Spoiler alert: Garrett Wilson is an excellent receiver and the Jets' best offensive player.
Just make sure Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich is aware.
New York's play-caller has watched his offense stay stagnant across the board despite an increase in talent at his disposal. Geno Smith is a quality quarterback, and there are several quality pieces around him to make the unit just as respectable as any other in the NFL.
Despite all the talent, the Jets rank 23rd in passing and 27th in points scored.
Part of the disconnect has been New York's inconsistencies, stemming from Wilson's lack of targets.
But don't worry, Reich made it clear on Thursday that getting the ball to his best player is always in the back of his head... when someone else brings it up.
Frank Reich needing to be reminded about Garrett Wilson is a problem
In the Jets' 26-19 loss to the Patriots, Gang Green threw Wilson six of the team's 30 passes. For a roster in need of points, you would think they would target their star significantly more than anyone else.
Never fear, though. Reich spoke to reporters on Thursday, saying that he's always reminded of that... by head coach Aaron Glenn.
AG (Glenn) is always in my ear if Garrett hasn't gotten the ball for a little bit. He's, 'Hey, don't forget. Boom, get our playmakers the ball,' that kind of thing, which is good. We're trying to get to him as early and as often as we can.
Frank Reich, Jets OC
It's good for a head coach and offensive coordinator to be in lockstep, as Glenn and Reich are. But it should not take Glenn's comments to remind Reich how important it is to get Wilson the ball. It isn't quite a coincidence that the Jets' three best offensive games of the year saw Wilson as the unit's top target man.
Wilson helps stabilize the unit and gets them going early.
An offensive coordinator not understanding that—or not focusing the game plan specifically on that—is one that seems focused on trying to outsmart the opposition rather than actually scoring points. In the modern NFL, those play-callers seldom find success.
So it shouldn't surprise everyone that the Jets are 2-4 with their offense failing to put up 20 points in each of their last three games.
The good news is that Reich's game plan hasn't been too much of a hindrance to Wilson's mindset. While many star receivers can be outspoken and "diva-like," he's remained committed to the Jets, even during the offensive unit's recent struggles.
“You have that confidence to be productive when you’re called upon again, and then just kind of showing, reminding everyone that this is why I’m at this point,” Wilson said. “And it sounds stupid because it’s like a reminder, but everyone is good, obviously, at this point, but it’s real now. Your teammates feel that, your coaches feel that, and they think they can call upon you again.
Eventually, though, Wilson's patience needs to be rewarded. And that falls on Reich to accomplish.
It's time for the Jets' play-caller to step up and stop trying to outsmart the competition. All Reich has to do is get the ball to the team's best player. Good things tend to happen when that goal is accomplished.
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