Coach Robert Saleh
Jets Postgame Presser
Jets 24, Dolphins 31
COACH SALEH: Just real quick want to address the Alijah situation. He checked out fine. He’ll travel back with the team.
Q. He checked out fine?
COACH SALEH: Yeah, well I’m still trying to get the details, but I know he’ll be traveling with team so he’s got motion.
Q. Is he with you guys now or did he go to the hospital?
COACH SALEH: He here now? (Indiscernible.)
Q. Coach, can you talk a little bit about the difference in the offense from the first half where it was very creative to the second half where you only gained 54 yards and three first downs?
COACH SALEH: You know, we had a good drive there going into the send half, the one that results in a turnover. Got explosive on the screen, explosive in the run game. Give up a sack fumble and we just could never get anything going. If you want to get drives going you got to be good on third down and extend drives, and that’s just something we weren’t doing in the second half.
Q. Did you think the injury to Alijah in the short-term was a tough thing for the guys to deal with?
COACH SALEH: I can’t answer that. You know, it’s tough for anyone. It’s their side, too. Those guys put in so much work, and to see one of their own, even for the Dolphins players to look at Alijah down, I can tell you it’s not comfortable for anybody. But that be would be a better question for them.
Q. Robert, some good drives in the first half. Seemed like you had a good rhythm, trick plays. What did Miami do differently in the second half to take that away?
COACH SALEH: You know, they did a good job getting the man coverage and all that stuff, which is the best way just playing with good eye discipline, and they were early in that third quarter establishing the line of scrimmage from a defensive standpoint and even the drive we had going with
the two explosives, like I talked about, we finally get something going and we gave it back with a sack fumble. We could never get anything rolling in the second half in sustaining drives, and that comes back to converting third downs and staying on schedule and staying in third and five, manageable third and fives.
Q. Robert, several weeks ago, a couple months, we were talking about your starts, how things were slow in the first quarter and then you guys would find it in the second half. It seems like it’s almost been the flip of that against the Eagles and here today where you guys start well and really falter in the second half. Is there any reason for that? Is there anything you can put your finger on for the why?
COACH SALEH: No, again, it comes back to in the simplest terms, offensive football is a rhythm, creating sustaining drives, getting first downs, and keeping the balls you have ball in manageable situations. It gets to third and five, third and six, third and seven, and you got to be man coverage and you got to win with your one-on-ones, got to win your one-on-ones in protection.
Quarterback has got to deliver the ball where it needs to be delivered. So obviously it’s something we’ll look at, but I don’t know if there is anything that I can put my finger on now.
Q. You talk about the rhythm, and I think good rhythm early on there. Was it a matter of the coverages being better on Miami’s part later? What did you see out of Zach?
COACH SALEH: Again, lack of rhythm, right? You’re getting some three and outs. We had a chance to really do damage there. We have the ball to end the first half exactly the way we draw it up, see if we can score some points, see if get a lap opportunity. We missed out on both of those. Defensively we just couldn’t hold up and gave up 14 straight. But the resilience for the defense to stop back up and get a couple of turnovers, but as far as the offense is concerned with Zach, there is a rhythm thing. Yeah, they’re going to change their pitcher, especially when things were going well in the first half. They’re going to change their pitcher on you. They have to. He’s got to be table adjust in-game also.
Q. It seemed like in that second half too he was holding the ball longer than maybe like the first half
the thing was out of his hand right away. Does part of that have to do with the receivers not getting open? Was the protection breaking down? Was he double thinking again and not just seeing it and throwing it?
COACH SALEH: Yeah, when we go back and look at the tape there will be one-on-one opps that we needed to better at from a receiver standpoint. There is also going to be situations where Zach will be able to look at it and say that he has to get rid of ball, he has got to find an outlet and get it to somebody. To pinpoint on something right now, that would be doing you a disservice.
