Taking command: Sam Darnold's goal is to take Jets to playoffs

Sam Darnold of the New York Jets throws a pass in the first half against the Steelers at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 22, 2019. Credit: Jim McIsaac

Sam Darnold couldn’t spend as much time as usual on the field with his teammates during the spring and summer. But he thought about them all the time and about what he can do to help get the Jets to the postseason.

Darnold may seem like a chill California dude, but a fire burns inside the Jets third-year quarterback. It’s fueled not by stats, but by winning, and it pushed him while team facilities and activities were shut down because of COVID-19.

“I’m 100 percent driven by team goals, it’s everything I think about,” Darnold told Newsday. “For the most…