Getty New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh reacting during an NFL game.
The New York Jets were politically correct throughout the week when asked about the viral comments made by Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton.
However, after the game, Saleh had some receipts to cash. During his media availability on Sunday, October 8 Saleh was asked about some of the adjustments his defense made during the game against Denver.
“Let me say this the right way, they [the Broncos] were getting us on a lot of screens and the quarterback was getting a lot of yardage with his feet. So it was just a matter of taking out the screen game, taking out the QB scramble, [and] make him [Russell Wilson] play quarterback. Felt like the way they were calling it, it wasn’t letting him play quarterback but anyway.”
Payton calls plays for the Broncos and Saleh seemingly was poking fun at the fact that he wasn’t letting his $242 million quarterback play quarterback with how he was calling the game.
Saleh Sent a Few Subtle Jabs at Payton Throughout Jets-Broncos Presser
Saleh said he felt like his team could have “probably blown that team [the Broncos] out of the water” if they were better in the red zone. Gang Green went 0-for-5 in what Nathaniel Hackett often references as the “gold zone.”
It wasn’t a perfect game by any means from Hackett. There were some questionable play calls and predictable concepts. However, as Saleh pointed out after the game the Jets finished with over 407 yards of total offense and put up 31 points on the board.
Payton told Jarrett Bell of USA Today during the summer that Hackett was a part of one of the “worst coaching jobs in NFL history.” Hackett was hired by Denver as its head coach for his offensive prowess.
Saleh pointed out several times during the press conference on Sunday what Hackett was able to do with the Jets offense.
One of the turning points in the game came when the Jets unleashed linebacker Quincy Williams on a few blitzes late in the fourth quarter. Saleh was asked what prompted that audible.
“We noticed a flaw in the protection from film study, so we were able to get two of them back-to-back in that two-minute situation. Felt good about our two-minute plan and knew that we’d have an opportunity at a couple of free runners.”
.@antwanstaley asked #Jets HC Robert Saleh about ‘unleashing’ LB @quincywilliams_ in those blitz situations vs #Broncos & noted it’s unlike him: ‘we noticed a flaw in the protection during film study’ 👀 ‘we knew we’d have an opportunity at a couple of free runners’ 🎥 @nyjets…
The Jets Have to Improve if They Want to Be a Playoff Team
The Jets made a ton of mistakes in Week 5 and still pulled out a double-digit victory, 31-21.
In some ways that is really encouraging but it’s also a big reminder that they have to clean up their act if they want to end their postseason drought.
The Jets were able to make mistakes like penalties, turnovers, and terrible clock and situational management at the end of the first half to still pull off the win. That is likely because they played the Broncos who are 1-4.
Denver’s only win of the season is against the Chicago Bears and they needed a miraculous second-half comeback to even get that dub.
If the Jets play with that same energy in Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles they are unlikely going to find a victory at the end of that rainbow. A win is a win in the NFL, but they have to learn from their mistakes if they’re going to make noise the rest of the way.