The "big uglies" along the offensive line live their professional lives in the trenches, performing thankless tasks. If they do their jobs -- protect the quarterback, give him time to throw while opening gaps for the running backs -- well, that's what they're supposed to do. Sometimes, they find joy in their toil, like when C Josh Myers rumbled downfield as Breece Hall breezed by on his way to a 42-yard catch-and-run TD last week against Cleveland.
Then there was the explosion of joy among rookie RT Armand Membou, RG Joe Tippmann and LG John Simpson when Cleveland's Cameron Thomas was drawn offside on a fourth-and-1 play with 58 seconds left in last Sunday's game. First down Jets. Game over.
And as far as HC Aaron Glenn is concerned, let them dance, let them have a bit of fun, let them express themselves after the battle is won.
"That's what we preach here," Glenn said. "Again, no one likes a fake. That's not who I am, that's not who I want them to be. Just be yourself. Just make sure being yourself, it fits into what we're doing, and the guys appreciate that because I don't try to put anybody in a box, none of our coaches try to put anybody in a box, and our players accept every coach and every player on the team as who they are. I think that the relationship is a lot better when you can really just sit eye to-eye with somebody and know that they're not BS-ing you about who they are."
The current solid group along the Jets' O-line has emerged a little bit by design and a little bit by chance. The bookend tackles -- Olu Fashanu and Membou -- were each the team's No. 1 draft pick the past two springs. Simpson signed in free agency, as did Josh Myers. And Tippmann was drafted in the second round and settled in as Green & White's starting center as a rookie. That is until this season, when RG Alijah Vera-Tucker sustained a torn triceps and was lost for the season days before the start of the opener.
Tippmann took a few steps to his right and has embraced and accepted what is required of him.
"He's very selfless as a player to be able to make that move, something that we needed him to do," Glenn said. "He's come to really enjoy the position, and that's another level. Obviously, centers do a lot of communicating and that just brings another level of communication now, not just with Myers and him, but he's able to spread that out with the other guys. So, I love that player. I love what he's about. He's been a huge help for us, he really has. So, again, he's taken that job on as being our guard and he's running with it."
TE Jeremy Ruckert: The Race Is On
Thursday night games only days after Sunday gameday's are a fact of life in today's NFL.
"I think it's going on the road as well," TE Jeremy Ruckert said. "So it's a race to recover from the last game and get ready for the quick turnaround and prepare for a team [the Patriots] that's rolling right now. So like I said, it's a race to get better, a race to improve and a race to prepare for a good game.
"I think you've got to flip the switch and think of it like today's Thursday, today's Friday, and not really getting too caught up into how we usually have an off day. Flip that mental switch quick enough, get into those cold tubs and start, start watching film."
Growing up on Long Island among a family of Jets fans, Ruckert is no stranger to the fierce rivalry between the teams, especially now that he and the Jets face New England twice a year, every year.
"This rivalry is important to my family, and they're a team that you always want to beat," he said. "And anytime you go to Foxborough, you got to be ready for a tough matchup, and you're ready to bring your toughness, bring your physicality, and just trying to walk out of there with the win."
S Tony Adams Praises Rookie Malachi Moore
The Jets' defensive backfield, beset by injuries, will face a mighty test against the Patriots, QB Drake Maye and WR Stefon Diggs on Thursday night. CBs Michael Carter II and Sauce Gardner were traded. Gardner's rookie replacement Azareye'h Thomas is in the concussion protocol. S Andre Cisco's season was ended by injury. CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr., acquired from Tennessee to replace Carter at slot corner, has played outside, with Isaiah Oliver seeing time there at nickel, and at safety. For the defense, the term "next man up" is not a cliché. It's reality.
S Tony Adams is likely to be back in the starting lineup, teaming with the impressive rookie Malachi Moore, who has played in all nine games up to this point and is third on the team with 42 total tackles, 1 behind solid CB Brandon Stephens
"He's a rookie, but he's not a rookie. you know what I'm saying," Adams said about Moore. "That Alabama pedigree, man, those guys are different over there. So he was already vetted. He's built for this. Know what I mean? So he didn't have to come too far along, it's just him gaining confidence every weekend. I can see it in him, and he's going to be a great player in this league for a long time."
