The Jets playoff hopes formally ended on Sunday after their additional time loss to the Dolphins.
Regardless of a disappointing 3-10 season, Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich believes the crew will stay motivated and targeted of their last 4 video games of the yr.
“I know I said this and I say it again, there is no context to tape,” Ulbrich stated on Monday. “There is none, so the tape that you put on is you, it’s every player in this organization, it’s every coach in this organization, so that in itself keeps you motivated.
“You are demonstrating who you are every day when that tape goes on and you got to put your best foot forward because ultimately, no one cares what your record was, nobody cares what the score of the game was. When we get evaluated as players and coaches, the tape is all that matters so we got to keep it going.”
Getting into the 2024 season, the Jets had been the betting favorites to win the AFC East crown after Aaron Rodgers’ return from a season-ending Achilles tear. However after dropping 9 of their final 10 video games, Gang Inexperienced is within the midst of one in all its worst stretches in years.
In video games determined by six factors or much less this season, the Jets are 0-7. Gang Inexperienced had an eight-point lead towards Miami in the course of the fourth quarter solely to squander it late after Jason Sanders transformed a 52-yard subject purpose with seven seconds remaining to pressure additional time.
In additional time, Gang Inexperienced’s protection, which has been ranked within the high 10 all season, allowed the Dolphins to win, 32-26, after Tua Tagovailoa accomplished a nine-yard go to tight finish Jonnu Smith ultimately zone.
Now, the Jets have formally prolonged their playoff drought to 14 consecutive seasons. That’s the longest in North American sports activities, barely edging out the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres by one season. Though this yr has been difficult for Jets gamers, they continue to be motivated in the course of the season’s last month.
“Obviously, losing hurts in general,” Jets proper guard Alijah Vera-Tucker stated. “When you stack up those L’s, that’s not where anyone in this building wants to be and that’s not anyone’s standard at all.
“We got this Monday off to reflect on things that we need to fix and just get away from it a little bit and come in on Wednesday ready to work. At the end of the day, we are eliminated from the playoffs, but we still gotta play for each other.
“We have a great locker room and guys are going to do that.”
When Jets proprietor Woody Johnson fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8, Ulbrich was given 12 video games to assist flip the crew round following a 2-3 begin. However since Saleh was fired, the Jets have a 1-7 document, with that lone win coming towards the Texans on Halloween.
Whereas there’s a month left within the season, Johnson has already begun to show the web page in the direction of 2025. He employed The thirty third Group to assist him discover a new coach and basic supervisor after Johnson fired Joe Douglas on Nov. 19.
Meaning Ulbrich — and sure all the Jets workers — shall be out of labor following the crew’s season finale towards the Dolphins on Jan. 5. Though the Jets have struggled since he took over, Ulbrich stated he has realized lots throughout his time as interim coach.
“I think it helps, interim, head coach, assistant coach, it doesn’t really matter,” he stated. “Just these are all amazing learning moments for everybody concerned, so I’ll take a lot from this. I will, learned a lot about coaching, but learned a lot about myself as well. Got a lot to learn with the remaining four games that we have.
“It’s actually some stuff I’d rather keep to myself, but there’s some things about my approach with the players and with the staff that I can improve for sure. I got lots of kryptonites, don’t get me wrong, but one of my superpowers is having honesty with myself and reflecting on what I’ve done well and more importantly, what I haven’t done well, so I’ll definitely reflect on all of that and grow from it, for sure.”
