Safety Kerry Rhodes told reporters Monday that he feels that the Jets' current .500 winning percentage is a fair evaluation of their performance.
"We're .500 right now and that's the way we've been playing football," he said. "We do good things and we do some bad things. We're just trying to sure up those bad things that we do and adjust the little minor breakdowns that we have. If we do that we'll be fine. The losses that we have, we had chances."
Read below for complete player transcripts from Inside the Locker Room
New York Jets' S Kerry Rhodes, 10.16
On Miami coming back because the defense eased up…
No, they get paid too, just like us. He started making plays and took more chances with the ball. He threw into some tight spots and got some positive plays for their team. They're pros just like us, so they're going to play too.
On switching to a zone philosophy in the fourth quarter…
We played the same coverage we were playing the whole game. They just took more chances with the ball and he (Joey Harrington) made some good throws in the fourth quarter and got some yards.
On not having the same success when he blitzes as in past weeks…
They are keying on me now. Wherever I go they are pointing me out. It's not going to be that easy for me anymore, but it opens up other opportunities for other teammates, so it's good in that aspect. They're not going to let me terrorize the quarterback anymore.
On the team's blitz against the Dolphins…
They max-protected, they only sent out three. They weren't going to let us get pressure; they were going to let him throw the ball. He got some good throws in.
On the state of the team…
We're .500 right now and that's the way we've been playing football. We do good things and we do some bad things. We're just trying to sure up those bad things that we do and adjust the little minor breakdowns that we have. If we do that we'll be fine. The losses that we have, we had chances.
On overlooking the Lions…
Overlooking?!? They might overlook us. No we're ready to play them. Our sole focus is on them.
On it being good that the Lions got their first win…
It may have got them amped up. They may think that they can win all the time. You never know how teams look at things. They got their win last week, which I'm sure they wanted and now they're going to try to get another one, but we're going to try and not let that happen.
On having a sigh of relief after the win…
A little. A win is a win in this league and they are tough to come by any week. We were able to pull it off at the end, he missed the field goal and he's a pretty good kicker too. It was a pretty tense time, but he missed it and we got the win.
On responding to critics that say the team doesn't have a killer instinct…
I haven't heard that until right now. You can't protect what people are going to say about us outside this locker room. We have to stay a team like we are. We're a pretty tight unit, so we'll be fine.
New York Jets' WR Laveranues Coles, 10.16
On winning a game after losing the last two…
We went upstairs today and made corrections. It was a pretty tight game yesterday. There are a lot of areas that we can clean up to make things a lot easier on ourselves, especially myself. Coach pointed out a lot of things to me, where I could have made my catches a lot easier, by staying vertical more. That's just it we have to come in, take the coaching and get better from there.
On the Dolphins overplaying many of his routes…
It's one of those things where people see things a couple of times and you run it a few times then they get used to your alignment, where you are going to be and the way the quarterback takes his drop. It's one of those things where they see you do things a couple of times and all of a sudden, they feel that it's coming. It's a natural instinct of a quarterback, where he sees something for a period of time and then anticipates it.
On Eddie Jackson reading the slant…
I had run so many slants prior to that, where he figured once the quarterback stopped his feet that's pretty much where I was running on his three step drop. It had been set up previously in the game because I had run so many slants.
On it being frustrating to have the other team come back…
Anytime it's a tight game it's tough. That's what we anticipate from Miami. Every time we play Miami, it's always a tough game. No matter what the records are, no matter how well on team is going; it's always a tough game.
On letting other teams get back into the game…
It goes that way week in and week out. Last week it wasn't that way with us, but when you look at most games around the NFL, towards the end of the game, teams come storming back for some reason. That's the just the nature of the game. We've had our share where we've tried to storm back and just didn't win. Guys are competitors at this level. The game ain't over 'til it's over.
On having to do with lacking a killer instinct…
Me personally I don't think so. As a player, the game isn't over until it's over. Teams are going to fight back and come at you with their best towards the end of the game.
