The Jets have absorbed their fair share of punches so far this season.
Between Zach Wilson having next to no time in the pocket to make plays, unforced errors in all three phases of the game, and some questionable coaching decisions, New York has been knocked to the canvas — or the turf, in this case — time and time again.
Robert Saleh still thinks there’s a chance for his team to be saved by the bell, though.
An 0-3 start to a season is never good news, but Gang Green’s rookie head coach has faith that the Jets can retreat to their corner and gather themselves before it’s too late. New York has bent plenty throughout September, but it is not broken just yet in Saleh’s eyes.
“We’re three games in,” Saleh said Monday. “It’s round one of a 15-round fight. It’s not like our faces are broken or anything.”
Saleh went on to reference the Packers’ blowout loss to the Saints in Week 1 and their ability to bounce back from a punch to the mouth. The Jets don’t have Aaron Rodgers under center or the Packers’ bevy of talent, but Saleh’s point still stands. His squad isn’t out of the fight just yet.
New York will have to make some changes and learn from the mistakes it made against the Panthers, Patriots and Broncos. What transpired in September simply cannot continue in October. If the Jets don’t look like a new team once the calendar flips, it is going to be tough for them to last the full 15 rounds that Saleh mentioned.
The Jets have been taking punches to the mouth ever since they lost the 2010 AFC Championship game to the Steelers. It’s not about how hard they get hit at this point. It’s about their ability to keep moving forward and put their past mistakes behind them.
That will ultimately determine the immediate and long-term success of the Saleh era.
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