Potential Turning PointQB Ryan Fitzpatrick was asked about head coach Todd Bowles' message to the team on Monday.
"I think the biggest thing is it was the third game of the season and it's not the last time we're going to face adversity in a game," he said. "It's not the last time that a game isn't going to go our way or we're going to start off bad. It's something we have to learn from and we have come together and not drift apart from a loss like that, an experience like that on the road and move on to the next one. The way that he delivered the message today was great. I thought it was something that was necessary and potentially a turning point in the season in terms of the focus that hopefully we come with after this game."
Buckle UpCoach Bowles was simple and to the point in Monday's press conference a day after the team's 24-3 loss at Arrowhead Stadium. He said the team knows its identity, it's a matter of showing it on the field.
"We just have to understand the season is long and we have a way to go," he said. "We're not where we want to be and we have a lot of work to get to where we need to be."
Self-CritiqueAfter watching film Monday, Fitzpatrick pinpointed a couple areas he's going to focus on improving.
"Forced balls in the red area are things that can't happen and part of that is that we've been down there a lot this year," he said. "And maybe haven't been as productive as we were last year, but it's still a matter of taking what the defense gives you and if it's not there, throw it away. Can't take points off the board. Those were a couple things that'll kill you and I can't do that moving forward."
Rookie AssessmentThe Jets started two rookies in their linebacking corps against Chiefs. First-round pick Darron Lee made his second consecutive start and third-rounder Jordan Jenkins made his professional debut.
"They ran around, they did some things and they made some good plays and they have some things they can learn from," Bowles said. "Overall, they played fast. A little bit up and down, but they played fast."
Deep BreathWhen push comes to shove, there's still 13 football games to be played this season for the 1-2 Jets.
"We're sitting at 1-2. We didn't want to be 1-2, but we're three games in," Fitzpatrick said. "Offensively, there are some things that we've done that we've done well. We've done a decent job of getting down into the red area, just haven't been able to put together the points. So there are positives, this isn't all doom and gloom. Last week, everybody was talking about how we're the greatest show on turf basically after one game and so the message last week that I tried to deliver was you're only as good as your next game. I wish the game would've gone better, but you're only as good as your next game so we have to go out and put the work in and try to put it together and be more consistent."
Injury UpdateBowles began his press conference by telling the media DL Lawrence Thomas and WR-KR Jalin Marshall suffered shoulder injuries and are awaiting MRI results to determine the severity.
