Transcripts of news conferences and interviews in the Jets' MetLife Stadium locker room Sunday night following their 17-12 loss to the Carolina Panthers:
HEAD COACH REX RYAN
It's disappointing not scoring a touchdown this game, as well as the first two. I think our offensive line did a much better job in pass protection. I think the first group gave up one sack. The protection was good. I loved the way Mark [Sanchez] threw the football. He was 11-of-18, but we had three drops that we know of [including] the interception that was a drop. His numbers would look a lot more impressive if we caught the football. We had a couple of nice 10-to-12-play drives over 60 yards, and then we found ways to shoot ourselves in the foot. We had a penalty with [Matt] Slauson, which clearly we can't do. We have to get better at that. We had some drops that really hurt us.
Our defense was going against Cam Newton, who can make some plays and certainly did today. He was able to create on some busted plays, but overall, I thought the defense played well. We have to get off the field on third down, which has always been a staple here. We will get better on third-down defense. That has to improve. We did have them backed up. You play to your strength and don't let them in the end zone, but unfortunately we gave up two touchdowns, and that was the difference today.
On the final offensive drive of the first half and why the team did not use the two-minute offense…
We were going to. It was kind of an iffy situation. We knew we were bringing out the ones again. At that time, we were thinking about using it depending on where that [first] play went. If it went for a first down, we were going to keep the drive going and use our timeouts. Then we decided to go into the half. We were getting the ball to start the half. That's what we told our guys, too.
On injuries to LB David Harris and TE Dustin Keller…
No updates. The only thing I heard, Keller's got a hamstring and Harris has got an ankle. We're hopeful they're not serious, but we'll find out. [Josh] Baker's injury looks like it's going to be more serious. I'm not sure right now what it is, but when he came off that didn't look good, that's for sure.
On if he is concerned about the offense…
No. We have work to do, but I think we made some improvements. I really think we're going to get this thing turned. We have to. There were some encouraging things, and I think it started with the way Mark threw the football and the way we protected him. I thought those were some real positives. At times, I liked the way we ran the ball. You have to give the opponent credit. They were good enough to win the game.
On if the throw to WR Stephen Hill in the end zone was catchable…
I thought so. It looked like the ball went through his hands. You'd like to see Mark deliver it on his body, but he still has to catch that ball.
On if he was counting the pass to Hill as one of the three drops…
Yes.
On if there is concern about the confidence of the offense…
No. If anything, we're going to draw some confidence from some of the things we did today. Clearly, we'd like to score. I hate losing. We all do, our fans included. We know we deserve more, but we're making some strides. By the time we get going, we will be a confident group, I don't think there's any doubt. Have we had our entire offensive package out there in the preseason? No. Do we feel comfortable with our offense? I would say yes. I know our defense is looking forward to it as well because, quite honestly, it's tough to defend. We'll see once we get it cranked up, but again, there were some encouraging signs today.
I thought Austin Howard had a nice game for us. There will be some starters that play in that last preseason game. Some of these rookies, in particular, are guys that we're counting on. We don't want them to be rookies when they get into that first game, so let's get them some experience. Some of those young guys will play.
On the extent of David Harris' injury.…
To be honest, I have no idea right now. He came out with an ankle. I don't know if it's a high ankle or low ankle. I don't believe it's broken, though. I haven't heard that. That's why I'm hoping that that's good news.
On if it hurts the offense's confidence to get the ball close to the end zone on a turnover and not score…
You have to give their defense credit, too, but clearly you want to knock that thing in there, there's no doubt. We did have some decent drives that got us down there, but without question, you want to find ways to score. I think it comes down to execution again. We'll see it when we see the film, but I thought we had what we wanted and never executed on one. We'll see.
On Quinton Coples' play…
I wasn't as happy this game as I was previously. I thought he got winded a little bit. He kind of had a woe-with-me when we took out the starters. Hey look, you're still a rookie, you have to play the whole game and then some. They ran the ball on us with our second group in there and I never like to see that.
On Tim Tebow's play…
It was kind of good news, bad news. At times, Tim looked terrific, absolutely did. He did energize the crowd. He made some huge runs and was able to scramble, get out of trouble and still had some nice passes. Just was a little inconsistent. The one interception that he did throw, he was able to scramble, buy some time and just never got the elevation on the ball he wanted.
Overall, I was happy with the way Tim played. He competes like crazy as we know. He looked like he had a couple of those passes off when he threw both of them in the end zone with what almost looked like a chance. That was impressive. I don't know how many quarterbacks can stand back there and get away from the rush, buy time like he was able to do. I was impressed with it and there was one ball, he threw it so hard, I was just glad it never hit a cheerleader to be honest with you. Overall, I thought he threw the ball well. At times, I thought he threw the ball really well.
