Gang kick their kicker to curb

The Jets made a change at kicker on Saturday, something that has felt inevitable for a few weeks.

The team released Matt Ammendola, who missed three field goals in the past two games and five in the past six games, and signed Alex Kessman to the active roster from the practice squad. The Jets had signed Kessman, an undrafted rookie, two weeks ago and head coach Robert Saleh said this past week they would have an open competition in practice between Kessman and Ammendola.

Ammendola won the job in training camp, but struggled in his first professional season. He was 13-for-19 on field goals this season, and 2-for-8 from 40 yards or beyond. He missed a 42-yard field goal against the Texans last week to seal his fate.

➤ There were plenty of questions about first-year Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur early in the season, when the offense looked awful.

But LaFleur has had a strong second half of the season and has come into his own as a play-caller. The offense has jumped to 21st in the NFL in yards per game (331.2) and the unit had four straight 300-yard games before last week’s 266yard performance against the Texans.

Even during that game in Houston, LaFleur seemed to press the right buttons on two long touchdown drives, creating easy throws for rookie quarterback Zach Wilson and leaning on the running game. LaFleur looks more comfortable in December than he did in September.

“I think you naturally get more comfortable, right?” LaFleur said. “And not just on Sunday, but Monday through Saturday, how to approach the guys in terms of, not that I’ve ever kind of worried about that, but again just what the message has to be for this team, rather for this unit I should say, Saleh’s got the ultimate message. But the pulse of what our offense is going through, the goods and the bad. And just trying to push the right buttons for each individual on our offense. So, getting more and more comfortable but, again, I think it’s just our guys just getting more and more comfortable and us starting to gel a little bit.”

➤ The Jets elevated RB Austin Walter ,DE Ronnie Blair and TE Daniel Brown from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Eagles.