The Jets must be watching different film.
Though the Falcons have dropped from last season’s highest-scoring offense (33.8 points) to the 16th-ranked attack (21.8) under new offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers doesn’t believe Atlanta’s offense looks much different from the group that nearly won the Super Bowl, citing the Falcons’ ranking seventh in the league in total offense.
“Their problem might be just scoring,” Rodgers said Thursday. “You have probably one of the best receivers in the game [Julio Jones], marquee quarterback [Matt Ryan] and when you watch them, they’re explosive. So you’re sitting there saying that you’re playing a team that averaged 372[.5] yards offensively — usually that’s going to be pretty good.
“I guess I see it differently. These guys are talented. All the way around, they’re making plays. … They are scary.”
Coach Todd Bowles used the same adjective to describe the defending NFC champions, even if Ryan already has one fewer interception (six) than he threw during his entire MVP campaign.
“They may have a hiccup here or there, but they can run the ball and they can throw the ball,” Bowles said. “That’s without question so they’re scary coming in. I don’t worry about them not coming together. I just hope they don’t score a bunch of points.”
John Morton wouldn’t change a thing.
On Josh McCown’s back-breaking fourth-quarter interception against the Dolphins, the Jets’ offensive coordinator believes the right play was used.
“I called one of our best plays,” Morton said. “We had time left to go try and win the game. We had plenty of timeouts. … [McCown] didn’t see the guy in the flat, so he threw the ball and they picked it. I’ll call the same play again because it’s a play that works really well.”
Wide receiver Robby Anderson said that when he threw his helmet in the final seconds of the 31-28 loss to Miami — resulting in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty — it was simply due to frustration about the outcome.
“[It] wasn’t about me not getting the ball,” Anderson said. “It was about us losing. I’m not a selfish football player by any means … [but I] can’t be doing stuff like that.”
With Joe Girardi not returning as Yankees manager, Bowles is now the second-longest tenured coach in New York in the four major professional sports, despite being just halfway through his third season with the Jets. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault was hired in 2013.
“Interesting,” Bowles said with a smile. “It’s a fun fact, I guess.”
Cornerback Buster Skrine (concussion) did not practice for the second straight day, along with Muhammad Wilkerson (shoulder, toe), right tackle Brandon Shell (neck) and tight end Jordan Leggett (knee). Matt Forte (toe) was limited. … Falcons running back Tevin Coleman (knee) was a limited participant, along with linebacker Deion Jones (ankle) and defensive lineman Courtney Upshaw (ankle).