A Conversation with Jets TE Tyler Conklin (11/1)

let us slip away. Yeah, one hurts. Uh. You know, that's my first time in this rivalry, right, and you know how much the all you here all weeks, how much the fans hate him, how much everybody hates him, and um, we not got that same the same hate for him now, that's for sure. But uh yeah, definitely definitely slipped away from us. It's one of those games we're gonna look back at and, um, you know, should have, would have could it? But you know, it is what it is. And uh, we get to see him in

a couple of weeks. So how frustrating was our film study today when you looked at all the opportunities and how close you were, and you know how Bill gets these mirages defensively to kind of scoop you out of things when you realize that he really isn't a big, bad whooping personnel wise, you guys have and the more enough talent to be, you know, to put more points

on the board against that defense. Yeah, I think that's one of the frustrating parts is the fact that we we know and feel like we're the more talented team, right and uh, you know, we feel like we could have made so many big plays and dominated that game, and you come out of it you didn't. And that's the most frustrating part about it. Um. And for the most part, they really didn't too much, didn't do too much too trying to trick us. I mean, we knew

they were gonna have some weird personnels at times. They got a couple of fronts that we didn't expect them to get into. But uh, for the most part, when they did that, we handled it well. Uh you know, obviously we just at the time we got to take care of the ball better. And uh, you know, it makes some makes some places when we need to make them. But it's just frustrating loss for sure. What about you six catches seventy nine yards, two touchdowns. The two touchdowns

a career high in a single game. Also, five of those six catches going for first downs, also a career high. Uh. Obviously didn't like the team outcome, but as far as individually, how big of a step was that for you and the young quarterback Zach Wilson. Yeah. You know, it's a lot easier to be happy about a big game when when you win. But I think I think it's big for me and that because I want to be someone

that he trusts on third down. I want to be someone that he trusts when when things break down or um, you know, when he just needs to make a choice between the side and make a play. I want to keep building that trust. That was one of the big reasons and one of the things I was excited about when coming here. It was to be able to work with the young quarterback and and help become that guy

for him. Uh. And I think when we watched the film today, the big thing was, no, he he did a good job, making a lot of you know, good reads right away, throwing some really good balls. The first touchdown he told me was a great ball. Um. You know, I think I think it was big big for our chemistry. I think it's big for me. You know, I'm still uh trying to get better and better every single day, every single every game in this league and uh trying to become the player that I know I can be.

So I think it was big for me and Zach and myself in general. Not making excuses, but you guys had to really adjust to the fact that you don't have reach Hall, you know, behind you know, behind Zach and James Robinson and Michael Carter. How was that adjustment because it feels like you guys were not able to really get James going. It was kind of tough to be put into a new system, New Bourbidge, New Town,

all within a week and be expected to produce. How do you guys kind of put that whole package in the microwave and try and cook it faster and and the organically you know, cooked in the other or in the crop pod. I know there's a lot of stuff. Yeah, I kind of hung it through, But you know, I feel like we didn't have too many opportunities in their own game, right. I don't know how many times how

many rushies we ended up with dirt Team. I want to say I want to say, maybe MC had seven rushes and James had five twelve whatever ended up being um, you know, and being down at times in the fourth quarter, being some two minute drills. We you know, probably didn't run the ball maybe as much as we wanted to at times, and uh, you know, I can only imagine how quick of a turnover that is for uh, for James um learning that playbook and trying to be ready

to go and short notice like that. But I don't think it's uh, you know, I think obviously missing Breece is huge. He's a hell of a player and he showed that so early in his career. But uh, you know, so MC and James are both really good running backs too, and uh now I'm excited for them to show everybody, you know, what they can do and how are running game is gonna be, you know, you know, just as Poland So what about Garrett Wilson going over a hundred

yards receiving for the second time as a pro. He's only played eight games in the National Football League? What have you seen from him? And what kind of potential does that guy have? Yeah, so everybody kind of has been saying it now, but I was saying that since I first got here that he it's a little bit of Justin Jefferson in him. Uh, just the way he moves, kind of like the euro stepping as he strides, and the wiggle and slipperiness he has, uh them to beat

press coverage and and whatnot. And he obviously has special ability after after the catch. And I think you know,

he's moving around a lot as a young guy. Right he's in the slide, he's playing actually playing z's playing F and there's just so many intricacies that go with that, you know, when he's going from being outside just being someone man coverage to happen to go inside in the slot and you know, and fuel zones and run different types of routes that uh, you know, he's just gonna keep growing and getting better, I think, But you know,

the Scott's a limit for him. Did you tell him that after you made the Justin Jefferson comparison or you know,

