2009 Week 6 - Jets vs Bills Photos
Transcripts of Jets interviews in the locker room following their 16-13 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday:
HEAD COACH REX RYAN
This was a rough one. You have to give a lot of credit to Buffalo. We knew they would come in, play hard, and give everything they had, and they did. You turn the ball over six times, you're not going to win many games. We had a shot and just missed the opportunity. It's unfortunate. The character of this football team is going to show. I truly believe that. I think we'll bounce back. I said that last week, and I understand I've said it three weeks in a row, but I believe it. I'm confident as heck in this football team. These last three weeks haven't gone our way — this week in particular — and we had some great efforts, especially Thomas Jones. We were able to run the ball on them. It's just unfortunate to lose a game like that.
On QB Mark Sanchez's five interceptions…
You're not going to win too many games throwing five picks. I thought about pulling him, but I still believe in him. I think he bounced back, and we had some catchable balls that were dropped. I thought momentum was heading our way, but it just never happened. He gives us the best chance to win, and he will remain our quarterback.
On if Sanchez forced throws to Braylon Edwards in part because WR Jerricho Cotchery was out…
Jerricho is an outstanding receiver. Hopefully, he will be back this week. By saying something like that, it discredits our opponent, the Bills. You have to give them the credit. They deserved to win this game. They made a lot of plays. When you make six interceptions, you deserve to win the game. It wouldn't be fair to point it our way without giving them credit. They deserved to win.
On the Jets' penalties…
We have to get better at that and look at why. Those are things that kill you. They're drive-stoppers. That's what happened to Buffalo the week before. They had 13 offensive penalties. They're non-aggressive penalties, and they kill you. We have to really look at what we're doing and see if it's something that our players are not understanding. We have to look long and hard at the mistakes we're making.
On if he is "shocked"…
You have to give the opponent credit, but you can't make that many mistakes. The fact that we took this game into overtime when they had six interceptions is shocking. I know the men in that locker room want to win bad, and we have to look at what we're doing and try to put our guys in the best situation to be successful. We've talked about getting our running game on track, and that's the biggest positive that we can take out of this game. The fact that we were still in the game when you turn the ball over six times is amazing.
On decision not to pull Sanchez…
I thought he gives us the best chance. I believe that. I know there were some drops in there and he forced a few throws, but again, I believe in him. It's a bad day, but I think he'll bounce back.
On the injury to Kris Jenkins…
It's a knee injury. We'll know much more about it tomorrow. Clearly, he couldn't return. That's what I know about the injury. Unfortunately, I think it's probably severe. I'm not sure, though.
On calling timeouts…
We were trying to draw them offsides on that one [fourth-and-2]. We thought that if we called the timeout, we would really sell the fact that we're going for it and hopefully they would jump offsides. We felt good about making the field goal, and obviously it never went that way. That was the thinking.
On if the fourth-quarter sack of Sanchez was a broken play…
I'm not sure. We'll take a look at it on film, but I'm really not sure.
On if the weather affected Sanchez's play…
Not at all, I would think. It was the same weather for both teams. It was just a poor performance. During the week, we were outside. On Wednesday, it was a lot colder than it was today.
On severity of the injury to T Damien Woody…
I'm not sure. I'm not sure it's his knee, though. I think it might be his foot.
QB MARK SANCHEZ
On the game today…
It was an embarrassing day. We did a heck of a job on offense with the running game. Our defense played lights out again and I just gave that team the win. You have to give credit to them for catching all those passes. It was just a poor day accuracy-wise, a couple of missed reads. I really let this team down and there's no excuse for that. I have a lot of work to do. These coaches and the guys on this team are putting way to much time into this for this to be the result on Sunday. I have to figure it out, work harder, work smarter, and play a heck of a lot better. It was just embarrassing, it was really to bad.
