Todd: ‘No s--t’ Jets have to win out for
In Florham Park on Friday afternoon, as the 4-6 Jets prepared for a Week 12 matchup with the visiting Panthers, Todd Bowles was asked if his team needs to win out to make the postseason.
The coach’s answer: Well, duh.
“Excuse the language, but that’s probably a no-s-t statement,” Bowles said before lifting his hands off the podium and shrugging. “We’re trying to win every game.”
This is the presiding sentiment at One Jets Drive, despite Gang Green sitting just one game back of the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC, currently held by the Ravens at 5-5.
“I respect (him) for that,” outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins said with a chuckle, when told of Bowles’ comment.
“I would have to agree with Coach on that one,” Josh Martin added.
“I agree totally,” cornerback Morris Claiborne said. “We need to take advantage of all these games that are coming up.”
As it stands, the Jets are one of five AFC teams at 4-6. The Chargers — winners of five of their last seven — dominated the Cowboys on Thanksgiving to move within a halfgame of Baltimore at 5-6. The Ravens and Bills are both 5-5, but John Harbaugh’s squad wins the tiebreaker because of a superior record in conference.
The sheer number of teams in contention, all vying for the second wild card spot, means the Jets likely can’t lose another game this season if they want to reach the postseason. They must eliminate the mental errors, costly penalties and blown assignments that have cost them in losses, including two weeks ago against the Bucs.
“The margin for error for us for the rest of the season is gone,” Jenkins said. “We have to be keyed in every week. The whole penalty fiasco, all that stuff, we can’t have