On if Tebow will play against the Eagles…
We're going to sit Tebow. I think it's time to let Greg [McElroy] and [Matt] Simms play. That's what we'll do. Having a game just four days from now, those guys had a lot of action and it's time to let McElroy and Simms go.
QB MARK SANCHEZ
On if the confidence of the offensive line has been fractured due to the lack of touchdowns…
Not at all. I think our guys played well tonight, with just one sack, and really it was a coverage sack. Can't hold that ball all day. The back end played really well for Carolina, so I thought there was great improvement up front and we moved the ball well in between the 20s, but when we get into scoring position, we need to punch it in. We can't have a personal foul.
On what has prohibited the offense from scoring a touchdown…
Tonight, we just have to hang onto the football. I know our guys can catch the ball. I know we can make plays out on the edge. We have the talent and the playmakers to do that, but unfortunately tonight, we didn't execute to the best of our ability. That's the way it goes some nights, but we'll bring Stephen [Hill] along, we'll shake the rust off of Tone [Santonio Holmes] and get ready for the regular season. The way I see it, we're saving all of our good stuff for the regular season.
On how nice it was to have Holmes back…
It was great. We'd like to get him a couple more catches and we'll make that happen, but it was nice to have him back, and he really does stress the defense, so that's fun to have.
On if the personal foul on Matt Slauson is why the offense did not score a touchdown…
It didn't help. I know he's protecting PT [Patrick Turner] and trying to help his teammate, but at the same time, we've got to be smart with that stuff and not go in there with a flying elbow or whatever he did.
On what he will tell Hill…
I told him to get on the JUGS machine first and foremost, but I'm still going to throw him the ball. I haven't lost any faith in the guy. He's a heck of a player. He's shown great skills in practice and now he just has to transfer it over to the game and get that confidence, but I know he will. And down in the end zone on the back end line, he's going to learn quickly that not all those balls, just like Plaxico Burress and guys like that and Santonio—not all those balls are perfect. That's when those guys really come alive and the good ones come alive and make a play. He's done it for us in practice and he'll do it in the game. Other than getting as much work on his hands as possible, we'll just keep bringing him along and keep helping him.
On why he has confidence that the offense will be okay for Week One…
Well, we just feel like there's good stuff right around the corner, and we're steadily improving and now we'll need to make a big jump for this Buffalo game coming up, but we've got some time. Had a couple of injuries tonight, so hopefully these next few days, we'll be able to get guys healthy and be at full strength for Buffalo.
On what Rex Ryan's message to the team was…
Just to keep on improving. I know we touched on wide outs catching the ball, he touched on me getting rid of the football and not getting sacked and then defense and offense, we've got to be better on third down.
On if he gets tired of field goals…
We've got to give what the defense gives us. We would like to execute better than that. We've got to score touchdowns instead of field goals to win. We understand that. We'll keep improving.
On seeing two of his tight ends leave with injuries right after the other…
[It's] not good, not something you want to see in the preseason. We'd like to keep guys healthy, but our trainers will be busy. We're lucky we have the best trainers in the league, so they'll get them back as soon as possible.
On if he was able to get into a rhythm tonight because the protection was improved…
I thought the protection was better. Like I said, that one sack was really a coverage sack. They played really well on the back end and we were kind of empty. It can't hold up forever. I thought Austin [Howard] did great. Nick [Mangold], Brick [D'Brickashaw Ferguson], Brandon Moore and Slaw [Matt Slauson] always do well. We're pleased with that and we moved the ball fairly well at times.
On being the first team in 35 years to not score a touchdown in their first three preseason games…
We've got the fourth one coming up.
On how much weight he puts on that stat…
I said it before, we're saving our good stuff for the regular season.
On Tim Tebow's performance…
We had a chance. He made some good calls in the two-minute stuff. I thought he moved the ball well down the field.
On how different the offense will be in the season's opening game against Buffalo…
Hopefully, some more touchdowns.
On how different the offensive schemes will be in the opener…
We'll see. Two weeks of suspense.
On if he was hoping to finish the third quarter…
I'm not even thinking about that. We strive when we go out, we're trying to execute on each play. As long as I was in there, that was my goal, and that was it.
On how frustrating it was to reach the 12-yard line and not be able to score a touchdown…
We just have to execute better, we really do. We can't have personal fouls. We can't hurt ourselves. When the ball's in the air in the end zone, we have to make plays. I know our guys can do it. I have full faith in them. We have to execute.
On why they did not try to run the two-minute offense at the end of the first half…
You have to ask Coach [Tony] Sparano.
On if he would have been open to running the two-minute offense then…
Whatever Coach calls there is what we'll run. We were getting the ball in the second half, so I'm assuming, but I don't to speak for Coach. You have to ask him.