On the weather…
I don't think it affected me at all. To be totally honest I don't know if I could have played any worse. The ball wasn't slipping out of my hands. The weather isn't a factor when you are making all the wrong reads. The weather isn't a factor when you're missing Dustin [Keller] wide open over the middle. There's no way I can blame it on the weather. I really wish I could. It's totally my fault and I owe these guys a lot. The wind didn't blow the ball to the defenders. I threw it to a defender, so it has nothing to do with the weather.
On his five interceptions…
The last one was late over the middle, that's never good. I under threw the ball to Dustin on a corner route. I just tried to get too cute with the throw. I have to give him a chance and if anything it should be his ball or nothing. The defense made some good plays, but the defender should never have a chance at that ball. I was just telling the radio people I've never played like this ever. There's not one game ever, not even close.
On his teammates encouraging him…
I don't know how they do it. It says a lot about how they feel about me and the kind of faith they have in me, so I have to perform. It's the first time something like this has happened and hopefully, it's the last.
On what he has learned the last three games…
In six games we have three losses and I feel like two of those losses you can blame No. 6 on offense. It's not a good feeling. I've got to turn this thing around. There's no excuse to play like that. I'm putting way too much time and effort into this. I'm totally focused on playing, but to come out and have a day like this is pretty embarrassing. It puts Coach Schottenheimer in a tough position. He's making the right calls, we're running the heck out of the ball, they're protecting me like crazy. To give the ball away like that is just no good. There's lot's to correct and we have two huge games before we go into our bye week.
On if the possibility of being pulled from the game entering his mind…
No. Actually, to be honest, it really didn't. It's my mental makeup. As frustrated as I was, it's hard to say, but even after the fourth or fifth interception I'm thinking we're going to get one more shot. Just one shot, one drive and we'll be just fine. If we came out on top things would be different. If you make huge mistakes like that and you win you learn a lot, but unfortunately we didn't. In overtime we moved the ball okay and we just got stopped there at the end. I just forced it. We have to be able to punt the ball and have faith in our defense and make them drive even longer down the field instead of giving them the ball there almost at midfield.
On his friends and family being at the game next week…
I've had friends and family at every game. It's just too bad they were here today. I just want to play again. I just want to get back on the field. Just like in overtime. I was just hoping and praying they weren't going to win so I could have one more drive. That's just my mentality. It will start again tomorrow. I have to just get ready for practice. I've got to bounce back and show these guys why they have faith in me and show them it's a good idea to have faith in me.
On the injured receiving corps…
That can be up there with the weather — I don't think that was a factor. It had nothing to do with it. The guys were there and I missed a few of them, I forced a couple and that never helps. I don't care who I'm throwing to. You just can't have a day like that at quarterback and expect to win.
On preparing for the weather…
I felt fine out there. I had a heated bench, a handwarmer, I had sleeves on. I wasn't cold at all. I was sweating like crazy.
RB THOMAS JONES
On the game…
Well, we didn't win the game so regardless of any individual statistics or anything like that, it doesn't matter. We lost the game in overtime. We lost last week with a couple seconds left, so we've had two tough games in a row. We'll have to find a way to bounce back.
On if he felt like he was back on track…
I don't really care if I'm back on track. That has nothing to do with the way we feel right now. We lost. I could have had 2 yards. We lost the game. That's why you play — to win and just have success as a team. I've always been a team player. That's why I play as hard as I can to help the team win. Me getting back on track has nothing to do with this game.
On if it is stunning that they lost despite rushing for so many yards…
It's hard to piece together. Anytime you have a great day rushing — we ran for over 300 yards — usually if you run for that many yards you win. When you have a lot of penalties and a lot of turnovers and plays that get called back, just a lot of misfortunes in the game, you're not going to win. It's the NFL. If you turn the ball over and you get penalties, you're not going to win. That's the bottom line.
On if the Jets' tough times in Oakland in the past can motivate the team next week…
We're not thinking about history. We have to find a way to get back to where we need to be. We will watch this film tomorrow and see some of the things that we did, mostly wrong. We know what we did well, we just need to find the things that we did wrong and find the areas that we need to get better.
