Jets coach Adam Gase still has Sam Darnold's back despite winless record

Never mind all the teams that have given Sam Darnold trouble this season. Nobody defends the Jets quarterback harder than Adam Gase.

After Gase went back and watched Sunday’s 40-3 loss in Seattle, he praised Darnold for all the good things he did that the untrained eye may not see. Still, it’s not showing up on the scoreboard, stats or win-loss record.

Darnold threw for just 132 yards and no touchdowns against the NFL’s worst passing defense, as the Jets fell to 0-13, and 0-9 in games the third-year quarterback has started. It was the fifth time this season that Darnold failed to throw a touchdown pass.

"He’s doing the right things," Gase said. "We’re having breakdowns around him. I’m sure at the end of the year when we go look at the big picture there’s going to be things that we definitely need to do better and get corrected. But this game, just looking at this, it’s frustrating to see him turning the ball loose on time, going to the right spots.

"Early in the game until probably late third quarter he was making the right decisions. We just got to help him."

This has been a familiar refrain from Gase this season. The embattled coach who is expected to be fired after the season has gone out of his way to protect the quarterback who may be playing his final three games as a Jet.

Darnold has thrown five touchdown passes and nine interceptions this year. The third-year quarterback could have been picked off two or three more times in Seattle. One of his throws was right in Jamal Adams’ hands, but the former Jet dropped it.

The truth is Darnold doesn't appear to have taken the steps he needed to prove he can be a franchise quarterback. You can point to the injuries on the offensive line and skill positions, but that’s a part of football. Other quarterbacks and teams are overcoming them.

"It’s not just him," Gase said. "Everybody’s got to do their job. We need the line to do their job, backs to do their job, tight ends, wide receivers. He can make the right decision on his reads, but he can’t catch it. He can’t make the guys be in the right spots. We need all 11."

Recently, Gase said he failed to develop Darnold. Darnold disagreed and took full responsibility for his struggles and the team’s futility. On Monday, Darnold expressed his love for the organization and said he wants to be "a Jet for life."

It’s become a sad melodrama that’s getting harder and harder to watch.

The Jets are enduring the worst season in franchise history and are just three losses from becoming just the third team to go 0-16, and Darnold looks and sounds more and more beaten with each defeat.

He’s only 23 and has never experienced losing like this. Few have. Like Gase, Darnold shoulders the blame. He tries to remain positive, but it’s clearly wearing on him.

A week off to mentally refresh would probably do Darnold some good. The Jets, too.

Joe Flacco has been their best and most productive quarterback this year. He has one more touchdown than Darnold in five fewer games. But Darnold wants to play through this. Gase wants him to as well.

It could get ugly this week. They Jets are in Los Angeles to play the Rams. They have the best passing defense and have allowed the fewest passing touchdowns (14). Aaron Donald could feast on Darnold on Sunday. But Gase is sticking with his quarterback as long as he’s physically healthy.

"This is the tough part of our profession," Gase said. "These are the things that sometimes you have to go through especially as a player, especially as a quarterback. You have to find a way to help your guys get better, find ways to put points on the board, find ways to move the football.

"I don’t think him basically stepping away is going to be helpful. I think he’s got to keep pushing, keep fighting through. Our guys need to see him keep fighting through. We got to get all our guys to rally around, especially offensively and start doing things better as a group."

Kicking game changes

The Jets released kicker Sergio Castillo, who missed three field goals Sunday. Sam Ficken is set to return from IR and the Jets claimed Chase McLaughlin off waivers Monday.