GOOD for John Abraham.
The Jets’ Pro Bowl defensive end deserves applause both for his passionate outburst after Sunday’s unforgivable loss to a Browns team that was half-dead by halftime and for standing up like a man behind his controversial comments the day after.
This is not to condone Abraham’s specific criticism of the coaching staff for what he believed was a conservative approach, but to praise him for what might turn out to be his coming out as a leader on this underachieving, headed-for-nowhere team.
That Abraham was willing to stand up, be accountable and express his anger amidst a locker room that featured players fleeing the room – not to mention accountability for their errors in the loss – is admirable.
Other than Abraham, with few exceptions, the Jets’ postgame locker room on Sunday was a lot more about “oh-well-we-lost-another-one” resignation than about rage over a season of promise on the brink of complete embarrassment.
Where were the veterans and supposed leaders on the team in the wake of the loss?
Where was Wayne Chrebet, who a week earlier stood in front of his locker basking in the glow of the 250 yards he, Laveranues Coles and Santana Moss gained in the win over Minnesota?
Chrebet, who fumbled a sure TD away at the Browns’ 3-yard line, was nowhere to be found after the game Sunday.
Where were veterans Mo Lewis and Marvin Jones, the supposed backbone of the defense, who played their best games of the year the week before?
Gone.
Abraham was there, though. He was there venting. But he, too, was there to take the blame for his debilitating offsides penalty that nullified Ray Mickens’ interception return for a TD.
Though Abraham’s message was a little bit misguided in calling out the coaching staff in public, good for him for showing the leadership passion this team sorely lacks.
On offense, Chad Pennington has come in and sparked the team. The Jets have been searching for that player on defense. Perhaps in the wake of a terrible loss, they found him Sunday.
It seems Abraham, perhaps reaching out in the wake of seeing the veterans around him sit in selfish silence, has decided to stand up and become that player.
It’s pretty clear he senses the season slipping away with no leaders on defense and figures this is his time.
Abraham’s comments opened eyes particularly wide because, up until now, he’s been very quiet and soft-spoken.
Though his words were strong, having been around Abraham since he arrived three years ago, the belief here is that he had no intention of trying to divide the team or make the coaches look bad. He merely was lashing out in frustration and reaching for answers.
“I wasn’t trying to point any fingers; I was trying to get everybody back on the same page,” Abraham said. “Sometimes you have to shake people to get them thinking right.”
Good for Abraham for shaking it up and then not backing down from his words or blaming reporters for twisting his words “out of context” the way so many unaccountable players do in blaming the messenger.
Good for Abraham for putting his name on it and standing by his words.
“One thing you’ve got to give him credit for: He put his name on it, and I think you have to respect that,” Pennington said. “To me, a true competitor will use his words to get better. He’s frustrated. We’re all frustrated.
“John is considerate of what his teammates think,” continued Pennington, one of the players Abraham spoke privately with on Monday. “I told him when things like that are said it makes me look in mirror at myself. It doesn’t make me mad, it makes me as a teammate accountable.”
It’s time more of the Jets look to the accountable players like Abraham for leadership and follow them. It might lead them to a place better than where they are now, which is last place.