Oakland won today, so they're going to be ready to play. They beat us out there last year, so they have some momentum going into this game, but we have a lot of veterans on this team. We have a lot of guys that have won a lot of football games and have been in this kind of situation in the past. We have some great character, so I think it won't be an issue for us to bounce back and get ready to go next week in practice.
On his confidence in the way things were going after his two long runs…
Personally, I take it one game at a time. You could have a 64-yard run one play and have a 2-yard loss the next play. I just take it one play at a time. We were winning at the time, but we still weren't playing as well as we could. We were making mistakes and turning the ball over, so we didn't really put ourselves in a position to take advantage of some of the good plays that we had.
On if he said anything to QB Mark Sanchez after the game…
Yeah, everyone talked to everybody. Mark wasn't the only one that made mistakes. Everyone made mistakes in that game. Everyone could have played better, so everyone talked to everybody and just encouraged everybody to keep their heads up and get ready to go next week.
TE DUSTIN KELLER
On how he and Mark Sanchez can improve…
We have to take it to the film room and find out what it is. It is definitely something that can be adjusted, and it will. We just have to get this thing turned around. The defense had a heck of a game. We just need to do our part. It's hard to say during a game. Once we check out the film, we will figure it out. It's a matter of us being on the same page with our timing and know where each other is. Today we didn't have that.
On if the weather conditions played a part in the interceptions…
It's hard to say. You can never blame the weather. The other team has to play in the same thing. You throw the football in the air and you know what the weather conditions are. The receivers have to come back to the ball. When he puts it up in the air it is him giving us the opportunity to make a play on it and we have to do that.
On the penalties…
At times we put ourselves in real bad situations. That is another thing, mental mistakes are going to kill us. We won't win games with that. We were fortunate enough that this game even went into overtime with those penalties and some of the mental mistakes we had. We just have to correct those also.
On Braylon Edwards…
He is a Pro Bowl receiver. We are going to look for him. We are going to try to get balls to him. I'm never going to blame a game on one guy or two guys or anything. We collectively, as a team, everybody has to do their part.
T DAMIEN WOODY
On the game…
I feel disgusted. We had every opportunity to win this game. The turnovers and penalties really did us in. With six turnovers and 14 penalties, that's how you lose a football game, regardless of the referees. When the turnover battles are lopsided and combine that with penalties, this is what happens, a tough loss in overtime. We have a great backfield and Thomas Jones and Leon Washington ran great today. I have total confidence in our running game and we are going to lean heavily on that.
On the Jets' quarterback play…
It was a rough day for Mark Sanchez. He knows that you can't turn the ball over like that. As a team, collectively, one person doesn't lose a football game. You win as a team and you lose as a team. Everybody could have played better. Mark is going through a learning curve and he's going to bounce back. We have to just ride it out. We are having a tough stretch, but he is still our quarterback. It's all part of the growing and learning process. He needs to learn that in this league, the easy way to lose a football games is turnovers. We just have to keep working to get better and we'll improve. We'll definitely see it in the win/loss column.
On losing three games in a row…
The season is full of ups and downs; we are in a position where we lost three in a row. It's all about getting back to basics. This is a simple game. If you are on the bad end of the turnover battle, you're going to lose the game, regardless of how many yards you rush for in a game.
The offense needs to improve on ball security and not giving up the football. We just need to regroup, get ready for our West Coast trip and try to get a win.
WR BRAYLON EDWARDS
On what he would say to Mark Sanchez…
There are two things I can say. One, I've been there. As a young player in this league, or even a player with as many expectations as him, to have a "bad game," or not your best game, you tend to get down on yourself. You know you're capable of doing more. I've been there. All I could tell him was, "Hey, it's not just you. We're going to win this thing together. There are some things we could have done to help you out. Don't put all the pressure on yourself. You're not in this by yourself. You're not going out there, taking the snap, dropping back, throwing the ball, and then catching it yourself."
