Jets’ Steve Wilks is not shopping for Baker Mayfield’s Panthers grievance
Steve Wilks insists that Baker Mayfield’s beef with him is misguided.
The Buccaneers quarterback stated following Sunday’s last-second 29-27 win over the Jets that defeating Wilks was “private” as a result of he believed the Jets’ first-year defensive coordinator was “the one which minimize me in Carolina” in 2022.
Not so, stated Wilks, who had changed Matt Rhule on an interim foundation in October of that season after the Panthers had opened with a 1-4 report.
“I don’t actually suppose an interim coach has a lot authority over personnel,” Wilks stated earlier than Jets observe Friday in Florham Park. “If that’s the case, I wouldn’t have gotten rid of our greatest participant, Christian McCaffrey.”
Mayfield, the No.1 general decide by the Browns in 2018, had been acquired by Carolina in a commerce earlier than the 2022 season. He appeared in solely seven video games for the Panthers, going 1-5 in six begins.
His request for a launch was granted by the Panthers in December, and he completed the season with the Rams earlier than signing the subsequent season and resurrecting his profession with Tampa Bay.
Ten days after Rhule was fired on Oct. 10, McCaffrey was traded to the 49ers for a number of draft picks.
“Plenty of respect for Baker, large soccer participant, and he’s doing a hell of a job with these guys down there [in Tampa],” Wilks stated. “Nothing actually a lot to say past that.”
Wilks’ protection has had its moments over the primary three video games, however the Jets have dropped all three, together with a drive for the game-winning area objective Sunday within the last 1:49 after the Jets had taken a lead on a blocked area objective returned for a landing by Will McDonald IV.
Wilks stated the emphasis forward of Monday night time’s sport in opposition to the Dolphins is obvious.
“One of many issues now we have to do defensively — as you’ve seen we’ve executed a whole lot of nice issues all through these first three weeks — however we gotta discover a option to end,” Wilks stated. “That’s the important thing factor for us on protection.
“One landing, holding these guys to 5 area objectives, it doesn’t actually imply something when you’ll be able to’t end in the long run. That’s the place we’re proper now, and that’s our problem this week.”
The Jets, who will probably be with out beginning linebacker Quincy Williams (shoulder) for not less than the subsequent 4 weeks, rank twenty second in yards allowed per sport (340.3) throughout their winless begin.
“There’s lots that goes into play, and that begins with me,” Wilks stated. “Placing guys in place to achieve success, after which most significantly, simply making the performs when given the chance.
“I feel as you consider us the primary three video games, I feel we did some nice issues from the standpoint of stopping the run and making performs within the pink zone and doing an excellent job on third down. However the important thing factor is our capability to complete and shut the sport out.”
