The trash talk has decidedly been toned down this week between the Jets and Dolphins, a marked difference from the chatter that took place before, during and after the two AFC East rivals played each other three weeks ago.
Jets LB Calvin Pace, who after the 31-27 loss called Miami’s quarterback Chad Henne a “clown” and called the Dolphins’ Wildcat offense “nonsense,” explained his comments yesterday.
“I’m not much of a talker, and I said some things kind of out of character,” Pace said. “I meant them, but that wasn’t the right time to say them. Moving forward, we’ve got to stop them. They made a valid point [after his comments]. If you don’t like it, stop them.”
Pace said “emotion and embarrassment” caused him to lash out like that after the game.
“When you go out in any game — especially Monday night in a division game — the level that the defense played before I got back [from a four-game suspension] really wasn’t there,” Pace said. “For whatever reason we just looked rattled. We lost a lot of our poise in that game.”
Dolphins’ LB Channing Crowder, after hearing Pace’s comments, joked that the Miami offense “non-sensed their [butts] all the way up and down the field.”
Yesterday, Jets LB Bart Scott countered by saying, “That wasn’t a good defensive game on both sides of the ball, so (Crowder) got his (butt) run up and down the field, too. We got an opportunity to come out and make it different [this week]. Sunday’s a new day.”
Scott said of Henne, “I hope to get him out of there.”
Asked how, he said, “I want to hit him and get him out of there. You don’t have to do something dirty to get somebody out of there.”
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Jets WR Jerricho Cotchery, who’s missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, reiterated yesterday that he’s ready to play this week. The three players who didn’t participate in Wednesday’s practice — RG Brandon Moore (foot), WR David Clowney (ankle) and CB Lito Sheppard (quad) — were all limited yesterday.
Coach Rex Ryan said all but Sheppard are expected to play. He called Sheppard “in between doubtful and questionable.”