JETS HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES
CONFERENCE CALL WITH NEW ENGLAND MEDIA
December 26, 2018
Q: How different did the Patriots offense look last week without Josh Gordon?
TB: They look the same. They just plug and play. I mean, [Chris] Hogan's a good receiver, [Phillip] Dorsett's a good receiver, obviously [Julian] Edelman. They're not losing too much with those guys having played in games before. They run the ball well and they're throwing it well so they look just as efficient as they have been.
Q: What's the difference been in Sam Darnold since he's returned from injury?
TB: Just understanding our offense a little better. Obviously, he got a chance to sit out and see Josh [McCown]. He got a chance to step back from the season early on and he's going through his reads and he's understanding defense a lot better and he's making those plays.
Q: The Patriots have blocked three punts in the last three weeks. What stands out to you about their execution on those plays?
TB: They do a very good job of scheming things up. They've got effort guys and real smart football players that understand what weaknesses that they can take advantage of and they do a good job taking advantage of them.
Q: Have they given different looks? Have they done it in different ways on each of those blocked punts?
TB: Well, they study you every week. They can do it in a bunch of different ways but they've got a lot of guys that understand what you're trying to do and then take advantage of it, so we've got to be very disciplined.
Q: J.C. Jackson is a guy who's taken on a bigger role since the last time you played the Patriots. What have you seen on film from him that stands out?
TB: Well, obviously, he's a very good cover guy. He understands the defense very well. He's feisty. He does a lot of things well. He has some good teachers there with [Stephon] Gilmore and the McCourty's both back there and [Patrick] Chung, so he learns a lot and obviously he's applying it.
Q: The Patriots use a lot of their receivers as blockers. Does that present an extra challenge?
TB: Well, they've always been good blockers. They do everything well so the challenge – when they're running the ball very well, when you break the big runs, it's always the receivers that get those blocks downfield so our corners are going to have to do a good job of trying to get off blocks and tackle.
Q: How has Chris Herndon developed this season and in particular, how has the chemistry he seems to have with Sam Darnold materialized?
TB: Well again, like another rookie, he's kind of mastering the playbook right now and the game's slowing down for him and it's allowing him to play faster and letting his natural ability take over. So, he's just got to keep grinding and get better each week.
