Pennington: 'This Is a Playoff Game' (11/24)

bit crazy in the house. I stepped into my car because I knew we wouldn't have any distractions, all right, So what's the Punnington family doing for Thanksgiving? Well, we are actually trying to enjoy a couple of days and not having any sports activities, no school activities, and just trying to recuperate from the fall of football in the

beginning of basketball. And then we will head to West Virginia on Wednesday to enjoy the family for thanks Will the boys go out and play and have a Thanksgiving a game on the gridiron? You know what, that's not a bad idea at all. I may even incorporate that into our family schedule. That's that's a pretty good idea. Thundering Herd plays Western Kentucky on Friday for the East Division of the Conference USA Championship. So we will certainly be watching a lot of football, and I'm sure they

would also be up for a football game. There's no doubt about it. They love it. Did you guys ever do that going growing up? Play a little football on Thanksgiving? Uh? You know, I was noting. I was known in my family for playing football games by myself. We would actually go up and visit my grandparents in Lofallit, Tennessee, and I would go out in my sweat pants and have

a football game by myself. Now imagine that like you tackle yourself, you make great catches, you uh if you pick up fumble as you make interceptions, and the most important thing, you always win. So it was it was a win win situation from well, yeah, so I guess you were the star of the game. Listen, Uh, did you do play by play while you're out there playing

uh football against yourself? No doubt about it. You've got to give a little commentating and play by play, you know, with penning to making a great catch or painting and scooping up the fumble or intercepting the ball, you know, jumping over the pile, touchdown, all those things that really bring back great Chilithood's memory. Alright, Chad, what's your message

for Jets Nation? The Green and White suffer another a tough DEFEATO one possession game there at that, but unfortunately they couldn't climb back into a tie with the Texans, and now they're five and five. Well, if you, I think there's two perspectives here for Jet fans, and most importantly, there's two perspectives here for the team. Um. First of all, the inner perspect to is, hey, the team is struggling and and the team is trying to find a way

to just get back into the wind Colin. And so the narrow perspective is to think the world's coming to an end. They're five and five, they've lost four out of five, they're certainly on a downward trend. And as a team, I don't think you can buy into all of that. I think you've got to broaden your perspective and look at it big picture and look at the league, look at where you are, and say, if we said we would be at five and five at the beginning of season, would we feel good that we can make

a playoff run. I think that uh answer to that question is yes, we would feel good that we could make a playoff run. Right now, you don't feel good about a playoff run because of where you are in healthy started. So from a team's perspective, you always need to take the positive approach. You can't pessimism leap to complete breakdown and failure. So you have to be optimistic.

Can go Okay, yeah, we've screwed this thing up completely starting out four and one, we're five and five, but we are in the playoffs hunt, and so what can we do as a team to flush these ten games, focus on these nick six and make a playoff runt. Isn't there a difference? And I keep on coming back to this because I was with Herds for five years, But isn't there a difference between perception and reality? Remember,

I think a lot of people do. Remember forget the fact that the Jets finished four and twelve last season, and there were some talk in New York this week that hey, the Jets are frauds. But ched this team wasn't saying before they matched up with the New England Patriots that they were Super Bowl contenders. In fact to Todd Bowls has been the same way each and every week,

no question. I completely agree with that. And that's the big picture of perspective you're talk talking about is saying it's a team that was four and twelve, had a lot of turnover, coaching, change um, and then the early um success of the team maybe have given it may have given a false perception out there that this team was ready. Now, as as teammates and as individuals, you always believe you've got a chance to play for a championship,

There's no question about that. And they certainly as an organization made moves to take that next stride to start to play for championships and had some early success to leave you to believe that they could do that. And that's still possible. Uh that that is certainly not out of the realm of possibilities as far as being able to make a playoff run and get into the playoffs.

But right now, the feeling obviously around the town and as Jet fans, you don't feel good about where you are because you have seen regression and not progression, so that that feeling out there is understandable. But as a team, you can't worry about that. You've got to focus on it. We are what we are. We're five and five. There's a reason we're five and five. Now, if we understand what those reasons are, and we understand that those things can be fixed, that we can change this scenario quickly.

