A Conversation with Jets C Connor McGovern (10/25)

maybe people now outside didn't see. Uh. It starts off with you know the guys that uh, Joe Douglas and and and the Johnson's have brought in. You know, you could tell when guys are buying into what coach Solo was was preaching. And then it goes as to Coach Solo, who I've always said as a true leader of men. And when you get the locker room to buy into to the common goal to exactly what he's preaching, Um,

you can feel the ties start to turn. Um. Every good team I've been on, whether it's you know, high school, college, NFL, it's when the locker room comes together, starts playing for each other and everybody starts buying into what the coaches are saying. So, um, I started feeling that you can just you can see it on the field and how guys are playing. Um, And now we're kind of reaping the benefits of that. But this is your six year

in the National Football League. You've never made the postseason before. Have you thought about the potential? Yeah, you know, it's it's something We're still early in the season. There's a long, long season to go, but you know it is it is something that you know, you kind of start letting your mind go if you're sitting there on the couch one day and thinking about your like, man, we have

a we have an opportunity in front of us. So, um, you know, I haven't been in this position all other but maybe once or twice in my career at at week seven where you know, have a solid chance at you know, really getting into the playoffs and making a nice run. Um. So to to be in this position, it's special and definitely don't want to take it for granted.

What was it like for you on the field on Sunday, you guys traveled to Denver without Elijah More Then Breece Hall goes down Corey Davis is out, Elijah air Tucker goes out offensively. I mean, you guys had to basically tape it together. Yeah, you know we we were without you know, some of our biggest playmakers. Um, you know, our best offensive lineman, and um, you know we were able to pull out the win. It's tough to have those guys who were down on the field. You know,

you hate to see it. You know it's your your brothers and arms, and it's it's never easy. But um, it just kind of shows that how this whole teams bought in and how the whole team has that common goal. Um that no matter whoever's out there, you know, they're willing to do what it takes to win and and fight for that common goal. How did Cedric play come and pay? Well, yeah, he's he's a freak Gathley, he's

a he's a first round pick. He's a um you know, he's he's he's got the length, he's got the speed, he's got the size. Um. So yeah, he came in and definitely handled it and and uh was played definitely good enough to win and in a little bit than that. So, have you ever been involved in a situation before where you've had so much line juggling, specifically at the tackle position. If you go all the way back to the spring, yeah, you know it. I don't know if I've ever been around,

um around this much shuffling. You know, you're always gonna have some shuffling. Um, but to have this much from the spring to camp into the early seasons. We're still in the you know, the first half of the season, it's early. Um, to have this much shuffling, it's it's it's a challenge that you know, you don't want to have, but um, it's kind of what we're done with right now. And UM, you know, I have no doubt that whoever's out there playing is is going to handle you know,

rise to the occasion. And and uh, you look at Nate, you know he's been absolutely playing, playing out of his mind. And Dwayne's out there with you know, a bum shoulders, playing awesome. And so everybody that's come in is has done a really good job. Um. And it kind of goes back to the lot the way this locker room is built, the way guys are buying in, um, that

where they're willing to do what it takes. What do you think about Dwayne's mentality, Like you said, he could have cashed cash Dan and said, you know what, I don't feel that good. I get my paycheck and it just didn't work out here. But he comes back and he seems like people are gravitating towards him in the side of the locker room. One you know, he remember the day after he did it, came into the locker room, um or into the training room. I was like, you know,

what's the word one of the docs saying. He's like, oh, they all want me to get surgery. I was like, how many opinions have you guy? He's like like three or four. It's like everyone surgery is like yeah. I was like that season and he's like yeah, season ending ending.

