Insights from Strategy Sessions on the New York Jets

Behind every NFL team’s game plan lies hours of strategy sessions—film study, playcalling debates, and opponent breakdowns—and for the New York Jets, these closed-door meetings have been a critical tool for navigating a season of injuries and roster inconsistencies. Insights from Strategy Sessions on the New York Jets pull back the curtain on how head coach Robert Saleh, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich collaborate to build game plans, adapt to in-season challenges, and develop long-term schemes that play to the team’s strengths. These insights, gleaned from coach interviews, player anecdotes, and practice observations, reveal a team that’s not just reacting to losses but actively learning from them—using strategy to lay the groundwork for future success.

Insights from Strategy Sessions on the New York Jets begin with the team’s weekly opponent scouting process, which kicks off every Monday morning and involves every member of the coaching staff. The sessions start with a 90-minute film review led by Saleh, where coaches break down the opponent’s recent games to identify patterns: How often do they blitz on third down? What routes do their top receivers prefer? Where are their defensive linemen most vulnerable to run blocks? For example, when preparing for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12, the Jets’ defensive staff noticed the Ravens relied heavily on running back Gus Edwards in short-yardage situations—so they designed a “gap-shift” scheme to clog running lanes, assigning two linebackers to Edwards’ side on every third-and-short play. Hackett, meanwhile, focused on the Ravens’ secondary, noting they struggled with deep crossing routes—so the Jets added three such plays to their game plan. “Our strategy sessions are all about finding small edges,” Saleh said. “We don’t try to reinvent the wheel—we find what the opponent doesn’t do well, then build around that.”

Insights from Strategy Sessions on the New York Jets also highlight the team’s focus on offensive balance, a recurring theme in sessions after the Jets struggled with one-dimensional play early in the season. After Week 6’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles—where the Jets rushed for just 62 yards and threw 45 times—Hackett led a strategy session focused on restoring the run game. Coaches analyzed film of running back Breece Hall’s best carries from 2023, identifying that he excelled on “outside zone” plays where he could use his speed to bounce runs to the edge. They also adjusted the offensive line’s blocking assignments, having left tackle Mekhi Becton pull more often to lead Hall’s runs. The result? Hall rushed for 115 yards in Week 7’s win over the Washington Commanders, and the Jets’ run-pass ratio balanced out to 48-52 (from 32-68 in Week 6). “That strategy session was a turning point,” Hall said. “We stopped forcing passes and started playing to what I do best. It made the whole offense flow better.”

Insights from Strategy Sessions on the New York Jets reveal how the team adapts to injuries mid-season, a challenge that dominated sessions in November. When cornerback Sauce Gardner suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 12, Ulbrich led an emergency strategy session to adjust the secondary. Coaches decided to shift rookie Jalen Ramsey Jr. to Gardner’s outside corner spot (where Ramsey Jr. had practiced but never played in a game) and move veteran safety Jordan Poyer to the slot to cover slot receivers—a role Poyer had played early in his career. They also added more “zone coverage” looks to reduce Ramsey Jr.’s one-on-one matchups, relying on linebackers to help with deep passes. The adjustments worked: Ramsey Jr. recorded an interception in his first start, and the Jets held the New England Patriots to just 14 points in Week 13. For the New York Jets, these injury-driven strategy sessions are a test of flexibility—and a reminder that no game plan is set in stone. “Injuries force you to think on your feet,” Ulbrich said. “We didn’t panic—we looked at what our remaining players do well, then built a scheme around that. That’s the mark of a good strategy session: it doesn’t just plan for the ideal—it plans for the real.”

Insights from Strategy Sessions on the New York Jets include a focus on in-game adjustments, a skill the team has refined over the season. During strategy sessions, coaches pre-determine “trigger points” for changing the game plan—for example, if the Jets trail by more than 10 points at halftime, they’ll shift to a more aggressive passing attack; if they’re winning by 7 or more, they’ll increase run plays to burn clock. These triggers were put to use in Week 15’s game against the Chicago Bears: the Jets trailed 13-3 at halftime, so Hackett called a strategy huddle to switch to a “no-huddle” offense, which had worked well in practice but hadn’t been used in games. The adjustment paid off: the Jets scored 14 points in the third quarter, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers completing 8 of 10 passes in the no-huddle look. For the New York Jets, these in-game strategy tweaks are a result of pre-game preparation—ensuring coaches aren’t making decisions on the fly but executing plans they’ve already debated. “We talk about every scenario in our pre-game strategy sessions,” Hackett said. “So when we need to adjust, we’re not guessing—we’re following a plan we’ve already practiced. That’s what makes the difference between winning and losing close games.”

Insights from Strategy Sessions on the New York Jets wrap up with the team’s offseason planning sessions, which began in late December and focus on long-term schematic growth. Coaches are currently analyzing the 2024 season to identify what worked (the run-heavy game plan with Hall, the zone coverage adjustments after Gardner’s injury) and what needs to change (red-zone passing efficiency, third-down defense). They’re also studying college and other NFL teams for new ideas—for example, the offensive staff has been watching film of the Detroit Lions’ “play-action bootleg” schemes, which they think could work with Rodgers’ mobility. Saleh emphasized that these offseason strategy sessions are just as important as in-season ones: “We don’t want to just fix our mistakes—we want to get better. These sessions let us build a foundation for 2025, so we hit the ground running next year.” For the New York Jets, the insights from these strategy sessions aren’t just about X’s and O’s—they’re about building a culture of preparation, adaptability, and continuous improvement. As the team heads into the offseason, these sessions will guide every decision from draft picks to free-agent signings—ensuring the Jets’ strategy is as strong off the field as it is on it.