Robert Saleh challenges Jets players and coaches to do better after weekend away
Jets head coach Robert Saleh answers questions during a news conference after an NFL game against the Dolphins on Friday at MetLife Stadium. Credit: AP/Adam Hunger
The Jets returned to work Monday after a weekend away from football and were challenged by their head coach.
Robert Saleh pushed everyone in the team meeting not necessarily to do more, but to make sure they’re doing their job.
“He challenged us and said we could all be better as players and coaches,” left guard Laken Tomlinson said. “Control what we can control. Attitude was definitely one of them. Another thing coach said was go be who you are. Do everything that you can within your world to do your job. It’s not just for players, but for coaches as well. I thought it was a really good message. Looking individually, I feel I can do more for the team.
The Jets are 4-7 and have lost four in a row. They were not competitive in their last two games — a 32-6 beating in Buffalo last Sunday and 34-13 defeat to the Dolphins on Black Friday.
Saleh said on Saturday that there would be a “tell-the-truth” moment in their first meeting and that he would challenge them.
“It’s just constructive criticism,” defensive end Jermaine Johnson said. “It’s somebody wanting you to be the best version of yourself and Coach wants us is to be version of this team that we can be. That’s how I take it. I’m pretty sure that’s how most everybody takes it.”
Linebacker C.J. Mosley was encouraged with how the Jets reported for work and everyone’s attitude and approach to fixing things.
“We ended up having a really good day,” Mosley said. “A lot of meetings. Everybody getting on the same page and talking about how we can get this train back on the tracks. I think the best thing I heard today was that everybody aced their controllables. That’s how you come to work. That’s your mentality . . . I will say as a team, personally I feel like we won the day today, so keep going and keep moving forward.”
Mosley defends Q
Mosley said a dirty play on Quinnen Williams is what led to the fourth-quarter scrum in Friday’s game. Mosley felt Williams was undercut by Miami long snapper Blake Ferguson on the Dolphins’ extra-point attempt.
“All I saw was Quinnen Williams’ cleats in the air,” Mosley said. “That’s a thing when a defensive lineman jumps, you drive your feet and run. To me it looked like he fell down a little too hard.”
Mosley grabbed Ferguson’s face mask at the bottom of the pile and was flagged for unnecessary roughness. Dolphins lineman Austin Jackson was ejected for throwing a punch at Mosley. Jets lineman Micheal Clemons also got thrown out for inadvertently hitting an official while raising his arm to point at a Dolphins player.
Ferguson tweeted, “Mosley quick to come drag me by my face mask after his own guy was the one who landed on my head.” Ferguson also said Mosley “better catch a bigger fine than Austin.”
Mosley said, “I saw the long snapper tweeted a little something saying why can’t he pick on somebody his own size. Well, just need to fall a little bit softer when Quinnen is under him then there won’t be any problems. But it’s all good.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
