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Robert Saleh’s clock management in the final two minutes of Sunday’s 20-17 New York Jets loss to the Detroit Lions may not have been his finest moment with the New York Jets. But the coach’s accountability the next day was impressive.
Jets players took notice.
“For him to take responsibility in the public, that’s big right there,” rookie corner Sauce Gardner said Monday. “Most head coaches cover their behind for something, but the fact that he can do something like that, that shows he’s a great leader.”
Sauce Gardner reacts to Robert Saleh taking accountability for the mistakes he made during yesterday's game:
"The fact that he can do something like that shows that he's a great leader, for sure" pic.twitter.com/tqDRkvnECD
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) December 19, 2022
The Jets had all three timeouts when they got the ball back on their 25-yard line with 1:49 to play, trailing by three points. New York ran seven plays before using a timeout with 19 seconds remaining after Zach Wilson was sacked at his own 40-yard line.
Wilson threw an incomplete pass on third down and then converted a fourth-and-18 with a 20-yard completion to Elijah Moore. The Jets called timeout with one second left before Greg Zuerlein missed a 58-yard field goal at the final gun.
The Jets let 24 seconds run off the clock after a 22-yard pass to Garrett Wilson with 1:22 to play and 22 seconds after a 10-yard completion to Wilson for a first down with 53 seconds left.
Saleh told reporters he slept roughly 30 minutes Sunday night replaying the final drive in his head and what he could have done differently.
“There’s definitely stuff that I could have done better,” Saleh said. “I definitely overthought the situation (after Wilson’s 10-yard catch). … When you look at it all, I probably cost us one more snap. Something I’ve got to be better at.”
Veteran tight end C.J. Uzomah appreciated his coach’s comments.
"Any time you see your coach going out to bat and putting things on his shoulders, I love to see that. I love playing for him because of that. I want to put my best foot forward not only for the team, but for the coach as well"
– CJ. Uzomah on Robert Saleh pic.twitter.com/6yo02JifOi
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) December 19, 2022
Gardner said Saleh owning up to his mistake publicly “had a huge impact on us.”
“What he do, we all watch it,” Gardner said. “We watch the way coach Saleh carries himself.”
Saleh has handled difficult situations with grace throughout the season, his second as Jets coach. Most notable was how he deftly managed trade requests by Moore and Denzel Mims and the benching of Zach Wilson.
The coach has the Jets (7-7) in the playoff conversation, but they likely need to win their three remaining games to secure a berth for the first time in 12 years.