Q. You guys give up 185 yards. How disappointing is it that the run defense continues to be a problem?
COACH SALEH: Yeah, it’s disappointing. A lot of missed tackles in the run game. It’s clearly not good enough, so…
Q. (No microphone.)
COACH SALEH: Last three weeks? The same we way approached this one. The underlying message is this is December football. You have a Dolphins team playing to try to stay in the playoff hunt, so we got everything they had. We gave them everything we had and I promise you they gave it right back to stay alive and in the hunt. Winning games in December is a grind. It is a back and forth battle, and it comes down the fourth quarter and down to a few plays that make or break you. So I’m proud of the guys for the resilience and the fight. There will be a lot of things we can learn from this game. We’ve got, like I said, three games left of December football to learn how to win these games. I promise you we’ll be in these positions, and what can we learn from this season in terms of December football and what it takes to win these games when we’re in this position again to be able to close out.
Q. You had not had a first half lead I believe all year. What was the vibe in the room and what was your message?
COACH SALEH: It’s the same message in terms of execution. Obviously we have a lead, you know, an opportunity to go — the message didn’t change from the beginning of the week in terms of a challenge of running the football, playing good defense, scoring points, and keeping points off the board. It’s not revolutionary. The adjustments are made, but the mindset to win in December always comes down to the second half, especially in the fourth quarter. The ball in your hand with chance to go score, that’s all you can ask for.
Q. A long ways to go. A whole half to go. Was there any sense of anticipation? It was pretty good half for you guys.
COACH SALEH: No, I think the guys felt good about where they you stood. I know we did as a coaching staff. I know the players did. We were running the ball well. We were playing good defense. We were good on third down, moving the chains, Zach was doing some cool things off schedule. So there was a lot of — obviously the vibe was good. Just didn’t come to fruition.
Q. You talk a lot about the rhythm offensively. There was struggles first and second half. The offense, they haven’t cross the 300 mark. How much of that falls on Zach to try to keep — continue to keep the offense on and in rhythm?
COACH SALEH: Every one is always going to look to the quarterback. That’s just natural. Call me old school. It’s a collective effort. It’s receivers winning one-on-one, it’s O-lin protecting, it’s the run game going, and then obviously it’s Zach delivering the football where it needs to be delivered and in a timely manner. So it’s not all on Zach. It’s on all of us.
Q. We’ve talked a lot to you about the run game. Just going back to that a little bit, this isn’t necessarily like when you have Kamara, an all-pro back that is gashing you guys and things like that. Is it getting to the point where you’re almost lost for an answer or a way to try to find a fix?
COACH SALEH: Yeah, you know, credit to them first. They did run hard. But, you know, there is — it’s not good enough. So, I just — not that we don’t have answers, but we got to do a better job from a schematic standpoint, got to do a better job tackling.
Q. On (indiscernible) was that the same thing he was dealing with and just got worse or pain or…
COACH SALEH: I haven’t gotten an update yet, but obviously it’s the same shoulder, so…
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Zach Wilson
Jets Postgame Presser
Jets 24, Dolphins 31
Q. You were in such a good rhythm. The ball was coming out pretty quick in the second half. Production obviously was pretty minimal. Was it stuff that they did? What did you see in the second half?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, I thought they did some good things in the second half that made it tough on us. You know, we just got to keep going, try to execute, and, you know, just get going really I think is all it was. I really thought even in the second half I didn’t think we were doing anything terrible. Just weren’t completing passes and got sacked too many times. You know, so it’s going to be some good learning experience for us.
Q. What do you think they were doing specifically different from the first half?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, I think we got a little more zone than we were expecting, and at the same time they started in that the second half saying, Hey, we’re going to play you guys in man coverage and make the quarterback hold on to it and you got to beat us down the field. I thought we had some good opportunities there for plays. I got to throw some better balls too, get them out of my
hand.
Q. It looked like you were looking for Denzel there for the slant there.
ZACH WILSON: No, so we actually had a little thing for Brax. Brax was about to run up the sideline there, so I was just about to put out ball over Denzel’s head. I think Denzel was the inside slant, so it was Jamison on the outside that ran a slant. Trying it get them to bite on that. I was throwing the ball
over all them on a heel wheel. Play just takes a little bit it develop, and so, yeah, just one of those things that’s kind of part of the game.
