With the 2021 season winding down, first-year offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur looks ready to open up his little bag of tricks to attack the New York Jets. While the Jets have struggled this season, perhaps as expected, the development of rookie quarterback Zach Wilson hasn’t been as linear as many had hoped.
But proudly on the front line against the Miami Dolphins, LaFleur decided to open things up a bit. In the first half alone, the Jets ordered a pair of plays, both conjuring up images of backyard football, and both leading to offensive gains.
Initially there was this determination, which culminated in Wilson finding a target after he managed to avoid several potential back-field sacks:
Then, in a design that would make Jonathan Moxon proud, LaFleur called for a hook and side game on the third and long:
As indicated in the tweet above, this play included a “hook and throw” element. Jamison Crowder, having caught the short crossing, turned back to Braxton Piraeus, who picked up the first with his two legs.
As Ted Nguyen of The Athletic points out, there is a way to the madness. With the third and long planes encountering, the short routes will not be covered because the dolphins will descend deep and protect the sticks. So, instead of forcing my throw to wrong numbers, try flipping the text a bit:
Hey, during a rather bleak early menu he gave us something to cheer about.