I've never I've never told him that. I actually I hope he doesn't hear this, but uh, you know, he's all he's he's a super humble, humble kid anyway, But you know, it's really just the way they move, you know, the way they can go high point the ball, the way they you know release and for me, it's just like the the Euro step as they you know, kind of just running any type of route, just the back

and forth and slipperiness of it. But yeah, yeah, Garret wasn't very very um shifty, right, very sudden when he when he makes his moves, and you can tell people respect his quickness within like within the in in a confined space. You know, this is the first time probably this season, since early in the season that you guys probably have a live up the expectations and you know kind of had a letdown. How do you guys rebound quickly?

And how do you guys you know, match up and what's the mindset when you start thinking about going against

arguably the best team in the NFL. You know, the excitement level, but the focus and I know that this and this is a day where it's an off day, but you had to peek at the game, you know, maybe on the plane, you know, I mean you have to see the game maybe last night, and trying to get an early assessment of what you think you can have an opportunity to do against the Buffalo Bills defense that are is tremendous, and you know what, the defense has,

the tasks that they have and stopping arguably the leading m v P candidate no plane last night coming home from life. Yeah, I'm following you. We're on We're we're on Woody's helicopter yesterday. But uh yeah, I mean I watched the game last night, and uh, I think the beauty of this league is, well, you got you got a quick turnaround, right. We have a game, we have a tough loss. You know, you said the expectations that flipped.

We're expected to win a game. And that's that's that's new for um, you know the organization as of right now. Right so um, it's it's a little bit of a letdown, but you know, you don't have much time to sit there and mourn it and and feel bad about it. You know, you let it hurt for a little bit and you move on. And I watched the game last night. I think with the Bills is you know how explosed with their offense is and uh, you know, we know how well our defense is playing. So you know, we're

we feel good about that. I'm excited to watch to watch that matchup. But on defense, they you know, they're not gonna try to trick you. They you know they're gonna you know what front they're gonna be in for the most part. Um, they're gonna do what they do. And it's it's a team that's kind of been in that sits this defensive system for you know, four or five years, and uh, they keep getting better and better.

They fly around and or they're supposed to be and you know, kind of like a coach, I always say, you know, you know what you're doing on defense, and then as a defensive player, you can go in green light something and make a play and make a difference in the game. Uh. So you know, I think from a standpoint, we just got to execute. You know, we know what they're gonna be in, and we know our coaching gonna put a good plan together for us. So we just gotta go out there and execute and make

the play. A totally different way they tach people the Jets defense, Bills defense, but there are similarities because the Bills like to rush for and play seven in the back, and we've been seeing your defense have a lot of success doing that as well. Right, So, Uh, the Buffalo will tell you, hey, listen, we're just gonna put seven in the back and try to beat us through there. Yeah, you know, and that's what I think our defense has

done really well. Right. We don't you know, I don't know everything that's going on the defensive side of the ball, but for the most part, they they don't do. Yeah, they don't overcomplicate that. You know, they have certain checks for certain things. They have a couple of checks throughout the game, and you know, they make players on the ball and they play, you know, as we've seen all season, super fast and they come down and hit people. And

I think that's you know, the same as Buffalo. You know, they're not gonna over over complicate things. They're gonna be in their spots. They're gonna you know, take the chances when they get the opportunity to take a chance, and you know it's on us to make the big play and not make to make the mistakes. Like you know in the New England game, right, that's kind of a team that has mirages and you know they wait for

you to make the mistakes that they can win. Um, So it's a little different game and that aspect of things. I mean You're part of a young group, but you're you've been you have probably more experience than a lot of the guys um in the system. You think about Garret Wilson, you think about lies are more think about Zach Wilson. These are young players that are just cutting their teeth in this league. You know, what are you

saying to them? Are you know what's the conversations about, because you know, when you get to the middle of the season, the body starts to make a little bit more especially for these rookies who this is the longest year of your career, right you're coming from playing college. Combine that whole draft process, rookie camps. What are you trying to do the kind of guide because you need these young guys kind of to skip past the rookie wall.