And then I just kept seeing him in the training room no surgery, no surgery, and all the things on the field, and uh So, I don't think people realize when you know, shoot more than nine times out of ten, if if through two, three, four doctors sorry to get surgery, the guy gets surgery. So for him to, you know, at that point, not know us very well, not know the team very well, You've just gotten here. Really, it's just started to Mesh and for him to be willing

to sacrifice like that, it's huge. And it just goes back to the testament of you know, what guys are willing to do to get this team roll and get get to get some wins on the board, and and and it's something that you know, you see a guy

sacrifice something like that, it's easy to get behind. It's interesting because we talked in the spring and you said after free agency the early stages that you thought Joe Douglas should be like the executive of the year already because he liked the group of players that brought in that was prior to the draft. This draft class has been something else. The last I've been telling me, the last two draft classes have been you know, remarkable. Um. And when you hit two drafts like that, you know,

there's no read, there's no wonder. You're winning a lot if you can, if you can win on draft in and free agency the way we want. I mean, we went from you know, you know, one of the youngest if not the youngest team. So now our middle of the pack, um, then then not only are we the middle of the pack on guy like age group, but our young guys are just playing out of their minds. So you know, when you can win free agency and win the draft. And then obviously your head coaches is

doing a great job, you know, developing guys. This is the kind of the spot you're putting your team in, so they've done a phenomenal job. Bruce Hall had a sixty two yards scoring run against the Broncos. He was well on his way to his second consecutive hundred yard effort four consecutive games with a rushed touchdown. How bad do you feel for him personally now that he's gonna miss the rest of the year. How special of a player is seeing? How much are you looking forward to

what's ahead for him? Yeah, he's remarkable. He's an absolute playmaker. Um, a guy where you can you can see where I think he's a two time All American or whatever it is, uh so you can see that come through. He's just an absolute ball player. He makes play has happened, and you know, you feel bad, You feel terrible for him. And I talked to him after the game and I told him, I was like, you're you're grid and good

enough athlete. You'll come back better than ever. I mean, you're gonna he took a lot of hits in college. He you know, he's I think he was Iowa State's the only guy that ever touched the ball at Iowa State. So for him to take that many reps and then come to the NFL, you know, he's gonna rehab the knee really well. He's a freak athlete, he's young, healthy, He'll come back fast, He'll be able to rest his body and while he's doing it, and uh, next year

he'll be even better than he was this year. Can you talk about the faith and belief that you guys have in the other guys in the backfield, starting of course from Michaelter. I mean, Michael Carter is a freak to you know, he's a he's an amazing player. Um. You know, obviously this year, you know, Breecee has kind of got gotten a little bit of the spotlight um over MC. But now it's MC's time time to kind

of take that back. And you know, like everyone saw it last year, he does he does really well on the spotlight. So um, and then you got Ty Johnson, who I think so phenomenal running back. You know, he has some unmatched speed, the way he can come out of the backfield and and make plays in the past game as well. Um, you know, we have a we have a really good running backs room and um so it'll be exciting to see those guys get a little bit more opportunity. But MC is the real deal as well. Yeah,

no doubt about that. Is it weird for you to go back to Denver? He started your career there three years now, it's your third season with the Jets. You did it last year in Week three, so is the old hat? I know? Yeah, So last year is definitely a little bit more weird. This year, wasn't. It just kind of felt like another road game where I knew a little bit more people on the sidelines than before. So, um,

this year it wasn't wasn't quite as different. But I will say last year it was a little weird to be back in that stadium on the other side for sure. Yeah. Um, you would family in attendance, right because they're not too far away. And can we talk about where you grew up and how people continue to support you. Yeah, growing up in far North Dakota. Um, so my my parents have been inly supportive. Um, you know, my dad's about

half retired now. So they get My parents love to travel, so they enjoyed going to the games and coming out here and seeing family on the East Coast and then going to Denver se and some um lifelong friends that have in Denver, and um yeah, my parents have really been really been supported my whole career. They came to every home college game, and then my senior year they kind of did the same thing with with traveling and kind of seeing you know, there's so many cool places

to visit for the college atmosphere. Um, so my parents have really really been huge, huge supporters. And then you know, going back to Green Bay, my wife grew up about forty five minutes south of Green Bay, so we had about thirty family members at the Green Bay game. UM so yeah, my i uh um definitely have the most supportive family on both sides. My family and my wife's

family are are extremely supportive. So to have you know, about thirty lifelong Green May Packers fans all in jet skiar when you're playing the Packers is uh is definitely test went to their support. That's awesome. How cool is it when you guys pack up get on the charter like that? Feeling right now Sauce Gardener after the game said, road Warriors, you guys have went into some very good environments and come home with victories four and all on

