The bully defense Rex Ryan has created with these Jets got popped square in the nose by the Dolphins on Monday night in Miami. The Jets were bloodied and — even worse — embarrassed.
The defense, which had allowed only three touchdowns the previous four games, allowed three in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s 31-27 loss — all of which came after the offense had given the Jets the lead.
Ryan, who ripped everyone (most notably himself) after the game, was still fuming yesterday.
“On defense, I’m mad still,” Ryan said.
“That’s unacceptable. It was absolutely a humbling experience. I’ve had bad games in the past, but I’ve never surrendered three leads in the fourth quarter to anybody.
“It’s how you respond. When I’m backed into a corner, I’m going to come out swinging. That’s what I’m looking forward to — getting this thing going and having our guys playing the way I know we’re capable of playing. This is a step back, but we can make a huge leap forward.”
That leap forward starts with a home game against the woeful 1-4 Bills on Sunday at the Meadowlands. That’s followed by a game against the hapless 1-4 Raiders the following week in Oakland.
That gives the 3-2 Jets, even with this bitter loss, a chance to get to their Nov. 1 rematch with Miami with a 5-2 record and another crack at their rivals.
“With the pride and character we have with this group … I know we truly won’t get it back until we play Miami again,” Ryan said.
“But this week right now presents its own problems. This team [Buffalo] has got a lot of weapons. We’ve got to get it done right now. We’re not looking past anybody.
“This is a must win for us. We have to respond.”
Ryan doesn’t believe his team’s confidence is shaken.
“We’ve got to expect to win,” Ryan said. “That’s the biggest thing we’ve talked about as far as the culture of the team — that we’ve got to expect to win.
“I’m sick of that, ‘Same old Jets’ thing, because it’s not the same old Jets. We make no excuses. Never have, never will.”
There were, however, some bitter words coming out of the subdued postgame locker room after the game.
“We got a dose of shut-up,” nose tackle Kris Jenkins said.
That statement was spot on. What wasn’t, however, were some comments out of frustration that were made that made the Jets look like sore losers.
Linebacker Bart Scott called the Dolphins’ wildcat formation a “gimmick”.
Then there was LB Calvin Pace, who called Dolphins QB Chad Henne “a second-year clown quarterback.”
“I can’t respect that stuff, all that wildcat,” Pace said. “We’re in the NFL. Don’t come here with that nonsense.”
Memo to Bart, Calvin and the rest of the defense: That “gimmick” gashed you for 91 yards on 14 carries and another 21 yards on a pass play that caught you unprepared.
It, too, provided the game-winning TD.
Oh yes, and to make matters worse, you knew it was coming and prepared for it all last week. Now that is “nonsense.”