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FLORHAM PARK, NJ – Despite going 0-3 for the third year in a row, franchise first, New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said on Monday they did not deserve criticism from fans and the media .
“We still don’t want to hear this s —,” Williams said on an odd Zoom call with reporters.
Pressed by a reporter, Williams began to laugh for several seconds when asked if fans had the right to be upset by their 26-0 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Eventually, he got serious, defending quarterback Zach Wilson and insisting the team wouldn’t let critics ruin their season.
“I’m saying people who have negative things to say about Zach and the team, we don’t listen to them,” said Williams, arguably the best player on the team. “We want to keep improving each day, because if you listen to the negative things, you can eventually believe in those negative things and get into a tank about those negative things.
“For me, for this team and for Zach, we don’t listen to the negative reviews that are being said.”
The Jets are under fire after two back-to-back unbalanced losses, contributing to a historic bad start in attack. They scored just 20 points, tied at least in franchise history in the first three games. They were also 20 in 1976, when an aging Joe Namath was the quarterback and Lou Holtz was the coach.
It’s supposed to be a year of rebuilding under new coach Robert Saleh, but the fan base is already losing patience. The Jets were outnumbered in the first half, 46-3, and they are not yet ahead. The schedule does not soften this week, as they face the Tennessee Titans (2-1) at home.
“We’re down to three games,” Saleh said on Monday. “This is the first round of a 15 round fight. It’s not like our faces are broken or anything.”
Wilson was the focal point. The rookie struggled in three starts, with 15 sacks and seven league-leading interceptions. The only other player with so many interceptions is fellow rookie Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Saleh defended Wilson, but noted he had to do a better job delivering the ball on time. Wilson seems hesitant at times and has a tendency to hesitate. He leads the league with eight sacks holding the ball for at least 4.5 seconds, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
“When his footwork is clean and he progresses the course… you can see why he was the # 2 pick and why we think he’s going to have an amazing future,” Saleh said. “He needs to be more consistent and trust what he sees.”
Wilson likely won’t have rookie wide receiver Elijah Moore, who suffered a concussion on Sunday. Jamison Crowder, who missed three games, remains questionable with a groin injury, which means Denzel Mims could be active on Sunday. The 2020 second-round pick has been a big scrape the last two games.
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