the road so far. Yeah, we've played in some of the most hostile environments and and been coming out, you know, victorious, which is which is nice. You know, Pittsburgh notoriously top five hardest places, Mile High notorious top five, um, and then uh, Cleveland's got a very good the Dog Pound Cleveland, and then you know, Lambo's Lambo. So um. You know, I think all we're missing in the top five is is Seattle, which we have that one at the end

of the year, and then Kansas City. So um. You know, it's been remarkable and it just kind of it goes back to that the testament of this team and the resilience that this this locker room has and and the way we've bought in and um, you know, there's not a day that that that happens that we didn't we didn't think we're gonna win. So um. You know, everybody's confidence is high, and um, my opinion, confidence is key.

You know, if you you have to go into every game believe you're gonna win and you can just feel in the locker room that you know, it's more than a belief. Everybody is pretty is extremely confident. This is your sixth professional season. How important is legacy for you? Because the thing that struck me also about some of your comments last year is you said, in ten fifteen years, I want to look back and say I put in

the work in this team eventually got over the hump. Yeah, it's something that you know, it would you know, I mean a lot to me. It's something I got to be a part of UM in high school. It's something that you know, we kind of got to do in college, had a couple of rough seasons when we first got to the SEC, and then we kind of bumped it up. And then to do it here and in New York and you know, the biggest city, the biggest the one

of the best fan bases. To be able to ring that back, it would be huge and you know, more than anything, would just be fun. You know, it's it's it's a place where you know, when the people are behind you, they're incredibly supportive UM. And to be able to go into this this you know market and this team and start winning UM, it is special. We're doing it so, um, it's it's it's been a lot of fun. What's the difference in Zack Wilson in year two four?

And oh is a starter. Everybody points to the passing statistics and right now, obviously you guys are gonna need more balanced down the line, but you're playing winning football. And you went into a Denver building yesterday the Broncos were giving up ten points a game at home no matter who you lost on the field. I thought they were gonna be at times. You knew that. Hey, listen, we gotta be patient, we gotta keep on grinding. Yeah, you know, I you know, there's a lot of different

ways to win a football game. And you know, Zach has has been playing phenomenal. He has been playing, he's been doing what it takes to win, you know, whether it and he hasn't had to throw for three yards to win football games. And um, you know, I think when people start looking at stats, you know, they're just kind of digging for ways to to to kind of split split the locker room or whatever. You know, as long as the only thing that matters and the one goal that we all have is to win. And if

you're winning, you're doing you're doing it right now? Is there? There's always things you can do to get better, and you can always improve. UM. But you know one thing about Zach is he's not worried about his stats. The only stat that Zach cares about his winning UM and and he knows that the other stuff will come. You know, our formula right now is kind of wear people down and then in the fourth quarters score more points than

the other team. And UM, you know that the way A huge part about that is the run game, obviously, but our defense allows us to do that. You know, our defense is holding us in every game so that when when we finally have kind of you know, given enough, body blows and the the other team's defense starts to kind of give us an inch and we can take a mile it. You know, without our defense playing the way they're playing, we wouldn't be able to do that. So you know, this formula has been working for us

right now. UM. You know, who knows what it's gonna take next Sunday, on the Sunday after that. UM. But I have you know, the confidence that Zach has in himself, UM, and the confidence we have in Zach. I have no doubt if if there needs to be a game where he has to throw, you know, thirty forty times, I really hope he doesn't because that makes my life a lot harder. But if if that's what it takes, that's what it takes, UM, I have no doubt he can do it. And I know the old line can can

hold up and do that as well. How impressive is it for you guys as a unit though? That's three consecutive games without a turnover. That's pretty rare in the National Football League that type. Yeah, you know, it's something that UH coach Saul also preaches, and and every every coach I've ever been around talks about how important the

ball is obviously and ball security, um. But to have the guys buy in and do everything they possibly can to make sure that ball stays in our hands and our defense is doing everything they possibly can to make sure the ball gets back in our hands. Um. You know, that's that's another another good recipe for winning football. If