Ryan Fitzpatrick told me last night on Inside the Jots, you have to ignore the noise. How difficult is that for you, the player in a place like New York, to say, Hey, whatever is going on in the outside, forget about it. We gotta lock it up inside the locker room and find something we can hang our hat on right now. Well, it's it's it's very important. It's the most important thing when you play in New York. And that's why some players can survive and some players

can't um But there there is. It's important to understand why ignore the noise means. In my opinion, ignore the noise means you you ignore the things that really aren't replevant to your situation. But you cannot nor the things that are relevant to your situation and ignore. You cannot ignore the mistakes being made. You cannot ignore the same

mistake being repeated. You cannot ignore the lack of production, and you have to look at those things, truly strip yourself down as an individual and as a team, analyze those and make a conscious effort to correct those things. So ignore the noise as far as the negativity out there, absolutely, but do not ignore the noise when it comes to what are the real reasons we are struggling as a

team and how do we fix those things? And what do you think are the real reasons that the Jets have hit a rough patch here uh in the middle of the year. Well, offensively, I think the lack of big plays, chunk plays. I think that's what has reared its ugly head over the last few weeks is that, um, you haven't had very many plays made down the field to make drives a little easier. Um to where you can't survive in this league by having fourteen play fIF

team play drives every series. Defenses are too good, schemes and coordinators are too good to allow you to do

that on a consistent basis. You have to have some chunk plays that turn a possible four team play series into a seven play series because you had a forty or fifty yard game and those plays have not been made and and I think that some of the younger players on offense and some of the players that don't get their number called as often as the UH typical players do, such as the Brandon Marshall's, the Chris Ivory's, Eric Jackers, those are the guys that need to step

up and make a chunk play and make a make a big time catch, a big time run, whatever it may be, to alleviate some of the stress that's put on an offense by trying to have it to produce those fourteen or fifteen a series. Well, if Fitzpatrick admittedly as he hasn't played really well in the past few weeks, from your perspective, what have you seen on film from the Jets fatchan signal caller? Well, I think number one, you've got to really look at what he's been dealing with.

Let's let's don't underestimate that guy just came off the surgery table ten days ago. Uh, he's been dealing with the torn ligament in his non throwing time. And yes, we can say it's not his throwing hand, which is true, but at the same time, it's it's a major injury. It's something that can't be taken lightly. So, um, is there gonna be a little bit different? Is there a difference in his play? Yes, and understandably. So that's where the team concept has to come in and guys have

to make tough catches. Guys have to make plays that they're not necessarily expected to make because you have a leader in your offense that is hurting, that is down, that that needs of help, that needs someone to step up and just take a little bit of the pressure off of him. Uh, you know, So that that's number one I think is most important. That's when you have one of your best players on one side of the ball or the other that's down. Uh, that's hurt a

little bit. You've got to have other players step up and make up for that production. Secondly, I think, you know, I'll just like to see him protect himself a little bit better. I think these hits are starting to accumulate on him. And although I love his grittiness, I love his toughness, I mean that really starts to compound itself as you get later on into the season. So think about a little bit of self preservation and realize that his availability and his ability to lead his team is

most important. Compared to getting an extra yard on a quarterback run and taking an unnecessary hit and then finally, uh, just you know, staying stable, staying committed. That's what he's going to be about. That's what will allow the Jets to persevere through this tough times. His stability and his unwillingness to waiver. I think that's most important in providing that stability for the team. You talked about explosion plays

down the field. Uh fits through a good deep ball to rookie Devin Smith who unfortunately wasn't able to haul that pass in otherwise that's a touchdown. And Devin Smith

has had some struggles here in his rookie season. There's a lot of players doing the National Football League making that transition, and I'm not making excuses, but it's but a tough year for Devin because first day a training camp, basically he goes out with not only a broken ribs, but he had punctured uh lacerated long, uh punctured long? Excuse me? And now you're seeing him trying to get back up to speed and get involved in offense. And

obviously he's got some pressure on him. But what do you do as a quarter act when you see a guy obviously he was fighting at right now, you continue to pump him up, You work with him after practice. You you do little things to create small victories. I think small victories and accountability habits create uh later success And so right now for him, he's got to create some small victories throughout practice and throughout the week to

build that confidence. You can't wait to make a play in a game and then say, Okay, now I've got the confidence to do that. You do that throughout the week to build that commerce because once you get to game day, we don't have time for that. So I think that's most important. I think that the other learning tool, or the lesson to be learned for younger players is that in in the NFL, you don't get very many

and opportunities to make a difference. Um, it's not like college or high school where you get multiple opportunities because you're running nine plays a game in sixty to seventy plays period in an NFL game, and so the limited amount of opportunities that you get you must convert, you must make That's just the nature of the game that it's not going to change. It's always been that way.

