Jets haven't forgotten last year's 54-13 drubbing by Patriots
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) celebrates after a touchdown by Hunter Henry during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Foxborough, Mass. Credit: Mary Schwalm
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Jeff Ulbrich was speaking in his usual calm and measured voice, but inside he was fired up by the memory of the Jets’ last game against the Patriots.
The defensive coordinator was not happy with how New England ran up the score on the Jets last Oct. 24. Bill Belichick’s team buried the Jets, 54-13, in Foxborough.
“I remember the score,” Ulbrich said Thursday. “I remember a lot of things. I remember it being 40-plus and shots still being taken on us.
“It is what it is. It’s our job as a defensive coaching staff and as a defense to stop that. At the end of the day, it comes down to what we can control. We allowed way too much last year. Will be looking forward to this one.”
The Jets will host New England on Sunday, and it’s clear that this group wants nothing more than to exact revenge after what happened a year ago.
“We got a good memory,” defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said. “It wasn’t that long ago.”
Ulbrich said, “Everyone is very aware of what went down last year.”
The Jets have won four in a row and are tied for the most wins in the AFC with five, but New England has dominated this rivalry since Belichick resigned as Jets head coach to join the Patriots in 2000. The Patriots have won 12 consecutive games against the Jets.
Many of these Jets players and coaches have been around for only the two games last year. New England won the first, 25-6, with Zach Wilson throwing four interceptions. The second one was a total shellacking, and the Patriots never took their foot off the gas.
New England led by 21 after three quarters and scored a touchdown three plays into the fourth to go up 41-13, but Belichick didn’t stop throwing the football. Mac Jones and Brian Hoyer went a combined 7-for-8 for 158 yards in a 20-point fourth quarter.
“I wasn’t fired up about it,” Ulbrich said. “I’m trying not to say too much — as I’ve been told.”
The Jets lost 13 games last year, but Ulbrich said allowing 45 points to the Colts and the New England drubbing were the ones that stuck with him the most. He also believes it strengthened his and his defense’s resolve.
“That and the Indy game were probably places where there was a level of darkness, I know within my own brain and soul,” Ulbrich said. “It was definitely trying. I’d like to say that we’re better because of it. We’re stronger.
“In those times of adversity, people are really revealed. Some people go south, and some people go sideways, and some people galvanize and come together. I felt like that happened from a coaching perspective and from a player perspective.”
The Jets are a far different team than they were a year ago and much better defensively.
They improved at all three levels of the defense, particularly the back end with the signing of free-agent cornerback D.J. Reed and the drafting of cornerback Sauce Gardner. Their defensive line has been bolstered by Carl Lawson’s return after he missed last season with a ruptured Achilles. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams has been playing at a Pro Bowl level.
In their last three games, the Jets have allowed an average of an NFL-low 12 points. The personnel changes have made a huge difference, but Ulbrich also traces it back to how the players had to come together after being embarrassed by New England.
“The outside world turned on them a little bit, but then they just bunkered up and came together,” Ulbrich said. “You started to feel a little bit of momentum towards the end of last season because of those moments. I really feel it’s the foundation of the strength that we have now.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