you can be positive in the turnover margin. I don't know, I think the stats are like six, just just being plus one in the turnover margin to win, let alone plus two or plus three, which you know, I think last week growing plus one, but the weeks before we're plus two or whatever. So um, the statistics, you know, every turnover you get and the positive like the percentage wise it jumps is huge. So you are a workout fanatics, So do you like the mentality of this team? Like

you talked about the body blows, the body blows. Stale always talks about taking other teams into deep water. Right now, it seems like the New York Jets for sixty minutes they're gonna be standing total toll in the ring swinging. Yeah, you know, it's it's it's the type of boxing matches I like to watch, and it's so to be able to go out and and do the comparable thing and

in a football game, it's pretty fun. And uh, it's it's it's you know, if I could the any alignment, I think would pick that way to win football games. Just grinded out, make sure that the coaches have trust in the old line that you know, you know, you maybe hit the first couple of runs are one to three yards, but just have the trust in us and the confidence in us that we're gonna keep going. We're

gonna keep at We're gonna keep pounding. And then those three runs turned into six yards, the four yards turn into ten and so on and so forth. And um, you know, especially as the Solilways preaches, is the season goes on and the weather gets cold, you know, those body blows hurt even more and and you know, you you see when you know they were in this staff was in San Francisco. Um, that's kind of what the

mentality that they had. I mean, obviously San Francisco is still head coached in the same system, but you know, they go in and they go to Lambeau and whatever it was nineteen or one, I don't remember the year, but they ran almost rushed for three yards and the Green Bay Packers in in um whatever it was late December, early January or what a mid January in Lambeau to be able to do that. So, you know, that's kind of mentality we have and um, what we want to

be able to do. And I think old Jets fans are thinking about teams in OH nine and No. Ten, they used to say ground and pound and then the Jets hit an elite defense. Different teams, different rosters, different players, obviously, but there's similarities there. Yeah, for sure, and then I you know that formula has won a lot of football games for a long time in the NFL. Um, the big flashy you know, five hundred yards of offense wins as well. But this is, you know, the other way

to win. And you know, I think that this fan base kind of would would buy in on this kind of way to win. It kind of seems to fit the Jets Moniker, So I love that. Um, how are you going to take in Patriots Bears tonight? Patriots? You guys have at home next week? First time this season. And actually as far as a three game stretch, you've got three games come and up inside the division, two of them against the Patriots. Yeah, it's it's huge these next three games are you know, every game is big.

Divisional games are really big, but to have three divisional games all back to back, um, you know that are really gonna, you know, affect how this division plays out when it comes to the postseason. I think these are the biggest three games stretch we have. So, um it's it's it's big for us these next three games. And UM, so you know nobody's taking them lightly by any means. Um,

everyone's really excited that's something. The style is stressed you guys throughout the offseason, right, we gotta close the gap inside the ANFC East to get took care of business already. Against Miami is such an interesting spot in the schedule because three home games against division teams prior to the bye, and then you see all those guys after the by on the road. Yeah, yeah, you know, I think you know, our schedule has been you know, a lot more favorable

this year than it has been in the past. Um, we're not going out west a bunch where. Um, you know, we kind of got some couple of home games in a row here and get the divisional teams at home first so we can try to use that home field advantage and get a leg up. So, um, we have a favorable schedule and and you know we've been capitalizing on it and for um, capitalizing on it for for now, and we just gotta keep using it to our advantage

and um, you know, just keep pounding alright. Lastly, let's end here a couple of personal notes the Able games. How are things going there? And again you give us a refresher because I think some people are familiar with it, but for those who aren't. I want people to know that what you're doing and what you're involved in, how many years you've been doing it. Yeah, the Able Games

is going awesome. Um, you know the big thing now is is kind of what we've you know, more of the Able Games into and is now ABLE and it's it's the school curriculum. And we're actually coming out and having a day on November fifteenth, I believe is the exact date. Um, we're gonna try to start bringing it into schools out here. So we're kind of doing it MO at a at a local high school out here.

