Jets' Robert Saleh laments overthinking timeouts on the final drive
Jets head coach Robert Saleh against the Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Robert Saleh said he had a sleepless night because he believed he let his team down with his clock management late in the Jets’ loss to Detroit on Sunday.
“I think I got about a half-hour worth of sleep last night,” he said. “There’s stuff I definitely could have done better.”
Saleh didn’t use all three of his timeouts on the game’s final drive. He had one remaining when the game ended. The Jets lost, 20-17, after Greg Zuerlein’s 58-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left.
Saleh said he “overthought it” and should have called a timeout after Garrett Wilson’s 10-yard catch on second down put the ball at the Jets’ 48 with about 49 seconds left.
He said he was trying to avoid a booth review that might have changed the spot and taken away the first down. Saleh said he cost his team another snap, which could have resulted in a shorter, more makable field goal. He now says it was a mistake.
“That’s the one that I definitely overthought it,” Saleh said. “Call a timeout, there’s 49 seconds left. Thought we got the better end of a spot, and I was trying to beat New York [replay review] on a challenge. That’s the one I overthought.
“It didn’t matter. We’re not playing for downs in this situation. We’re playing for time. When you look at it all, I probably cost us one more snap. That’s something I definitely need to be better, I definitely overthought it and wish I could have that one back.”
The Jets had three timeouts when the drive started at their 25 with 1:49 to go. Saleh said he wanted to save them for the final minute in case of “a catastrophe.”
He acknowledged that everything after Wilson’s 22-yard catch on third-and-18 with one minute approaching, “it’s textbook — next ball inbounds, call a timeout.” Saleh didn’t follow that.
He called his first timeout when Zach Wilson was sacked with 19 seconds to go and his second with one second left to get the field-goal unit on the field.
“The biggest thing you want to do is give your guys a chance to make plays,” Saleh said. “Do your job, do your job to give everybody a chance to make a play and be the best versions of themselves. In that situation, I definitely could have been better. I overthought it.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
