In some sort of strange way, the first play in the Jets 24-6 win over the Miami Dolphins happened the night before, when coach Todd Bowles called the team meeting.
After the firestorm started from President Donald Trump’s tweets earlier in the day, Bowles didn’t want any of that dividing his team.
They spoke about it. Aired their grievances and listened to each other.
In short, it was a family meeting.
So, when the teams came onto the field and the National Anthem began, the Miami Dolphins had a few players kneeling – as is their right – and the Jets stood arm and arm with each other with CEO Christopher Johnson standing in the middle with his team.
“We had a long talk,” Bowles said. “It bothered some guys and we had a long talk about it. Everybody aired their differences and we talked about it and we came out as a team today united.”
It was a statement by the Jets they will let nothing divide them. Not the opposition. Not the distractors. And certainly not someone at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
What was more amazing was not the statement, but the fact the Jets came out and played their best game in a long time. Miami had nothing on Gang Green today, who dominated both sides of the ball. Josh McCown looked like a very capable signal caller, while the defense was one that resembled a Todd Bowles squad.
It was a complete team effort.
“Execution,” said Demario Davis. “Execution and working together. The offense played phenomenal, special teams played phenomenal, the defense was able to go out there and execute. Anytime we will be able to go out there and do that we’ll be alright.”
That’s what the Jets have to do if they want to have any kind of chance this season. They need to play a complete team game.
McCown may be capable, but he’s not the type of quarterback which will carry the team on his back and the defense won’t hold everyone to a garbage touchdown as seconds tick off. As much as the Jets looked good. Miami looked like a very bad team as well, which had little interest in playing in East Rutherford with Miami weather.
“They just beat the (heck) out of us,” said Miami coach Adam Gase. “That’s the best way to put it. We didn’t show up, didn’t play physical.”
Frankly, Miami isn’t a very good team and the Jets have something to prove this year. With so many distractors, who thought they wouldn’t win a game this year, Gang Green wanted to prove everyone wrong.
They didn’t look very good the first two weeks, but the second half in Oakland, they looked better and today, they looked like world beaters.
“Not a whole lot different than halftime last week in Oakland,” McCown said. “It was the way we were together last week, the way we approached that second half, we didn’t quit. I think that was the foundation for this week.”
That’s what winning teams do. They have fun. They enjoy each other’s company.
And of course, they take care of business. No matter what distractions are out there and no matter who is saying what.
That goes for the so-called experts and also for a certain ex-reality show host who likes to tweet a lot.
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