And UM, it's been going awesome. You know, we have uh you know there's state where adding states every day and and so it's it's been huge and the amount of support we've gotten um ABLE has been just absolutely taken off. And then with that that just lays the foundation for the Able Games to be bigger and better than than ever. So you know, ABLE is a school curriculum that goes in. It's it's a physical education credit

UM towards UM the high school. And it's where it would be like a p class where a person without special needs and then a student or a student without special needs and a student with special needs partner up and they do a lot of It's kind of like physical fitness and just getting more more than just like playing dodgeball in your class. There's some fun, there's a lot of fun aspects, but it's more of a working

out together and um, you know. One of the remarkable things I saw was the high school and Morehead, Minnesota has been doing this for a while before ABLE had started, so to see how their students interacted with the special needs students versus a school that had just started this program was remarkable. And I think that's an aspect. Not only are we helping people with special needs, you know, get healthier, move around more, um, you know, learn be

able to be physically fit, to do a vocation. UM, you're also allow It's a it's a two way street to get because the ultimate goal is to help people especial needs get into the workforce. So it starts it's teaching. We are in high school. We give them an outlet to go compete with the ABLE Games because I'm a

big believer in competition. And then they get to compete, they get to show off their ability, and then they get to train into a vocation and when you have people that feel extremely comfortable with working with people especial needs and especial needs person it allows them to have the most success they possibly can in any aspect of life,

whether it's a vocation or sports or what have you. So, UM it's a two way street because UM, you know, people that don't have a lot of familiarity with working with the people especial needs, it can be a little bit stressful. It takes a little bit of a different

UM skill set than UM something else. So it's it's something that you know, we hope to build UM through ABLE and then yeah, there's a million things going on right now, but it's all going really really getting into the schools because that is huge in But the ABLE games themselves, yep, what are they and when did they happen? So they happen in the springtime so that I can be a part of it and you can get as many football guys there. But it's a it's a physical

fitness competition UM that helps all UH. It encompasses every person. It's it's fully scalable from somebody that you know it could compete in the CrossFit games to somebody that UM has is bound to a wheelchair. UM where you're able to scale every workout, and that the trainers there and the people that write the programs. It's remarkable how well they can tie in. And on the same floor you see somebody you know that's a uh could be across

the games competitive walking hands like doing handstand walks. And then on the other end of the floor there's somebody in a wheelchair throwing a medball and then going after it throwing the medball and doing the same length. UM. But you know they're matching what muscles they are using. You know, it's using their shoulders and their arms to throw the medball, just like the person that's doing the handstand walk is is using to do the handstand walk. So UM to see the ABLE games and you know,

hopefully we can we can have an event out here eventually. UM. Right now there's only one in North Dakota, but it's growing. You know, I think where ABLE spreads into the schools,

ABLE games will come and UH. It's it's truly life changing to see and then to see the smiles on um everybody's faces, and the camaraderie and and the people cheering everybody on and you know there's somebody that just you know, gave everything they had on a dead left workout, but they crawl their way down the floor to go cheer that last person on as they finished their workout. It's it's something really special and and uh, I hope to bring to to everybody that is awesome. Um, you

are a gym rat. You've always been. You've always been a gym right. As as far as the cross fit is concerned, how have you been able to keep weight on? You know, because a lot of people cross fit they're jacked up, but they don't have the mass because a cross fit you have so many workouts and a lot of his fast and explosive right, Yeah, so I I definitely modify a lot of it um and kind of tweak it to to what an old line does A low lineman does. You know, we have such a weird job.

It's you know, a wide out. They they run a lot, they're still running and you know, for us it's you know, it's kind of like you're doing a three second burst of pushing a car or something. So it's hard to train for and and going on. You obviously need a good cardiovascular base, but just going out and running, you're building,

you're using different energy systems and stuff. So CrossFit I kind of found in in that kind of realm weighs some more mimic um, you know what we do every day as an offensive linemen um, and then so stay strong in that way, but also train that. You know, it's a lot of I do a lot of like repetitions of something that takes like three to six seconds and just do a lot of them with like a forty five second break, and um, so I really enjoy it. Um.