Q. Zach, that first drive of the game, it was surgical. The ball was out of your hands quick. You were hitting the receivers. They were getting down the field. You guys scored a touchdown? Second half it seemed like the hitch came back a little bit. Looked like you were holding the ball a little bit longer than you were. Was there a reason for that? Was it the tighter coverage on the outside with the quick pass just not there?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, once you get man coverage it kind of goes away, right? You got to let guys try and win and give them time to win on routes, so it’s going to cause me to hitch on some. They’ll probably give up some down the field, and unfortunately we didn’t capitalize on any of those.
For the most part it’s got to be earned when those guys step up like that. I was trying to be my best just sitting this the pocket and trusting the protection and just trying to give those guys a shot down the field.
Q. In those man coverage situations, how much is on you to just throw your guys open — when they’re not as open as you would like, how much is on you?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, you got to be accurate for sure, especially understanding like disruption and understanding when guys are getting bumped up and you got to allow them to work on their routes. There is a timing element to that. For the most part it’s those guys getting after it, it’s wining
that one-on-one. They challenged us. I thought it was good for us.
Q. You have not lead at the half all year this season. What was the vibe in the locker room?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, just keep going.
Q. What was the anticipation there?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, it was no different than normal. Just let’s keep going. Like what are we starting with, and there is really not too much time to think too much in halftime. It happens quicker than people realize. Just really let’s keep doing the same thing. What are we coming out with? Let’s keep the juice up and get going. That was it.
Q. Can you describe what happened on the play in the second quarter where you get the throw back, you’re under pressure, you scramble away and find the tight end on the other side of the field.
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, we had like a little double pass. Once I caught the ball I just couldn’t get my hands set fast enough for the dude that was coming. I had Jamo open and I was trying to get it to him. Didn’t get my hands set so I didn’t want to force something I didn’t feel like was there.
I just tried to cut back and make a play and Griff did a good job getting open on the other side of the field and I just found him.
Q. That play and there was a scramble for a first down. Did you feel like you were starting to get a little more comfortable back to where kind of said the other day playing free?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, I feel like this was my biggest game as far as playing free. Having that
mentality6scramble of around, make some guys miss, just play free, just react to what the defense is giving us. They did some things we weren’t expecting, and you got to just try and make some plays out of it. I felt like this was probably the biggest game for me as far as just playing free.
Q. (Indiscernible) being open in the end zone, that’s a good throw, you probably have a touchdown pass.
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, I didn’t think about it like that. I was just trying to come back and make a play on the ball. I’m glad Keelan got a taste of what it’s like to be a quarterback.
Q. On those two drives at the end of the game where you had a chance to tie it, what was your mindset going into those and how disappointing was it to not get anything going?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, super disappointing, especially the first one going three and out until your first two-minute drive. Defense does a good job getting a stop for us and we come out and they give us a little two man there, so I was able to get out of the pocket and run for a first down. Then a penalty will kill you right there. I don’t really agree with the call, but got to be careful in those situations, especially two-minute drives. Penalties are going to kill it. After that they’re playing a prevent defense. I got to be more accurate on the throw to Mims, and really once you get to fourth down it’s like show me the best play. I mean, there is really not many, right? It’s can you execute? Can you find something? Unfortunately we came up a yard short.
Q. Can you describe the gadget play, the third and 15 that went to Jamison?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, we have had that one for a while. I thought it was an awesome call. It was a perfect situation. Got exactly what we were looking for, and Jamo is a baller, so you get the ball in his hands and he throws to Brax who’s also a baller, good things are going to happen.
Q. Since you been back, offense averaging 16 points, hasn’t crossed the 300 yard mark since you been back. How much responsibility falls on your shoulders that the offense hasn’t been able to (indiscernible) to win games?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, I don’t worry about any of that stuff.
Q. What was the moment like when you’re watching Alijah when he went down? What was that moment like for the team to see him motionless there for a while?
ZACH WILSON: Yeah, it’s scary, especially when you don’t see him moving, especially like as quick as doctors and stuff are running out there and getting the cart ready. It’s never a good sign.
It’s like can we say quick prayer for him and just hope he’s doing well. Obviously doing good through this whole process and I’m sure second we get out of here we’re going to check on him.
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Bryce Hall
Jets Postgame Presser
Jets 24, Dolphins 31
Q. How difficult was it seeing what happened to Alijah and seeing the game stop and then just kind of continue playing football after that?