The rookie wall hates to everybody. Yeah, it's still weird for me that I'm I'm a older guy, guess in this league being at your five with how younger with

team this is. But uh, you know, I think it's really just checking out them, making sure you know they're doing the right thing, trying to be Obviously, you can't make anybody do anything they're not They don't want to do, but you know, just be that you know that vet that they can lean on and and uh you know, ask for advice what they need to do to take care of their body or so my rookie is a lot different. I'm not. I wasn't in a spot that a lot of these guys are in where they're playing

of the snaps and being contributors like they are. Uh. I was in a little different situation. And last year was really my first year starting and you know, as a as a starter, and you know, playing a full season and playing every snap, and my big thing going into it was, Okay, how am I gonna take care of my body? What is my routine that's gonna allow me to make it through a seventeen game season? And uh I just had to go through that in year four.

So I think, you know, it's fresh out of my mind and I think, you know, um, it makes that it makes it easy for me to kind of talk to them, and you know, just really the importance of having a routine. I think routine is everything, especially in this league. So the earlier earlier you can build that routine, I think the more successful you're gonna be. As a player. Yeah, no doubt about that. You were playing with your hair on fire against Patriots. We're seeking out the contact because

you weren't just catching the ball on Sunday. You were looking to get up field and whoever was in your way watch out. You know. I think it's uh, you know, you just here, You're here to talk about it all week. I was just excited to become part of become part of the rivalry, right. Um, and that I hate for

the Patriots built really really quickly throughout that game. But uh, and it always feels good and you can you can touch the rock early in the game and make a play, and um, you know, I just trying to kind of build on you know, that first third down conversion and uh, make sure we could have energy. So obviously things the playing out how we wanted, but you know, I think it's a step in the right direction. Zach Wilson three interceptions.

He was definitely not happy after the game. What kind of spotlight is the quarterback in here in New York compared to where the place you just came from, Minnesota, Like let's say cousin stros forgn Or in the game, what does he face compared to maybe what a Wilson does here. The media here is definitely a lot different, and the fans are a little different. You know. Um

you said we talked earlier. It's been you know, a long road of not a lot of winning, and uh, you know, they want to see wins, and uh so they're harsh. You know. You see in the stadium sometimes we go from having so much energy in the stands the stuff going wrong, and it gets really quiet, really fast, and uh, you know, it's the similarity between is Kirk

is getting paid a lot of money right now. Right so when Kirk struggling in a game, he caught a lot of heat for it because you know how much he was getting paid, and you know, the roster we had in Minnesota and the expectations for us to win there, and uh, you know here in New York, just the spotlight that he has. Um, I don't know if it's a spott I would want to want to deal with. But I talked to me after the game. Actually, I'm like, man, don't listen to it. I mean, it's hard not to.

We all have bad games, we all have good games, and you know that's kind of the beauty of the sport. You know, he's kind of gotta stick together. And I think people going people really went and watched his game. Obvious, you see some picks that are not not good, right, and he knows that. He looked at those players like what the hell was I doing? Right? Um, but you're also going to see a lot of players where he played really well. It's just those bad plays kind of

overshadow the good that happened throughout it. So, um, I think it was, you know, a good growing process at some point. You know, he just learned a lesson that you know, a mobile, I can get out of the pocket, I can create stuff, but I can't. I can't do that. You know, I gotta throw the ball away. I don't need to throw the ball away. I can't make it close. You know, I got sometimes you gotta eat it. You know, you take a negative player, you know whatnot. So I

think it just something all young players go through. I think people forget how young he is at times. And you know, you don't want to sit here and make excuses, but you know, there are good things that happened in that game. It's just some of those bad things really overshadowed it. Yeah, just because you could, don't mean you should.

And you know, understand, I had a young Mark Senchez and we had a already made defense, champion defense, a great offensive line, the best running game in the business. And you know, really what you have to what he has to realize. And the toughest part about, you know, trying to help a young player mature um is letting him know that you can depend on us, Like understand that if you punt the ball, that's a good thing because we're gonna flip the field because we're gonna get listen,

go over there, get your gatorade. You're gonna have three players. You're gonna be right back out here. You're gonna be an a better position you were when you before you punted the ball because we're gonna flip the field and we're gonna get them three and out and you know, we may get the interception to give you the ball back. So that's the hardest part, you know, when you have a young guy that's trying to extend plays, he has to realize and understand that when you retreat back. That's

one of the biggest issues that he has. You know, just me being an analyst and watching him play. You can't retreat back because that's where your line is blocking people. So it makes them it makes the feel strength and narrow. You know, you have to step up and what mac Jones are doing. If he saw a cover one, he just took off. So I mean it's a part of maturing. And we have a young quarterback. It can be frustrating because they'll have games where they played very well then

games where they just try and do too much. And understand that you can win ugly in this game. Most most people in this league win ugly. Like it's ugly game seventeen to sixteen nineteen. You don't have to air it out. It's not it's not about that because at the end of the day, if you win, everybody eats.