At the end of the day, there are still 10 games left. It was a rough three for us. We're 3-3 after starting off 3-0, but life goes on. We still have 10 games left, so let's go out there, watch film tomorrow, let's move on. The hardest thing to do in this game, which is the easiest thing to do, is to have a short memory. You throw an interception, the heck with it. You drop a pass, it happens. You miss a tackle, you fumble the ball as a running back. These things happen in the course of a game because the guys you're playing against, they're paid to play this game as well.
On the interception Sanchez threw that was intended for him…
I was running the route, so I didn't get a chance to see his eyes or see him the whole play, but I turned around, Sanchez was throwing the ball, and [Paul] Posluszny stepped in front and got the interception. It was a nice play by him. It will be one of the plays I get to watch tomorrow on film. I'll get to see what Mark was thinking. I'll see if I could have helped him with my depth or if I could have helped him by keep running, I don't know. We'll check it out tomorrow, we'll agree and get by it.
These things happen. Obviously, we definitely didn't want to be sitting here at 3-3, we didn't want to lose two divisional games back to back, but it happens. The main thing is we have to know we have 10 games left. We can't sit and pout because it's over with. This game is not coming back. We can't put pressure, we can't be thinking about the Miami game last week. We can't be thinking about this game next week. We come out against Oakland. We have to go out there to their field, their time zone, and we have to get the win out there. What we have to do as a team is focus on the next game.
P STEVE WEATHERFORD
On how frustrating the loss is…
It's a team that on paper we are better than. It's really frustrating to lose three in a row knowing it's three games we should have won. It is a great group of guys, a lot of character. This is going to test our resolve and we're going to have to pull together.
On the team's performance…
Thomas Jones had a great game, the offensive line did awesome, defense looked great. The special teams did good until I screwed it up there on the last one. What are you going to do? Sometimes you are just not clicking, but guys are trying.
K JAY FEELY
On the game…
It hurts, but I think we have a lot of resolve in this locker room. All we can do is go out and beat Oakland next week. You can't do anything about this game.
On the team…
I see the talent that we have and the character that we have in this locker room. I'm hopeful that we can turn it around just as quickly.
On the botched field goal in overtime…
He just dropped the ball, bobbled the ball. He wasn't able to get it down. I believe in this team. We made too many mistakes today and didn't find a way to win the game. It's disappointing, but I think we'll go out and find a way to turn our season around.
DE SHAUN ELLIS
On Buffalo hanging around and coming back to win…
You have to take your hats off to Buffalo. They did a tremendous job of staying competitive, even when things weren't going their way. With us turning over the ball the way we did, we had a chance, but we just didn't get it done, bottom line. We just have to get back to the basics and fundamentals. The crazy penalties, there were a lot of things that were uncharacteristic of our football team that came out tonight. We just have to go back to work and key in on the little things. Just grind — we have to put our heads down and keep working.
On being 3-3 after starting the season 3-0…
It's shocking. It's done with now. There are still 10 games left in the season. It's what we do in the next 10 games, how we get the job done so we can get to where we want to go. It's tough. It was a tough loss. I thought we were ready to play. We proved it at times but it just wasn't a consistent effort throughout the whole game and it came to bite us in the end. We had a lot of mistakes.
On the play when DT Kris Jenkins was injured…
I asked my wife what happened and she said when I came in on the play that I hit him. I felt bad about that, that I was part of putting one of our best players out of the game. I have to live with that.
On speaking to Jenkins after the game…
I spoke to him. He said he was going to try and do everything he can to get back.
On Jenkins believing he is out for the season…
I really don't know. When you listen to him talking, it sounds that way. Once they get all the exams and the doctors look at him, we'll know more.
On how the defense will suffer without Jenkins in the starting lineup…
He's our guy. Our other guys just have to step up. I have to step up. Everyone across the board will have to fill those shoes. Those are big shoes to fill. We just have to pull together as a team. Really, right now, we can't let the little things beat us. We have to hone in. When you lose a big guy like that in the middle, it's going to hurt. We all have to sacrifice and come together as a defensive unit to get the job done.
