NEW YORK JETS HEAD COACH ROBERT SALEH
Postgame press conference
Thursday, September 19, 2024
On Aaron Rodgers' performance…
Yeah, the cool thing was he showed the mobility that we've been seeing throughout training camp. LikeI said, he may not be what he used to be, but he still has plenty in those legs, and his arm's still 30, and his mind's still operating at a high level. He was definitely impressive today.
On seeing Rodgers get this moment after last season…
Yeah, you're always happy for your guys. It would probably be more of a question for him, but absolutely, anytime any of our guys have any success, we're just excited for them.
On if the tide is shifting against New England…
It's only Week Three buddy.
On getting off to a faster start…
We kind of jumped the ball early. They went to overtime, 72 plays last week, so we were trying to go a little bit quicker pace in the first couple drives, especially that first drive, which I felt like we were able to accomplish. I believe we reeled off over 40 plays in the first half, if I'm not mistaken. Just trying to lean on them as much as we could.
On giving Rodgers a hug in the second quarter…
Yeah, part of the things that we've been talking about is just getting the defense a two-score lead. And it was a two-score lead, so I guess he just wanted to see something on defense. He was just reminding me that we had a two-score lead.
On the defense…
I thought we were good, really good. We talk about a style of play and a standard. Just playing with relentless effort, 11 hats to the ball, and I felt like we did that.
On Will McDonald's performance…
Just had to be patient. He's coming along, though.
On Morgan Moses' injury…
We'll get an evaluation tomorrow. I couldn't tell you whether or not.. We'll hold on that one. You know
I'm always optimistic, but we'll have better answers tomorrow.
On the run defense…
Yeah, credit to San Fran, I'll go back to them with the way they ran it, taught us a couple of things with regards to the things that we needed to get fixed and I felt like last week we defended the run very well. I know the quarterback had the scrambles. And then this week, felt like against that team, their backs are pretty damn good. I feel like we did a pretty good job.
On if Rodgers using his legs more was intentional…
No, it's just instinct. He felt the pocket collapsing and felt like there was space. Like I said, it's a feel game, you're not asking him to do that stuff. In a perfect world, you're throwing it with timing and rhythm and guys are open. I thought it was really good for him to show that he still has plenty of juice in his legs.
On how things open up defensively when there's a two-score lead…
No matter who's out there, we expect guys to rush the passer at a very high level and we feel like with our back end, if you rush the passer, you're going to get production.
On Rodgers' connection with Garrett Wilson seeming a little bit off…
Just through working together. Garrett's a special athlete, a special route runner, and he's got so much wiggle to him. So special with regards to improvisation in terms of his route running. They'll get closer. They'll keep working together. It's only Week Three. This is such a long season and those two will only get better.
On if C.J. Mosley was close to playing…
Yeah, did the workout, just weren't comfortable putting him out there. Wasn't worth it.
On Jamien Sherwood…
I thought he did a good job. I thought the entire defense…there's always going to be things we can clean up, but overall, I thought he did a really nice job.
On the upcoming off-days…
Yeah, I think everybody needs it. It's well-deserved, especially from our players. It's not easy to go all the way out west and then come out and travel again. Doesn't happen very often. And then to get this short week, I thought our guys did a great job preparing themselves. It's like I've said, I've said it to them a million times, no one cares how you get to the game, the expectation is that you perform. I thought our guys attacked the week, the last couple weeks really to make sure they were on top of their bodies and staying physically fit.
On seeing the team celebrate in honor or Jermaine Johnson…
He's loved in this locker room and he's loved in that D-Line room. It was cool to see them do that.
On Allen Lazard's improvement…
He's been, since OTA's. Like I said, I said it last year, sometimes you get lost, you're the big free agent signing, new coaches, new scheme, new city, you can get lost a little bit. I think he's really reconnected to who he is as a player and because of it, I've said it, it's not because of the quarterback. He's done this. He's attacked this offseason. Credit to him and the way he's approached it.
On the team's legs with three games in 11-days…
I felt like we were flying around. Really looking forward to watching the tape, but on the field it felt like we were flying around and we were a step ahead. Like I said, credit to the guys. They attacked the heck out of it in terms of regen and taking care of their bodies and putting in the right fuel in their systems. It felt like our guys were moving around pretty good.
On how he normalizes the team's success…
Consistency, I guess. The truest measure of performance. We'll enjoy this one. Like I said, it's well deserved. But come Monday, it's on to Denver.
QUARTERBACK AARON RODGERS
Postgame press conference
Thursday, September 19, 2024
After everything that you went through last year, to finally get a moment like this in this building, the fans chanting your name and all that, did it make it any more special for you?
Oh yeah, for sure. Yeah, it was a really special night. All those chants are really meaningful. I was kind of hoping for a stop there to be able to take a final knee on the field, but yeah, special night.
You talked about getting off to a fast start, is that what you had in mind?
Well, I would have loved to score on a first possession, but I felt like, I don't think we had a three and out all night. Sounds about right, so we were efficient offensively, good on third down, spread the ball around a lot, ran the ball pretty well, pass protected pretty well. I moved out the spot a few times, halfway decent, so a lot of good things to build on from this game.
How did it feel for you to get out of the loop like that?
Yeah, it felt great. I was feeling real good out there. I felt good pregame and I've been progressing. I said to you guys after Week One, 'It's going to be a process of continuing to extend plays.' Once I feel more comfortable and this was kind of the first step and playing like I know I'm capable of playing. It felt like I was myself quite a few years ago.
The tackle where you broke out to the left and then they brought you down as you were going out of bounds, was that a step, as well, for you to take that hit in that situation?