On having a sigh of relief after the win…
It's always a good thing when you win a football game. It's one game, we have a lot more games to play. You can't really hang your hat on one game. You're excited about the win; but you have to get back to the drawing board and try to prepare for the team that you have coming in this week.
New York Jets' RB Derrick Blaylock, 10.16
On feeling like he's been forgotten…
I go out there and do what I have to do. Whenever I'm called upon, I'll go out and play. Whenever they call my number I'll be ready, but I don't feel like I've been forgotten, I'm a part of this team and whatever I can do to help, I'm there.
On playing special teams yesterday…
I did a little kickoff and I did a little punt. Hey, I'm a utility guy. Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it.
New York Jets' G Pete Kendall, 10.15
On killer instinct taking over…
It's obviously a very critical time. Particularly offensively, you might see some looks that you haven't even see on film or haven't had a chance to rep very much in practice because there is only so much time during the week.I don't know if it's necessarily only a killer instinct, it's probably more so the familiarity with the system to be able to go out there and execute like it's second nature.
On how it felt to watch the missed Miami field goal in the fourth quarter…
I was pretty relieved, but it is a hard field goal. We had a couple of chances and couldn't seal the deal. In The Meadowlands, a 50-yarder is really a tough task, but we certainly felt that he was capable of making it and we were very relieved when he didn't.
On being concerned that teams have caught up at the end…
No, I'm not concerned.
New York Jets' TE Chris Baker, 10.16
On expecting different things from Donnie Henderson…
I don't think he's going to do that. I think he's going to have a certain game plan, and I think he's going to act in the context of what they're trying to get done. I know he's going to be fired-up before the game, because he always is, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.
On the team letting up a little bit when they are ahead…
I wouldn't say we let up. The thing is, everybody is good in this league. We were behind in the New England game and we made a run for it; that's just how the game is. I wouldn't say we lack a killer instinct, it's just kind of how things go. Especially, with Miami and the Jets, there is always something like that and it comes down to the end, we knew the game wasn't over at all and we were just able to hang on.
On heading into a game expecting it to come down to the end…
Well yeah, that's the way our team is built and we know we can't take anybody lightly. All of our games are going to be close, we're not a team that's made to go out and win by 20 or 30 points. We know all of our games are going to be close and we go into the game with that mindset, so when it happens, we don't panic and just continue to play.
New York Jets' LB Jonathan Vilma, 10.16
On facing Donnie Henderson…
The guys who were here last year, they know what to expect from him. They know how he practiced, how he approached practice and how he approached the game. Obviously, the guys will be cognizant of that and they'll approach it that way.
On Henderson being his usual aggressive self…
I don't know if he's changed or not, but I assume he'll be as aggressive as usual. That's him, that's what he's going to do.
On the difference between the first and second half…
The second half they just made plays and we didn't make plays. They finished plays; we didn't finish a couple of plays.
On the run defense progressing…
Yeah, we are making progress aside from four or five runs; we did a good job of stopping the run. Those four runs were just technique errors or a breakdown here or a breakdown there. We sewed those up and did a better job tackling.
On evaluating yesterday's game…
Bottom line is we won, so we take that. We take the victory and do the corrections after that. We watch the film and we have to make the corrections. We have to take those corrections and make sure it doesn't happen again.
On the defense having a letdown in the fourth quarter…
I wouldn't say a letdown. They made plays; you have to give them credit. Joey Harrington has played a long time in the NFL, he knows how to make plays and he did a good job.
On it being good that Detroit got their first win before playing the Jets…
No, now they want to get a roll. They're obviously going to be hungry to get the second win. We have to go out there, make sure we play, make sure we do what we have to do and not let them come in and win.
On Henderson being fired up for this game…
You know Donnie is a great guy and a great coach, so we know he's going to be excited. The offense knows how he used to practice against them and how he used to approach a game.
