If the Jets are to avoid the first 0-9 start in franchise history, they likely will have to do it Monday night without starting quarterback Sam Darnold.

The third-year QB was listed as doubtful with a sore right shoulder for Monday’s game against the Patriots, and Adam Gase said “unless something strange happens,” veteran backup Joe Flacco will start against New England.

“Sam went in [during practice Friday] and I think he started out OK, and obviously he was going to do everything he could to be able to go for this game,” Gase said before Darnold sat out Saturday’s session in Florham Park. “As practice went on he felt like there were some throws that he wasn’t comfortable with, that he didn’t feel like either he got the right velocity he wanted on the ball or the arc and pace he was looking to get.

“I know it’s devastating for him because he’s always been able to throw the ball the way he feels he needed to, and I think [Friday] was the first time he felt it did not feel the way that he wanted it to heading into this game.”

The 23-year-old Darnold has been nursing a right shoulder issue since taking a heavy hit two weeks ago against the Bills. He also had missed two previous games in October with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder.

The Jets’ 2018 first-round pick underwent an MRI exam last week. It revealed no further damage or anything structurally wrong with his shoulder. Gase added that he still hasn’t been told whether this injury will require surgery or will cause Darnold to miss extended time.

“I asked the exact same question,” Gase said. “The only answer I got was he’s not going to be able to go this week. We’ll talk about that when we hit the bye week.”

The Jets are off next week and will return in Week 11 with a road game against the Chargers.

“That’s kind of what my brain wave was, that this [week off] could help him,” Gase said. “But I don’t think he was thinking that. He was just being honest with us, saying, ‘I don’t feel the same way I felt the last time I was coming back.’ ”

The 35-year-old Flacco, the Ravens’ quarterback in their victory in Super Bowl XLVII, would make his third start in Darnold’s absence. With Flacco behind center for two games in October, the Jets put up just a combined 10 points in losses to the Cardinals and Dolphins.

Of course, it figures that Monday’s game also looks as if it will mark the first time this season that the Jets’ projected top three wide receivers — Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman and rookie Denzel Mims — all will be in the lineup for the same game.

“It’s just the way it plays out. I think it sucks for [Darnold],” Gase said. “He’s been waiting for those three guys to be together since the beginning.

“It is what it is. I hate it for him and I wish he had the opportunity to play with those three guys if he felt healthy and was ready to go.”