Yeah, it was on me. I mean I did the classic 2008 run to the sidelines and Julius Peppers drilled me, where I just kind of gave up, thought I wasn't going to get touched. I am 40 and there's really fast guys in this League, so I got to finish the play out of bounds, but yeah, every time I get drilled or tackled out of bounds like that, it's another, beats the confidence for me.
On the touchdown to Allen (Lazard), you looked like maybe you changed the play because they blitzed on that play. I'm wondering if you saw that?
I mean we had him on a little bubble and we were actually running away from the pressure, but I just felt like we were going to have 10 guys on one side of the hash and it was one-on-one to Allen and that that would probably be the better option than the run away to a dropping and then a slanting like.
Allen immediately ran the ball to you. Did you let him know that the first touchdown here would have special meaning or anything like that?
I don't remember saying that. I'm not sure if he had that in his mind, but I'll take it. Thanks, Allen.
How did you feel after the first touchdown?
After the first touchdown, I felt good. I felt like we had a lot of good drives. We backed up a number of times and switched the field position and then got points out of drives. I wish maybe I'd thrown that ball to Mike (Williams) slightly more outside, but that would have been nice to get to 28-3. I'm proud of our guys. We've been improving, but it hasn't been good enough for some people outside of the rooms, so to have a performance like tonight, I don't know how many yards we finished with, but it feels really good.
The touchdown to Garrett (Wilson), you had gone to him the play before. He was upset that he just didn't get into the endzone. That was a tight window, was it just a matter of you wanted to get him the ball in that play there?
No, it's one of the QB mortal sins, pre-meditated decision. He kind of said something coming back to the huddle like, 'Throw me the ball again,' which is great, so I said, 'Okay.' So we had kind of a run-pass option there and he kind of got, he was maybe slow in his route a little bit, so I kind of double clutched it. He's the type of guy where sometimes you feel like I've learned this, but a normal ball you think is going to be on target if foot in front of the numbers is sometimes behind him, so I've learned to throw it even wider than I actually think. I'm glad I did because (Christian) Gonzales was in a good spot there, G (Garrett) made just, for the mere mortal, really difficult catch, but for him, made it look easy.
Aaron, it seems like you guys, for whatever reason, started this year just a touch off. Do you believe that's the case, how do you close that gap and once you guys do, what are you capable of as an offense?
The entire focus of all three defenses we've played had been taking Garrett away. It's been Malachi (Corley) for his worst nightmare, lot of cover two. And when there's times where you get high, we try to go to him, but a lot of too high in all three games. There's shading to him, even with stood corners, look at (Charvarius) Ward in Week One and (L'Jarius) Sneed in Week Two and Gonzales in Week Three now. Not a lot of singles, so that's a tribute to Garrett and his talent.
It was that awkward exchange with you and Robert (Saleh), you appeared to push him away?
No, there was nothing awkward at all.
(Follow Up) You pushed him away though when he went to hug you, what happened?
I didn't know. He's not a big hugger usually so I didn't know he was going for the hug. He likes to do the two hand chest push, as well. But he talks a lot about two score leads, so I just kind of gave him a push and said, "Two score lead." That's what happened.
To do this on a short week too, how encouraging is that for you?
It's great. Now, we got the benefit of playing at home, it's easier at home on a short week. The schedulers made it difficult for us first three weeks, three games in 11 days and although we'd love to be 3-0, I think if you said 2-1 going into the mini bye, we would be feeling pretty good about things. Obviously, we got a nice little long break here and then Denver and then London game. There's not a lot of normal, seven day week schedules for us, but it's good though. I'm proud of our guys. I thought we played with a lot more energy tonight.
The team hasn't had a lot of celebratory nights like tonight, how do you try to normalize this?
It's expectations. If the expectation is winning, then we're going to celebrate it, but we should expect a win. The next step is expecting to dominate.
Aaron, is part of the pregame not to think about last year. I'm curious just what were you feeling in that tunnel coming out before the game?
I was hoping I wouldn't have to make a decision about whether to carry a flag or not because I was probably going to be the only guy that wouldn't. I am stitious, maybe not superstitious, but I think I would have passed on that. I felt a really good calm about it honestly. I didn't think a whole lot about it. Obviously, it was emotional to come back home for the first time since then, but I really think the first week kind of took a lot of the fears and anxiety of playing out and tonight I felt like I played pretty free.
Will McDonald Quotes:
On the defense doing the Jermaine Johnson celebration…
That was already planned. We owe it to Jermaine. It was just giving our thanks to Jermaine. We just wanted him to know that we still got him with us.
On his sack numbers...
I'm not impressed yet this season. I got to finish the season to be impressed about what I did. Like I said, those don't really matter unless we get to the championship and win that ring.
On how important it is for him to step up...
I just got to continue to play my role. After Jermaine (Johnson) went down, I just had to step up. Being able to hold everybody accountable, even the little ones, just keep stepping up, keep executing.
Breece Hall Quotes:
On the mobility of Aaron Rodgers...
Yeah, I'm not going to lie, the first time he ran, I kind of started laughing in the back of my head, like he's crazy. 40-years old, Achilles is good, it was cool to see him run. You can still tell he's scared to get hit because he was sliding and everything. It was good, it was cool.
On the offense scoring 24 points even on a less-than-perfect day...
I mean it's cool to know that we can get ourselves out of those situations, but it's going to be even better to get in and watch film and just keep getting better so we're never in those positions to begin with.
On the importance of a two-score lead...
Just getting up like that early, it gives the defense, they can, not take a breath, but they can mix up their calls, let the pass rushers rush and then let the DBs sit on some routes and go break up passes and maybe have opps for interceptions. Today the defense did their thing. We had a lot of three-and-outs, a lot of short drives, short fields and everything, so it was good.
