When the dust had settled after the Jets' disappointing 34-24 loss to the Raiders on Sunday, an aftermath of confusion and frustration swept over the New York defense. On Monday, their sentiments were refocused, determined to reverse their misfortune and get back on track.
"It's very frustrating," said CB Darrelle Revis. "We've been together for a long time. When you look at the film and you see mistakes happening, you've got to feel frustrated because guys know what to do in this defense. We're all in this together. It's up to the coaches and players to get these things corrected and move forward next week."
Next week is a date with the Baltimore Ravens and is the second game of a treacherous three-game road stretch that started in Oakland and will end in New England. While still early in the season, each game carries extreme importance, and neither will be taken lightly by the Green & White.
"It's a great opportunity for us to bounce back and show this league that we're not just a trash-talking team," said Revis. "As much as this one hurts, we've got to move forward. We've got to focus on Baltimore and then New England."
Baltimore improved its record to 2-1 with a 37-7 road drubbing of the St. Louis Rams. The Ravens themselves were coming off a disappointing road loss at Tennessee in Week 2, falling to the Titans 26-13. The Jets will look for the same type of rebound on Sunday night, but it will take a stronger effort than in Northern California.
"We get things corrected, and stuff keeps popping up," said S Jim Leonhard. "I wasn't necessarily shocked, this is the NFL. When you get offenses that score quickly on you, you have to respond. We were very inconsistent all day long."
Leonhard, like head coach Rex Ryan and several other players and coaches, came to New York from Baltimore in 2009. It will be the first regular-season game for the former Ravens in Baltimore, and they already have an idea of what to expect.
"It's an emotional game," said Leonhard. "They bring a lot of emotion. We have to match that. They'll be ready to go, there's no doubt about it."
Revis agreed, imploring that the defense find its roots.
"We are a physical team," he said. "That's our identity. This upcoming game is going to be very physical as well. We're going to prepare hard this week."
Shortly after the Jets left the field at the end of their loss on Sunday, Ryan addressed the defensive problems. Today he reaffirmed his feelings that the defense would bounce back soon.
"We're going to find out a lot about ourselves in the next two weeks," said Ryan. "It's a bend in the road, not the end of the road. It's a long season. We're not starting off with a bang, but I'm confident we'll get it fixed."
The locker room was not the typically joyful space for players this afternoon, but neither was it sullen. The Jets have accepted the outcome from Sunday, moved beyond the disappointment, and are quickly focusing on what's ahead.
"You watch film, learn from it, and throw the game behind you," said Leonhard. "We'll make our corrections and move on."
