Considering that the National Football League has been around a century and change, little should be deemed a surprise by now. Yet, in its wide, wild world, it still manages to produce moments that make even its most ardent followers do a double take. For instance, the decision of Jets head coach Robert Saleh to have 36-year-old Joe Flacco start against the Dolphins this weekend was most certainly a from-way-off-left-field development that stunned fans long used to head scratchers.
Interestingly, Saleh was just four days removed from defending relatively wet-under-the-ears Mike White following a poor outing against the Bills. At the time, the latter had just come off a four-interception stint and was being pilloried from all corners 鈥 or, rather, just about all corners, with Jets habitu茅s seeming to remain on the side of the erstwhile backup. 鈥淣ow, everyone wants to throw him away,鈥 the bench tactician argued. 鈥淗e deserves better than that.鈥
It isn鈥檛 simply that Saleh did a 180-degree turn in practically no time at all. It鈥檚 that the Jets are two and seven, and presumably better served by giving White the experience he needs to subsequently thrive under center. Instead, Flacco gets the nod, never mind the situation, and never mind that the one-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awardee was last on the field at kickoff a year ago, with a zero-of-six slate in the last six starts.
Clearly, the Jets are after low-hanging fruit. What a win in Week 11 of an obviously doomed season serves, however, is subject to speculation. It definitely doesn鈥檛 help White鈥檚 confidence any, the supposed surfeit notwithstanding. In any case, the choice is one thing, and the justification quite another. Saleh defended his action by contending that Flacco鈥檚 鈥渃alm鈥 is better suited for the Dolphins鈥 defense 鈥 a specious claim in the face of the whopping 25 points they have allowed per game through their three and seven slate.
What鈥檚 done is done, though, and the Jets are once again compelled to reap what they sow. Whether and how this will redound to their benefit beyond the short-term gain 鈥 if at all 鈥 remains to be seen.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since 大象传媒 introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