So it's just him having an understanding that money is a good thing if you really believe in this defense and believe in us as a team, and you have to blend the line between offense and defense and say we're one and we have to play as if we're one, and understand give me some time to get some TV time and I'll give you the ball right back. I put the light right back on you, so I don't know how you get that communicated to him. But I

had that same experience with a young Mark Sanchez. We had a time and I'm just trying to explain to you the history, uh this this of the Jets. We had the same issue with Mark where we had to give him red light green lights, where he had to like he had to throw the ball, he couldn't change the play, and you know, it was just part of it.

And we made him better and we went to two ANFC championships back to back, knocked out Tom Brady, knocked out Peyton Manny, knocked out Philip Rivers, you know what I mean. So that's the hardest part in trying to get him to understand that because you guys have an opportunity in a wide open a f C where anything can happen. You get in the tournament, anything can happen. It's no dominant team, it's no big bad wolf, right There's no guy that's been making great plays all the time, Raidy,

There's nobody that at that level right now. But Patrick Mahomes. Yeah, And that's actually I mean, you hit two things that

we kind of talked about. Because I was talking to Zact today and he you know, he watched the Bills game yesterday and he's talking about how the difference between how him and Josh Allen scramble right like you were saying, he's retreating, making it feel more narrow, um, throwing off his back foot, and like he watched the game yesterday and a lot of times when Josh Allen's you know, scrambling, he's attacking the line of scrimmage, and then he's you know,

staying behind the line of scrimmage and and making a throw or is attacking the line of scrimage with them. He does decide to run, you know, he can make a make a big play. And that's actually something me and Zach talked about this morning was just um, you know, the difference in in the way that they've been they both scrambled, and you know, something that he wants to improve on and work on. And I talked to MC

this morning about just this d our defense here. You know how much we believe in them, and every time they go on the field, you expect to get the ball back, you expect to turnover, you expect them to slip the field and uh, you know, it's a it's a comfort and feeling knowing that. And uh, I mean, you know you made a great point about the punts. Okay, and we didn't say we didn't think about it like that exactly, but uh, you know, a punch a good thing.

We'll get the ball back with better faild position. But it is something that we we talked about this morning, like we trust this defense. We know this defense is gonna either make them punt or get a turnover. And uh, you know, it's just it's funny both the things you just mentioned. There's things I talked to Zach and MC about today. So let me ask you, this are the good words of wisdom from the bad packer who's you know, I went to a couple of FC championship games. Here.

You mentioned Josh Allen to that you played with him at the Senior Bowl. Could you have predicted the success he's had in the NFL so far? Did you know, like during that week of practice. Obviously you're getting ready for the draft yourself before you're taking in the fifth round by the fightings, But wow, this this dude has become like Salo would say, a freaka zoin. Yeah. So

I actually we played Josh. We played Wyoming in in a bowl out of a Potato Bowl, Central Michigan first Wyoming, and going into that game, We're like, man, whatever, we're gonna kill him, blah blah blah. Uh he ain't that good. And we came out there and got smoked. I think we lost like seven or something. We had a ton of turnovers on offense. But you know, he, uh, you know,

he shredded us that game. So you know, I went from playing them in a bowl game and watching him, you know, make us look really bad, going and playing the Senior Bowl with him, and uh, obviously I don't think you can never really just sit there and predict, you know, who's gonna become what, right, because people, if we could do that, you know that the draft would be a lot less you know interesting, if we could just predict who's gonna become what. But uh, you know, he,

you know, he's kind of showed it. And I was just I guess, proving people, um, you know, proving people right or wrong? How do you want to look at it? But he's obviously the help of a player, so you kind of touch what you're thinking. He already caught a touchdown from him, But we'll passed out out of the background for fullback. But uh yeah, I mean he I mean he has a cannon. And you know, the knock

on him was he wasn't accurate. I mean other than what I would tell people he was throwing the ball in Wyoming, like, consider to consider the elements, right, consider the elements, and also to consider who he was going to. But you gotta give josh and a ton of credit because when he first came in his league, he couldn't hit the ocean if he was in a boat, right, But he really changed his mechanics and stands his delivery,

became a much more accurate quarterback. I know, you're much more accurate when you trade for Stefan dis but a ton of credit goes to him for improving his game. And you know, those are those are the tales of you know what, what's what's built last longer than was born? Right, he was born some natural tools, but he built itself to become an accurate quarterback. He stopped turning the ball over, fumbling,

