Upon further review, Aaron Glenn changed his perspective on things.
The New York Jets coach was critical Sunday of the team’s effort in , saying it was the first time this season that was truly a problem.
鈥淕etting a chance to look at it last night and look at it again this morning, I will say this: Effort was not the issue with that game,鈥� Glenn said Monday. “I thought our guys played all the way to the very end. What really showed up is they did some things schematically, I thought, that was challenging offensively and defensively that we really have to take a look at and try to hone in on and fix those things.
鈥淎nd I would say that some of their players just made plays.鈥�
The Jets, meanwhile, made very few. At least not enough to prevent the Patriots from turning the Jets’ home finale into an absolute embarrassment, scoring touchdowns on their first six drives.
Glenn might have backtracked on his comments a bit because criticizing players’ efforts could fracture the locker room. By bringing schemes and play calls into it, some of the blame falls onto Glenn and his staff.
鈥淓ven when it got to a point where all they were trying to do was run the ball, our guys didn鈥檛 back down from that at all,鈥� Glenn said. “And I would say that most of the time when that happens, I mean, that鈥檚 when you have an effort issue. You saw our guys, they were running on and off the field the whole time. Man, it was nothing about them that they were throwing up the white flag and they were quitting. So, to me, that鈥檚 the one thing that I really wanted to look at and see how that was. Again, schematically were there some things that were challenging? Absolutely.
鈥淏ut again, our guys did not quit.鈥�
The Jets (3-13) have one more game left, at Buffalo next Sunday. Glenn insists that he and his staff are trying to establish a “brand鈥� of football, one that hasn’t been on full display for most of this season.
That includes controlling the line of scrimmage, running the ball, being physical and violent, and being a force on the field that refuses to be pushed around. Glenn said he saw it in the Jets’ 48-20 loss at Jacksonville earlier this month.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the brand that we want to play with and sometimes you have to show your guys things so it can be remembered on this is how we play,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd listen, I understand to the outside world, people might not understand that, but our guys know exactly what our brand is. We just have to do it consistently.鈥�
That might be a tough sell, though, to some players 鈥� and most fans 鈥� at this point.
What鈥檚 working
Damage control. Glenn’s comments Monday certainly seemed an attempt at not ticking off his players or washing away all the talk of establishing a culture.
鈥淔or me personally, at least, it goes back to AG just kind of talking about how we need buy-in and stay-in,鈥� center Josh Myers said. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 going to stay in. I鈥檓 going to prepare as hard as I can, like it鈥檚 a playoff game and do everything I can. And I have faith that everyone else will as well.鈥�
And those who stay-in will ultimately be the ones who stay around moving forward as the Jets plan for the future 鈥� and determine who will be part of the foundation moving forward.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think you have to look very hard,鈥� Myers said. 鈥淚 think that if you put on the tape, that鈥檚 pretty obvious.鈥�
What needs help
Too many things to list. When a team is 3-13 and playing several rookies and first-year players because of injuries and evaluating for the future, mistakes and blowouts happen. It has just been an ugly first season for Glenn. But here’s a goal for the final game: end the NFL’s longest drought of consecutive games without an interception at 16.
Stock up
RB Breece Hall. He ran for 111 yards on 14 carries, including a 59-yard touchdown run, and caught two passes for 18 yards. Hall became the first Jets player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Chris Ivory in 2015. His first 100-yard rushing game since Oct. 26 was a positive in a game with few of them for the Jets.
Stock down
QB Brady Cook. It’s tough to pile on an undrafted rookie who and was considered a developmental player who needed to learn a lot. But Cook has mostly struggled in his first three NFL starts, with just one touchdown pass and seven interceptions while averaging just 5.2 yards per throw.
Injuries
Glenn had no updates on those injured Sunday, including CB Qwan鈥檛ez Stiggers (knee), RB Isaiah Davis (concussion) and LG John Simpson (knee). … Hall left late with a knee injury, but said after the game he was OK.
Key number
23 鈥� The Jets became the fifth team in NFL history to lose four straight by 23 or more points in one season, joining the 1972 Patriots, 1954 Redskins, 1934 Cincinnati Reds and 1923 Oorang Indians.
Next steps
The Jets will prepare to travel to Buffalo for one more game before wrapping up a season that was basically over before Halloween.
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AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed.
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