‘We Got to Close the Game’

After the play by Will McDonald IV helped the Jets take a 27-26 lead, Tampa Bay drove 48 yards in 7 plays to the winning field goal. It was the second time this season (Week 1 vs. Pittsburgh) that the opposition scored decisive points on a late 3-pointer.

“We definitely got to get a stop,” DT Quinnen Williams said Sunday. “Whenever you have the opportunity to close the game, put the team on your back as a defense, we got to get a stop. We got to close the game.” 


CB Sauce Gardner, who left the game, went to the locker room to have his head injury evaluated and then returned late in the fourth quarter echoed Williams.

“We have to stop coming up short,” Gardner said.

LB Jamien Sherwood added: “We just have to be better. Simple. Can’t get beat. Got to own our leverage. Got to make plays on the ball. Got to get the ball out and do our job at the end of the day.”

The Jets have one of the youngest groups of starters, with an average age of 25.1, in the NFL. But that’s only part of the story when you consider the entire roster being built by GM Darren Mougey and HC Aaron Glenn, particularly among the guys drafted this year. Against Tampa Bay, there were major and important contributions from starters and reserves.

For the third straight game, RT Armand Membou played 100% (69 plays) of the snaps on offense, third-round pick WR Arian Smith played 78% (54), second-round pick TE Mason Taylor 71% (51), fourth-round pick S Malachi Moore 100% (72), fifth-rounders DL Tyler Baron 35% (25) and LB Kiko Mauigoa 19% (14), and third-rounder CB Azareye’h Thomas 14% (10), who spelled Sauce Gardner for part of the second half.

“That young group, they’ve done a great job,” veteran S Andre Cisco said. “I feel like they’ve seamlessly been able to step into big roles. So, you won’t see it now, but down the line it’ll pay great dividends. And I think the energy understanding of today, NFL games are four quarters in, as long as you keep that in mind, and they did a great job.”

Cisco took particular note of how Thomas stood tall while Gardner was being evaluated for a head injury.

“I think it’s very encouraging, young guys being able to pick up and learn,” Cisco said. “Like AZ [Thomas], standing around for most of the day, able to step in and get two big catch deflections or just great coverage reps.”