putting his team at risk. And um, you know that that's a that's a cautionary tale to you know, that's not a coustionary tell, but to tell to Zack that Listen, we expect quarterbacks to be finished products, you know, in their second year. It doesn't work that way for every Joe Burrow, you know, it's it's a Jalen Hurts that takes a while to kind of develop and get it. And you just gotta understand that, you know, in this league is all about plugging up the holes that you

have in your game. So we all come to the league with a lot of holes. So those who are arrogant and think that hey, I'm just gonna keep being fast and athletic not only lasts for so long because at some point are all our bodies started to slow down and we have to adjust our game and win more with our mind than it is our natural born ability. So I get that from Nara Hopkins all the time. What's built last longer than what's born. And he's a perfect example of that. Because Roy Jones was born to

be great. He built itself to be great. And when you look at Bernard Hopkins and what he was able to do over the course of his career, you would say his career was as good or not better than Roy Jones. But Roy Jones had all the natural skills Tom Brady is another example of that as well. Yeah, I mean that hits hold with me because my roads actually been you know, obviously a lot different than a lot of people's, um, you know, from basketball to football to the fifth round pick and walk on and all

the non all that stuff. So um, you know, I like that saying that's something that definitely kind of hits on with me. And as I keep trying to you know, develop will come better. So bart here talking about the execution or Bertnard Hopkins one of the greatest, one of the greatest boxers ever. Uh, I wanted to ask you about the basketball background in terms you're route running. How

much does that help you? Because you got more wiggle and you get separation at the top of your routes And typically we speak in terms that way when we're when we're talking about the receiver, but you can get some things happening at the top of your route. How much does that basketball background help you? Yeah, I think I think it helps. I think basketball for me really has helped with going up in high point the ball

and body control and things like that. And really for me is uh, I've always took proud of my route running and you know, working on it and going to seeing receiver coaches and whatnot, and really trying to um have a different toolbox than most tight ends have when it comes to you know, releases and on top of the routes, and you know, I'm just I was really excited coming here and coming into this offense and some of the freedom we have in the rout tree and some of the routes that we do run as a

tight end. Uh. You know, I've been excited to get the opportunity to go out there and show it in the game and do those things. So how about that? Yeah, I'll go ahead. I love this. I love to see them, you know, split you out just a tad figure running banana routes because these linebackers are so stupid. They'll follow you and get out outside and just throw it on the hatch and just banana in between the numbers. And

they're so short. You just musselm all day. Especially against teams like the Buffalo Bills is gonna have like two high guys. You know, you can get under that and go ahead and Boston, you know what I mean. Always I'm like, hey, we go out there, run and go rout in the linebacker comes out there just just alerted for me. You know, just just think, just think about it. If you see if you see a backround following me

out there, or you know, a safety or whatnot. But because I feel comfortable out there, is it's a place I feel comfortable. You know, my year, you're always basically playing X. I was backside, um, you know, running glances in phase and whatnot all season. So it's definitely a place I feel comfortable. Break it down for us. Now, I got in the league when you had like the evolution of the tight end, right like Kevin kelln Kelen Winslow Jr. Of course I've been playing against Gates since

we were in high school in Detroit. Yeah yeah, yeah, absolutely, yeah, son. It was roommates and he went to mis Stay. That's a long story. We'll have enough time enough tape in this in is real to cover how I ended up in sol Illinois. But when when when when you think about like the evolution of the tight end, when you were trying to make that transition from being a guy that's you know, Bronk and Kindles probably are the the spokesman for like the guys who can really set the

edge and be able to control defensive ends. And then you look at guys like Pits. That's like the other end of the spectrum. Who are you, What are you trying to add to your game? And who did you look up to by kind of growing up as you were trying to develop from a basketball player to a football player, then also trying to not be tight casts as a guy that's in the box, you know, blocking all the time. Yeah, I mean there's a lot of things that kind of So Antonio Gates is someone that