Something that I had to learn as a young player, and so you hope that he starts to understand that, build those small victories in practice, work on those things, and and see that come to fruition on game day. Lost the amidst the latest Jets defeat was the play of ballaal Pile back in the lineup for the first time, I believe since the Washington game. He had a career high and receptions and receiving yards. Also showed a little

spark in the running game. Uh. Did you like what you saw out of a Ballall as he returned to the lineup, No question. And that's the type of small production that I'm talking about to take the pressure off of a player like Chris Ivory. So Powell was able to do that and create some explosion plays, create some plays that keep jobs alive instead of all being on

number thirty three. Same thing in the passing game, the young receivers being able to step up make a couple of plays to take the pressure off of Decker and Marshall. Those are the things that you're talking about. And that's what Balalpa did in the game, and that's something that they had been missing. Uh, in the last few weeks, and so it's nice to see him be able to step back into the lineup and be productive. What do

you think about the defensive effort. Obviously, these guys hold themselves to a really high standard, and their numbers are still very good. And I know teams throughout the league inside locker rooms aren't looking at total yards. They're looking

at wins and losses. But you know, they kept the Jets in the game early, but then you had a spot there where it was tens of time after Fits and Brandon Marshall got together for their seventh scoring connection on the season and then cease shorts and the Houston Texans had a backbreaking thrive on the ensuing possession. Well, I think what you have started to see, and I think what the Texans did a really good job of.

They said, look, we know that we're not going to make our living against the Jets defense, uh four or five yards at a time and be consistent at that. They're too good to allow us to have those type of drives and create double digit play series to to drive and score touchdowns. And so they were able to be creative and take advantage of some personnel things and be creative with down the field shots. And you look at their three touchdowns that they had, Uh, they were

down the field shots. One of them was more of a creative trick play, um, and then the other two were actually down the field shots. So I think teams are saying, you know what, we can't be scared of the Jets defense. Uh, in the fact that we've got to take these down the field shot that's what's going

to give us some breathing room. And even if we take six of them and only hit two, those are two big plays that give us some breathing room to them be able to punch in because right now the Jets offense haven't shown that they're gonna put up points a game. So a team's going in going, look, if we can score seventeen to twenty points, we have a chance to really win this game. How do we do that? We create him down the field charts and take our chance.

Do you like what you saw, uh Colevilan prior he made a return to the lineup ball, so he was out since the New England game. Uh, you know you can think about that past defense. In the first quarter, Uh, the Texans lined up j J wide wide and they wanted to throw the fade to him, and Prior was right there, and I thought throughout the ball game, number twenty five was all over the place, and he's he's

continued to impress me in the second season. Well. I think probably the biggest thing that stuck out to me

Eric was of his energy. I think that's important. I think he brought a renewed sense of energy when he played, and I think that's something that the team is missing because whether it be just later in the season, or it be the um intensity of the situation and the pressure of the situation, that energy and that passion to play the game and just be out there and communicating, being excited about what you're doing and not just going through your typical routine, but truly being committed to what

you're trying to get accomplished. I think that was evident in the way that he played on Sunday, which I think is going to be important moving forward throughout the next six games. The Jets handled Miami across the Pond, which seems months ago at this point. That was both teams fourth game, and the Jets actually moved to three and one uh with the rather convincing victory over the Dolphins. There, now the teams meet for a second time. Uh, what do you think about this Miami team who comes and

visits the Jets and how different they might look. Well, I think that their backs are against the wall. I think you have two teams that UM are in a similar situation. Uh. If we're splitting hairs here, there's no doubt that Miami's back is completely against the wall. They have no room for Arabian at four and six. UM, they're still searching. UM, they've had a little bit of success. UM since the coaching change. I think they are a little bit of a different team than earlier in the

year when the Jets played them. But it's it's two teams that that are just flat struggling to find a way to win a football game. And so typically this creates one of the best matchups of the week when you're looking at two teams that are struggling, they're fighting for their playoff lives. UM, they're looking to, you know, be able to put an anchor in the ground and say this is who we are and we're making this run.

And you've got two teams in similar situations. So it's certainly going to be a game that's gonna have some fireworks and it's going to be intense. This is a playoff game for both teams on paper that just should be able to get the run game moving against this team. The dolphinsive struggled throughout the year stop in the run.

