Regardless of collapsing within the second half of the season, Jets head coach Robert Saleh is highlighting the positives of the yr, calling their season a “learning experience.”
“It’s a tremendous learning experience,” Saleh advised reporters on Monday. “[But It] stings because we didn’t get it done.”
“[It] didn’t work out the way we wanted it to for whatever reasons you want to give, but next year, we’re going to be in this exact opportunity and it’s going to be about finishing.”
The coach famous the impactful reps that the staff’s younger roster now have beneath their belt, and mentioned that will assist them as they head into subsequent season seeking to finish a 12-year playoff drought.
“We played real December football with our butts on the line versus teams that were fighting for a playoff spot, too, or are in the playoffs,” he mentioned.
For followers of the staff, which will sound like a coach wanting for the positives in a sea of dangerous information, however there may be actual reality to his remarks.
Final offseason, Gang Inexperienced introduced on a great rookie class — led by cornerback Sauce Gardner (the 4th general choose) and vast receiver Garrett Wilson (the tenth general choose). Each of these gamers are in critical competition to win Rookie of the Yr for their respective sides of the soccer.
In the meantime, the staff noticed a critical soar in play from different stalwarts on their roster.
After his fourth season, defensive sort out Quinnen Williams (who’s wanting for a new contract), elevated the extent of his play to change into among the best defenders within the NFL. He finished the season with 55 tackles (12 for a lack of yardage), 28 quarterback hits and 12 sacks.
Between Williams and Gardner, together with different children like linebacker C.J. Mosley and security Jordan Whitehead, the Jets protection is stuffed with a number of gamers that may be the staples of among the best defenses within the NFL for a number of years to come back.
On offense, Wilson will proceed to develop as a move catcher, and first-year operating again Breece Corridor will hopefully return from his ACL damage and be again as a critical twin menace within the backfield.
The apparent query mark going into the offseason surrounds what common supervisor Joe Douglas will do in regards to the staff’s porous quarterback place — with Zach Wilson being significantly underwhelming, and Mike White failing to determine himself because the long-term reply at MetLife.
So long as that main downside is solved, the staff shall be in a good place to succeed subsequent season.
Not less than on paper.
Outdoors of their roster, the franchise might want to reckon with the truth that they totally collapsed down the stretch run of the season.
Gang Inexperienced misplaced their remaining six common season video games, and squandered their 7–4 begin to the season.
For his half, Saleh took possession of the Jets’ lackluster season ending, and dedicated to creating positive the staff is able to capitalize subsequent yr.
“That 7–4 start wasn’t a mirage,” Saleh mentioned. “It means everything we do is about finishing.”
Douglas additionally famous the dichotomy within the completely different halves of the yr, calling their begin “surreal, in a positive way” and added that the brutal end was “surreal, in a negative way,” based on the Associated Press.
Followers can solely hope that Saleh’s optimism about this yr being a “learning experience” is true, however some within the locker room are shopping for into that notion.
“Better days are coming,” Garrett Wilson mentioned.