NFL

Coples: Let’s play for pride

Prized rookie defensive end Quinton Coples was one of the few bright spots in the Jets’ disappointing season as well as their humbling 27-17 loss to the Chargers yesterday. And after their dismal display, Coples said coach Rex Ryan’s postgame message was clear — the Jets need to play with more pride.

“Coming up short is very emotional. It’s just bad overall,’’ said Coples, who had 1 1/2 sacks, a tackle for a loss and had three of the Jets’ half-dozen hits on Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. “We didn’t finish on either side. We didn’t finish, we didn’t walk out there with the pride that we started with.’’

Coples sacked Rivers to kill a first-quarter drive, and on third-and-7 from the Chargers 46, teamed with linebacker Garrett McIntyre for another drive-ending sack. But it wasn’t enough, as the Jets squandered a halftime lead and had to sit through a pointed message from Ryan afterward.

“He said you’ve got to have more pride. We’ve got to keep finishing, keep competing … and finish out with a win, and that’s beating Buffalo,’’ Coples said. “It’s very disappointing. I know what this team is capable of, I know that we’re better than what we showed, and at the end of the day we’ve got to finish strong.’’

Coples has done just that, with 3 1/2 sacks in Gang Green’s last three games. The 6-foot-6, 290-pound first-round pick from North Carolina took over the team lead in sacks with 5 1/2, and has 24 quarterback hits as well.

“I’m just trusting in my coaches, keep working, keep grinding hard, and opportunities are showing. Overall [I] just have to keep working and believing in my coaches,’’ said Coples, who has made marked progress since the beginning of the season.

“I’m just studying and practicing better,’’ he said. “I’ve been practicing and picking up things a lot better in practice and recognizing things, so it’s naturally coming a little easier for me. It’s a learning process, and recognizing offensive formations is the biggest difference.’’