LB Jamien Sherwood is the personification of leading by example as he continues to emerge as the glue at the heart of the Jets’ defense.
In Sunday’s 13-6 loss to visiting Carolina, Sherwood’s stats line jumped off the sheet: a team-leading 10 tackles (7 solo), his first sack of the season, 2 TFL, 2 QB hits and a pass defense. Through seven games, No. 44’s 70 total tackles are second in the league.
“I’m saying trusting in the process, trusting in the calls, my technique, my preparation, just doing whatever I can,” he said on Monday. “There have been plays throughout this season that I haven’t been good for my teammates. Just doing whatever I can to be better in those moments, in these games, doing whatever I can for us to come up with a win. I’m saying at the end of the day, this game is about wins and losses. So again, just trying to do whatever I can for us to win as long with doing my job.”
For Sherwood, there’s more to it than just “doing my job.” He’s taken the mantle of former Jets MLB C.J. Mosley and made it his own. He’s powered through minus his running mate at linebacker, Quincy Williams, who is on injured reserve while acclimating himself and rookie Kiko Mauigoa as the defense has jelled and allowed the opposition only 13 points in each of the last two games.
“Just trusting each other,” he said. “I feel like when we went to London, that was a big step for us, just being able to be around each other, understand each other, and again, just putting our trust in each other. I don’t have to do this because I know my brother’s going to do his job, and that’s been the big focal point for us.”