After a nail-biting victory over Washington, the New York Jets’ head coach and players spoke to the media
The New York Jets, despite their best efforts to blow the game, found a way to win on Sunday.
Facing the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium, the team blew a 20-point lead to one of the worst teams in football and appeared to be heading toward a crushing defeat. However, a two-minute drive and a last-second 54-yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein gave the Jets the relief of a 30-28 victory.
After the game, head coach Robert Saleh spoke about his thoughts late in the game once Washington took the lead.
“Just keep composure. It still felt like we’d go down and score. It’s unfortunate the way the second half came around. We have a chance to go up 34, possibly 30-7. They get the turnover. Jacoby Brissett comes in. He did a great job sparking their offense and getting them going,” he said.
“Overall, it was a resilient (effort). It was a fight. We were resilient. Obviously, we made the second half more interesting than it needed to be. Credit to the guys, the defense getting the ball back in a four-minute situation. The offense took the ball down and kicked a field goal for the win.”
Saleh addressed the question of whether the Jets took their foot off the gas, saying that “momentum shifted and we couldn’t grab it.”
In light of reports that his job is secure, the Jets’ head coach also explained why he feels he can be the one to turn the team around in 2024.
“It’s just one of those deals where, obviously, I can sit here and give you reasons why I think I’m the right coach. At the same time, there are going to be a lot of things that I need to reflect on, acknowledge, and get better at,” Saleh remarked. “Not just with myself, but globally. And use this offseason to make sure we’re attacking it in a way that gets us toward the goal that we all believe we can get to, which is a championship.”
Running back Breece Hall, whose 191 scrimmage yards were the third-highest of his career, spoke about how effective he was as an overall player on Sunday.
“The coaches were able to get me in good spots to get the ball in space and they stayed with me the whole game. It’s a blessing that they still have faith in me after having a big knee injury and everything and still believe I’m the guy. It means a lot to me,” said Hall.
Wide receiver Garrett Wilson also praised the star running back, calling him “special.”
“He’s the best in the league and I can’t wait for the world to be able to see that. That was just a glimpse of that today,” Wilson gushed.
"He's so special, man. He's the best in the league and I can't wait for the world to be able to see that. That was just a glimpse of that today"
– Garrett Wilson on Breece Hall pic.twitter.com/lAWKTVRckV
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) December 24, 2023
Wilson also gave his thoughts on the team’s overall performance.
“It’s like we finished strong, started slow, so we have to figure out how to pull it all together and take it into next season. We have to find a way to get better in these next two games all around, and then bottle it up and next season come out firing.”
Zuerlein, who hit the game-winning field goal, called the achievement “a good feeling.” The veteran kicker also had positive words about both Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas.
“I love them both, I think they do a great job. For one way or another, things haven’t worked the way we have wanted them to at the start of the season, but we got the win today. I think, going into Christmas, high vibes, everyone can be happy.”
There can be multiple ways to look at the Jets’ performance on Sunday. On the positive end of the spectrum, the team found a way to battle through adversity and win the game. Stars such as Hall, Wilson, and defensive end Jermaine Johnson made key plays to help the Jets.
Yet, it was almost another collapse under Saleh. If not for the poor end-game coaching by Ron Rivera, there is a high likelihood that the Jets would have lost after surrendering a 20-point lead. The team was also undisciplined and flat for the majority of the second half.
The current regime might be safe, but these last two remaining games are still critical for the team. How the Jets finish out their season will not only lay the foundation for next season but also give a first look into whether the Jets can play winning football in 2024.
