1495 Sports is proud to bring these New York Jetsquotes for 11/5/12:
New York Jets logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Opening Statement:
“First off, obviously, my thoughts, the organization’s thoughts and prayers, go out to everybody that has been affected by Hurricane Sandy. Clearly, we’re in the win business of football, but that kind of puts things into perspective. With that said, from a football aspect, I’m excited to get back here with our players and roll our sleeves up and find ways to get better. Right now, we’ve earned that 3-5 record. It’s clearly not where we want to be at this point. What’s done in the past, you try and learn from it, but clearly it’s not where we want to finish. We have work to do. I’m excited to get the guys back and get them on the practice field. I look forward to the second half of the season. We know we’re in a bottom-line business, and that’s wins and losses. For football, that’s really all that matters. (You have to) understand that we will do what it takes to put our team in the best situation to try and win games. Our focus is strictly on improving as a football team and getting ready to go compete and do what we can to win against Seattle. Obviously, we know it’s a tough place to play. I think they’re undefeated at home, but that’s where the focus is. You can’t focus down the road, you learn from the past, but you can’t focus on the past. As Satchel Paige used to say, ‘Don’t look back or something could be gaining on you.’ Clearly, we’ve had some setbacks, lost two games in a row, and found different ways to lose. The big thing is, we know as a football team, when we’re really looking at it, as a football team, we have to do what we can to give ourselves an opportunity. If we’re giving up a blocked punt, it’s not a scheme thing, you have to step up and block. We’ve given up two punt blocks on special teams. That was really uncharacteristic. We gave up the blocked field goal, different things that we don’t normally do. On defense, it’s the same thing. The third-down defense has been poor. (The) run defense has been poor. It’s getting better, but I think over the last 100 rushes we’ve given up 3.1 (yards) a carry. It’s getting better, but it’s still not where you want it to be. I think running the football, when you look at the last 100 rushes, we’re averaging, you guys will figure it out, we’re averaging 4.3 (yards) a carry or something like that. We’re getting better. It’s not exactly where we want it to be, but we’re making strides. We have to hold on to the football and we have to create turnovers. It sounds easy, but those are the things that we’re really challenged as a football team to do to make us successful. I think (those are) the main areas we have to improve. I will say this, I’m happy that I’m surrounded with the people I’m surrounded by, the coaching staff, Mike Westhoff, Mike Pettine and Tony (Sparano) and these guys that we have. This is a great coaching staff. I’m just happy that I have this group of men to face this challenge. I think with the team that we have, we have a bunch of resilient players and we’re excited to get on that practice field, I can guarantee you that. “
On how much it bothers him that the fundamentals need correction at this point of the season:
“I think we’re getting better though. I think we’re making strides. I think you see that in those numbers that I mentioned. You see us getting better in those areas. We’re not to where we want to be, but I see us getting better and that’s encouraging. You look at this team right here, that we’re getting ready to play, is really stout. It’s a tough defense and physical and they get after it. Then you look at (it) on offense, they run the ball about as well as anybody. Marshawn Lynch, he’s a tough cookie. But again, we know we’re going to be challenged as well but I feel like we’re getting better, but we have to keep improving.”
On if he’s confident in the schedule for the week as the team comes off the bye:
“Yeah, absolutely; again, we kind of pulled the Andy Reid (and) gave them the entire week off. We never planned on that, it’s just, obviously, with the hurricane, (the) players’ safety and everyone’s safety is the highest priority, obviously. But I know our guys will be back and ready to go. We’ll be popping out of our skin and that’s the way it should be.”
On if he will discuss the turnovers against Miami with Sanchez:
“I’ll sit down and talk to Mark. I’ll talk to a lot of guys, but Mark and I have conversations throughout the week anyways. But it’s more about this football team. Like I had mentioned last week about finding ways to get (Tim) Tebow (and) looking at everything (in terms of his involvement). With Tebow, maybe (you look at) how we’re using him, all those types of things. But really it’s more of a, and you had mentioned Mark, it’s more about how we’re using everybody. Are there things that we can do to help this player, to help (that) player? Whatever it is, those are things we really are looking at.”
Safety Yeremiah Bell:
On returning to work today:
“We went back over the Miami game, just kind of re-examined ourselves. Just a recap on the first eight games of the season, where we are and where we need to be. Basically, getting back to us and getting back to playing Jet football.”
On if they have the resources to make it to the playoffs:
“Yeah, we definitely have the resources to get back into this thing. We have the players, we have the coaching staff and we have the “want to.” The thing is going to be just us on Sundays just going out there and executing. Like I said, we can’t help teams get a shot here, get a shot there and kind of stretch the game a little bit. So we’re going to have to be a lot more disciplined in that area.”
Cornerback Antonio Cromartie:
On playing at Seattle:
“It’s hard. This is only my second time playing there since my rookie year in San Diego. So it’s a hard place, it’s a loud place, it’s noisy. I think the biggest thing for us is just we have to go out and execute and do the things that we do (well), we have to do them great. The things that we do not so (well), we have to make sure we do (well) at those things. I think we just have to make sure we just go out and execute and do the things that we need to do.”
On whether they can still make the playoffs:
“Definitely, I think the months of November and December, that’s when most teams are made anyway. I think the biggest thing for us is just to make sure that we take care of the things we need to take care of one week at a time. Just take it and understand that when we say one week at a time, we have to focus in on that one week and not try to look forward to anything else.”