BRYCE HALL: Yeah, that was tough. He’s a warrior, and one of the things that we know we’re going to get out of him is it’s going to go 100 miles per hour full speed, and so that was tough to see our brother go down like that. I just got word. They told us he’s going to be all right. He’s doing well. I’m happy for him and wishing him the best.
Q. It’s human nature that can affect you guys for a little bit there.
BRYCE HALL: Uh-huh.
Q. Did you feel like it was a little flat after that for a stretch? Not as an excuse, but just in general.
BRYCE HALL: Yeah. I mean, it’s just tough any time you see somebody go down like that. We play a violent game, so you never want to see something like that, especially a guy get carted off. You know, that’s the — unfortunately that’s the worse part about playing this game. So we were a little bit down, but obviously that’s not an excuse.
Q. Spent a lot of the day on DeVante. Just how did you feel that matchup went for you?
BRYCE HALL: You know, he’s a really good player. I felt like we went back and forth. He won his fair share and I felt like I did at times, too. And so much respect to him. He’s a good player. Yeah, that’s kind of how I feel.
Q. I don’t know if you know, you hadn’t lead at all at halftime all year. Just wonder what the vibe was in the room and maybe the anticipation where things were going pretty well for you in the first half?
BRYCE HALL: Yeah, any time we had the lead going into the half our mentality is we got to finish strong, and so that was kind of the message, that was kind of our mentality coming back. Let’s just finish strong, and that’s what we tried to do.
Q. What happened on the touchdown that Parker was able to get you on?
BRYCE HALL: Yeah, just didn’t recognize the formations. I think they tell a story. I was kind of expecting a bigger dude going up for fade ball, but he caught an inside route, he ran a slant.
So respect to him. That was a good route he ran. I felt like I could have been better just understanding pre-snap what the offense was telling me, and then just be there to make
at that play. You learn and grow from it, and I definitely learned from that.
Q. Bryce, did you think that ball was catchable?
BRYCE HALL: Yeah, you know, just two guys battling. It is what it is. You know, just kind of got to move on.
Q. Gave up a lot of rushing yards again as a defense today. Coach Saleh was talking about a lot of missed tackles. Can you put where your finger on what’s happening here? This team is not a big-time rushing team coming into this game.
BRYCE HALL: I mean, that’s December football, understanding we get a lot of runs. I haven’t had a chance to watch the film so I don’t feel like I can really make an assessment on that. So, yeah.
Q. What’s the mood of the team?
BRYCE HALL: I think we’re — you know, our coach, he put — and I felt like it’s really good on him — he posed a challenge to us to take the mindset of these last four games treating it like playoff mentality.
So that’s our mindset. That is our heart. I feel like we’re still engaged in it. Just because we had this tough loss, I really feel and sense the vibe of this team is we’re on the climb.
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Brandin Echols
Jets Postgame Presser
Jets 24, Dolphins 31
Q. Brandin, what did you see on that pick sox? What did you pre-snap and then what allowed you to jump on that pass?
BRANDIN ECHOLS: Oh, pre-snap it wasn’t my call. It was actually Michael Carter call, just communication across the board to the defense. He saw something and I trusted him, so that’s what led me to get the pick.
Q. How have you seen your game change as the season has gone on?
BRANDIN ECHOLS: I would say my game grew more, like within me, my confidence, and, you know, me learning and understanding different concepts within the game.
Q. We’ve talked a lot about Zach learning when he was out with the injury just from watching. Did you benefit at all when you were sidelined with the injury just watching other guys?
BRANDIN ECHOLS: Yes. I’m glad that happened because I could sit back and reflect on myself as a person and see what I needed to work on and be done. And so, yeah, I really think me getting sidelined was a good thing.
Q. How difficult was that moment with Alijah on the field and how difficult was it to come back from that and keep playing football?
BRANDIN ECHOLS: I mean, it wasn’t really too difficult. I mean, things happen, so you just got to — it’s always going to be bumps in the road you just got to overcome.
Q. What were your emotions when you scored that touchdown, and how did it feel to have your first
interception also be a touchdown?
BRANDIN ECHOLS: Obviously it was exciting, but I knew — coming to the sideline I knew we had to go back out there and try to do it again. So my mindset once I got it, I was happy, excited, I knew I
had to flip the switch and change my mindset and go back out there and try to make another play.
