded quickly. He ended up completing 16 of 27 passes for 197 yards. He has no𒅌w gone 19 quarters without throwing a touchdown pass. His last touchdown came on Sept. 27 against the Colts. This was his fourth game since then. He has twice missed two games with a shoulder injury.

Darnold backed Gase after the game despite how little success the two have had together ov💜er the last two seasons.

“I’m super confident in Adam and t꧒he way he coaches,” Darnold said. “Us players have got to be better and me, personally, I’ve got to play better.”

The Dolphins improved to 7-4 and remain in the AFC playoff hunt. Veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick started aꦰt quarterback in place of an injured Tua Tagovailoa and carved up the Jets defense early. He completed 24 of 39 passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Fitzpatrick found tigꦅht end Mike Gesicki for a 13-yard touchdown in the second quarter that put Miami up 10-3. The teams exchanged field goals in the first quarter.

Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders made field goals of 54 and 51 yards, the second onಌe put the Dolphins up 13-3 with 5:23 left in the second quarter. The Jets mounted a 13-play drive just before halftime but stalled at the Dolphins’ 11. Sergio Castillo attemp🍌ted his second field goal of the game, but missed the 29-yard chip shot, sending the Jets to halftime trailing by 10 points.

The Jets defense picked things up in the seco🧸nd half and forced two fumbles inಞ the third quarter. The turnovers gave the Jets the ball at the Miami 45 and 26 and they came away with no points either time.

On the second fumble when they started at the 26, the Jets went foꦗr it on fourth-and-1 and Frank Gore was stuffed on a run up the middle by Dolphins linebacker Elandon Roberts.

“I feel bad for 🌳our defense♎, personally,” guard Greg Van Roten said. “Just seeing them in the locker room, I feel like we let them down as an offense today.”

Darnold was 5 of 6 for 84 yards in the first quarter and looked like he was ready to have a big day. Then, he faded. He connected for long passes with Breshad Perriman for 37 yards and Denzel Mims for 30 yards but it did not happen enough. The Jets hoped Darnold would click with Perriman, Mims and Jamison Crowder playing with him for the first time this season. Instead, the offens💫e fizzled.

Darnold’s worst pass came early in the third quarter on third-and-8. Darnold, rolling to his right, threw late and across his bod♐y and was intercepted by Dolphins cornerback Nik Needham.

“It’s just a feel,” Darnold said. “I made a bad decision. I think I could have just put it more toward the 🤪sideline.”

The J🧔ets have five games left to find a win and avoid being the third team in NFL history to go 0-16.

“That’s a thing thaꩵt no player, no coach, no staff ever wants to be a part of,” linebacker Jordan Jenkins said. “No one wants to go 0-16. That’s something that nobody in this league wants to do. We’re going to keep fighting to try to change that.”