I really you know, having a basketball background. Michigan guy, Um obviously one of the greatest tight ends ever played the game is someone I watched um. And then when I first decided to switch over the football, I was watching the Michigan State football game. The tight end at the time was Josiah Price, and uh, you know, he was having a good year catching stick nois for touchdowns over the place and way man, I can do that, you know, Um. And that was the day I was

at Buffalo while Wings watching it. That was that was the day I kind of decided to stop playing basketball and switch over. And then weirdly, Josiah Price ended up be in Minnesota when I got there and uh, you know that was just um. Once I kind of gone into the you know, the pre draft stuff and whatnot, it was, oh, he was split out all year, he can't block, he can't do this. And my whole thing was,

you know, I'm gonna prove him wrong. Right, So I went to the senior boy, I was like two hundred, ended up being up like two pounds, like, I'm gon show him I can block, Like I know I could run route. I'm gonna sho him I can block. So it was probably a little heavier and whatnot that I should have been, But you know, I wanted to prove him wrong in that aspect of things because I just think the beauty of tight end is you gotta do everything. You gotta be able to play in pass pro. You

gotta build. It's like a back, right. I didn't want to be a a guy I can only play on third down. I want to be a guy that can be in there on first down, second down. I want to be able to beat man coverage on third down. Um. So I always wanted to be the all around tight end. I didn't want to be the guy that was just a receiver guy or a block and guy, and uh, that's just something I've kind of always prided myself on and something I'm still trying to get better every day.

And Coach Mid's helped me a ton in the run game since I've been here, just with you know, aiming points and hand placement and in my footwork. So, um, you know, I think the run game is something I want to keep getting better at. Uh. He's helped me a ton of pass par already with just having better sets and um, you know, different tricks with my punches and whatnot, and uh then have an opera to me

to go out there and show it. I work on you know, in the offseason probably more than anything with my route running and releases and things of that nature. So I'm just excited to keep getting better every single every single game as all around tight end? How want you quick quick tip? Quick tip from a linebacker that knows like how tight ends can cheat. Don't push him away from you, pull them to you and just put

them chest to chest. You'll never get caught for holding if you grab him and pull them close to you. If you don't need to stand your arms, you grab them underneath their underneath their path chest to chest. You'll never get it. They can't make a tackle and and then you'll never get called for hold and then just get mad. Yeah, we had a guy. We had a guy, a Mully Mulligan junior whopper hands, and he would hold the hell out of you. You never get the call. Yep, Middleton,

you messaged him before. Cool dude, how much you enjoy working with that guy? So I love it. Uh, you know a room. We got a great room between you know, c J, myself, Ruck Kenny. Uh, you know obviously whoever talked to c J. You know CJ is just outgoing and uh, you know, a goofball and then coach mid. I mean the one liners that he has are unbelievable.

I mean, oh, it's something answers. The way he says it, you know, the way he says things, you know, his one liners, like the stuff that comes out of his mouth is just hilarious. And he's played the game for you know, he played tenure career, so he understands it. He understands the tough situations we get put in. He understands um, you know, tricks and things to help us

to win in those situations. And he understands when you're in a tough situation, you don't necessarily get it done to you know, Um, he gets it and he uh you know, it's it's it's nice to to be coached by a coach that you know has played the game, understands the game the way he does and uh, you know, like I said earlier, he's really helped me develop in a short period of time since I've been here. I want you paying attention to what's going on in Minnesota.

So you leave Minnesota, they're like six and one. You're here with your new team doing great things. Five and three. Obviously you wish you were six and two, but uh, Minnesota multi game lead in the NFC North. Through would have thought, yeah, you know, they've had the talent there for you know, long since I've been there. You know, since I got there in my rookie year. They had

this roster that was not thinking. This league, you have a you have a window right of when you have young guys that aren't campaign you have guys that you're paying, you have this window to go make a Super Bowl run. And they've done a good job of somehow extending that that roster and giving them a chance to be what they are right now, and then you know they got a heck of a team. You know, Kirk I think is one of the most hated on quarterbacks. I think

he's he's a heck of a quarterback. His accuracy and um, you know, he's just he's like I texted him today because his touchdown run, I'm like, you hit to know it was the GPS? Was you hit twenty miles per hour? You know? Then you got Justin out there, who um, you know, with one of a kind, with what he's done so far in his career. And you know, I'm happy for him. And I got I got a good team and winning games and uh, you know Green Bay struggling a little bit, Chicago and Detroit, so you know,

good for them. I'm happy for him. Have you thought about what it's gonna be like when you go back there? So I can't wait talking about I want to go bonkers that day. You know, I'm excited to go back to the U. S. Bank. You know, I was there for four years. Me and uh, you know, my fiance we learned to love Minnesota, so we're excited to get back. But uh, you know, we're enjoying the hell out of this, you know, new experience out here, so part should be

on there guys getting married. I was there for the Super Bowl. Man, I almost lost. I thought, I don't have to appltate my fingers are damn cold. It was, Yeah, no, it's it is. It is pretty damn coold, especially go outside about January. You breathe, it just hits you in the lungs, start coughing and ship you know. I I mean, I don't mind the cold though. You guys are Minnesota is different. Minnesota is different. But no, it is different. It's it's different. It is different. It's a lot different