Chris Ivory one went off against them in London, and last week the Cowboys got it moving on the ground against this Dolphins team who throughout this the entire two thousand fifteen season, have really had a lot of holes in their defense, specifically against that run game. Yes they have. They certainly struggled, and when you look at them on paper, you wonder why that they're, you know, having trouble in

the run game. But you know, I think it's going to be a matter of will and and you know, an offensive line against the defensive line, and just who wants it and who's gonna execute better, and who's going

to be more tenacious and physical and and relentless. I think that's what it's gonna build down to, and which whichever offensive or defensive line takes it to the other, they're gonna have the advantage and and play with some enthusiasm and energy and a little bit of nastiness and and have a little integree and you to where you gotta say, we've got to established the line of scrimmage

here we we This is a matter of will. This is a game that doesn't necessarily come down the game plan as it comes down to just pure determination and want to who's going to fight back and try to help their team get back into the playoff RaSE. The Jets are honor in the Super Bowl three team uh during this ball game and also at halftime, Immerson Boozer and Matt Snell will officially be inducted into the team's

ring honor. Thoughts on Booze and Matt's Snell uh going taking their places on the Jets All Old Time Team, Well, I think it's awesome and I think that you know, it's it's appropriate that it just so happens to be this week where you know, the Jets are trying to find a way to to become a team that can um compete for a world championship, and we're honoring a team that did win the Ultimate Prize and two players who were major contributors and really great Jet players during

that era. So I think it's a great time to be able to celebrate, uh, their accomplishments and what they've been able to do, and and uh, the type of players that they were. You know, when you watch them play and you see the old clips, I mean they're just gritty, they're determined or just tough. I mean, they're what football players are supposed to be. And I think it's a great time to celebrate them. And they were really aheat of their time because you think about the

nineteen sixties. At that time, a lot of teams weren't going to a backfield tandem, and that was one of the pro full walls, real first true tandems, as the Jets used both of these guys in the passing game and the run game and as blockers as well, no question, I mean they were very well rounded. And now we

have all of these specialists today. And when you look at those two players, they were asked to do everything, and uh, that's certainly a dying breed in our game today, whereas in the past you look at two players like that, I mean they were asked to do everything. They were so versatile that they were capable of doing everything, and and the team really counted up on them in every situation. I just want to get your thoughts real quickly on

the Jets waving of Quentin Coples this week. He was drafted two thousand and twelve, first round pick number sixteen overall, had sixteen and a half sacks the last three seasons, but this year he really saw his playing time decreased. Chad obviously more of an inside pass rusher than anything, and he was playing the outside linebacker position, and the Jets have been using Lorenzo mauld and a rookie out of Louisville more and more in subsituations. Well, you know,

you hate to see that happened to players. Being a player myself, you know, you know how difficult it is to compete and producing this league and create longevity in this league. And I think he'll find another spot. Sometimes you get players that are on teams and you just have too many good players at one spot and you can't keep them all. I've seen that with great receivers. Uh, you know, you see that with other players where they

just finally find their niche with an organization. So you know, the releasing of Clinton doesn't mean that he can't play in this league. I don't think that it's an indictment upon him. It's just that he was on a team that had some really talented play airs in the same

position that he was playing. And so your hope is that and I think it's a it's a it's a move by coach Bowls where he's a former player and he realizes that sometimes you have to make these business decisions, and sometimes these business decisions are actually good for the organization and also even better for the player to where he can go find another opportunity to be productive and another organization can use his skills, uh to its advantage. So I hope that this turns into a positive uh

for Clinton. I've been on that. I've been in that situation being ways where my my services weren't wanted anymore by one organization, but they were they were found to be very beneficial to another organization. So for him, you hope that he's got the right mindset and realizes that this is at the end of the road. It could be just the beginning of another chapter in his NFL career. Yeah,

excellent point. Uh, strictly business decision, as Todd Bowles said, and not deal with anything that was happening off the field, it became a numbers game. And as Bol said this week, Chaid, listen, we have a slew of players who play on the inside. And Quintin was a good guy, while liked in the locker room, did a lot of fine things in the community throughout his tenure here. So everybody here wishes Quintin a lot of luck. Uh So, final word from you,

what's your favorite Thanksgiving food? Oh? Man, let's see. I am I love gravy. You know, I'm a biscuits and gravy fand so anytime we have a chance to have gravy on something, I'm all about it. So probably everything on my plate will have baby on it. The turkey, the dressing, the mashed potatoes. It'll probably even get mixed in with the corn and the greenbies. Whatever is on there, there will be gravy on my plate. I promise you that. All right? For me, it's just fast forward to dessert

because I'm a pumpkin pie guy. Can don't wait for a little bit that here on Thursday? Uh buddy, Uh, many blessings to you and your family and joy Thanksgiving and then we'll talk to you next week. You two happy Thanksgiving. Dollar Jet fans,