Q. When was the last time you had a pick six?
BRANDIN ECHOLS: Junior colors.
Q. Been a little bit?
BRANDIN ECHOLS: Yeah.
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Connor McGovern
Jets Postgame Presser
Jets 24, Dolphins 31
Q. Connor, seemed like the first possession you guys were able to take the ball right down the field and scored a touchdown. From a quarterbacking perspective ball was out the Zach’s hand. What
happened in the second half where that same success didn’t carry over?
CONNOR McGOVERN: Yeah, they kind of changed their defense a little bit. Obviously it’s what a lot of –a good team does going into the half. We kind of felt like whatever they brought to us we were winning our one-on-one matchups and we could kind of go out and do the same thing we did in the first half. Yeah, just the defense changed a little bit and then kind of had the momentum swing. We never would claw that momentum back, and everything we were trying just to get that momentum to swing our way just was a little unfortunate.
Q. What happened with the protection? It seemed like Zach took a little more hits there in the second half than he did in the first.
CONNOR McGOVERN: We were calling the same plays. Like I said, they kind of switched up their defense a little bit. It wasn’t quite that zero pressure we were expecting. They were bringing a little bit different forms of pressure. So, yeah, they made some good halftime adjustments and we weren’t winning our one-on-one battles as well as we were the first half.
Q. You guys have not led at halftime all year. What was the vibe in the room at halftime, maybe in
anticipation of what was to come since you played pretty well in the first half?
CONNOR McGOVERN: Yeah, everybody was feeling really good going into the half. We definitely didn’t take our foot off on the pedal. If anything, we just wanted to keep our foot on it and press and find that next gear if we could, but it didn’t kind of go in our favor. Like I said, we just — those one-on-one battles we were winning in the first half, the tides kind of changed. When you’re not winning those one-on-one — when you win the one-on-one battles you’re winning, and when you start to
lose the one-on-one battles you’re obviously not going to win the football game.
Q. Connor, we talked early this season about you guys struggling to start games, not scoring points in the first quarter. Now this game, Eagles game, you guys came out and played pretty well in the first half and faded in the second half. How frustrating is it that you haven’t been able to put the full game together?
CONNOR McGOVERN: It’s frustrating. As an offense, it takes all 11 every play, and I think that’s what makes offense football so special. You can have an absolute baller on defense that just destroys the game, and the other ten can mess up here and there and that one guy, that’s not how it works.
It would be awesome to see us put a full game together because I think if we could put a four quarters together we could be a pretty dangerous offense. We just haven’t had that ability to do that, you know, this year. We’ve had some games with three quarters, but haven’t had a true four quarter game. So I think that’s something we can use as our goal in had the last couple weeks and use that as a springboard going into next year. The last couple games are extremely important in setting up the next year, so this is where your biggest growth happens. You can practice all you want and stuff, but nothing beats live gameday reps. So this is really where you want to set up having a great season next year, which every body does. This is where it happens.
Q. Bryce Hall was in here before. He said Coach Saleh has challenged you to treat this like the playoffs. Is that the kind of mentality you have right now?
CONNOR McGOVERN: Yeah, for sure. December football is hard. If you watched every play on both sides, it was a battle out there. The defense was battling, their offense was battling, and vice versa.
Everybody wants to run the ball, wear somebody down. You got learn how to do it. It’s funny, it kind of carries from every level. You know, back in North Dakota it was who won in October was the ones that get remembered. You win in October you go to the playoffs, you win the state championship.
Got to college and it was those who win in November get remembered, and now here it’s December. So you always hear about how teams talk about Thanksgiving hits it’s a whole different season, and that takes practice. That just doesn’t happen, to just go out and December hits and you naturally go, now it turns up another notch. It’s something we will be practicing the next couple games and
use it for a good future ahead.
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CJ Mosley
Jets Postgame Presser
Jets 24, Dolphins 31
Q. CJ, we talked a lot to you guys over the last few weeks, month or so about the run game and how you guys — kind of the inability to stop the run. Dolphins almost ran off 200 yards today. Why is this
continuing?
