Jeff Ulbrich certainly left the door open.
He led one of the league's best units as defensive coordinator, but fell off a cliff after being promoted to interim head coach.
Over the past six weeks, Ulbrich has taken on greater head coaching responsibilities while continuing to be responsible for organizing the defense throughout the week and calling plays during games.
It failed dramatically, and the only area of team strength sank as the Jets became even more poorly coached overall.
With the team on a bye at 3-8, would he consider abandoning his defensive play-calling so he could reinvigorate the team and focus on a bigger role?
“As of today, that's not the case,” Ulbrich said Monday. “But we will definitely evaluate everything in the coming days.”
With head coach Robert Saleh and Ulbrich running the defense, the Jets allowed 17 points per game through the first five weeks, tied for fifth in the NFL. But since Saleh and Ulbrich were fired from the promotion six weeks ago, the Jets are allowing 26.2 points per game, which ranks 24th in the league.
Instead of revitalizing the team as a whole, Ulbrich's head coaching change stretched him out too much and weakened the Jets' identity.
“It's very difficult to see a unit not perform as well as it should,” Ulbrich said. “It's up to me and my staff and all of our defensive players to get back to the standards that we've built here over the last few years, because we haven't played as well as we should have, and we haven't played as well as we should. 'Cause we can play too. Some of that will be back on track this week. ”
If Ulbrich decides to give up on defensive play-calling, the Jets' two options will be senior defensive assistant and cornerbacks coach Tony Oden and defensive backs and safeties coach Marquand Manuel.
Both players were hired as part of Saleh's original staff and are in their fourth year with the team.
“I noticed [the drop-off]'' Cornerback DJ Reed said after Sunday's game. “We haven't played up to our standards defensively the last few games. We've given up touchdowns, we've given up explosive plays. I just can't explain what it is.
“Coach Ulbrich has a lot of work to do, but he's a grown man and can do it. I think at the end of the day, it's important to execute and fulfill our role.”
During Sunday's 28-27 loss to the Colts at MetLife Stadium, Anders Karlsson kicked a 35-yard field goal with 2:41 left in the game to extend the Jets' lead to 27-22.
Ulbrich, facing a fourth-and-2 from the Colts' own 17-yard line, said after the game why he chose a field goal because he believed the defense would stop him because the Colts needed a touchdown to win. Ta. Rather than aiming for that.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he wanted to go for it on fourth down, but he trusts Ulbrich's decision.
This decision backfired miserably, as the Colts burst through the Jets' defense in just six plays, rushing for 70 yards, and quarterback Anthony Richardson rushed for a 4-yard touchdown with the game remaining. With less than a minute to go, the Colts led 28-27. .
Players have pointed to a lack of fundamentals that has become evident in recent weeks.
“It's definitely tough to watch,” safety Chuck Clark said Monday. “It's tough to watch and know we could be better and then go back and see it on film.” “Honestly, we just know we could be better than what we're putting out there. It's the details of Day 1 that are messed up. Honestly, we must have a firm grasp on things.”
