With two games remaining in their 2024 season, the Jets remain defiant and say that they still have a lot to play for.
"As long as we keep swinging and keep fighting, I'll keep going to battle with everybody on that defense," said LB Jamien Sherwood.
The Jets (4-11) were unable to ride the momentum they grabbed in a Week 15 win over Jacksonville and dropped a 19-9 contest to the Rams Sunday at MetLife Stadium. A win would have given them two straight victories for only the second time this season.
"From a personal competitor standpoint, it's been disappointing just not getting the wins, said S Chuck Clark. "That's very frustrating, but not every year is going to be your year. I can also understand how it is for Jets fans. They expect a lot from us and they want something they want change – they want a turnaround. So, I understand that as well."
With a 1-3 mark in the AFC East, the Jets could even their division record with a road win Sunday over the Bills (12-3) and a home triumph over the Dolphins (7-8) in Week 18.
"You'll just find people who love the game of football," Sherwood said. "Obviously not in the playoffs, obviously the season didn't go the way we wanted but these final weeks you'll find out what type of man you have next to you. Guys who just continue to want playing, guys who do want to turn this around. Obviously winning these next two games won't change anything of our season, but for me that's big because I go out there and basically put my life on the line, my heart out on the line. So, I want to know the guys I have playing beside me and who I have been playing with this whole season."
The Bills, the AFC East champs a fifth consecutive season, are 7-0 at home. If the Chiefs beat the Steelers and the Texans beat the Ravens on Christmas Day, the Bills will be locked into the No. 2 seed with two games remaining. But a Steelers win over the Chiefs would keep Buffalo's alive for the top spot in the conference and a first-round bye.
Back in Week 6, the Jets dropped a 23-20 seesaw affair to the Bills at MetLife Stadium that would have propelled them into a first-place tie. They'll enter Sunday's contest seven games behind their division rivals.
"Whether we were 15-0 or 0-15, I'm going to stick to that routine and keep demonstrating my actions that I'm still here and I'm still swinging," Clark said.
Sherwood, whose career-high 138 tackles lead the Jets, and Clark, whose 61 stops rank fourth, don't need any additional motivation for two more bites at the apple.
"There are only two weeks. There is no reason for anybody to be checked out," Sherwood said. "You have two full weeks of football left and preparation and go out there and put your best tape on the line. In these final moments in seasons like this, it shows what type of person you are, what type of player you are. So, if you are on this team next year, if you're on another team next year, this is part of your resume and what you put on tape goes with you forever. I hope everybody has the same mentality I have and same emotion I have to go out there and do more than your best to win these last two games."
"I want to win football games at the end of the day," Clark added. "There ain't no quit in me. And I can say that for me personally and I hope that just trickles through me to the rest of my teammates."