On the surprise of not bouncing back this week with a win…
If we would have won, it would have been different. I don't know about being surprised about not bouncing back, but we were surprised we didn't get the win. We knew Buffalo was a tough opponent, despite their record, and they've always been though. They have a lot guys who are very competitive and they make the plays when they need to. For us, we had our chances.
LB BART SCOTT
On the game…
It's unfortunate. We knew that team was going to come out and play hard. We knew they were a competitive group. We let one get away. We'll go back and reanalyze ourselves. We'll find out a lot about ourselves. There will be a lot of things said and deservingly so. We deserve every negative thing that is said about us. The only way to get better is to fight your way out of this.
On if this loss hurts more than others…
The team we played last week was 1-3, so it's the same thing. This is the NFL and you have to bring you're A-game every week. You can't take anything for granted. Those guys played hard. Whenever you play an opponent like that, you can't leave points on the board. You can't let them get drives because if you give them confidence they'll grow and think they can win the game. It's always dangerous when you let teams hang around when you have the opportunity to put them away.
On losing to a backup quarterback…
It hurts taking a loss. When you take a loss, it is a loss. If you get a win you don't celebrate anymore that you beat a backup quarterback. You just understand that everyone in this league is a quality football player. They are in the NFL for a reason. I played against him last year. He had a whole year starting last year in Cincinnati. He is not a typical backup. We let an opportunity slip away. You can't do that because it's going to end up catching up and we're going to dig ourselves into a hole that we may not be able to get ourselves out of.
On if the team is in a crossroad…
It's definitely a crossroads and next week we'll find out what kind of team we are. I believe in the character in this room and I believe in the coaching staff. Nobody is jumping off the ship, at least not in this locker room. We have to continue to get better and make sure that each guy does what he can do better to take it to the next level. It's going to be attention to detail, continue to work on your technique and play ball.
On if he is worried about Kris Jenkins…
Of course I am very concerned about [Kris] Jenkins. He is the anchor of our defense. He is a good friend. It is always scary when you see somebody grabbing a knee. I'm praying for him and hoping everything will work out. It's huge. He is a great part of what we do. Someone is going to have to step up and it can't be just one man. It's going to have to be a couple of individuals that step up. We got our work cut out for us, but we earned the right to have our work cut out for us. We made it difficult on ourselves. We have nobody to blame but ourselves for that.
On positives from the game…
We fought back. We kept fighting back. You can take a lot from the running game really showing up and being explosive. We can't wait to get [Jerricho] Cotchery back. We can go down the field and have two No. 1's down there to open things up even more. We have to do a better job across the board. When you lose it is a team loss. This is not the offense's loss, the defense's loss, the special team's loss, this is a team loss and we all contributed.
On what he told Mark Sanchez…
I just told him, "Keep your head up, we're going to need you this year." By no means is it over. There are a lot of teams having this conversation and they're 0-6 and they know realistically that they can't win. We are who we are. We are a 3-3 team, .500, at the crossroads. We have to go to the West Coast and play a tough game. We haven't earned the right to say games are easy. All games are going to be tough. We have to go out there and get if fixed.
CB DARRELLE REVIS
On the game…
I am very upset. We are upset over this game. Coach Ryan came in here after the game very upset with us. We let this one slip pass us. We have to win these types of games because it's in our conference. The focus right now is the loss of this game. We have to get our confidence back and get ready for the Oakland Raiders.
On the play of the defense…
It's a confidence game; you have to win them to be on top. When you don't, it puts other teams ahead of you. We had a lot of situations out there where we could have won. It was a scrappy, rough game and we couldn't get it done.
On going into overtime…
We felt very confident going into the overtime. We got the ball and our offense made some great plays. But the simple things we just did not do. We didn't do them today and the Buffalo Bills executed more plays and that's why they pulled it out in the end.
