Quarantining Saleh hopes to rejoin team in the next few days
NEW YORK — Robert Saleh couldn’t be on the sideline or at the stadium because of COVID-19 when his New York Jets took the field Sunday, so he audibled with a fun game plan.
The still-quarantining coach would watch his squad play Jacksonville from the hotel room in New Jersey that has been his home for nearly a week. And he’d get a buddy to join him on Facetime so they could view together.
So, Green Bay Packers coach Matt Lafleur — whose Packers beat the Browns on Christmas — spent a few hours keeping Saleh company. But there was one problem.
“He was like 5 seconds ahead of me,” Saleh said of Lafleur’s TV feed. “I’m yelling at him to stop telling me what’s happening.”
When big offensive lineman Conor Mcdermott stretched out to snare a 1-yard touchdown pass from Zach Wilson, in the fourth quarter, Lafleur let out a loud, “Ohhh!” So Saleh knew something wild was going on.
“When he caught it, I was just laughing and like, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe that happened,” a smiling Saleh said. “It was a really cool moment.”
That unlikely catch by Mcdermott — the first TD by a Jets O-lineman since Jumbo Elliott’s grab in the “Monday Night Miracle” against Miami in 2000 — was just one of a few highlights in a 26-21 victory that featured some headline-worthy story lines.
The first was Saleh being sidelined and replaced by tight ends coach Ron Middleton, who received a game ball from owner Woody Johnson after the win.
“It was frustrating,” Saleh said of not being able to coach. “The guys played their absolute butts off.”
Saleh said he’s feeling “great” and hopes to return to the team in the next day or two. He said the Jets should also get several players back after having their COVID-19 list swelled last week to as many as 20 before kickoff.
Wilson’s passing numbers were hardly gaudy — 14 of 22 for 102 yards and the TD to Mcdermott — but it was the third straight game in which the No. 2 overall pick didn’t throw an interception. He also looked extremely comfortable running Mike Lafleur’s offense, saying he was playing “free” on Sunday.
Saleh raved about Wilson’s 12-yard toss to Braxton Berrios on thirdand-9 late in the game that helped set up a field goal.
“I’ll argue with (Mike) Lafleur that that was probably the best throw he’s made all season,” Saleh said. “I mean, it was awesome. It was a clutch throw, clutch catch.”
Wilson also set a Jets record for a quarterback with 91 yards rushing, highlighted by a 52-yard touchdown — the longest run by a QB in franchise history.
Injury report: C Connor Mcgovern (knee) and TE Trevon Wesco (knee) were both placed on season-ending injured reserve.