It's been fun trying to tweak UM. I've been really blessed me around a lot of amazing UH strength conditioning coaches. And to be able to tweak everything that I've learned in all the UH newspaper magazine articles and internet articles now that I've read and kind of try to make it my own is really fun and I really enjoy that. Well, you're freak, So if anybody's seasy at the GM, they could be like, oh my god. That. So let's end

here with a little fun all time top bench. My all time top bench was only four because I was going for the school record. Me and Mitch Morris, We're going head to head for the school record Buffalo Bill Center, going head to head for the the record of Uh, we're gonna try to both hit five twenty because of record, or maybe it was records five twenty or we're going for five twenty and the record was five fifteen and at four, uh, I had toward my pack and so

we both had to shut it down. So Mitch blames me for not having the school bench record. Um, but I think I've asked you that before. Obviously he doesn't do that anymore, but I have way back in the day. Yeah, back in the day we were going head to head. So the best I've ever hit was one other time. So my best squad, my single best squad was a seven twenty UM. But like for the numbers thing, the best squad ever hit, which is a school record, that

was it was I did six nine for five. Get video, Yeah, summer, it's an old video, bads, you know before camera phones are really good. It's it's grainy and everyone's yelling. You could barely see what's going on. But what about lift? My best dead lift is about I think I pulled a seven fifty one time or seven forty somewhere in there. So at the end of the day, when you're not playing anymore, you can be crushing in the gym. Still, yeah, I think I will. My we're the house rebuilding right

now back in front of Dakota. We have a big gym set up. My wife is also wait in a U physical fitness. She was when we were in Denver, she was a fitness instructure at instructor at three different places. So, um, she's way into it. I know. When you know life kind of slows down a little bit, she wants to

get back into um, instructing stuff. So it's designing the gym you were, So it's it's uh, it's attached to the garage and so there's two floors, so the bottom floor is mine and on the top floor as hers. So that's pretty sweet up and so uh, you know, we're gonna have to come out there and do a feature. Yeah, it'll be fun. It'll be fun when it's done. Great catching up is always man, Thank you thanks for having me. Wind Bett is bringing the excitement of wind Las Vegas

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are now joined by Bart Scott. In fact, this is the second time we're taping this because the New York Jets went out and made a trade Monday night. What did you think about the acquisition by Joe Douglas getting Jacksonville Jaguars back James Robinson. I think is as symboled to the locker room that we're trying to win now. And you know, we understand that this is a season where we could, you know, maybe make some noise and compete for the playoffs, and it would be great for

a young group. I'm gonna go in and a wide open, not only just a f C wide open, NFL altogether and bringing the gully James Robinson, who's only years old, I believe, you know, means that you're you're getting a good player, proven player, Pro Bowl player or not a Pro Bowl player, Rookie of the Year player, and you know he replaces not the speed of Breece Hall, but the physicality, you know, being five nine and twenty pounds, you know, he's a guy that you know that can

move the sticks. You know. Michael Carter is a lighter back of smaller back, just gives you kind of that thunder lightning type of dynamic. And of course, moving Thy Johnson into there, we know that he's a guy that can play at a high level. So I mean, I think it's a win win. Cam Akers is to me pretty much almost like uh like Michael Carter and Kareem Hunt probably would have cost you a boatload and Cleveland still holding on to hope. I believe that they can

still make a run if they stay close enough. With Deshaun Watson coming off, you know of suspension the level week. How do you think this is gonna develop over time? What you have in the backfield with Carter, with Robinson, with Ty Johnson, uh Breece Hall. He's spectacular of core of late. They had the sixty two yard touchdown run against the Broncos, the Jets only touchdown in that game.

He's had four consecutive games with rush touchdown. Such a threat out of the backfield as a receiver, and also he gives you that dimension of being a home run hitter. Now, what is that backfield going to look like in terms of distribution? In your eyes? Park Well, I think you always have to keep Michael Carter hits down, and we know that he's had a history of concussions and you don't want to over expose him that way as well. Um I think thy Johnson, it means that you have

to keep three running backs up lively. You know, I don't know if Robinson has any experience and really playing special teams, but if he was coming in as an undrafted free agent. I'm assuming that he played forms of special teams. You don't want to be able to get players that can do multiple things to help you in different areas. You know, who knows if he can return kickoffs or anything like that as well. You don't try and just get all the talent that he has and

