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Notebook | LB Jamien Sherwood: 'Just Doing Whatever I Can'

CB Brandon Stephens on Jets Defense: ‘I Think We’re Playing Pretty Good Ball’

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LB Jamien Sherwood is the personification of leading by example as he continues to emerge as the glue at the heart of the Jets' defense.

In Sunday's 13-6 loss to visiting Carolina, Sherwood's stats line jumped off the sheet: a team-leading 10 tackles (7 solo), his first sack of the season, 2 TFL, 2 QB hits and a pass defense. Through seven games, No. 44's 70 total tackles are second in the league.

"I'm saying trusting in the process, trusting in the calls, my technique, my preparation, just doing whatever I can," he said on Monday. "There have been plays throughout this season that I haven't been good for my teammates. Just doing whatever I can to be better in those moments, in these games, doing whatever I can for us to come up with a win. I'm saying at the end of the day, this game is about wins and losses. So again, just trying to do whatever I can for us to win as long with doing my job."

For Sherwood, there's more to it than just "doing my job." He's taken the mantle of former Jets MLB C.J. Mosley and made it his own. He's powered through minus his running mate at linebacker, Quincy Williams, who is on injured reserve while acclimating himself and rookie Kiko Mauigoa as the defense has jelled and allowed the opposition only 13 points in each of the last two games.

"Just trusting each other," he said. "I feel like when we went to London, that was a big step for us, just being able to be around each other, understand each other, and again, just putting our trust in each other. I don't have to do this because I know my brother's going to do his job, and that's been the big focal point for us."

CB Brandon Stephens: 'We Can Continue to Build on It'
Through the first five games of the season, the Jets' defense gave up 30 points in three games, a total of 157 in the first five games. Since then, beginning with their game in London against Denver, the defense has yielded a total of 26 points, 13 in each of the last two games.

"I think, just as a defense, the only thing we can control is limiting points and get off the field," CB Brandon Stephens said. "We can't control when we get on the field, but when we get on the field, it's our job to limit points and put our best style of football on the field."

After joining the Jets after four seasons with Baltimore, Stephens has offered a steady and consistent counterpart to Sauce Gardner. Stephens has taken close to 100% of the snaps on defense over the last three games. In Sunday's game against Carolina, he had 5 tackles and a pair of passes defended.

"I think we've been playing pretty good ball the past couple of weeks," he said. "Each week we've just been focusing on just building upon the last week. And I think we've done that. But you know, unfortunately it hasn't resulted in a win. What we've done is not enough, but we can continue to build on it."

TE Jeremy Ruckert: 'You Need to Stick Together'
Jeremy Ruckert grew up on Long Island among a family of Jets fans. They all know the game. They all know the history. On Monday, the fourth-year tight end from Lindenhurst who played at Ohio State for a time with several current teammates -- WR Garrett Wilson, QB Justin Fields and C Josh Myers -- said he's concentrating his effort and attention inside the walls at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center.

"The moment you let that stuff wear on you, you're looking for a job," he said, responding to a reporter's question about outside noise. "So the way I see it in this league is you need to stick together. You need to bring energy. You need to not waver through tough times and lean on each other to get out of them.

"It's been tough these past few years, and you obviously want to get in the win column. You want to go to the playoffs. That's everybody. Everybody wants to. But the minute you start worrying about things outside this building, outside this locker room, you're going to start getting in trouble, start pressing, and you're going to be looking for a new place to be. And I don't want to do that. I want to be here. I want to win here."

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