to Michigan. It's warmer here than there's in Michigan. Yes, no doubt. What's the day of the wedding April twelve. I had nothing to do with the wedding. We're staying out of it completely. Tell him like, I'll be there. If you got a real question, I gotta answer. I'll answer, but she'll ask me. I'll answer and she won't even listen. Anyway, where's it gonna be. She don't care if you take the cake. I don't care if we don't even need a cake. You know, whatever, I just told you. Whatever

we're having a kaba. Okay, it's gonna be destination wedding, a little smaller family and close friends and uh, it would be cool. I'm excited about it. That's awesome. Little zip lining. I'll be there. If you go opposite San Juan, they have a they have a hotel where it's carved out of the volcanic ash. So like you go there, you got like two cans that come up until you it's no elevator, but your your your room is off the mountain. That's can carve. That's dope. And what's it called.

Let me ask my wife. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get you gotta get get back to me about that one. Yeah, I got it, I got it. I got it's right up there. It's cool because they have the waterfall. They have the active volcano, so like they got the live springs with the sulfur. You do rock climb, you go ziplining, and but that's that's only when you go to Cobbo. You go to San Juan and you go to the

other part with the rainforest. Yeah. Someone asked me. Someone asked me today, and I'm like, I don't know what sound I'm going to, Like you said, I'll be there. I'm I'm gonna so I'll be standing up there. But she's she's handling it. Also, I'm excited. We're excited, we're excited for you. How many tattoos you got a lot? Um, you don't know. You don't have the cover about a hundred and fifty hours it all bless together. No, I mean there's not. I mean I' about to say that's

all one at this point. Uh, probably my right leg or my back, my right legs, all stuff from back home. So, um, I don't know, like if you're ever driving down ninety four, there's like a Gibraltar trade center, it like it was like a that's mad. It's like it was a big dude that side. So when I was driving home as a kid, you uh, you knew you were close to them when you got by that. So I got him tattooed on the back of my leg. Um, there's like an old motel kind of where I grew up that

they tore down a couple of years ago. I got that tattooed. Uh So just like all different stuff. Um, you know from my childhood, my little league football team, you know, three on three gust Macker trophy takes playing gush I was playing gush Mackers ever every every year as a kid, especially one in Luddington. Uh, you put, you put the silver Dome, I was saying, I was

telling me the other day. I used to play in the Silver Dome and I played for the Clams Barcouters back when I was a kid, So we star always playing the Silver Dome. I had a little new balances on because I ain't know turf shoes looking terrible, cowboy cowboy collar. Get the fis, get the fists, get the Joe Louis fish. I gotta I gotta figure out with us. I gotta do. I took a little breaks. I don't got much space left. I only got about stomach in my ribs, So I gotta I'm trying to hold off

a little bit. Yea. That for the kids. That's that's when my that's what my lady keeps telling me. So you gotta say room for the kids. That's true. You so, hey man, we enjoyed it. Continue success. Uh you know, hopefully you guys start a new winning street this week against the Bills. But again, uh, as far as tight ends the position is concerned here with the Jets hadn't had a lot of production there recently. If you look at your numbers, you're on pace for a very good year.

And again, can't can't look at the number. Listen. I can say career highs. Yesterday two touchdowns I had to. I had two in the game before, so it ties the career okay, and then the five first downs. I don't know about that. I might say, I'll try. I'll trust you on that one. All right, Thanks brother, I appreciate you got having me. Winn Mett is bringing the excitement of win Las Vegas to online sports betting and

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in New Jersey. Terms and conditions apply. You must be twenty one or older to participate. Please visit windbet dot com to view welcome offers available in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia. You're watching Official Jets Podcast. We're presented by Win Pat Bettings, the team sports put together at Win, Eric Ellen with Bart Scott h Tyler Cochland. I think he is going to figure prominently in the

