Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich doesn't expect lapse with playoffs out of reach

Jeff Ulbrich of the Jets looks on during the first... — Jeff Ulbrich of the Jets looks on during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Jan. 1, 2023 in Seattle. Credit: Getty Images

By Al Iannazzoneal.iannazzone@newsday.com Al_IannazzoneUpdated December 21, 2023

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Jeff Ulbrich doesn’t believe his defense will exhale during the final three games now that the playoffs are out of reach.

The Jets' defensive coordinator expects his players to continue playing for each other and give the same effort they’ve given in becoming a top-10 defense. Ulbrich told them that general managers and coaches watch film of players they’re evaluating without context. They’re just focusing on the player.

“They just watch cut-ups and just go through the tape so they don’t know if you’re in it, out of it,” Ulbrich said. “They don’t know if you’re up by 40, down by 40. They just know the player that they’re evaluating and watching. So from that standpoint you always got to demonstrate who you are regardless of the circumstance. When circumstance starts to define who you are, you’re not going to last in this league very long.

“Big game you get up and then you get beat [by the] team that you should have beat. It’s the Super Bowl and now all of a sudden, ‘I’m going to become Superman.’ No, it’s a championship process in everything you do all the time, regardless of the record, regardless of what we’re playing for or not.”

The Jets (5-9) play the Commanders (4-10) on Sunday. Washington has talent on its offense, which is coached by former Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

Ulbrich sees Kansas City principles from the Commanders, explosive skill players and growth in their rookie quarterback Sam Howell, who has thrown 19 touchdown passes.

“You see kind of the early parts of like a Kansas City,” Ulbrich said. “You have some of these concepts that are just an absolute headache because they’re so deep. They’re almost make-believe routes at times where it’s a lot of stuff that [Patrick] Mahomes has perfected over the years. You see that they’re in the infancy of that. It’s some scary stuff because there’s stuff that really challenges your rules.”

Let Garrett cook

Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett acknowledged he’s got to find ways to get Garrett Wilson involved more. He had just three catches last week against Miami and wasn’t targeted until the third quarter.

“You want to move him around, you want to do everything you can to get him the ball,” Hackett said. “That’s something that we have to focus on even more.”