The day after a game is usually the day for NFL teams to review the video of that game. But not this week for the Jets. Instead, players were in the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center's fieldhouse preparing for their upcoming division matchup with Buffalo on Thursday night in Toronto.
"Us players on our own free time, we have the film and we're going to take a look at it and see what's good and bad," said tight end Dustin Keller. "All the filmwork that we normally have a week to prepare, we just have a few days."
When Keller sees the replay of Sunday's win over the Panthers, he'll probably shake his head over the final play of the Jets' drive to start the second half on which he fumbled at the goal line, keeping Carolina in the game, down by just 11 instead of 18.
"I just have to secure that," he said. "It was a bad play by me."
But Keller and his teammates have less than the usual time to do the physical and mental corrections and heal up for the next game.
"Short weeks are tough. There is no sugarcoating that," said WR Braylon Edwards. "You come off playing yesterday, you try to rush through that game film and get on Buffalo. That's where a true professional shows — the guys that are going to study their film, the guys that are going to take care of their bodies from today until Thursday and be able to go out there at 100 percent."
"My body is tired but it's just about preparation during the week," said CB Drew Coleman, who had two strong pass breakups against the Panthers. "We get in the cold tub, get massages. We have a short week so we'll have to take care of our body knowing that we have only a couple days before this game.
"We'll do anything to get ready, extra film study, stuff like that. We don't have to do anything as far as physical working as much but just getting that last study in and doing a little with the weights."
The short week will not deter Thomas Jones from his routine.
"I like to do things in a certain pattern," said Jones, who rushed for a career-high and Jets-record 210 yards when the Jets met the Bills the first time this season on Oct. 18. "If I miss a day, I just feel off. I make sure I get my work in."
One player who's back to 100 percent physically for the first time since early this season is confident that his team will be prepared.
"For the most part, and I think I speak for everybody, we came out of that game pretty healthy," said CB Lito Sheppard. "I don't think the short turnaround should affect us that much. It's going to be fun. We get a chance to go to Canada and see what the Canadian football spirit is like. We're not that far from the New York/New Jersey area so hopefully we bring a good crowd with us."
Thinking about how the division rivals beat the Jets the first time this year, with six interceptions and a late overtime field goal, puts payback on the minds of some players this second time around.
"We feel like right now that they got one in on us when they came here so we know we have to go to Toronto and we have to get this game," said Coleman. "We know it's going to be a great game. Buffalo always plays us good — real tight games that always come down to the wire. But we know we have to go up here and get this game."