Jets offense for the next nine games. Bottom line, they're gonna need him big time down the stretch. Absolutely. I mean because Tighten as a quarterback's best friend, because he's always friendly, he's right there in the line of sight, and he does a good job and using his big body to be able to shoot against defenders, and he's surehanded, you know. So I think you know that that relationship will continue to grow and it opened things up for

everybody else. You mentioned it before, Buddy, Zack Wilson. What does he have to do? You talked about in terms of staying in the poet pocket, not dropping back, but immediately looking ahead to this game against the Buffalo Bills, because that's the defense that has been together for a long time, We'll have to find out about the status of Jordan's ployer. This long time safety there, Micah Hyde already out. But that builds defense. Uh, typically one of

the best in the National Football League. Yeah, because their discipline, they have a rare luxury much like the Jets habit. They don't have to add more people to the rush to be able to affect the quarterback because they have

guys that can win the one on ones. But you know, when you talk about you, you you damn sure can't fade away and explode yourself on the edges when you think about roosts, so and you think about Bond Miller on the outside in the best place to be a stepping up because they're only rushing four, you have five to six protectors or it creates natural scenes and lanes to throw through, but also to throw through. You gotta be decisive. You gotta move up in the pocket. You

cannot drift back because you exposure. So you gotta be quick with the ball and understand that you're gonna have to hold the ball a little longer because they have seven in protection. But then it's gonna be opportunities for guys to sit in zone so when they are in one one zone and they can't get through, they may have to slide to another zone to get open. You gotta be patient. I'll big of a challenge is this for a young team who thought they let one get

away against the Patriots? You know that are thinking Michael Carter the second scores, it's a two score game at halftime, and maybe possibly it's gonna be a runaway against the Patriots. What's around? Yeah? So if well, if anything, you gotta know that that you have to take advantage of those opportunities. You can't let them pass because those are the ones that you regret and you're asking yourself what if right, and you know you can't ask what if? You got

to say this is what is? This is what we did, And they're gonna have to shoot themselves up because they're going against the best you know, football team and all the football that have doubled down and you know, who knows what they're gonna do before the trade that line. You know reports that they may be going for Alvin Kamar. Who knows Kareem Hunt available, But you know it's an arms race going on in a f C and in the NFL for teams that think they're close, and Buffalo

think they're closer to any other team. How do you contain this Spell's offense. It's a prolific attack. Uh. On paper, I think the Jets defensive line should have some matchup advantages against the Bill's offensive line. But the counter on that for Buffalo is Alan so dynamic. He can get out of the pocket and he's strong too, so even if you get your hands on him sometimes it's really

hard to bring him down. That's the issue, and that's why you gotta stay in your rush lanes because if you play man and man and turn your back, you'll take off. And he's so big that he can make guys miss in space, but he also can run through arm tackles. So that's the dilemma. Do you spy and what do you do with them? And you're gonna ask your your corners to do a lot, you know, And and he's gonna take some shots and he trust, you know, gave David's and he trust um Stefan digs and he'll

put the ball up. So guy's gonna have the high point the ball. But it's gonna be essential again for these corners to be able to match up man to man because you're gonna have to have seven guys in coverage to be able to have all eyes on him, so he doesn't make you look foolish by running one of these forty five yard copper runs. We saw Matt Jones early on, You saw Joe Burrow early on, You saw Jakoby Brissett. You know, you know, really hurt. Josh Aland is more talent than all those um with his

arm and with his legs. How do you think that Jets should match up with those receivers? The cornerbacks have been playing great this year and Sauce Gardner DJ Reid. Yeah, but all it takes is one, you know, so you still want to mix it up. You still want to play some formers on some man. You want to try and brack them at times if you feel like you have a good grasp on being able to stop them with a light box, then you you know say, okay, well maybe uh you know, stop with the light box.

And this time we're gonna double gay. This is time we're gonna double stuff one. This time we're gonna double knocks um. Because when you look at you know, really what the Jets really struggle with was you know, Stevenson coming out of the backfield and being able to isolate you know some of these linebackers and you know catch a ball, so who knows they're trying and use Devin Singletary or cook that way. You know, you put it on tape, You're gonna have to defend it until you

show that you can stop it and offensively. We talked specifically about Zach, but what's the key for the entire unit that is still undergoing a transition here? You mentioned it with Tyler Listen. Uh, we'll have to see about the status of Corey Davis. But Elijah vera talker, Breese Hall, they're not running back. They have to run the football like they're trying to. They're trying to stop you and nickel like they their base defense is nickel, and you

have to make them pay for being in nickel. You have to get up to the second level. You gotta block come up, block gap scheme, you gotta get vertical. You gotta make them see if they can continue to attack you with your running backs coming down hire great opportunity ahead, right though, I mean, you're testing you're testing yourself against the best. Yeah, you should go out there and you have nothing to lose. You're expected to lose this game. You should go out there free and play

your best football and take chances. What else do you have to lose. You have nothing to lose, nothing to lose. All right, part Scott, We'll see you next week, brother,