put him in position to be successful. I know that thy Johnson catch the ball fluid, I know Michael Carter can. I'm not sure if Robinson is a natural catch of the ball um, but that was a huge part of what Briest did. You know, being able to, you know, win the one on one matchups with linebackers and receiver, many linebackers and safeties. You know, his presence will be missed in the passing game just as much as it

is in the running game. What does that offense have to do moving forward, not only this week against the Patriots, buddy, but over the course of these final ten games, Because you could make an argument that these were the two best offensive players the Jets had on the roster in brief Hall and then Elijah Vera Tucker who's done everything for this team along that offensive line. Here in the

five and five and to start well. For me, like I said all the time, some time, it's better to have a bunch of good players and a few great players because you talk about the depth and everybody in the NFL. Depth is going to be tested at some

point this year. And you know, because the Jets have a bunch of good players, I think they'll be able to withstand because, yeah, you lose the very Tucker is tough, but he was filling in for no for George Fant, who may be returning you know sometimes, So we'll see after the you know, after the bye week, but you know he should be getting closer. You know, he didn't have a season in the injury. And then Max Mitchell, I mean, so you still have an opportunity to have

good pieces. You know, you can't replace vera Tucker, but you know Fant and and Max Mitchell would be you know, still a substantial increase. And what the Jets have, you know, maybe going this week against the Patriots, you know, just having experience and having you know, guys that were filling in to go back to their natural roles and be

swing guys. That's the that's the beauty of being able to have versatility and and players that can play on the inside, play on the outside rather this receiver, running back, safety, linebacker. You know, it's important because this game nowadays is about who can last the longest with the best quality pe pieces and be able to try and win. What's next

for Zach Wilson four and all as a starter? Uh Robert Sala being asked this week if he's con cern about the past game the Jets, I should say, have faced Dona Felts, two top past defenses over the last two weeks in the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos, So we have to take that into consideration. And there's that alement the ground and pound working for this team that has great defense paired with excellent special teams. Right now,

I mean, listen, they found it formula. But I think you're gonna act Za Wilson to do a little bit more now, right because you can't just say, hey, we're gonna get a hundred and fifty yards, you know, a hundred and twenty yards you know from breeze in big place, right, so now you may have the ground upon it. You'll remember in this town. You know, it's a team that had three good running backs. They used it to wear the opponents defense down. They were consistent with running the ball.

When you think about you know, Brandon Jacobs, I believe Ward and Bradshaw, I mean, I think they have that dynamic. They have two big bruising backs, you know, Ty Johnson, you know Robinson and now you know Michael Carter. You're just trying to break them down and like, see what if Zach can make plays behind. I think Garrett Wilson and Lazare Moore and and MAM's everybody kind of steps up, and everybody's gonna get more of an opportunity to get touches,

you know. So if you're complaining about touches or you weren't satisfied with the touches you were getting with those, you know, eighteen and nineteen touches are not available. Who's gonna step up, you know from a playmaking standpoint and say, hey, give those to me. I can, I can, I can do something with those. This is the first time since two thousand and one, twenty one years, the Jets have a two game lead in the division over the New

England Patriots. Yes, the Jets aren't in first place in the division, but with that being said, they're gonna face a Patriots team that is three and four, and you have an opportunity ahead of you Sunday at MetLife Stadium to increase that gap even the three games. Bart, what do you think about the situation, the dynamic with the Jets and the Patriots right now? I mean, a game

plan is really right. There is a team that's had their number and they're rebuilding, They're trying to figure out who they're gonna be going forward after they lost your arguably the greatest quarterback of all time. So you wanna

you wanna. You want to put all that pressure on them that they put on you for over the years, and you want to try and make sure that you can go up about three games and then you see him a couple of weeks, you go about four games, and then that's one less thing you have to worry about.

You bury them right, and you make sure that hey, man, like all the teams that were beating us here on in twelve in the division the last couple of years or in six, you take care of business and you you inflict that pain and that disappointment that they inflicted on you for the last couple of seasons. And that's about maturity, right. You can't go in there emotionally. You gotta go in there to get the job done, and you understand that it's a doable and it's a task

that is doable. You saw yesterday, you know the Chicago Bears, you know who is a team that's on the rebuild. Come up and take advantage and punch this team in the mouth. So now you understand that it's gonna be a little bit more personal because it's a rivalry game, is a divisional game. They know you, you know them, but reintroduce yourself to him because they may think that you are a certain way and that things are still compactic, that they have your number, swim that you think different.