On if he feels more comfortable and in rhythm in the offense now…
I felt good. I felt like we were in a rhythm. I tried to get our guys the ball out on the perimeter and watch them work. Accurate for the most part. I have to keep improving.
On if he feels he can build off of his preseason performance even though the team has not scored a touchdown…
I'm doing my best to get the ball to our guys and I feel good with the system. I felt like there was a little bit of rhythm out there. We are steadily improving, and hopefully, we'll make a big jump for that first game.
On if there is any collective level of concern regarding the offense's performance…
I don't think so. I haven't sensed that all. I think morale is high, still a good vibe and guys are excited to play.
On how healthy he feels right now…
I feel good. The best I've felt.
On if he saw things that make him feel more confident in the offense tonight than he might have last week…
I was just proud of our offensive line. I was proud of the way Austin Howard competed. That's not an easy spot to jump into. I saw things clear, went through my progressions, checked the ball down, ran it when I had to, and for the most part, made pretty good decisions. That's all you can do.
QB TIM TEBOW
On the offenses' level of frustration…
Obviously, we wanted to put it in the end zone, especially at the end trying to drive downfield and win the game. Unfortunately, we came up a little short. I think we got better at some things. We still have to continue to improve and find a way to win the game.
On the team's performance…
There were some things that we did really good. Obviously, there are some things we want to get better at. But I feel like we made some strides, especially this week in practice. We showed some growth.
On why the pace in training camp hasn't translated to games…
I think you saw some of that translate today. That first drive, with Mark, went really well. That was really fast-paced. You get to the ball, trying to get plays off in a hurry. I think when we went no-huddle there at the end, we moved the ball well too, we just ran out of time. I feel like some of that has translated. It's not like we've done all of our no-huddle stuff that much.
On evaluating his play tonight…
I had some things that we did pretty well. But you have to find a way to put the ball in the end zone. That's something that we'll go back and try to get better at.
On what Head Coach Rex Ryan told the team after the game…
We did some things better. We've got to continue to improve and have two great weeks of practices and get ready for Buffalo.
On if the offense will be ready against Buffalo…
I think we'll be ready. I think we'll have some great weeks of practices. We'll get better and be ready to go.
On finishing the preseason…
It will be fun to go out there and play a real game and strap it up with Buffalo.
On how he would describe the offense…
I think when the season gets here and we're game-planning and show more stuff, I think it'll be a pretty good offense.
On if he thought the offense would score a touchdown on the final drive of the game…
Oh yeah, absolutely. That's just the way I'm built. We had it the whole time. I still feel like we should have had it. That's just something I feel like we do. Just came up one or two plays short.
On if he saw TE Hayden Smith on fourth down on the final drive…
I saw him. I figured that was going to be one of our best shots. A tall receiver, someone who is obviously used to going up and getting the ball. "Scrums" or whatever they're called [laughs]. I figured, a split-safety, he had a chance down the middle and tried to buy a little time, I tried to put it where he could get it. Unfortunately, we just couldn't connect.
On if the offense has run plays in preseason games that are likely to be run in the regular season…
I don't know, that's a good question [laughs]. We'll see when Buffalo gets here.
On if it's weird that he might be running plays in the regular season that he hasn't run in preseason games…
Sometimes in practice we've gone pretty hard, so that's pretty close to a game, against a very good defense. That's stuff I've done before, so I feel comfortable with it. I feel like I can do it at game tempo. We'll have the ability to communicate and execute together on it as well.
On Jets fans being frustrated with the offense…
I think that's why we have preseason games. We just work to the regular season and we'll see what happens then.
On the offensive struggles…
Obviously, we wanted to score to win the game and wanted to put balls in the end zone and win. That's what we were out there trying to do. We just came up a little short on it.
On if the frustration is mounting…
No, I think you can be disappointed, yeah we wanted to score. But you've got to able to let it go. It's a preseason game. You have to work on what you did bad and how you can get better and make sure that when the regular season gets here and we're playing Buffalo, we can put the ball in the end zone, because that's what matters.
On if it's strange that the Jets will use plays in the regular season that they haven't used in the preseason…
We'll obviously have some new stuff when we're game-planning and everything that goes in. I feel like some of the stuff we'll be able to create on. We'll just keep getting better every day and execute so that when the regular season gets here, we'll find a way to put the ball in the end zone.
LB BART SCOTT
On if the defense is better than last year…
I think we have a lot more chemistry, but as it was proven, we have to perform better. We won't know that until we get out there and play.
On if they are getting better pressure on the quarterbacks…
I think we had decent pressure on the quarterback. I think Coach Dunbar has helped us out with our form a lot in games. I think Mo [Muhammad Wilkerson] is taking the next step and we have a lot of young talent, guys are getting chemistry, we didn't have OTA's last year. Now guys are getting the opportunity to work with each other and be able to get that next level of communication.
