As the Jets try to get back on track after two straight losses, the players are looking to hold themselves accountable.
Receiver Garrett Wilson, making an appearance on ESPN New York’s “Bart & Hahn Show,” said the players held a meeting on Tuesday in an effort to get the team out of the “funk” it has been in.
“The guys talked, and we had the floor,” Wilson said on the show. “It was just us. We got to make sure we’re all on the same page about where we’re at and how the hell we get out of this funk, man. That was really the message of it. When it comes from one of your teammates, it always hits different. It always resonates a little bit more. That was the case earlier today. We don’t wanna finish ever finish a season and look back and like should’ve done this earlier, so let’s talk about it now. Let’s talk about it and hopefully it leads to results.
“It doesn’t guarantee anything, we’ve still gotta go out there and do it but we’re taking the right steps and we’re turning over every stone because it matters to us. This is been something that weighs heavy on all the players on offense.”
The offense has been at the center of the team’s woes, now having been held without a touchdown for 11 straight quarters.
Wilson said he feels contrition for how things have played out so far this year.
“I’m truly sorry about the product offensively we’ve put on the field this season up this point,” Wilson added. “And I know all the guys would say the same exact thing. The beautiful thing is we’ve got another opportunity.”
The team’s passing offense under Zach Wilson has largely been anemic, averaging 179.2 yards per game, which ranks 30th in the NFL.
To make matters worse, they’re only scoring 16 points per game (also 30th in the league), which is 1.4 fewer points than last year’s team that was led by then-offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who left the team and eventually joined the Rams.
Wilson and new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett have both in the crosshairs, but they were staunchly defended by Aaron Rodgers during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday.
“I won MVP twice in this same offense, so I’m a believer in the offense,” Rodgers said. “It’s easy right now to throw it at the usual suspects, Zach and Nathaniel, but there’s a lot of positions that need to play better.”
One of the positions that looks to be a spot that the Jets are looking to improve on is running back, especially after the team cut third-down back Michael Carter in a surprise move on Tuesday.
The 2021 fourth-round pick had a successful rookie season with 639 yards on the ground (4.3 yards per attempt) struggled last year before falling on the depth chart after the Dalvin Cook signing.
Carter had just eight carries for 38 yards and 15 receptions for 68 yards this season and did not have any rushes in Sunday’s loss to the Raiders.
The Jets (4-5) can look to get back on track against the Bills (5-5), who have had their own offensive woes and fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey on Tuesday.