When Luke Falk came into the game Monday night against the Browns, Jets head coach Adam Gase admitted that he was playing it safe.
That won't happen this week against the Patriots.
"I really didn't have to adjust much. I was probably being too cautious," Gase told reporters before practice. "...I probably held him back a little bit."
Falk knows how Gase's offensive scheme operates, and with the hyper-aggressive Pats defense to work against this week, letting the quarterback simply let it fly and do his thing on the gridiron would likely be the best bet.
And Gase knows Falk wants that to happen, seeing the type of confidence he has in himself.
"He knows the offense, he trusts the guys around him," Gase said. "He does a good job communicating everything. Very quick on his feet, very smart.
"I think he does a good job staying within the play. He executes what we're asking to do well. And he can get us out of bad plays as well."
It will certainly be a tough challenge, especially playing in Foxborough. But, if the Jets want to shock the NFL world and come away with a major upset (the spread has been set at -22.5 to the Pats), allowing Falk to let loose and be creative is a must.
Here's what else Gase revealed in his presser on Thursday:
On Bill Belichick showing no mercy vs. Dolphins...
The Patriots head coach had a 43-0 lead against Miami when it came down to the last play of the game. And instead of just letting his players ease up, and all-out blitz was called.
Is that bad sportsmanship? Gase doesn't think so.
"That's how you're supposed to play - 60 minutes," he said when asked about the play call. "This is the NFL. This isn't Pee Wee football."
Gase was asked again about it, but he explained why he had that thinking.
"It's the second week of the season. The way our league is structured now, those in-game reps are very valuable," he said.
On Jamal Adams' fine from the NFL...
The Pro Bowl safety went to his Instagram to voice his frustrations with the NFL for fining him $21,000 for his roughing the passer penalty on Baker Mayfield Monday night, calling the NFL a "joke."
Gase didn't criticize Adams for calling out the league, but he did discuss what he thought wasn't a dirty play by his player.
"I mean, I keep looking at it trying to figure it out," he said. "I just keep thinking if he doesn't throw it, pump fakes, and [Adams is] pulling up because he thinks he's going to throw it and then he gets the first down running it -- I'm just trying to figure out what's the right thing to tell him as far as how to play that play. When I saw it live, I didn't think that was a bad play."
On Quinnen Williams still out of practice...
Gase was hopeful that the rookie defensive tackle, who is dealing with an ankle injury, would be back at practice when he addressed reporters on Wednesday. However, that wasn't the case when he gave his injury updates, with Williams still working inside the facility on Thursday.
"Not really a setback," Gase said, "trying to gauge where we're at. There's a lot of things that were going really well. ...Kinda working on strengthening some stuff."
Another than Williams, C.J. Mosley continues to heal up his groin and won't be out at practice along with Demaryius Thomas, who has been healing a hamstring injury. Two new injuries made the list as well, with Josh Bellamy ailing from the same shoulder soreness Le'Veon Bell had last week. Trenton Cannon is also going to be limited with an ankle/hamstring injury.