On recovering a fumble on the 12-yard line…
They stopped the play so I knew I couldn't advance it, but I knew if we challenged it we would get it because he was up when he got tackled.
On if he thought the offense would score after he recovered the fumble on the 12-yard line…
I was just mad he blew the whistle so I couldn't get a touchdown. I wasn't worried about that. My job is to get on the field, off the field, and give the ball to the offense.
On his impression of Quinton Coples and Coach Dunbar…
I think he's learning and has a lot to build off of. Like I said, Coach Dunbar is a great asset for us, he's a tremendous coach. If you think about the Minnesota Vikings, being a top run defense for probably at least six of the last ten years, they were always first or second. Coach Dunbar brings array of four-man in games, where we don't have to bring max pressure all the time. Even for the guys who blitz, he's teaching us better techniques on how to use our hands.
On what he didn't like about the defensive effort as a unit…
We can't let them in. That was a communication error between me and the safety. We've got a young guy in there but it is good for us. We know if that happens again how we really want to play it.
On his own defensive performance…
I'm just folding the tacos. This week will be great for me to improve my conditioning, to get ready and in tip top shape. I have to make sure my body can last for 17 weeks.
On what "folding the taco" means…
It's just a metaphor. Jerome Bennett said it's time to make the donuts…well I'm just folding the tacos. I just do my role and play my part.
On picking the team up when one side is not performing…
There's been games where we saved them and they saved us. That's what the whole team is about. Ask special teams, we're all the same. That's what you do. You pick each other up. You hope that when both teams come prepared to go lights out that it's a wrecking. You really have a great game. In football every game is going to come down to pretty much one possession. Whether your offense is out there or your defense, those are the times where it doesn't matter what you've done previously in the game. You have to raise the level and that's what we need to practice on, that's what we're trying to get to.
On communicating with LaRon Landry…
Not at all. I have to talk to Landry about our interception return game. That's two in a row and we need to either get it to the house or get it a little farther. That's what we have to work on.
On not scoring in the first three preseason games…
That's just one of those things. This is the first time [Mark Sanchez] has had his full onslaught of receivers. There was a little rust, timing issues. You saw guys were getting open and the ball came out of his hand a lot more effectively. If anything, last year we were pretty good in the red zone. I'm sure that once they get a little time to game-plan for somebody and understand what kind of defense they're playing.
I know other teams, it's their third game of the season, they watch film on their opponent, they game-plan, and they watch what they do. We don't do any of that. We say, here are our principles, play the game. We watched as a group yesterday one quarter of the Texans game against the Panthers. We had no idea what they were in or who was their guy. All we knew was that they were going to run to Ben Hartsock's side more than Greg Olsen's, and some other spread-option stuff. Other than that, we had no idea what they ran. We knew DeAngelo Williams was a polished runner.
When we tighten it down and know their formations, then we'll game-plan. We had all our plays up, all of our installs were up. We will shrink that down and the offense will get a nice tight game plan and we'll move effectively. It's all about going out and doing your rules, playing your rules, and seeing how you match up, blind.
T AUSTIN HOWARD
On how he thinks he did…
We're just going to watch the film. As far as individually, I felt good out there. Like I said, there are some improvements to be made, so we're going to watch the film and continue to get better and continue to learn.
On if the film will tell him what he needs to work on…
The film will show us what we did wrong. The coaches will take us through practices and teach us how to do the techniques better, how to pick up the blitzes better, and read the defense better.
On the feel of this offense…
I feel that we're going to be good. We're getting better every day. It's just going to be progress. We're still learning. We're still picking up the things we do in practice. We're still working hard. We're still preparing well, so I think it's just a matter of time.
On if there is frustration that the offense hasn't scored a touchdown yet…
We want to win every game. Like I said, we're focusing on getting better for the season. Right now, it's preseason. We won't win every game. We're just going to try to continue to build on what we have and continue to get better.
On how much Wayne Hunter helped him…
I've been talking to Wayne, Brick [D'Brickashaw Ferguson], everyone's been a big help. Whenever I can learn from those veteran guys, I take every opportunity that's possible.
G MATT SLAUSON
On his unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty…
We were probably going to score, so it's unfortunate. I'm not going to make that mistake again.
On if any of the coaches said anything to him…
They understood where I was going, but like I said, we've got to be smart. That probably did cost us a touchdown and then we had a missed field goal.
On how he feels overall…
It felt like there were a lot of really good improvements. I felt like we did a lot of really good things in the running game. We had a lot of really explosive runs. We're coming along.
On if they are frustrated about not scoring any touchdowns…
I mean, obviously, we would love to get six every time, but we've got to take it for what it is. It's a lot of guys hurt. It's still preseason. I still have a lot of confidence in this team and in this offense.
