Bowles & Co. want to ‘finish’ job vs. Chiefs
For the Jets, it starts with the finish.
Gang Green have spent this week trying to figure out how to solve its fourthquarter problems entering Sunday’s game with the Chiefs. The Jets have blown fourth-quarter leads in three of their past four losses. They have been outscored 113-47 in the fourth quarter this year.
The latest problem came last week against the Panthers when a 20-18 lead evaporated thanks to numerous Jets mistakes down the stretch.
“The fourth quarter for us is the quarter we have to win,” linebacker Jordan Jenkins said. “That’s the quarter that we need to work on these last five games, just work on trying to dominate that quarter.
“You can land the first punch, but whoever lands that last punch is going to win.”
The Jets have found themselves taking that last punch too often. That is a big reason they are 4-7 and likely going to miss the playoffs for a seventh straight season.
The fourth-quarter woes have been a big topic this week in practice. The coaches divided the practice periods up like quarters and when that fourth-quarter period comes, everyone reminds the players to get focused.
“I’m doing it, coaches are yelling it,” offensive coordinator John Morton said. “We’ve been yelling ‘Four!’ I don’t know if it’s going to happen in the game, but I’m going to yell it. Josh [McCown] has been doing it, communicating it to the huddle and everybody that comes in there: finish. Every play, let’s go, let’s finish the game. It’s just a mindset. You call certain plays, goal-line, short-yard situations, it’s a mindset.
“So now it’s the fourth quarter, it’s a mindset, let’s finish the game.” It is a mental hurdle for the Jets to clear. “Sometimes, it’s a mindset and you just have to do it on game day,” coach Todd Bowles said. “You have to learn how to win and right now we’re learning how to win. Until we do that, it’s always going to be somewhat of a mindset. It’s not a detriment or saying people are doubting themselves, but we just have to finish ballgames.”
Kansas City (6-5) comes to town losers of three straight and five of six. A game that looked like a definite loss on the schedule for the Jets a few months ago now looks winnable … if they can finish.