With a 3-6 record after nine games, the Jets have significant ground to make up in the AFC in November and December. General manager Joe Douglas remains hopeful that his club can get on a second-half run beginning Sunday in Arizona against the Cardinals (5-4).
"I think Brick had a great message to the team on Monday," Douglas said on Wednesday at 1 Jets Drive referring to IHC Jeff Ulbrich. "Just saying, look guys none of this started the way we wanted to start it. But we still have everything in front of us, every goal we want to accomplish is still out in front of us. So, it starts with a tough opponent in Arizona this weekend."
The Jets got a jolt of momentum last Thursday, distancing themselves from the Texans with a 21-6 second half as they had an emphatic end to a five-game losing streak. The defense amassed a season-high 8 sacks of C.J. Stroud while Aaron Rodgers got the offense on track with 3 TD passes including two spectacular 1-handed grabs from Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams' first score as a Jet.
Lot of Ups and Downs
Douglas, who has said NFL seasons are like rollercoasters, had a chance to experience a quick high in a year full of twists and turns.
"A lot of ups and downs," Douglas said. "Obviously a five-game losing streak is tough. Losing Robert (Saleh) is tough, but I think there's a lot of resiliency in this building and I think you guys saw it in the second half Thursday night. I'm hoping it really propels us moving forward."
Chairman Woody Johnson decided to change direction on Oct. 8, promoting Ulbrich to head coach after dismissing Robert Saleh. The Jets were 2-3 at the time, coming off a 10-9 home loss to the Broncos in Week 4 and then a 23-17 defeat at the hands of the Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
"Since that decision has been made, all my energy, all my focus has been doing whatever I can to help Brick and his staff and the locker room turn this thing around," said Douglas who declined to comment on the decision.
In Ulbrich's first game after the promotion and with a chance to force a tie atop the AFC East, the Jets dropped a 23-20 decision to the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. In a seesaw contest, the Jets never grabbed a lead in the second half and finished 1 of 4 in the red zone and K Greg Zuerlein missed a pair of field goals.
Hours after the game ended, the Jets acquired star WR Davante Adams from the Raiders in exchange for a 2025 conditional third-round pick.
The following Sunday night in Pittsburgh, the Jets saw a 15-6 lead late in the second quarter evaporate when rookie DB Beanie Bishop intercepted Rodgers, and the Steelers played downhill in the second half. Less than 24 hours after falling to 2-5 in Pittsburgh, Haason Reddick ended his holdout and reported to the Jets.
"I think it took a good, open, honest communication and I think Drew (Rosenhaus) was a big catalyst for that and I think Woody was involved in that too. Ultimately, we're excited to have Haason here," Douglas said. "I think you guys see he had (8) pressures on Thursday night and that's basically his second preseason game. So, I think you're only going to see better from Haason. He's only going to get better as this season goes and he's going to be an impact player for us on the edge."
The Little Things
With the club searching for its first sweep of the Patriots since 2000 in Week 8, Jacoby Brissett marched the Patriots 70 yards on a drive that culminated on Rhamondre Stevenson's 1-yard plunge in the final seconds. In the 23-20 loss to the Pats, Zuerlein missed an extra point and field goal. The veteran kicker went to Injured Reserve two days later with a knee injury.
"I think there are a lot of reasons you get to this position," Douglas said. "I think a lot of it is the little things. You look at this five-game losing streak we've been on and we've had a chance either at the end of the game to win it or at the end of the half to really open it up on a team, and we just haven't been able to put it all together and execute and make the plays that are needed to be made whether it's red zone or make the kick. So, it's just a lot of things that led us to this point.
"But again, I focus on the second half of the Houston game and all the positives that came out of it for that game and that half with our pass rush and we were able to string three unbelievable offensive drives together."
Hours before the NFL's trade deadline on Tuesday, the Jets acquired a 2025 fifth round-pick from the Steelers in exchange for veteran WR Mike Williams. After signing with the Jets in free agency, Williams, returning to action after an ACL tear last September, had 12 catches for 166 yards.
"This is a great opportunity for him to have a fresh start," Douglas said of Williams. "And also, it's a move we wouldn't have made had we not felt good about the guys we have in that room, us acquiring a player like Davante gives us the flexibility. If a team wants to be aggressive to acquire a player like Mike – we can do that. We feel good about having two elite receivers and Allen should come back 100 percent soon and a great opportunity for young guys like (Xavier Gipson) and (Malachi) Corley. So, we're really happy with the depth we have in the room."
Opportunity to Change the Narrative
Douglas, who praised Ulbrich for his authenticity and communication, has endured a turbulent ride through nine games but there is still time for his club to turn things around.
"We are sitting here at 3-6 and there is a lot of frustration and that starts with me," he said. "I can look back and see there are things I should have done better. When a situation happens like what happened four weeks ago, you have a lot of moments of self-reflection on the things that you could have done better to keep that from happening, but we have an opportunity through this last stretch of games to change that narrative."