CJ MOSLEY: Well, start off, beginning of the game I felt like we was really on our Ps and Qs as far as the run game, as far as just their scheme and what we wanted to do with the game. But as the game continued they started to move the ball in and started to execute better than we did. At the end of
the day that’s what it came down to. Missed tackles, I know I had a few in there, then the guys hitting behind the offensive linemen. So whether it’s scheme, whether it’s making sure we’re being in the right spots, knowing where we need to be in our defenses with the type of runs that we’re getting, that’s all going to take time. But it’s definitely frustrating coming off the field. I popped up and looked tried to see how many rushing yards they had. It felt like we was running well and making plays and everybody trying to play hard, but right now the run game is what’s getting us.
We just got to keep trying it figure it out. Just because it keeps happening does not mean we can’t stop and can’t keep trying to get better at it.
Q. CJ, can you talk about the emotions of seeing Elijah down?
CJ MOSLEY: Yeah, that was very scary. I did see him moving his arms, and once he got on the cart was looking at everybody, so definitely praying for him and hope that everything is all right. Right he’s a very passionate player. Very passionate. I’ll just keep it at that. With everything he does. Practice, in the meeting room, on the field, off the field. When he first got here you would’ve thought he’s been with us the whole time. That’s how quick he gelled with the guys and the DBs, so we’re definitely praying for him.
Q. CJ, is it hard when you’re there, you’re all praying for him on the field, and then, boom, you have to go back to — it’s first and ten and you’re trying to stop the Dolphins? Is it hard to flip the switch back on?
CJ MOSLEY: Yeah, it’s hard, you know, but when you’re in battle, your brother goes down, you definitely want to make sure he’s all right, make sure he’s okay, but at the at the end of the day, we still have to do our job so to speak on the football field. We’ve got to get guys focused up and try to do everything they can. But when you do see injuries like that you realize that — how dangerous this game can be and is. You never know when you can get hurt or those type of things that can happen to you. Like I said, we’re praying for him and hoping everything comes out well and he’s back on his feet tomorrow.
Q. You guys have not led all year at the half. What was the vibe in the room? A sense of anticipation
because you had a pretty good first half on both sides?
CJ MOSLEY: Anticipation as far as…
Q. Winning for a change.
CJ MOSLEY: Oh, well, I mean, we don’t go to any game thinking we’re going to lose. I mean, just being honest. But we definitely came out fast. The defense started fast. Offense was moving the ball, so we definitely had a lot of momentum. But we definitely didn’t let our guards down or take
anything, because at the end of the day this is the NFL and they’re trying to win the game just like we’re trying to win the game. On top of that, you talk about December football and teams trying to get in the playoff, and that’s a team that’s trying to still fight for a spot. We knew they were going to keep coming and keep bringing everything that they had. Like I said before, at the end of the day they executed better than we did when the time was right. That was a good lesson for us as a team, a good lessen for us as a defense unit, being on our Ps and Qs when it comes to the critical drives, making sure that we can’t have mental errors or breakdowns on all phases of our team. At some point we got to, when we look at the film, just take the tough learning lessons when we in these positions and try to bring it for the next opponent when we are back in that same situation.
Q. You defensively started well. What went into such a good start?
CJ MOSLEY: Just guys being focused, coming out ready to play. Coming out communicating, and guys knowing their job. That’s the main thing. Knowing the opponents, what they’re doing, and I felt all week we had a great practice on the scheme that they was trying to do. We knew what they were going to do, bring a new motion in and kind of stick with that for the rest of the game, which
they did. Like I said, when those crunch time plays came or came or when that play came they made more plays than we did. Echols made an amazing interception to tie the game up, but we just got to come back out and try to get the same thing.
Q. You just mentioned Brandin. What kind of growth have you seen in him this year as a rookie?
CJ MOSLEY: I’ve seen a lot of growth. He’s not a big talker. Maybe in the DB room he talks a little bit more, but he’s focused on his job and you definitely saw that today. You saw him grow a lot today.
I think I’m going to take a little credit because before the game I told him, We only have one lockdown corner, and there he go making pick sixes and all kind of plays. He’s a very, very competitive player. Whether you see it or don’t see it, when he’s on the field you feel his energy and
it was fun to watch.
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