Jets OC Mike LaFleur Realizes Making Joe Flacco Throw 59 Times Isn't Great

The New York Jets folded against the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL season opener this past Sunday, losing at MetLife Stadium by the score of 24-9. This was not a surprise given the Ravens have Lamar Jackson and the Jets were forced to start Joe Flacco due to Zach Wilson's knee injury suffered in the preseason.

It may, however, come as a shock to learn that the Jets did not rely on their run game in an attempt to generate yards without their starting QB. No, offensive coordinator Mike LeFleur felt it necessary to keep throwing the rock. Over and over again. To the point that Flacco, who had started five games in the previous two seasons leading up to Sunday, finished the day with 59 passing attempts.

Fifty-nine passing attempts!

That's nuts for any team to do no matter who is dropping back. It doesn't really matter how good your QB is. If you're throwing the ball nearly 60 times in one game, things are going horribly wrong. Even at the peak of his career Flacco wasn't good enough to justify throwing the ball 40 times, much less 59.

As it turns out, LeFleur realized this, too! Too late, admittedly, but better that than never.

Not great balance and not a winning formula. The days of Elite Joe Flacco were fun and also long gone. Let's cut those attempts in half and see how the Jets do.