Can they have a lasting impact the way they lost on Monday Night Football thirty three to fourteen. A lot of people would say that game wasn't as close as the score would indicate. The Bears at an opportunity to put it in a touchdown at the end and they kneeled the ball down. Uh. The reason why I ask you that is because it's interesting. Last year in New England, the Patriots hung fifty plus on the Jets. The tide

is totally turned when you're looking at these teams. Yeah, if if I'm the Jets, I'm trying to inflict that pain. If I have an opportunity to run to score up. You know, I remember running the score up right, And like I said, there's no there's no sportsmanship among rivals. Like they hate you, you hate them. You know when they were they're up, they take advantage. When you're up, you take advantage. Make them feel some of that pain used that its motivation, how they embarrass you last year,

And make sure that they feel embarrassed. But more more than that, make sure that you walk out with the big three right, because that's the best way to to kind of serve that revenge is cold. If you can put up fifty, you put up fifty. But if you can win three zero, that's three zero. You do what you have to do. And I will put the challenge on the defensive line to step up, because last week gives the defensive backs that stepped up and really carry

the carry the water, so to speak. So it's time for this d line to step up and have a great game. And a quarterback that's mobile, but not Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts type of mobile. You should better get to him and win at the line of scrimmage. You know, look at Troy Brownie struggled yesterday. You know you try and make sure that he doesn't get right because you know that practice is going to be tough

for them on a short week. But it's gonna be tough for them because you're looking at you know, Bill Belichick being embarrassed, guys getting called out in film study. You know they're gonna come out there. You're gonna get their best effort because they were embarrassed in front of the national television and they're gonna try and come back and get retribution and really against the team that people think are there Darling, you know, good story to have

in the Jets. What's the biggest surprise in NFL right now? You got the New New York team who have combined, I believe, with an eleven and three record. You have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady struggling to put any kind of points on the board. You have Aaron Rodgers uh under five hundred and they're facing the Buffalo Bills this week. When you look at you got the

Patriots who are three and four. Biggest surprise in I file right now, I mean the biggest surprise to me is Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks are first in the division. Uh. You know, Kenneth Walker, somebody who I'm very familiar with, you know, got a late start, but you know he was gonna push Breefe, you know for a Rookie of the Year. Anyway, He's a dynamic back. You know, they were one and two in the draft, one and two in the Big ten, and he's playing

at a high level hundred six yards. Gino Smith is one of the most accurate quarterbacks PBR rating top five, I believe. And we thought this was a rebuild year where maybe Seattle was gonna play for a future quarterback and high draft pick. But it looks to me like

they're right where they need to be. And it's crazy the fact that maybe Seattle's pick is gonna be lord than the one that they're they're gonna get from Denver, the one from Denver, maybe the one that allows him to get a quarterback if they want to get a premium player that can be a top eye pick, and they're pick maybe a top fifteen pick or twenty that would be crazy. Uh, And the Jets do meet the Seahawks out in the Pacific Northwest week seventeen, and both

those teams could figure into the playoff picture. I don't think a lot of people thought that before the season final. Thought here to British Shaw Ferguson entering the Ring of Honor Sunday at MetLife Stadium, a former teammate of yours, A kid who grew up in Freeport on Long Island. I think he missed one snap due to a trick play throughout his career, the anchor at left tackle for ten seasons for this team. Your thoughts, yeah, are man in class of centified. I think he's very deserved and

I'm happy for him. I wish I could be there, but unfortunately I'm gonna be covering the game, but I'll be there in spirit. One of the best teammates have ever been around, not only a champion on the field, but off the field and what he did around his neighborhood and Covenant House, you know, to really attack teenage homelessness. You know, I was part of you know, his work sometimes within the community. UM, I couldn't be more proud of him and happy that he gets his award, he

gets to get his flowers. All right, brother, you remain a champion in our eyes as well. We'll see you next week. I appreciate it.